Patent ID: 8266556

Claim:
A computer implemented method for fracturing a continuous mask, comprising: selecting from a set of points a first origin point on an edge in the continuous mask, the continuous mask being a mask usable in manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) by photolithography; identifying from the set of points a first end point on the edge such that a separation metric between the first origin point and the first end point is at least equal to a threshold value; determining a plurality of alternatives for fracturing using the first origin point and the first end point; computing a cost associated with each of the plurality of alternatives; selecting, by a processor, one of the plurality of alternatives having an associated cost as a preferred fracturing between the first origin point and the first end point; forming a plurality of pairs of origin points and end points from the set of points, each pair having a cost of a preferred fracturing between the pair, the first origin point and the first end point forming a first pair in the plurality of pairs of origin points and end points; fracturing the continuous mask using a subset of the plurality of pairs, the fracturing producing a fractured mask to manufacture the IC; and wherein the selecting one of the alternatives further comprises: determining a difference between the costs of two alternatives in the plurality; determining whether the difference exceeds a cost threshold; and selecting, responsive to the difference not exceeding the cost threshold, the alternative having smaller cost from the two alternatives.