Patent ID: 9176373
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: G03F,G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of decomposing a single photoresist mask pattern to three photoresist mask patterns, the method comprising: assigning, by a processor, nodes to polygon features on the single photoresist mask pattern; designating nodes as being adjacent nodes for nodes less than a predetermined distance apart, the predetermined distance being derived from a property of semiconductor processing equipment for fabrication of a semiconductor device; temporarily removing nodes having 2 or less adjacent nodes so that one or more internal nodes remain; determining a decomposability of the single photoresist mask pattern to three photoresist mask patterns based on the one or more internal nodes, wherein determining the decomposability comprises making a decomposability assessment of each internal node of the one or more internal nodes independent of decomposability assessments of other internal nodes of the one or more internal nodes; mapping colors to the one or more internal nodes; replacing and mapping a color to each of the nodes removed by the temporarily removing nodes, such that each node does not have an adjacent node of the same color; and generating, based on the replacing and mapping, a layout design for fabrication of the semiconductor device.