Patent ID: 8146023
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A processor-based method for qualifying a process for a new integrated circuit design, the method comprising the steps of: identifying structures that are used in existing integrated circuit designs, identifying photolithography processes that are used to fabricate integrated circuits that are based on the existing designs, determining a process window for each structure/process combination by running tests on different combinations of process variables, compiling a database of the process windows, identifying the structures that are to be used in the new integrated circuit design, selecting from the database the process windows associated with the identified structures for the new integrated circuit design, using the processor, overlaying the selected process windows for the identified structures, grouped by common process, thereby creating a resultant process window for each process, and selecting one of the processes based at least in part on comparative sizes of the resultant process windows.