Patent ID: 8990755
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: G03F,G06F

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: generating a photolithography mask design; identifying partitions in the design for independent optimization, wherein the partitions are optimized independently of each other; grouping the partitions and ordering each group of partitions into one stage of a sequence of multiple stages including a first stage and a second stage, each stage having more than one partition, the grouping and ordering comprising applying a directed a-cyclical graph to a root, the root comprising the mask design, and establishing cells within the root and partitions for the cells, the partitions being grouped, each cell corresponding to a different stage; processing a group of partitions ordered in the first stage independently of each other partition and without extracting geometries from other partitions using a computer; extracting geometries from the periphery of partitions in the first stage after processing; adding the extracted geometries to the peripheries of partitions of the second stage; and processing the partitions of the second stage, the partitions including the added extracted geometries using the computer.