Patent ID: 8056026
Filing Date: 2011-11-08
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. A method for determining manufacturability of a lithographic mask employed in fabricating instances of a semiconductor device, comprising: selecting a plurality of target edges from mask layout data of the lithographic mask, the mask layout data comprising a plurality of polygons distributed over a plurality of cells, each polygon having a plurality of edges, the cells comprising a center cell, two vertical cells including an upper cell above the center cell and a lower cell below the center cell, and two horizontal cells including a left cell to a left of the center cell and a right cell to a right of the center cell, where selecting the target edges comprises: selecting a number of target edge pairs for determining a manufacturing penalty in making the lithographic mask, the target edge pairs selected in a manner that decreases computational volume in determining the manufacturing penalty in making the lithographic mask, each target edge pair including a first edge selected from the first target edges and a second edge selected from the second target edges or the third target edges; determining the manufacturability of the lithographic mask, by a computer, including determining the manufacturing penalty in making the lithographic mask, where determining the manufacturing penalty is based on the target edge pairs as selected; and, outputting the manufacturability of the lithographic mask in the manufacturability, by the computer, where the manufacturability of the lithographic mask is dependent on the manufacturing penalty in making the lithographic mask.