Curve mask layout similarity judgment method and device, medium, program product and terminal

Abstract

The invention provides a similarity judgment method and device for a curve mask layout, a medium, a program product and a terminal, and the method comprises the steps: obtaining a reference curve layout and a to-be-detected curve layout, calculating respective minimum enclosing rectangles, and carrying out the preliminary judgment. If the relative difference value of the long side and the short side of the rectangle is smaller than a set first threshold value, considering the two sides as similar graphs, and entering depth similarity judgment; otherwise, judging that the information is dissimilar. In depth determination, related resolution parameters are generated according to the shortest edge width, light intensity distribution diagrams are generated through optical simulation, and the difference value between the light intensity distribution diagrams is calculated. And if the difference value is smaller than the second threshold value, finally determining the similarity. According to the method and the device, the layout similarity is accurately judged from a geometric characteristic level to an optical characteristic level. According to the method, the problem of insufficient accuracy during similarity judgment of the existing complex curve layout is solved, the accuracy and the reliability of similarity judgment are remarkably improved, and the efficiency and the accuracy of optical analysis and design are effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the semiconductor field, and in particular to a method, device, medium, program product and terminal for determining similarity of curved mask layouts. Background Art

[0002] Mask pattern similarity determination refers to the process of quantitatively evaluating the similarity between different mask patterns during semiconductor manufacturing. This determination is of great significance for mask layout design optimization, process control, and yield improvement. In semiconductor manufacturing, the importance of mask pattern similarity determination is mainly reflected in the following aspects: helping to identify graphic features that may cause manufacturing defects; optimizing layout design and improving manufacturing yield; and evaluating the impact of process changes on product performance.

[0003] In the prior art, the determination method of mask pattern similarity is mainly based on pure geometric parameters. This method performs well when processing traditional Manhattan structures (i.e. rectangular patterns composed of orthogonal line segments), and the determination process is relatively simple and direct. Specific determination parameters usually include: geometric features such as the length of the side, area, size, boundary, contour, and corner position of the pattern.

[0004] However, the existing judgment methods have the following shortcomings: excessive sensitivity: for curved graphics, even if there are very small geometric differences, they will be judged as different patterns, and this judgment result is often too strict; insufficient process relevance: the judgment of pure geometric parameters fails to fully consider the characteristics of semiconductor manufacturing processes, and it is difficult to reflect the degree of influence of graphic differences on the actual manufacturing process; single judgment criteria: the existing methods are overly dependent on geometric parameters and lack a comprehensive assessment of process sensitivity. These problems have become particularly prominent in modern semiconductor manufacturing, especially with the continuous advancement of process nodes, mask graphic design is becoming more and more complex, and the use of curved graphics is becoming more and more common. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of the present application is to provide a method, device, medium, program product and terminal for determining the similarity of curved mask patterns, so as to solve the problem in the prior art that the mask pattern similarity determination method is too dependent on pure geometric parameters, resulting in excessive sensitivity to slight differences in curved patterns and inability to effectively reflect the actual needs of semiconductor manufacturing processes.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose and other related purposes, the first aspect of the present application provides a method for determining the similarity of a curve mask layout, comprising: obtaining a reference curve layout and a curve layout to be tested; generating a minimum circumscribed rectangle of the reference curve layout as a first rectangle; generating a minimum circumscribed rectangle of the curve layout to be tested as a second rectangle; performing a preliminary similarity determination operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on the first rectangle and the second rectangle; if the determination result is a similar figure, performing a similarity depth determination operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on simulated light intensity to generate a similarity determination result.

[0007] In some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the process of performing a similarity depth judgment operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on simulated light intensity includes: performing a light intensity distribution generation operation on the first rectangle to generate a first light intensity distribution map of the reference curve layout; performing a light intensity distribution generation operation on the second rectangle to generate a second light intensity distribution map of the curve layout to be tested; calculating the light intensity difference between the first light intensity distribution map and the second light intensity distribution map; if the light intensity difference is less than a second threshold, determining that the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested are similar graphics; otherwise, determining that they are dissimilar graphics.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the process of performing the light intensity distribution generation operation on the target rectangle to generate a corresponding light intensity distribution map includes the following steps: generating a corresponding resolution parameter based on the short side line width of the target rectangle; sampling from the top to the bottom of the target rectangle in sequence according to a preset sampling interval; the sampling process includes: performing an optical simulation operation on each sampling position based on the resolution parameter to generate a corresponding light intensity parameter value; establishing a two-dimensional coordinate system with the sampling sequence number as the horizontal coordinate and the light intensity parameter value as the vertical coordinate to generate a light intensity distribution map.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the resolution parameter includes any one or more of the following: light source wavelength, objective lens numerical aperture, photolithography process factor, and coherence coefficient.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the light intensity difference includes any one or more of the following: a maximum value difference, a minimum value difference, and a slope of a light intensity curve.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the process of performing a preliminary similarity determination operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested includes: if the relative differences between the long sides and the short sides of the first rectangle and the second rectangle are both less than a first threshold, then the first rectangle and the second rectangle are determined to be similar figures; otherwise, they are determined to be dissimilar figures.

[0012] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose and other related purposes, the second aspect of the present application provides a similarity judgment device for a curve mask layout, including: a data acquisition module: used to acquire a reference curve layout and a curve layout to be tested; a preliminary judgment module: used to generate a minimum circumscribed rectangle of the reference curve layout as a first rectangle; generate a minimum circumscribed rectangle of the curve layout to be tested as a second rectangle; based on the first rectangle and the second rectangle, perform a preliminary similarity judgment operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested; a depth judgment module: used to perform a similarity depth judgment operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on simulated light intensity to generate a similarity judgment result if the judgment result is a similar figure.

[0013] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose and other related purposes, the third aspect of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method for determining the similarity of the curve mask layout is implemented.

[0014] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose and other related purposes, the fourth aspect of the present application provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program code. When the computer program code is run on a computer, the computer implements the method for determining the similarity of the curve mask layout.

[0015] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose and other related purposes, the fifth aspect of the present application provides an electronic terminal, including a memory, a processor and a computer program stored in the memory; the processor executes the computer program to implement the similarity determination method of the curve mask layout.

[0016] As described above, the similarity determination method, device, medium, program product and terminal of the curved mask layout of the present application have the following beneficial effects: by preliminarily judging the relative difference of the rectangular edges, similar and dissimilar graphics are quickly screened out, reducing the amount of calculation and improving efficiency. After that, in-depth analysis using the light intensity distribution map can accurately capture and compare the key parameters of the optical properties, thereby greatly improving the accuracy and reliability of similarity determination. In addition, the optical resolution matching strategy generated by adapting the shortest side width ensures the clarity of the light intensity distribution map and avoids misjudgment and deviation in traditional methods. It is not only suitable for lithography process optimization and optical design verification, but also significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of optical analysis and design. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A flow chart showing an embodiment of a method for determining similarity of curved mask layouts of the present application.

[0018] Figure 2The target mask layout in an embodiment of a method for determining similarity of curved mask layouts of the present application is shown.

[0019] Figure 3 The target rectangle of the target submerged layout in the first embodiment of the method for determining the similarity of the curved mask layout of the present application is shown.

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing an optical simulation operation path executed in an embodiment of a method for determining similarity of curved mask layouts of the present application.

[0021] Figure 5 The light intensity distribution diagram in an embodiment of a method for determining similarity of curved mask patterns of the present application is shown.

[0022] Figure 6 A structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a device for determining similarity of curved mask layouts of the present application is shown.

[0023] Figure 7 A structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a similarity determination terminal for curved mask layouts of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following describes the embodiments of the present application through specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application from the contents disclosed in this specification. The present application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present application. It should be noted that the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0025] Before further explaining the present application in detail, the nouns and terms involved in the embodiments of the present application are explained. The nouns and terms involved in the embodiments of the present application are subject to the following interpretations:

[0026] <1> Mask layout similarity measurement: Mask layout similarity measurement involves comparing two mask patterns under specific standards to evaluate their similarities.

[0027] <2> Light intensity distribution diagram: Light intensity distribution diagram is used to depict the intensity variation of a specific area by visualizing the intensity distribution of light emitted by a light source in two-dimensional or three-dimensional space. This kind of diagram can provide important basis for the performance analysis of light sources and their optical systems, including the evaluation of illumination uniformity and diffraction characteristics.

[0028] <3> Line width: Line width refers to the width of the prepared pattern. The precise control of line width is directly related to the circuit characteristics and performance. Too wide or too narrow line width will cause the circuit function to fail or become unstable.

[0029] <4> Rayleigh criterion: Rayleigh criterion is used to determine whether two adjacent point light sources can be clearly resolved. When the intensities of the main lobe and the secondary lobe in the diffraction patterns of the two light sources are equal, it is judged to be a critically resolvable state. This definition has a wide range of applications in optical imaging and microscopy.

[0030] <5> Light source wavelength: Light source wavelength refers to the wavelength of the light wave emitted by the light source, expressed in nanometers (nm). Different wavelengths not only affect the color of light, but also determine the transmission characteristics, interference effects and diffraction behavior of light in optical systems.

[0031] <6> Objective Numerical Aperture: The numerical aperture (NA) of an objective is a key optical parameter that determines how much light the objective can collect during imaging. A larger numerical aperture means a higher light collection efficiency of the objective, thereby improving the clarity and resolution of the image.

[0032] <7> Photolithography process factors: Photolithography process factors include the wavelength of the light source, the chemical properties of the photoresist, and the conditions of the development process. These factors interact with each other and jointly determine the resolution and quality of the final graphics in the photolithography process.

[0033] <8> Coherence coefficient: The coherence coefficient is a metric used to quantify the coherence between two light waves or images, usually calculated in the form of complex amplitude. Coherence plays a key role in interference and diffraction phenomena, affecting the intensity and propagation pattern of light.

[0034] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, first Figure 1 Detailed description. Figure 1 The flowchart of a method for determining the similarity of a curved mask layout in an embodiment of the present application is shown. The method for determining the similarity of a curved mask layout in this embodiment mainly includes the following steps:

[0035] Step S11: Obtain a reference curve map and a curve map to be tested.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present application, the reference curve mask is used as a known reference design graphic to provide a comparison standard for similarity comparison. The curve mask to be tested is the object graphic that needs to be checked. By comparing the curve mask to be tested with the reference curve mask, the similarity between the two can be determined. The necessity of comparing the two is that the reference curve mask represents an ideal design standard and can effectively reflect the basic performance of a specific technical field after verification. By comparing with the reference mask, the degree of deviation of the curve mask to be tested can be quantified, thereby providing a clear basis for judging its qualification.

[0037] It should be noted that the purpose of comparing similarity is mainly reflected in the following aspects: First, in the quality control process, similarity comparison helps to identify products that do not meet the design standards and ensure the qualified rate in the production process; second, in the design verification stage, comparing the new design with the reference mask can evaluate the rationality of the design and provide a reference for further design optimization; third, in fault diagnosis, by checking the similarity between the curve mask to be tested and the reference mask, potential faults and anomalies can be identified, which facilitates timely adjustment and optimization; finally, in consistency evaluation, similarity comparison can ensure that products from different batches or different locations are consistent in design. Therefore, the process of comparing the reference mask with the curve mask to be tested helps support product quality evaluation, design optimization and fault detection, thereby enhancing the accuracy of industrial production and R&D.

[0038] Step S12: Generate the minimum circumscribed rectangle of the reference curve layout as the first rectangle; generate the minimum circumscribed rectangle of the curve layout to be tested as the second rectangle; based on the first rectangle and the second rectangle, perform a preliminary similarity determination operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present application, the minimum bounding rectangle (i.e., the first rectangle) of the reference curve layout is generated based on the boundary of the reference curve to ensure that it can surround all parts of the entire reference curve. At the same time, the minimum bounding rectangle (i.e., the second rectangle) of the curve layout to be tested is also generated based on the data of the curve to be tested to ensure that the second rectangle can completely surround all parts of the curve to be tested.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present application, the process of performing a preliminary similarity determination operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested includes: if the relative differences between the long sides and the short sides of the first rectangle and the second rectangle are both less than a first threshold, then the first rectangle and the second rectangle are determined to be similar figures; otherwise, they are determined to be dissimilar figures.

[0041] In this embodiment, the process of generating the minimum bounding rectangle (i.e., the first rectangle) of the reference curve layout includes: obtaining the leftmost, rightmost, topmost, and bottommost boundary points on the reference curve layout, and the width of the rectangle in the x direction can be obtained from these boundary points ( ) and the width in the y direction ( ). Similarly, the minimum circumscribed rectangle (i.e., the second rectangle) of the curve pattern to be measured is also determined by the same method to obtain its x-direction width ( ) and the y-width ( ). These key parameters of the rectangle will be used for subsequent similarity determination.

[0042] Furthermore, after the two rectangles are generated, the process of calculating their relative difference includes: calculating the width of the reference rectangle in the x direction and the y direction respectively, subtracting the corresponding width of the rectangle to be measured respectively, and dividing the obtained difference by the width of the reference rectangle, that is, and If the above two ratios are both less than the set threshold (for example, 1%, which can be adjusted according to actual needs), the two rectangles are considered to be similar enough in size and can enter the next step of in-depth determination; otherwise, they are directly determined to be dissimilar graphics.

[0043] Step S13: If the determination result is a similar pattern, a similarity depth determination operation is performed on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on the simulated light intensity to generate a similarity determination result.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present application, the process of performing a similarity depth judgment operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on simulated light intensity includes: performing a light intensity distribution generation operation on the first rectangle to generate a first light intensity distribution map of the reference curve layout; performing a light intensity distribution generation operation on the second rectangle to generate a second light intensity distribution map of the curve layout to be tested; calculating the light intensity difference between the first light intensity distribution map and the second light intensity distribution map; if the light intensity difference is less than a second threshold, determining that the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested are similar graphics; otherwise, determining that they are dissimilar graphics.

[0045] In this embodiment, the process of determining the similarity of depth patterns by analyzing the difference in light intensity distribution includes the following steps: generating light intensity distribution for a rectangular area selected in a reference curve layout, thereby obtaining two-dimensional distribution data related to the optical properties of the area; then, performing light intensity distribution simulation again for the corresponding rectangular area of ​​the curve layout to be tested.

[0046] It should be noted that in the simulated exposure operation of the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested, the optical parameters used can be the same or different, but the relative clarity of the two must be consistent. The definition of this relative clarity is related to the size of the short side of the rectangle and the Rayleigh criterion. Specifically, choosing the right wavelength is the key to ensuring that the light resolution of the two layouts matches under the same optical conditions, so that the generated light intensity distribution maps are comparable.

[0047] Specifically, by calculating the size of the short side of the rectangle and its corresponding diffraction limit, the resolution capability of the imaging system is judged based on the Rayleigh criterion. According to the Rayleigh criterion, when two point light sources are at a certain distance, the minimum distance at which their images on the focal plane can be resolved is related to the wavelength of the light and the numerical aperture of the optical system. Therefore, in the simulated exposure process, by appropriately setting optical parameters such as wavelength, the consistency of the relative clarity of the two layouts is ensured, laying the foundation for the effective comparison of the light intensity distribution diagrams. Finally, by analyzing the maximum value, minimum value and slope of the light intensity curve of the two light intensity distribution diagrams, the similarity between the two can be further determined.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present application, the process of performing the light intensity distribution generation operation on the target rectangle to generate a corresponding light intensity distribution diagram includes the following steps: generating a corresponding resolution parameter based on the short side line width of the target rectangle; sampling from the top to the bottom of the target rectangle in sequence according to a preset sampling interval; the sampling process includes: performing an optical simulation operation on each sampling position based on the resolution parameter to generate a corresponding light intensity parameter value; establishing a two-dimensional coordinate system with the sampling sequence number as the horizontal coordinate and the light intensity parameter value as the vertical coordinate to generate a light intensity distribution diagram.

[0049] In this embodiment, the target rectangle includes a first rectangle and a second rectangle. The above process includes performing a light intensity distribution generation operation on the first matrix to generate a first light intensity distribution map, and also includes performing a light intensity distribution generation operation on the second matrix to generate a second light intensity distribution map.

[0050] In an embodiment of the present application, the light intensity difference includes any one or more of the following: a maximum value difference, a minimum value difference, and a slope of a light intensity curve.

[0051] In this embodiment, the process of sampling from the top to the bottom of the target rectangle in sequence according to the preset sampling interval includes: the short side line width of the target rectangle is in micrometers. The interval d of the horizontal scribing is set according to the short side line width, and a certain ratio of the line width is selected as the interval. For example, for a short side line width of 100nm, a ratio of one tenth can be set, and d is set to 10nm, so as to ensure sufficient sampling density and accuracy on the scribing.

[0052] Furthermore, from the target rectangle Top At the beginning, the target rectangle is evenly divided into horizontal lines along the vertical direction at a set interval d. The lines formed are recorded as , each scribe line spans the width of the target rectangle, and the vertical spacing between adjacent scribe lines is equal, which is d. The purpose of this process is to provide multiple sampling cross sections for subsequent optical simulation operations, reflecting the changes in light intensity along the target rectangle.

[0053] Then, according to the preset optical simulation parameters, the top boundary line Use a fixed optical model (such as ray tracing, wave optics simulation, Fourier diffraction simulation, etc.) to perform optical calculations. The input parameters of the model include preset light source characteristics, wavelength, numerical aperture and other optical parameters, as well as the geometric dimensions and material properties of the target rectangle. Then, draw a line along each horizontal line. (i is the line number), calculate the light intensity distribution point by point, and record the corresponding light intensity changes. , analyze the light intensity distribution data and extract the maximum point, minimum point and slope of the light intensity curve. The maximum point refers to the corresponding peak point position and light intensity value in the light intensity curve. ; The minimum point refers to the corresponding valley point position and its light intensity value in the light intensity curve .

[0054] In one embodiment of the present application, the slope of the light intensity curve is the maximum slope value between the light intensity curve gradually rising from the valley value to the peak value (or the peak value falling to the valley value). As shown in Formula 1, Represents the interval of the light intensity curve.

[0055] (Formula 1)

[0056] In one embodiment of the present application, the slope of the light intensity curve is the average value of the light intensity slope within the preset range of peak measurement. The average value represents the overall gradient of the light intensity curve in the peak region. and is the left and right half-width points of the peak or other specific position points, as shown in Formula 2.

[0057] (Formula 2)

[0058] In one embodiment of the present application, the slope of the light intensity curve is the maximum value point and minimum point The slope of the connecting line is shown in Formula 3.

[0059] (Formula 3)

[0060] In one embodiment of the present application, the process of generating a light intensity distribution diagram includes: in a two-dimensional coordinate system, the line number i is used as the horizontal axis (X axis), and the key light intensity parameters (such as the maximum value) are used as the horizontal axis (X axis). , minimum , or slope ) as the ordinate (Y axis), and the corresponding curve is drawn. By integrating the light intensity parameters of each horizontal line, a target rectangular light intensity distribution map with a global view is generated, thereby intuitively showing the layer-by-layer change trend of light intensity with depth and its distribution law in the target rectangular area.

[0061] The resolution parameters include any one or more of the following: light source wavelength, objective lens numerical aperture, photolithography process factor, and coherence coefficient.

[0062] In this embodiment, the resolution parameter complies with the Rayleigh criterion. The process of the Rayleigh criterion is shown in Formula 4. According to the Rayleigh criterion, the resolution R of the optical system is the minimum distance that can effectively distinguish two adjacent point light sources, which is affected by the wavelength λ of the light source, the numerical aperture NA, and the photolithography process factor restrictions.

[0063] (Formula 4)

[0064] Among them, λ is the wavelength of the light source, which indicates the wavelength of the light used by the optical system, usually in nanometers (nm); NA stands for numerical aperture, which is defined as the optical performance parameter of the objective lens, and the expression is NA = n*Sin(θ), where n is the refractive index of the medium and θ is the maximum light collection angle of the objective lens. The larger the numerical aperture, the stronger the resolution; It represents the photolithography process factor, which is an empirical parameter of the process level. It is related to the process accuracy and equipment and is usually a fixed value, such as 0.5 or 0.75. R represents the resolution, which is the minimum feature size that the optical system can clearly distinguish.

[0065] In this embodiment, when the short side cd of the target rectangle with a smaller line width is used, the required wavelength λ can be reversely deduced according to R = cd in combination with the resolution formula, as shown in Formula 5.

[0066] (Formula 5)

[0067] Among them, the numerical aperture NA is determined by the design parameters of the objective lens, and the process factor It is the conventional setting value under the conditions of lithography equipment and process. The wavelength λ is dynamically adjusted by the target line width cd. By controlling λ, the resolution of the optical system can be accurately matched to the target line width.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present application, the process of performing an optical simulation operation on each sampling position based on the resolution parameter includes: generating and analyzing an optical model through an electronic design automation (EDA) tool. Access the EDA tool through an API interface, and automatically input the optical parameters corresponding to the target rectangle. In the optical simulation, the line width of the boundary rectangle is input into the optical model to ensure the distinguishability of the rectangle within this scale range. By controlling the clarity of the short side, the final light intensity distribution contrast value (such as the difference between the peak and the valley, the slope change, etc.) will directly affect the subsequent analysis.

[0069] In this embodiment, not using the shortest side of the outer rectangle of the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested as the wavelength parameter for determining the optical simulation operation may lead to the following problems: first, it is impossible to effectively distinguish two adjacent light sources, resulting in blurred imaging and lack of obvious contrast in the light intensity distribution; second, the extreme points (such as the maximum and minimum values) in the light intensity distribution diagram may be offset, which will not accurately reflect the optical characteristics of the area; finally, if the clarity is not effectively controlled, the light intensity curves of different target curves will not be effectively compared, thereby limiting the subsequent optical analysis and verification process. These problems will directly affect the accuracy and reliability of optical simulation, so it is crucial to accurately select wavelength parameters.

[0070] Figures 2 to 5 A schematic diagram showing a depth determination operation performed on a target layout in one embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the target layout in this embodiment is shown; Figure 3 The minimum bounding rectangle for generating the target layout in this embodiment is shown, wherein the short side of the bounding rectangle is a and the long side is b; Figure 4 The schematic diagram of dividing the minimum circumscribed rectangle in this embodiment into preset intervals is shown, wherein an optical simulation operation is performed on each green line from top to bottom to generate the following Figure 5 The light intensity distribution diagram shown in the figure, in which the horizontal axis represents the sampling times in the sampling rectangle, and the vertical axis represents the light intensity corresponding to the sampling operation.

[0071] In the embodiments of the present application, words such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish the same or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects. For example, the first rectangle and the second rectangle are only used to distinguish different rectangles, and their order is not limited. Those skilled in the art can understand that words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity and execution order, and words such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily limit them to be different.

[0072] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" represent examples, illustrations or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the present application should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a specific way.

[0073] In the embodiments of the present application, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "plurality" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc or abc, where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0074] Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of a device for determining the similarity of curved mask patterns provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 As shown, the device includes a data acquisition module 601, a preliminary judgment module 602 and a depth judgment module 603.

[0075] Data acquisition module 601: used to acquire the reference curve map and the curve map to be tested.

[0076] The preliminary judgment module 602 is used to generate the minimum circumscribed rectangle of the reference curve layout as the first rectangle; generate the minimum circumscribed rectangle of the curve layout to be tested as the second rectangle; based on the first rectangle and the second rectangle, perform a preliminary similarity judgment operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested.

[0077] Depth judgment module 603: for performing a similarity depth judgment operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on the simulated light intensity to generate a similarity judgment result if the judgment result is a similar pattern.

[0078] It should be understood that the specific process of each module executing the above corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiment, and for the sake of brevity, it will not be repeated here.

[0079] It should also be understood that the division of modules in the embodiments of the present application is schematic and is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. In addition, each functional module in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into a processor, or may exist physically separately, or two or more modules may be integrated into one module. The above-mentioned integrated modules may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules.

[0080] Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic terminal provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7As shown, the electronic terminal includes: at least one processor 701, a memory 702, at least one network interface 703 and a user interface 705. The various components in the device are coupled together through a bus system 704. It can be understood that the bus system 704 is used to realize the connection and communication between these components. In addition to the data bus, the bus system 704 also includes a power bus, a control bus and a status signal bus. However, for the sake of clarity, Figure 7 In the specification, various buses are labeled as bus systems.

[0081] The user interface 705 may include a display, a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a click gun, keys, buttons, a touch pad or a touch screen.

[0082] It is understood that the memory 702 can be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, and can also include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory can be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), which is used as an external cache. By way of exemplary but not limiting explanation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), synchronous static random access memory (SSRAM). The memory described in the embodiments of the present application is intended to include but is not limited to these and any other suitable categories of memory.

[0083] The memory 702 in the embodiment of the present application is used to store various categories of data to support the operation of the electronic terminal 700. Examples of these data include: any executable program for operating on the electronic terminal 700, such as an operating system 7021 and an application 7022; the operating system 7021 includes various system programs, such as a framework layer, a core library layer, a driver layer, etc., for implementing various basic services and processing hardware-based tasks. The application 7022 may include various applications, such as a media player (Media Player), a browser (Browser), etc., for implementing various application services. The similarity determination method for the curve mask layout provided in the embodiment of the present application may be included in the application 7022.

[0084] The method disclosed in the above embodiment of the present application can be applied to the processor 701, or implemented by the processor 701. The processor 701 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above method can be completed by an integrated logic circuit of the hardware in the processor 701 or an instruction in the form of software. The above processor 701 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP, Digital Signal Processor), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The processor 701 can implement or execute the various methods, steps and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present application. The general-purpose processor 701 may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc. In combination with the steps of the accessory optimization method provided in the embodiment of the present application, it can be directly embodied as a hardware decoding processor to execute, or it can be executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module can be located in a storage medium, which is located in a memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and completes the steps of the above method in combination with its hardware.

[0085] In an exemplary embodiment, the electronic terminal 700 may be implemented by one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), DSP, programmable logic device (PLD), complex programmable logic device (CPLD) to execute the aforementioned method.

[0086] According to the method provided in the embodiments of the present application, the present application also provides a computer program product, which includes: computer program code, when the computer program code is run on a computer, the computer executes the method for determining the similarity of the curve mask layout of any of the embodiments shown in the above embodiments.

[0087] According to the method provided in the embodiments of the present application, the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a program code. When the program code is run on a computer, the computer executes the method for determining the similarity of the curve mask layout of any one of the embodiments shown in the above embodiments.

[0088] The terms "component", "module", "system", etc. used in this specification are used to represent computer-related entities, hardware, firmware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a process, a processor, an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a program and / or a computer running on a processor. By way of illustration, both applications and computing devices running on a computing device can be components. One or more components may reside in a process and / or an execution thread, and a component may be located on a computer and / or distributed between two or more computers. In addition, these components may be executed from various computer-readable media having various data structures stored thereon. Components may, for example, communicate through local and / or remote processes according to signals having one or more data packets (e.g., data from two components interacting with another component between a local system, a distributed system and / or a network, such as the Internet interacting with other systems through signals).

[0089] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0090] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0091] In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0092] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0093] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0094] In the above embodiments, the functions of each functional unit can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions (programs). When the computer program instructions (programs) are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function according to the embodiment of the present application is generated in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from a website site, computer, server or data center by wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (Digital Subscriber Line, DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) mode to another website site, computer, server or data center. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media integrated. Available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, tapes), optical media (e.g., high-density digital video discs (DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid state disks (SSDs)).

[0095] If the function is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application can essentially or in other words, the part that contributes to the prior art or the part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including several instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the various embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), disk or optical disk, and other media that can store program codes.

[0096] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art who is familiar with the present technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

[0097] In summary, the present application provides a method, device, medium, program product and terminal for determining the similarity of a curved mask layout. The present application provides a method for improving the efficiency and accuracy of determining the similarity of a curved mask layout, obtaining a reference curved layout and a curve layout to be tested, calculating the respective minimum circumscribed rectangles and performing preliminary determination. If the relative difference between the long side and the short side of the rectangle is less than the set first threshold, the two are considered to be similar graphics and enter the depth similarity determination; otherwise, they are determined to be dissimilar. In the depth determination, the relevant resolution parameters are generated according to the width of the shortest side, the light intensity distribution map is generated by optical simulation, and the difference between the light intensity distribution maps is calculated. If the difference is less than the second threshold, it is finally determined to be similar. The present application realizes accurate determination of layout similarity from the geometric to the optical characteristic level. It solves the problem of insufficient accuracy in the existing similarity determination of complex curved layouts, significantly improves the accuracy and reliability of similarity determination, and effectively improves the efficiency and accuracy of optical analysis and design. Therefore, the present application effectively overcomes the various shortcomings in the prior art and has a high industrial utilization value.

[0098] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Anyone familiar with the technology may modify or change the above embodiments without violating the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or changes made by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical ideas disclosed in the present application shall still be covered by the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for determining the similarity of curved mask layouts, characterized in that: include: Obtaining a reference curve layout and a curve layout to be tested; Generate a minimum circumscribed rectangle of the reference curve layout as a first rectangle; Generate a minimum circumscribed rectangle of the curve layout to be tested as a second rectangle; perform a preliminary similarity determination operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on the first rectangle and the second rectangle; If the determination result is a similar pattern, a similarity depth determination operation is performed on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on the simulated light intensity to generate a similarity determination result.

2. The method for determining the similarity of curved mask layouts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The process of performing a similarity depth determination operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on the simulated light intensity includes: Perform a light intensity distribution generation operation on the first rectangle to generate a first light intensity distribution map of the reference curve layout; perform a light intensity distribution generation operation on the second rectangle to generate a second light intensity distribution map of the curve layout to be tested; calculate the light intensity difference between the first light intensity distribution map and the second light intensity distribution map; if the light intensity difference is less than a second threshold value, determine that the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested are similar graphics; otherwise, determine that they are dissimilar graphics.

3. The method for determining the similarity of curved mask layouts according to claim 2, characterized in that: The process of performing the light intensity distribution generation operation on the target rectangle to generate a corresponding light intensity distribution map includes the following steps: Generate a corresponding resolution parameter based on the short side line width of the target rectangle; According to a preset sampling interval, sampling is performed from the top to the bottom of the target rectangle in sequence; The sampling process includes: performing an optical simulation operation on each sampling position based on the resolution parameter to generate a corresponding light intensity parameter value; A two-dimensional coordinate system is established with the sampling number as the horizontal coordinate and the light intensity parameter value as the vertical coordinate to generate a light intensity distribution diagram.

4. The method for determining the similarity of curved mask layouts according to claim 3, characterized in that: The resolution parameters include any one or more of the following: light source wavelength, objective lens numerical aperture, photolithography process factor, and coherence coefficient.

5. The method for determining the similarity of curved mask layouts according to claim 2, characterized in that: The light intensity difference includes any one or more of the following: a maximum value difference, a minimum value difference and a light intensity curve slope.

6. The method for determining the similarity of curved mask layouts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The process of performing a preliminary similarity determination operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested includes: If the relative differences between the long sides and the short sides of the first rectangle and the second rectangle are both smaller than a first threshold, the first rectangle and the second rectangle are determined to be similar figures; otherwise, they are determined to be dissimilar figures.

7. A device for determining the similarity of a curved mask layout, characterized in that: include: Data acquisition module: used to obtain the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested; A preliminary judgment module: used to generate the minimum circumscribed rectangle of the reference curve layout as a first rectangle; generate the minimum circumscribed rectangle of the curve layout to be tested as a second rectangle; based on the first rectangle and the second rectangle, perform a preliminary similarity judgment operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested; Depth judgment module: used for performing a similarity depth judgment operation on the reference curve layout and the curve layout to be tested based on the simulated light intensity to generate a similarity judgment result if the judgment result is a similar pattern.

8. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the method for determining the similarity of the curved mask layout described in any one of claims 1 to 6 is implemented.

9. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product includes computer program codes, and when the computer program codes are executed on a computer, the computer is enabled to implement the method for determining the similarity of curved mask layouts as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. An electronic terminal comprising a memory, a processor and a computer program stored in the memory, characterized in that: The processor executes the computer program to implement the method for determining the similarity of curved mask layouts as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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