Abstract: Provided is a mask layout design method including receiving input data, calculating a forbidden area, and designing an assist pattern disposed within the forbidden area, wherein the calculating of the forbidden area is performed by inverting an illumination system.

Abstract: A failure pattern prediction method includes obtaining first optical parameters of first patterns, extracting first data by performing a first dimensional reduction method on the first optical parameters and generating a failure pattern prediction model by performing supervised learning on the first patterns based on the first data.

Abstract: An optical proximity correction (OPC) method for manufacturing a semiconductor chip includes: detecting corners of an original target pattern having a polygonal shape; rounding off the corners to generate a curved target pattern; dividing the curved target pattern into a linear section pattern and a curved section pattern; applying Manhattan OPC to the linear section pattern to generate a modified linear section pattern; applying curvilinear OPC to the curved section pattern to generate a modified curved section pattern; and merging the modified linear section pattern and the modified curved section pattern to generate a corrected pattern.

Abstract: A full-shot layout correction method includes inputting data of a full-shot layout, extracting a density map from the full-shot layout, extracting a blurred density map by blurring the density map, defining a correction area based on the blurred density map, separating a cell pattern and a core pattern, which overlap the correction area, performing an optical proximity correction (OPC) on the cell pattern, and reconstructing a full-shot layout by using the cell pattern on which the OPC has been performed.

Abstract: Some example embodiments provide an optical proximity correction (OPC) method using an OPC model having improved performance and/or a method of manufacturing a mask by using the OPC method. An OPC method includes receiving a design layout of a target pattern, generating a first OPC model on the design layout, in which an optical effect of an exposure process is reflected, generating a second OPC model in which a characteristic of a photoresist in the exposure process is reflected, and performing a simulation using the first and second OPC models to obtain an OPC-performed design layout. The generating the second OPC model includes differently applying a combination of kernel functions, used in the second OPC model, to each pattern region.

Abstract: A pattern layout design method includes performing optical proximity correction (OPC) for a mask layout, thereby creating a corrected layout. Creation of the corrected layout includes creating a first corrected layout through grid snapping for an oblique edge of a mask layout designed on a grid layout, and performing optical proximity correction (OPC) for the first corrected layout, thereby creating a second corrected layout. Creation of the first corrected layout includes creating a first divisional point for the oblique edge or a residual edge, and shifting the first divisional point to one of four reference points adjacent to the first divisional point, thereby creating a first varied divisional point.

Abstract: a method of correcting a layout for semiconductor process includes receiving a design layout including a layout pattern for the semiconductor process to form a process pattern of a semiconductor device, where the design layout comprises a pixel-based image associated with the layout pattern and edge information associated with the layout pattern; performing a first layout correction operation on the design layout using a first machine learning model that takes the pixel-based image as input; performing a second layout correction operation on the design layout using a second machine learning model different from the first machine learning model that takes the edge information as input; and obtaining a corrected design layout including a corrected layout pattern corresponding to the layout pattern based on a result of the first layout correction operation and a result of the second layout correction operation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photomask set includes: preparing a mask layout, the mask layout including a plurality of first layout patterns apart from one another in a first region, wherein distances between center points of three first layout patterns adjacent to one another from among the plurality of first layout patterns respectively have different values; grouping pairs of first layout patterns, in which a distance between two first layout patterns adjacent to each other does not have a smallest value, and splitting the mask layout pattern into at least two mask layouts; and forming a photomask set including at least two photomasks each including a mask pattern corresponding to the first layout pattern included in each of the mask layout patterns split into at least two mask layouts.

Abstract: A pattern layout design method includes performing optical proximity correction (OPC) for a mask layout, thereby creating a corrected layout. Creation of the corrected layout includes creating a first corrected layout through grid snapping for an oblique edge of a mask layout designed on a grid layout, and performing optical proximity correction (OPC) for the first corrected layout, thereby creating a second corrected layout. Creation of the first corrected layout includes creating a first divisional point for the oblique edge or a residual edge, and shifting the first divisional point to one of four reference points adjacent to the first divisional point, thereby creating a first varied divisional point.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a mask may include identifying an error pattern of final patterns formed on a substrate, correcting a first target pattern on the basis of the error pattern, fracturing a first mask layout into a plurality of first segments on the basis of the corrected first target pattern, and correcting the first mask layout by biasing a plurality of first target segments corresponding to a first final target among the plurality of segments. The first mask layout may include a first extension pattern, final targets disposed in zigzags, and the first final target corresponding to the error pattern, and each of the plurality of first segments may corresponds to one of the final targets.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photomask set includes: preparing a mask layout, the mask layout including a plurality of first layout patterns apart from one another in a first region, wherein distances between center points of three first layout patterns adjacent to one another from among the plurality of first layout patterns respectively have different values; grouping pairs of first layout patterns, in which a distance between two first layout patterns adjacent to each other does not have a smallest value, and splitting the mask layout pattern into at least two mask layouts; and forming a photomask set including at least two photomasks each including a mask pattern corresponding to the first layout pattern included in each of the mask layout patterns split into at least two mask layouts.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a mask may include identifying an error pattern of final patterns formed on a substrate, correcting a first target pattern on the basis of the error pattern, fracturing a first mask layout into a plurality of first segments on the basis of the corrected first target pattern, and correcting the first mask layout by biasing a plurality of first target segments corresponding to a first final target among the plurality of segments. The first mask layout may include a first extension pattern, final targets disposed in zigzags, and the first final target corresponding to the error pattern, and each of the plurality of first segments may corresponds to one of the final targets.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photomask set includes: preparing a mask layout, the mask layout including a plurality of first layout patterns apart from one another in a first region, wherein distances between center points of three first layout patterns adjacent to one another from among the plurality of first layout patterns respectively have different values; grouping pairs of first layout patterns, in which a distance between two first layout patterns adjacent to each other does not have a smallest value, and splitting the mask layout pattern into at least two mask layouts; and forming a photomask set including at least two photomasks each including a mask pattern corresponding to the first layout pattern included in each of the mask layout patterns split into at least two mask layouts.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photomask set includes: preparing a mask layout, the mask layout including a plurality of first layout patterns apart from one another in a first region, wherein distances between center points of three first layout patterns adjacent to one another from among the plurality of first layout patterns respectively have different values; grouping pairs of first layout patterns, in which a distance between two first layout patterns adjacent to each other does not have a smallest value, and splitting the mask layout pattern into at least two mask layouts; and forming a photomask set including at least two photomasks each including a mask pattern corresponding to the first layout pattern included in each of the mask layout patterns split into at least two mask layouts.