Patent ID: 8751974
Filing Date: 2014-06-10
Classification: G03F,G06F

Abstract:
1. A layout decomposition method to produce exposure layouts for double patterning lithography from an initial layout, the method comprising steps of: accepting an initial double patterning lithography polygonal layout; fracturing features in the polygonal layout into a rectangular layout set of non-overlapping rectangular features; constructing a conflict graph over the rectangular features, wherein nodes in the conflict graph identify rectangular features having conflicting edges that are less than predetermined minimum coloring spacing distance and rectangular features having touching edges; conducting node splitting to split rectangular features identified as conflicting according to the conflict graph; updating the conflict graph to generate new nodes; computing overlap lengths between touching rectangular features; conducting, by using a computer, coloring of the rectangular features to obtain a coloring solution that is a two-colorable solution for rectangles identified in the updated conflict graph, wherein said coloring minimizes a weighted sum of the number of design changes, cuts, design rule violations and overlap lengths.