Interactive Coloring for Multiple-Patterning Design Rule Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic design processes are inefficient due to iterative and resource-intensive methods, particularly in very deep sub-micron integrated circuits, where physical design tools lack awareness of electrical parasitics and design rule compliance, leading to costly and time-consuming corrections during the verification stage.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multiple-patterning constraint-driven environment with an interactive user interface for real-time feedback on physical design component coloring, allowing designers to determine and modify shapes within a layout while ensuring design rule compliance, even with partial or incomplete designs, by assigning appropriate mask designs and providing immediate feedback on rule violations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional sequential design process is used, then design stages can be completed in order, but the process becomes iterative and time-consuming with costly corrections needed during verification
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary design rule checking and multiple-patterning analysis during the physical design stage itself, rather than waiting until verification. The coloring determination is made in advance based on predicted violations, allowing designers to correct issues before they become problems, thereby eliminating iterative corrections and reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback to designers about predicted design rule violations and multiple-patterning issues as they create or modify layouts. This immediate feedback loop allows designers to adjust their designs proactively, preventing violations rather than detecting them later during verification, thus improving productivity and reducing rework time.
2Reliability
If physical design tools focus on post-layout verification, then comprehensive checking can be performed, but resource-intensive iterative processes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of design rule compliance and multiple-patterning readiness during the design creation phase itself. By evaluating constraints and predicting violations in real-time as designs are built, the system ensures reliability without requiring resource-intensive post-layout verification iterations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs focused, partial checks on specific aspects (design rule violations and multiple-patterning constraints) during design creation, rather than进行全面 verification of the entire design. This selective approach maintains reliability for critical issues while significantly reducing computational resource consumption.
3Ease of operation
If designers lack awareness of electrical parasitics and design rules during physical design, then design creation is simpler, but violations are not detected until verification stage
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides immediate feedback to designers about design rule compliance and multiple-patterning constraints as they work. This real-time information keeps designers aware of constraints without complicating the design creation process, as the system automatically analyzes and reports issues rather than requiring manual tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically performs design rule checking and multiple-patterning analysis without requiring designers to manually track or remember constraints. The tool serves itself by autonomously evaluating compliance and providing guidance, thus maintaining ease of operation while preventing information loss about constraint violations.
4Productivity
If interactive real-time feedback is provided during design creation, then iterative corrections are reduced, but complex analysis must be performed continuously
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex analysis into two focused components: design rule violation detection and multiple-patterning constraint evaluation. By dividing the analysis into these specific, manageable segments rather than attempting comprehensive continuous verification, the system provides real-time feedback with controlled complexity, improving productivity without overwhelming computational demands.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments provide a constraint-driven environment to interactively determine coloring of layout components when the layout components are being modified or created and to provide feedback with visual aids to users in nearly real-time. Layout components are thus appropriately assigned to respective mask designs upon their creation. Various embodiments check or verify various constraints during creation or modification of layout components, and the layout thus remains design rule clean as constructed. Some embodiments use data structure(s) including information associated with mask identifications of objects of a cluster to change some mask identifications without considering any of the constraints governing these mask identifications. Some embodiments further determine the mask identification for an object based at least in part on whether object splitting and stitching is permitted.