Patent ID: 7237221

Claim:
A method of preparing data for the creation of one or more photolithographic masks, comprising: reading layout data that represents a target layout design defining a number of objects to be created on a semiconductor wafer, wherein the objects have edges that are printed on the wafer with at least two printing objectives having defined tolerances; fragmenting the layout data by adding fragmentation endpoints to define a number of edge fragments, some of which correspond to edges to be printed on a wafer; analyzing the printing objectives of an edge to be printed on a wafer by: defining at least two matrix relationships that relate a change in position of two or more edge fragments that correspond to edges within an optical radius of the edge being analyzed to changes in the printing objectives of the edge; selecting entries in the matrices having an effect on the printing objectives of the edge being analyzed that is greater than a predetermined value; and moving a position of the edge fragment corresponding to one or more of the selected entries until the printing objectives of the edge being analyzed are within the tolerances.