Patent ID: 8921016

Claim:
A method, comprising: decomposing an initial overall target exposure pattern into at least a first decomposed sub-target pattern and a second decomposed sub-target pattern, wherein each of said first and second decomposed sub-target patterns comprise at least one feature; performing a first retargeting process on said first decomposed sub-target pattern to thereby define a retargeted first decomposed sub-target pattern while using said second decomposed sub-target pattern as a reference layer during said first retargeting process; performing a second retargeting process on said second decomposed sub-target pattern to thereby define a retargeted second decomposed sub-target pattern while using said first decomposed sub-target pattern as a reference layer during said second retargeting process; and after performing said first and second retargeting processes, performing at least one process operation to determine if each of said retargeted first decomposed sub-target pattern and said retargeted second decomposed sub-target is in compliance with at least one design rule.