Structure and method for partitioned dummy fill shapes for reduced mask bias with alternating phase shift masks

• Main Authors: SUCHARITAVES JEANNE-TANIA, LANDIS HOWARD S, FAURE THOMAS B
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.05.2010
• Subjects: APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CALCULATING; CINEMATOGRAPHY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROGRAPHY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HOLOGRAPHY; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES,e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTORDEVICES; PHYSICS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

A method and system for partitioned dummy fill shapes for reduced mask bias with alternating phase shift masks, or with other two-mask lithographic processes employing a trim mask. The method and system comprises locating regions in a finished semiconductor design that do not contain as-designed shapes. The method and system generates dummy fill shapes in the regions at a predetermined final density and sizes the generated dummy shapes so that their local density is increased to a predetermined value. The method and system further creates corresponding trim shapes that act to expose an oversized portion of the dummy shape, effectively trimming each dummy shape back to the predetermined final density. The method and system can be implemented on a computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program.