Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method comprising:characterizing variations in feature dimensions of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design, by a set of processes that produce topographical variations in the integrated circuit, the variations in feature dimension being caused by the topographical variations, the set of processes comprising at least a first process, wherein the first process comprising electroplated copper deposition or chemical mechanical polishing, the set of processes further comprising at least a second process, the second process comprising a lithographic or etching process; andwherein the act of characterizing the variations comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the first process and the second process. 2. The method of claim 1 in which the variations that are characterized are for a damascene process flow. 3. The method of claim 1 in which the variations that are characterized corresponds to line width variations based upon thickness variation on a wafer surface. 4. The method of claim 1 in which the etching process comprises a plasma etching process. 5. The method of claim 1 in which the characterizing is provided as a service in a network. 6. The method of claim 5 in which the network comprises an intranet, an extranet, or an internet, and the characterizing is provided in response to user requests. 7. The method of claim 1 further including using an electronics design automation (EDA) tool in conjunction with the characterizing. 8. A method comprising:using a pattern-dependent model of topographical variation to predict feature dimension variations or electrical characteristics of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design by a set of processes that produce topological variation, the set of processes comprising at least a first process, wherein the first process comprising electroplated copper deposition or chemical mechanical polishing, the set of processes further comprising at least a second process, the second process comprising a lithographic or etching process; andwherein the act of predicting feature dimension variations or electrical characteristics comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the first process and the second process, andverifying that the predicted feature dimensions or electrical characteristics conform to the design. 9. A method comprising:using a pattern-dependent model of topographical variation to predict characteristics of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design by a set of processes, the set of processes comprising at least a first process, wherein the first process comprising electroplated copper deposition or chemical mechanical polishing, the set of processes further comprising at least a second process, the second process comprising a lithographic or etching process; andwherein the act of predicting characteristics comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the first process and the second process, andverifying that the predicted characteristics conform to the design,the characteristics including feature dimensions or electrical characteristics. 10. The method of claim 9 in which the set of processes comprises plasma etch and the characteristics include sidewall angle, trench width, or trench depth. 11. The method of claim 9 in which the characteristics include feature dimensions. 12. The method of claim 9 in which the characteristics include electrical characteristics. 13. The method of claim 9 in which the variations are for a damascene process flow. 14. The method of claim 9 in which the variations corresponds to line width variations based upon thickness variation on a wafer surface. 15. The method of claim 9 in which the characteristics comprise feature width. 16. The method of claim 9 in which the characteristics are associated with all of the integrated circuit. 17. The method of claim 9 in which the characteristics are associated with less than all of the integrated circuit. 18. The method of claim 9 in which the verifying of the predicted characteristics includes verifying feature widths. 19. The method of claim 9 in which the verifying of the predicted characteristics also includes verifying the topographical variation. 20. The method of claim 9 in which the verifying of the predicted characteristics includes verifying physical and electrical parameters that result from feature width variation. 21. The method of claim 9 in which the prediction or verification is done in response to a request received electronically from a network. 22. The method of claim 9 in which the prediction or verification is provided as a web service. 23. The method of claim 9 in which using a pattern-dependent model of topographical variation to predict characteristics of the integrated circuit includes using the model with respect to at least two different process features. 24. The method of claim 23 in which the process features comprise process recipes. 25. The method of claim 24 in which the process recipes include different tool settings for a tool. 26. The method of claim 24 in which the process recipes include power settings. 27. The method of claim 24 in which the process recipes include etch times. 28. The method of claim 24 in which the process recipes include polish times. 29. The method of claim 24 in which the process recipes include deposition times. 30. The method of claim 24 in which the process recipes include pressures. 31. The method of claim 23 in which the process features comprise tools. 32. The method of claim 31 in which the tools comprise tools made by two different vendors. 33. The method of claim 23 in which the process features comprise consumables. 34. The method of claim 33 in which the consumables comprise photoresists or mask types. 35. The method of claim 23 in further including choosing among the process features based on the prediction. 36. A method comprising:using a pattern-dependent model to predict variations in feature dimensions of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design by a set of processes that include a fabrication process that will impart topographical variation to the integrated circuits, the set of processes further comprising at least a second process, the second process comprising a lithographic or etching process; andwherein the act of predicting variations comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the fabrication process and the second process. 37. The method of claim 36 in which the variations are for a damascene process flow. 38. The method of claim 36 in which the variations that are characterized corresponds to line dimension variations based upon thickness variation on a wafer surface. 39. The method of claim 38 in which the line dimension variations comprise line width variations. 40. The method of claim 36 in which the predicting is provided as a service in a network. 41. The method of claim 40 in which the network comprises an intranet, an extranet, or an internet, and the predicting is provided in response to user requests. 42. The method of claim 36 also including using an electronics design automation (EDA) tool in conjunction with the predicting. 43. A method comprising:using a pattern-dependent model to predict characteristics of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design by a process that includes (a) a fabrication process that will impart topographical variation to the integrated circuit and (b) a lithography or etch process, wherein the act of predicting characteristics comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the fabrication process and the lithographic or etch process, andcertifying that the predicted characteristics meet specifications of the design. 44. A method comprising:using a pattern-dependent model to predict characteristics of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design by a process that includes (a) a fabrication process that will impart topographical variation to the integrated circuit and (b) a subsequent lithography or etch process wherein the act of predicting characteristics comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the fabrication process and the lithographic or etch process, andcertifying that the predicted characteristics resulting from the process up to the lithography or etch process will meet specifications of the design. 45. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer usable medium having executable code to execute a process, the process comprising:characterizing variations in feature dimensions of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design, by a set of processes that produce topographical variations in the integrated circuit, the variations in feature dimension being caused by the topographical variations, the set of processes comprising at least a first process, wherein the first process comprising electroplated copper deposition or chemical mechanical polishing, the set of processes further comprising at least a second process, the second process comprising a lithographic or etching process; andwherein the act of characterizing the variations comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the first process and the second process. 46. The computer program product of claim 45 in which the variations that are characterized are for a damascene process flow. 47. The computer program product of claim 45 in which the variations that are characterized corresponds to line width variations based upon thickness variation on a wafer surface. 48. The computer program product of claim 45 in which the etching process comprises a plasma etching process. 49. A system comprising:means for characterizing variations in feature dimensions of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design, by a set of processes that produce topographical variations in the integrated circuit, the variations in feature dimension being caused by the topographical variations, the set of processes comprising at least a first process, wherein the first process comprising electroplated copper deposition or chemical mechanical polishing, the set of processes further comprising at least a second process, the second process comprising a lithographic or etching process; andwherein the means for characterizing the variations comprises means for analysis of impacts of interactions between the first process and the second process. 50. The system of claim 49 in which the variations that are characterized are for a damascene process flow. 51. The system of claim 49 in which the variations that are characterized corresponds to line width variations based upon thickness variation on a wafer surface. 52. The system of claim 49 in which the etching process comprises a plasma etching process. 53. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer usable medium having executable code to execute a process, the process comprising:using a pattern-dependent model of topographical variation to predict characteristics of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design by a set of processes, the set of processes comprising at least a first process, wherein the first process comprising electroplated copper deposition or chemical mechanical polishing, the set of processes further comprising at least a second process, the second process comprising a lithographic or etching process, wherein the act of predicting characteristics comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the first process and the second process,verifying that the predicted characteristics conform to the design, andthe characteristics including feature dimensions or electrical characteristics. 54. The computer program product of claim 53 in which the set of processes comprises plasma etch and the characteristics include sidewall angle, trench width, or trench depth. 55. The computer program product of claim 53 in which the characteristics include feature dimensions. 56. The computer program product of claim 53 in which the characteristics include electrical characteristics. 57. The computer program product of claim 53 in which the characteristics comprise feature width. 58. The computer program product of claim 53 in which the verifying of the predicted characteristics includes verifying feature widths. 59. The computer program product of claim 53 in which the verifying of the predicted characteristics also includes verifying the topographical variation. 60. The computer program product of claim 53 in which the verifying of the predicted characteristics includes verifying physical and electrical parameters that result from feature width variation. 61. A system comprising:means for using a pattern-dependent model of topographical variation to predict characteristics of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design by a set of processes, the set of processes comprising at least a first process, wherein the first process comprising electroplated copper deposition or chemical mechanical polishing, the set of processes further comprising at least a second process, the second process comprising a lithographic or etching process, wherein the act of predicting characteristics comprises analysis of impacts of interactions between the first process and the second process,means for verifying that the predicted characteristics conform to the design, andthe characteristics including feature dimensions or electrical characteristics. 62. The system of claim 61 in which the set of processes comprises plasma etch and the characteristics include sidewall angle, trench width, or trench depth. 63. The system of claim 61 in which the characteristics include feature dimensions. 64. The system of claim 61 in which the characteristics include electrical characteristics. 65. The system of claim 61 in which the characteristics comprise feature width. 66. The system of claim 61 in which the means for verifying of the predicted characteristics includes means for verifying feature widths. 67. The system of claim 61 in which the means for verifying of the predicted characteristics also includes means for verifying the topographical variation. 68. The system of claim 61 in which the means for verifying of the predicted characteristics includes means for verifying physical and electrical parameters that result from feature width variation.