Patent ID: 8413084

Claim:
A method comprising: identifying, using at least one computing device, which elements are non-critical in a predetermined set of design data used for printing a given photomask pattern, the design data including both non-critical elements and critical elements, at least one non-critical element having a shape requiring a predetermined number of multiple write tool shots; and reconfiguring, using the at least one computing device, the at least one non-critical element into a reconfigured shape that the write tool can write with a number of shots less than the predetermined number, wherein the reconfigured shape has an area equal to an area of the respective at least one non-critical element, to reduce the number of exposure shots required for the given photomask pattern, wherein the reconfiguring includes segmenting the non-critical elements into segments based on write tool limitations, optical proximity correction (OPC) limitations, and lithographic limitations, the write tool limitations including a shot size limit of approximately 1 μm.