Integrated circuit having line end created through use of mask that controls line end shortening and corner rounding arising from proximity effects

Abstract

An integrated circuit that includes a line end created through use of a mask that controls line end shortening and corner rounding arising from proximity effects is provided. The mask includes a main feature having opaque and transmissive areas arranged to reflect a patterned feature of the line end, at least one of an opaque edge or a transmissive edge located at each end of the main feature, wherein the opaque edge has a set of transmissive assist features arranged therein such that the set of transmissive assist features align alternately with the transmissive areas of the main feature, and the transmissive edge has a set of opaque assist features arranged therein such that the set of opaque assist features align alternately with the opaque areas of the main feature.

1 . An integrated circuit having a line end created through use of a mask that controls line end shortening and corner rounding arising from proximity effects, the mask comprising:
 a main feature having opaque and transmissive areas arranged to reflect a patterned feature of the line end, wherein each end of the main feature includes at least one of an opaque edge and a transmissive edge;   the opaque edge includes a set of transmissive assist features arranged therein such that the set of transmissive assist features align alternately with the transmissive areas of the main feature, and the transmissive edge includes a set of opaque assist features arranged therein such that the set of opaque assist features align alternately with the opaque areas of the main feature.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein the set of opaque assist features comprises first opaque portions aligning with the transmissive areas, and the set of transmissive assist features comprises first transmissive portions aligning with the opaque areas. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 2 , wherein the set of opaque assist features further comprises second opaque portions aligning with the opaque areas and separating from the first opaque portions by a distance of less than 0.6 λ/NA and greater or equal to 0.3 λ/NA. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 2 , wherein the set of transmissive assist features further comprises second transmissive portions aligning with the transmissive areas and separating from the first transmissive portions by a distance of less than 0.6 λ/NA and greater or equal to 0.3 λ/NA. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 4 , wherein the distance ranges from 0.4 λ/NA to 0.6 λ/NA. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 3 , wherein the distance ranges from 0.4 λ/NA to 0.6 λ/NA. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein each transmissive assist feature and opaque assist feature has a dimension ranging from 0.4 λ/NA to 0.6 λ/NA.