Abstract: The invention includes a solution for selectively scaling an integrated circuit (IC) design by: layer, region or cell, or a combination of these. The selective scaling technique can be applied in a feedback loop with the manufacturing system with process and yield feedback, during the life of a design, to increase yield in early processes in such a way that hierarchy is preserved. The invention removes the need to involve designers in improving yield.

Abstract: A system, method and program product for predicting yield of a VLSI design. A method is provided including the steps of: identifying and grouping sub-circuits contained within an integrated circuit design by type; calculating critical area values for regions within the integrated circuit design; and applying different yield models to critical area values based on the types of the regions used to calculate the critical area values, wherein each yield model is dependent on a type.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method that predicts test yield for a semiconductor product, prior to design layout. This is accomplished by applying a critical area analysis to individual library elements that are used to form a specific product and by estimating the test yield impact of combining these library elements. For example, the method considers the test yield impact of sensitivity to library element to library element shorts and the test yield impact of sensitivity to wiring faults. The disclosed method further allows die size growth to be traded off against the use of library elements with higher test yield in order to provide an optimal design solution. Thus, the method may be used to modify library element selection so as to optimize test yield. Lastly, the method further repeats itself at key design checkpoints to revalidate initial test yield (and cost) assumptions made when the product was quoted to a customer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit including a first wire of a first level of wiring tracks, a second wire of a second level of wiring tracks, a third wire of a third level of wiring tracks, and a fourth wire located a first distance from the second wire in the second level of wiring tracks. A first via connects the first and second wires at a first location of the second wire. A second via connects the second and third wires at the first location, the second via is substantially axially aligned with the first via. A third via connecting the third and fourth wires at a second location of the fourth wire. A fourth via connecting the first and fourth wires at the second location, the fourth via is substantially axially aligned with the third via. The second, third, and fourth vias, and the third and fourth wires form a path between the first and second wires redundant to the first via.

Abstract: Methods, systems and program products are disclosed for selectively scaling an integrated circuit (IC) design: by layer, by unit, or by ground rule, or a combination of these. The selective scaling technique can be applied in a feedback loop with the manufacturing system with process and yield feedback, during the life of a design, to increase yield in early processes in such a way that hierarchy is preserved. The invention removes the need to involve designers in improving yield where new technologies such as maskless fabrication are implemented.

Abstract: Three-dimensional structures are provided which improve manufacturing yield for certain structures in semiconductor devices. The three-dimensional structures take into account the interaction between an upper layer and a lower layer where the lower layer has a tendency to form a non-planar surface due to its design. Accordingly, design changes are performed to make structures more likely to function, either by forming a more planar surface on the lower layer or by compensating in the upper layer for the lack of planarity. The changes to improve manufacturing yield are made at the design stage rather than at the fabrication stage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for inserting redundant paths into an integrated circuit. Particularly, the invention provides a method for identifying a single via in a first path connecting two elements, determining if an alternate route is available for connecting the two elements (other than a redundant via), and for inserting a second path into the available alternate route. The combination of the first and second paths provides greater redundancy than inserting a redundant via alone. More importantly, such redundant paths provide for redundancy when congestion prevents a redundant via from being inserted adjacent to the single via. An embodiment of the method further comprises removing the single via and any redundant wire segments, if all of the additional vias used to form the second path can be made redundant.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for migrating an integrated circuit (IC) design from a source technology without radical design restrictions (RDR) to a target technology with RDR, are disclosed. The invention implements a minimum layout perturbation approach that addresses the RDR requirements. The invention also solves the problem of inserting dummy shapes where required, and extending the lengths of the critical shapes and/or the dummy shapes to meet ‘edge coverage’ requirements.

Abstract: Methods, systems and program products are disclosed that prioritize each target via for via redundancy based on at least one of the following: subnet timing information, a distance of a target via along a path from a driving source and a target via net/subnet characteristic, and attempt to add a redundant via to each target via based on the prioritization. The invention improves overall yield and reduces timing sensitivity to AC-related defects.

Abstract: A method of calculating critical area in an integrated circuit design, said method comprising: inputting an integrated circuit design; associating variables with the positions of edges in said integrated circuit design; and associating cost functions of said variables with spacing between said edges in said integrated circuit design; wherein said cost functions calculate critical area contributions as the positions and length of said edges in said integrated circuit design change, and wherein said critical area contributions comprise a measure of electrical fault characteristics of said spacing between said edges in said integrated circuit design.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for migrating an integrated circuit (IC) design from a source technology without radical design restrictions (RDR) to a target technology with RDR, are disclosed. Also, a method, system and program product for migrating an integrated circuit design from a source technology without RDR to a target technology with RDR in which space may be reserved for late insertion of a feature and in which migration first occurs in a primary compaction direction having less tolerant ground rules.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for merging cloned and original circuit shapes such that a union thereof does not include a notch. The invention determines, for a cell including an original circuit shape and at least one overlapping clone of the original circuit shape, whether each clone corner point of each overlapping clone is within a threshold distance of a corresponding original corner point of the original circuit shape; and generates, in the case that each clone corner point of each overlapping clone circuit shape is within a threshold distance, a union of each overlapping clone and the original circuit shape such that the union does not contain a notch. The union is generated using a point code that sets a new position for a union corner point to remove a notch based on the original shape's direction and the edge orientations previous to and next to the corner point.

Abstract: A method, and computer readable medium for the dynamic CPU (Central Processing Unit) usage and function call tracing on a target application. The setup of the tracing uses a -pg like solution, and is implemented using the DPCL (Dynamic Probe Class Library). The output is presented in a gmon.out format, which allows the use of popular analysis tools. The program being traced need not be recompiled or re-linked. This is particularly important if the source code is not available. The dynamic feature allows for different choices of profiling and the choice can even be changed once the target application is running.

Abstract: A method (300) and system (500) for optimizing a circuit layout based on layout constraints (308) and objectives (312). The method includes solving a linear program so as to obtain a rational solution whose variables are either whole or half integer. The tight constraints and objectives involving variables whose solution are a half integer are reduced to a 2-SAT problem, which is analyzed to determine its satisfiability. If the 2-SAT problem is not satisfiable, one or more objectives are removed so as to make the 2-SAT problem satisfiable. Any half-integer results of the linear program are rounded according to the truth assignment that satisfies the 2-SAT problem. The rounded results are used to create the circuit layout.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a plurality of monitors, which are contained within a complex circuit, to monitor a valid combination of events within the complex circuit. Each monitor of the complex circuit is only able to monitor a subset of the total set of events which may be monitored. The present invention allows a user to select valid associations between events and monitors, and then processes those selected associations for configuration of the complex circuit. The selected associations may be stored and reused in the future.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and structure for optimizing placement of redundant vias within an integrated circuit design. The invention first locates target vias by determining which vias do not have a redundant via. Then, the invention draws marker shapes on or adjacent to the target vias. The marker shapes are only drawn in a horizontal or vertical direction from each of the target vias. The invention simultaneously expands all of the marker shapes in the first direction to a predetermined length or until the marker shapes reach the limits of a ground rule. During the expanding, different marker shapes will be expanded to different lengths. The invention determines which of the marker shapes were expanded sufficiently to form a valid redundant via to produce a first set of potential redundant vias and the invention eliminates marker shapes that could not be expanded sufficiently to form a valid redundant via.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a plurality of monitors, which are contained within a complex circuit, to monitor a valid combination of events within the complex circuit. Each monitor of the complex circuit is only able to monitor a subset of the total set of events which may be monitored. The present invention allows a user to select valid associations between events and monitors, and then processes those selected associations for configuration of the complex circuit. The selected associations may be stored and reused in the future.

Abstract: A method, and computer readable medium for the dynamic CPU (Central Processing Unit) usage and function call tracing on a target application. The setup of the tracing uses a -pg like solution, and is implemented using the DPCL (Dynamic Probe Class Library). The output is presented in a gmon.out format, which allows the use of popular analysis tools. The program being traced need not be recompiled or re-linked. This is particularly important if the source code is not available. The dynamic feature allows for different choices of profiling and the choice can even be changed once the target application is running.