IC Layout Verification Region for Mask Data Error Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The final verification process for semiconductor mask layers is time-consuming and prone to errors due to the complexity of designs and the need for manual inspection of numerous patterns, leading to increased costs and potential errors in mask data handling.
Innovation Solution
An integrated circuit device layout with a verification region containing duplicate cells and structures from the device region, allowing for easy detection of mask data handling errors by using patterns in the verification region for verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual inspection of numerous patterns is performed in the device region, then verification completeness is improved, but verification time and error rate increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a verification region containing simplified copies of patterns from the device region. These copies represent the essential pattern types without the complexity of the full device region, allowing engineers to verify mask data handling errors by inspecting only the verification region patterns rather than searching through all device region patterns manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and separates the verification function from the device region by creating a distinct verification region. This extracted verification region contains only the necessary pattern representations for verification purposes, isolating the verification task from the complexity of the full device design and enabling faster, more reliable verification.
2Reliability
If manual inspection of numerous patterns is performed in the device region, then verification completeness is improved, but verification cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a verification region containing simplified copies of patterns from the device region. These copies represent the essential pattern types without the complexity of the full device region, allowing engineers to verify mask data handling errors by inspecting only the verification region patterns rather than searching through all device region patterns manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and separates the verification function from the device region by creating a distinct verification region. This extracted verification region contains only the necessary pattern representations for verification purposes, isolating the verification task from the complexity of the full device design and enabling faster, more reliable verification.
3Measurement precision
If patterns are searched individually in the die region, then detection accuracy is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a verification region containing simplified copies of patterns from the device region. These copies represent the essential pattern types without the complexity of the full device region, allowing engineers to verify mask data handling errors by inspecting only the verification region patterns rather than searching through all device region patterns manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the verification task by separating the device region patterns into distinct pattern types represented in the verification region. This segmentation allows engineers to systematically check each pattern type in the verification region rather than searching individually through the complex device region, reducing search difficulty while maintaining detection accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit device layout and a method for detecting mask data handling errors are disclosed in which integrated circuit device layout includes a device region in which operable circuitry is disposed. Integrated circuit device layout also includes a verification region in which verification elements are disposed. The verification elements include cells that are duplicates of at least some of the different types of cells in device region and can include structures that are duplicates of at least some of the types of structures in the device region. The patterns in verification region are used in the final verification process to identify mask data handling errors in a mask job deck. Because the patterns in verification region are easy to locate and identify, the time required to perform the final verification process is reduced and the chance of error in the final verification process is reduced.