Patent ID: 7908572

Claim:
A correction rule specification method in which the correction rule is used for rule-based optical proximity correction (OPC), comprising: specifying at least one correction rule R for rule-based OPC which comprises of a set of conditions C 1 , C 2 , . . . represented mathematically as R=f(C 1 , C 2 , . . . ), where C 1 , C 2 , . . . are conditions and f indicates that said at least one correction rule for rule-based OPC is dependent on said conditions, wherein said at least one correction rule for rule-based OPC has at least one correction action that has a range or set of correction values; and selecting, by using a computer, an optimal correction value from the range or set of correction values for a shape of an integrated circuit layout, that results in optimal OPC output for reduced complexity using rule-based OPC; wherein the selecting includes determining the optimal correction value by determining a first correction value from the range or set of correction values that overlaps a second correction value of a second correction rule whereby the optimal correction value, when applied to the shape as rule-based OPC, would not introduce any new vertices in the shape; or wherein the selecting includes determining the optimal correction value by determining the first or a third correction value from the range or set of correction values if the range or set of correction values does not overlap the second correction value whereby the optimal correction value, when applied to the shape as rule-based OPC, would minimize figure count.