Abstract: A method involves providing a circuit pattern, generating a density report for the circuit pattern that identifies a feasible area for dummy insertion, simulating a planarization process with the density report and identifying a hot spot on the circuit pattern, inserting a virtual dummy pattern in the feasible area and adjusting the density report accordingly, and thereafter simulating the planarization process with the adjusted density until the hot spot is eliminated.

Abstract: A method of forming integrated circuits for a wafer includes providing an E-Beam direct write (EBDW) system. A grid is generated for the wafer, wherein the grid includes grid lines. An integrated circuit is laid out for the wafer, wherein substantially no sensitive features in the integrated circuit cross the grid lines of the grid. An EBDW is performed on the wafer using the EBDW system.

Abstract: A method of designing a double patterning mask set includes dividing a chip into a grid comprising grid cells; and laying out a metal layer of the chip. In substantially each of the grid cells, all left-boundary patterns of the metal layer are assigned with a first one of a first indicator and a second indicator, and all right-boundary patterns of the metal layer are assigned with a second one of the first indicator and the second indicator. Starting from one of the grid cells in a row, indicator changes are propagated throughout the row. All patterns in the grid cells are transferred to the double patterning mask set, with all patterns assigned with the first indicator transferred to a first mask of the double patterning mask set, and all patterns assigned with the second indicator transferred to a second mask of the double patterning mask set.

Abstract: A method of designing a double patterning mask set for a layout of a chip includes designing standard cells. In each of the standard cells, all left-boundary patterns are assigned with one of a first indicator and a second indicator, and all right-boundary patterns are assigned with an additional one of the first indicator and the second indicator. The method further includes placing the standard cells in a row of the layout of the chip. Starting from one of the standard cells in the row, indicator changes to the standard cells are propagated throughout the row. All patterns in the standard cells having the first indicator are transferred to a first mask of the double patterning mask set. All patterns in the standard cells having the second indicator are transferred to a second mask of the double patterning mask set.

Abstract: A method for integrated circuit design includes providing a layout of an integrated circuit; determining key parameters of the integrated circuit; determining target values of the key parameters; and performing a first shrinkage of the layout using a first shrink percentage to generate a shrunk layout. The shrunk layout is evaluated by generating values of the key parameters from the shrunk layout. A portion of the values of the key parameters failing to meet respective ones of the target values is found. Guidelines for tuning manufacturing processes of the shrunk layout are provided, so that the portion of the values of the key parameters can meet the respective ones of the target values.

Abstract: Efficient and cost-effective systems and methods for detecting and correcting hot spots of semiconductor devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for creating a layout from a circuit design is described. The method includes applying a first set of hot spot conditions to a global route to produce a detailed route; applying a second set of hot spot conditions to the detailed route to produce a post-detailed route; and applying a third set of hot spot conditions to the post-detailed route to produce the layout. In another aspect, a method includes providing a circuit design; applying a first hot spot filter to a global routing of the circuit design to produce a detailed route; applying a less pessimistic, second hot spot filter to the detailed route to produce a post-detailed route; and performing a rip-up and reroute of the post-detailed route to produce a final layout.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for integrated circuit designs and post layout analysis. The integrated circuit design method includes providing a plurality of IC devices with various design dimensions; collecting electrical performance data of the IC devices; extracting equivalent dimensions of the IC devices; generating a shape related model to relate the equivalent dimensions to the electrical performance data of the IC devices; and creating a data refinement table using the equivalent dimensions and the electrical performance data.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) design method includes providing an IC layout contour based on an IC design layout of an IC device and IC manufacturing data; generating an effective rectangle layout to represent the IC layout contour; and simulating the IC device using the effective rectangular layout.

Abstract: A verification system for verifying an integrated circuit design is provided. The verification system includes a functional block finding module configured to identify potential sensitive circuits in the integrated circuit design; and a search module. The search module is configured to find sensitive circuits from the potential sensitive circuits; and verify the sensitive circuits.

Abstract: A method for designing and manufacturing integrated circuits is provided. The method includes providing a modeling parameter set for manufacturing an integrated circuit; dividing the modeling parameter set into time-dependent data and time-independent data; saving substantially all time-independent data into a design library; and saving substantially all time-dependent data into a design-for-manufacturing (DFM) data kit, wherein the DFM data kit is external to the design library.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for sanity checking integrated circuit (IC) designs based on one or more predefined sub-circuits with at least one predefined checking criteria, the method comprising automatically reading one or more netlists, identifying one or more sub-circuits in the netlists isomorphic to at least one of predefined sub-circuits, identifying one or more device parameters for sanity checking the identified sub-circuits, and comparing the identified device parameters against the predefined checking criteria.

Abstract: A method involves providing a circuit pattern, generating a density report for the circuit pattern that identifies a feasible area for dummy insertion, simulating a planarization process with the density report and identifying a hot spot on the circuit pattern, inserting a virtual dummy pattern in the feasible area and adjusting the density report accordingly, and thereafter simulating the planarization process with the adjusted density until the hot spot is eliminated.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for sanity checking integrated circuit (IC) designs based on one or more predefined sub-circuits with at least one predefined checking criteria, the method comprising automatically reading one or more netlists, identifying one or more sub-circuits in the netlists isomorphic to at least one of predefined sub-circuits, identifying one or more device parameters for sanity checking the identified sub-circuits, and comparing the identified device parameters against the predefined checking criteria.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) design method includes providing a design layout defined in a plurality of grids; simulating a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to an IC substrate with a patterned structure defined by the design layout, generating a dielectric thickness and a metal thickness on one of the plurality of grids; extracting a capacitance based on the dielectric thickness on the one of the plurality of grids; and extracting a resistance based on the metal thickness on the one of the plurality of grids.

Abstract: An encryption and decryption interface for integrated circuit (IC) design with design-for-manufacturing (DFM). The interface includes a decryption module embedded in an IC design tool; an encrypted DFM data provided to an IC designer authorized for utilizing the encrypted DFM data; and a private key provided to the IC designer for decrypting the encrypted DFM data in the IC design tool.

Abstract: Efficient and cost-effective systems and methods for detecting and correcting hot spots of semiconductor devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for creating a layout from a circuit design is described. The method includes applying a first set of hot spot conditions to a global route to produce a detailed route; applying a second set of hot spot conditions to the detailed route to produce a post-detailed route; and applying a third set of hot spot conditions to the post-detailed route to produce the layout. In another aspect, a method includes providing a circuit design; applying a first hot spot filter to a global routing of the circuit design to produce a detailed route; applying a less pessimistic, second hot spot filter to the detailed route to produce a post-detailed route; and performing a rip-up and reroute of the post-detailed route to produce a final layout.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) design method includes providing IC design layout data; simulating a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to a material layer based on the IC design layout, to generate various geometrical parameters; extracting resistance and capacitance based on the various geometrical parameters from the simulating of the CMP process; and performing circuit timing analysis based on the extracted resistance and capacitance.