Abstract: Systems and techniques are described for optimizing a circuit design by using a numerical solver. The gates sizes are optimized by modeling a set of gate optimization problems and solving the set of gate optimization problems by using a numerical solver. The optimization can be performed iteratively, wherein in each iteration a gate optimization problem can be modeled for the portion of the circuit design based on circuit information for the portion of the circuit design. An objective function can be created, wherein the objective function includes at least one penalty function that imposes a lower and/or upper bound on at least one variable that is being optimized. In some embodiments, gradients of the objective function, which includes the penalty function, can be computed to enable the use of a conjugate-gradient-based numerical solver.

Abstract: An adaptive patterning method and system for fabricating panel based package structures is described. Misalignment for individual device units in a panel or reticulated wafer may be adjusted for by measuring the position of each individual device unit and forming a unit-specific pattern over each of the respective device units.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to polygon recovery from a +1/?1 description of a plurality of polygons of a very large scale integrated (VLSI) mask for production of a VLSI semiconductor device. An aspect includes receiving a set of data comprising the +1/?1 description of the plurality of polygons of the VLSI mask, the +1/?1 description comprising a plurality of corners. Another aspect includes determining a 4-directional data structure, a Mm value comprising a first limit value, and a Mp value comprising a second limit value for each of the plurality of corners. Another aspect includes recovering the plurality of polygons from the set of data by assigning each of the plurality of corners to a single polygon based on the 4-directional data structure, the Mm value, and the Mp value of each of the plurality of corners, and determining an order of the respective corners of each polygon.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) design method. The method includes providing an IC design layout of a circuit; applying an electrical patterning (ePatterning) modification to the IC design layout according to an electrical parameter of the circuit and an optical parameter of IC design layout; and thereafter fabricating a mask according to the IC design layout.

Abstract: An adaptive patterning method and system for fabricating panel based package structures is described. Misalignment for individual device units in a panel or reticulated wafer may be adjusted for by measuring the position of each individual device unit and forming a unit-specific pattern over each of the respective device units.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device on the basis of changed design layout data. The method decides a functional relationship between layout parameters based on layout data and the electrical characteristic of a plurality of semiconductor elements. Candidates of the values of the layout parameters are extracted from design layout data so as to decrease the difference between a target electrical characteristic and a predicted electrical characteristic. A specific value from the candidate values of the layout parameters is selected and the design layout data is changed based on the specific selected value.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for retargeting an Integrated Circuit (IC) layout is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes generating a diffraction pattern for the IC layout including a set of diffraction-orders, the IC layout including a set of features defined by a set of target edges, analyzing the diffraction pattern with a merit function to estimate printability of the IC layout, monitoring a change in value of the merit function as a position of at least one of the set of target edges is adjusted across a range, and retargeting the set of target edges based on the monitoring of the merit function.

Abstract: Roughly described, a method for approximating stress-induced mobility enhancement in a channel region in an integrated circuit layout, including approximating the stress at each of a plurality of sample points in the channel, converting the stress approximation at each of the sample points to a respective mobility enhancement value, and averaging the mobility enhancement values at all the sample points. The method enables integrated circuit stress analysis that takes into account stresses contributed by multiple stress generation mechanisms, stresses having vector components other than along the length of the channel, and stress contributions (including mitigations) due to the presence of other structures in the neighborhood of the channel region under study, other than the nearest STI interfaces. The method also enables stress analysis of large layout regions and even full-chip layouts, without incurring the computation costs of a full TCAD simulation.

Abstract: Maintaining a netlist while editing a circuit diagram. The circuit diagram may be displayed on a display. The circuit diagram may include a plurality of electronic components connected by nets and may also include modular block(s) which represent a circuit portion in a hierarchical fashion. A global netlist may be stored that includes information regarding the nets of the circuit diagram. User input may be received which modifies the circuit diagram. Accordingly, the global netlist may be updated in response to the user input modifying the circuit diagram. The circuit diagram may be updated on the display based on updating the global netlist. Receiving the user input and updating the global netlist and circuit diagram may be performed a plurality of times, in a dynamic fashion during edit time.

Abstract: A method for determining clock uncertainties is provided. The method includes identifying clock transfer types between registers from an integrated circuit design and identifying contributors to the clock uncertainties for each of the clock transfers. The jitter associated with each identified contributor is calculated for both set-up time and hold time. This calculated jitter is incorporated into a slack calculation to determine whether timing constraints are met for a circuit design.

Abstract: User's register transfer level (RTL) design is analyzed and instrumented so that signals of interest are preserved and can be located in the netlist after synthesis. Then, the user's original flow of RTL synthesis and design partition is performed. The output is analyzed to locate the signals of interest. Latches are selectively inserted to the netlist to ensure that signal values can be accessed at runtime. After that, a place and route (P&R) process is performed, and the outputs are analyzed to correlate signal names to registers (flip-flops and latches) or memory blocks locations in field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices. A correlation database is built and kept for runtime use. During runtime, a software component may be provided on a workstation for the user to query signal values corresponding to RTL hierarchical signal names.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is disclosed. The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a first circuit whose output never or seldom changes when the output from an Enable generator is off, a second circuit whose output frequently changes, an input controller which receives the respective outputs from the second circuit and the Enable generator and passes through the input from the second circuit only when the output from the Enable generator is on, a combination circuit which receives the respective outputs from the first circuit and the input controller, and a memory which receives the output from the combination circuit and is driven by the output from the clock controller.

Abstract: A data processing system determines current information corresponding to a node included at a device design. Physical layout information corresponding to the node is received, the physical layout information including one or more layout geometries, the one or more layout geometries providing a circuit network. The circuit network may be partitioned into two or more network segments. A current conducted at a network segment is identified based on the current information. Information representative of dimensions and metal layer of a layout geometry included at the network segment is received. The computer determines that the current exceeds a predetermined maximum threshold, the predetermined maximum threshold determined based on the dimensions and metal layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system, method, and computer-readable medium for designing a circuit and/or IC chip to be provided using an optical shrink technology node. Initial design data may be provided in a first technology node and through the use of embedding scaling factors in one or more EDA tools of the design flow, a design (e.g., mask data) can be generated for the circuit in an optical shrink technology node. Examples of EDA tools in which embedded scaling factors may be provided are simulation models and extraction tools including LPE decks and RC extraction technology files.

Abstract: A physical synthesis tool for dock optimization with local clock buffer control optimization is provided. The physical synthesis flow consists of delaying the exposure of clock routes until after the clock optimization placement stage. The physical synthesis tool clones first local clock buffers. Then, the physical synthesis tool runs timing analysis on the whole design to compute the impact of this necessarily disruptive step. After cloning local clock buffers, the physical synthesis tool adds an extra optimization step to target the control signals that drive the local clock buffers. This optimization step may includes latch cloning, timing-driven placement, buffer insertion, and repowering. The flow alleviates high-fanout nets and produces significantly better timing going into clock optimization placement. After placement, the physical synthesis tool fixes latches and local clock buffers in place, inserts clock routes, and repowers local clock buffers.

Abstract: Soft error modeling of circuits. Soft error upset (SEU) specification and design information is received from a design entry. The SEU specification comprises expected SEU behavior of a node. A logical simulation model is created based on the SEU specification and the design information. A logical verification is performed based on the logical simulation model to produce a first result. The logical verification comprises selecting a first node for injection, injecting an SEU into the first node to produce a first result, and responsive to the first result not agreeing with the SEU specification, providing the first result to the design entry. A netlist based on the SEU specification and the design information is created. The netlist comprises a specification-based-logic-derating derived from the SEU specification. A physical design verification based on the netlist, a logic derating, and clock information is performed.

Abstract: A plurality of approaches for forming a semiconductor device using an adaptive patterning method is disclosed. Some approaches include placing a semiconductor die unit on a carrier element, calculating trace geometry for a second set of traces, constructing a prestratum comprising a first set of traces, and constructing the second set of traces according to the calculated trace geometry. Forming the semiconductor device may further include electrically connecting at least one of the first set of traces to at least one of the second set of traces, and electrically connecting at least one bond pad of the semiconductor die unit to a destination pad through the at least one of the first set of traces and the at least one of the second set of traces.

Abstract: A method of optical proximity correction (OPC) convergence control that includes providing a lithography system having a photomask and an illuminator. The method further includes performing an exposure by the illuminator on the photomask. Also, the method includes optimizing an optical illuminator setting for the lithography system with a defined gate pitch in a first direction in a first template. Additionally, the method includes determining OPC correctors to converge the OPC results with a target edge placement error (EPE) to produce a first OPC setting for the first template. The first OPC setting targets a relatively small EPE and mask error enhancement factor (MEEF)of the defined gate pitch in the first template. In addition, the method includes checking the first OPC setting for a relatively small EPE, MEEF and DOM consistency with the first template of the defined gate pitch in a second, adjacent template.

Abstract: The process for designed based assessment includes the following steps. First, the process defines multiple patterns of interest (POIs) utilizing design data of a device and then generates a design based classification database. Further, the process receives one or more inspection results. Then, the process compares the inspection results to each of the plurality of POIs in order to identify occurrences of the POIs in the inspection results. In turn, the process determines yield impact of each POI utilizing process yield data and monitors a frequency of occurrence of each of the POIs and the criticality of the POIs in order to identify process excursions of the device. Finally, the process determines a device risk level by calculating a normalized polygon frequency for the device utilizing a frequency of occurrence for each of the critical polygons and a criticality for each of the critical polygons.

Abstract: A method, implemented in a processor, of determining a likelihood of failure of a circuit to be made in accordance with a circuit design, and a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to the processor for carrying out the method. A sensitivity of a figure of merit to each variable of a plurality of variables is determined by simulating operation of the circuit using the processor. Determining the sensitivity is based on a departure of each of the variables from a respective mean value, where the variables include at least one variable derived from measurements of a fabricated component or component combination to be included in the circuit. Results from the simulation are used to predict a failure probability of the circuit to be made in accordance with the circuit design.