Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for organizing layout data. A layout database is analyzed to determine a statistical distribution of cells within the layout database based on a shape complexity of each cell. Cells with a shape complexity that exceeds a complex threshold may be defined as complex cells, which are examined to find candidate shapes that may be moved to one or more child cells within the complex cell. The layout database is then stored as an output layout database with at least some of these candidate shapes moved to child cells within the complex cells. Simple cells with a shape complexity that is less than a simple threshold may have their layout shapes moved to a parent cell of that simple cell. The layout database may also be partitioned into multiple dispatchable segments, which may be distributed to multiple processing threads for performing additional processes on the database.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for organizing layout data. A layout database is analyzed to determine a statistical distribution of cells within the database based on the shape complexity of each cell. Cells with a shape complexity that exceeds a complex threshold may be defined as complex cells, which are examined to find candidate shapes that may be moved to one or more child cells within the complex cell. The layout database is then stored as an output layout database with at least some of these candidate shapes moved to child cells within the complex cells. Simple cells with a shape complexity that is less than a simple threshold may have their layout shapes moved to a parent cell of that simple cell. The database may also be partitioned into multiple dispatchable segments, which may be distributed to multiple processing threads for performing additional processes on the database.

Abstract: A process for generating the phase level pattern of an alternating aperture phase shifting mask is provided. All polygons having both X and Y dimensions greater than a predetermined value are removed from the chrome level design of a mask to create a pattern L1. A rectangle is then created along the edge of each polygon in pattern L1 if the edge is greater than the predetermined value. These rectangles, which form a pattern L2, are then merged with pattern L1 to form pattern L3. A pattern, L4, is created within pattern L3 beginning at each edge of pattern L1 having a width less than or equal to the predetermined width. These rectangles extend from the corresponding edge to the opposite side of pattern L3. Pattern L5 is created by subtracting overlapping portions of pattern L4 from pattern L2. Each polygon of pattern L5 is assigned a phase of 0.degree. or 180.degree. with adjacent polygons having opposite phases. Pattern L6 is created by removing all polygons having a phase of 0.degree. from pattern L5.