Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is a method of designing a lithography mask. The method can comprise determining a maximum width of a shifter, wherein the maximum width corresponds to a width of a shifter for a first set of features and determining whether the shifter having the maximum width can be placed in a shifter space for a second set of features. The method can also comprise incrementally decreasing the width of the shifter to be placed into the shifter space for the second set of features when the shifter having the maximum width cannot be placed in the shifter space for a feature in the second set of features until an acceptable shifter width can be determined or until the shifter width is reduced to a predetermined minimum shifter width.

Abstract: The present application is directed to methods of forming a phase pattern for an integrated circuit feature described in a design database as having a first target dimension. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining whether forming a phase pattern for the integrated circuit feature described in the design database will result in one or more phase blocks of the same phase type being positioned in relative proximity so as to result in a low contrast condition, selecting a second target dimension that will avoid the low contrast condition if the low contrast condition will result, and forming the phase pattern for an integrated circuit feature having the second target dimension. Systems for forming phase patterns and photomasks comprising the phase patterns of the present application are also disclosed.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is a method of designing a lithography mask. The method can comprise determining a maximum width of a shifter, wherein the maximum width corresponds to a width of a shifter for a first set of features and determining whether the shifter having the maximum width can be placed in a shifter space for a second set of features. The method can also comprise incrementally decreasing the width of the shifter to be placed into the shifter space for the second set of features when the shifter having the maximum width cannot be placed in the shifter space for a feature in the second set of features until an acceptable shifter width can be determined or until the shifter width is reduced to a predetermined minimum shifter width.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there is a method of designing a lithography mask. The method can comprise generating a first set of polygons to define a trim photomask, generating a second set of polygons to define a phase photomask, and determining which edges of the first set of polygons in the trim photomask and which edges of the second set of polygons in the phase photomask move during application of optical proximity correction.

Abstract: In accordance an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of designing a lithography mask. The method can comprise identifying an area of a layout to be formed on a substrate by exposing a phase photomask that comprises a phase aperture to a beam and trimming a portion of the area, wherein the area to be trimmed is located under the phase aperture and creating a notch in a portion of the area on the layout.