Parallel Fill Generation for DRC Clean Multi-Patterning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of electronic design rules and the need for multiple patterning processes in advanced nodes, such as 14-nm or 10-nm processes, make it difficult to manually determine legal track patterns with permissible widths, leading to inefficiencies in design implementation and compliance with design rule checks.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that use a design traversal mechanism to identify and classify shapes, implement parallel fill shapes, and perform post-layout operations to automatically satisfy design rules, transforming two-dimensional geometries into one-dimensional data for efficient design rule checks and optimizations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual determination of legal track patterns is attempted, then design rule compliance can be achieved, but the process becomes extremely time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-determination of legal track patterns through computer-implemented algorithms that autonomously analyze design rules, classify shapes, and generate compliant track patterns without requiring manual intervention, thereby resolving the contradiction between ensuring design rule compliance and reducing design implementation time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of determining track patterns with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to classify shapes, evaluate design rules, and generate legal track patterns, eliminating the time-consuming manual effort while maintaining compliance reliability
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of permissible wire widths is increased to accommodate complex design rules, then design flexibility improves, but the complexity of determining legal track patterns becomes nearly impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex problem of track pattern determination by classifying shapes into different categories (e.g., fixed, sizable, one-sided sizable, free) and processing them through systematic algorithms, making the determination of legal track patterns manageable even with multiple permissible wire widths
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the complex multi-dimensional track pattern problem into a one-dimensional data representation, simplifying the analysis and determination process while maintaining the ability to handle multiple wire width specifications and complex design rules
3Adaptability or versatility
If repetitive track patterns are added to accommodate more design scenarios, then design coverage improves, but the propagation of changes throughout the design increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system provides self-service by automatically evaluating design rules and determining legal track patterns for each specific scenario, eliminating the need for pre-defined repetitive track patterns and reducing change propagation complexity while maintaining comprehensive design coverage
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are techniques for implementing parallel fills for electronic designs These techniques identify a shape and one or more neighboring shapes of the shape by searching design data of a region of a layout of an electronic design, classify the shape and the one or more neighboring shapes by examining respective characteristics of and to categorize the shape and the one or more neighboring shapes into one or more classes, implement one or more parallel fill shapes for at least one shape of the shape and the one or more neighboring shapes by aggregating the one or more parallel fill shapes to the at least one shape based in part or in whole upon the one or more classes while automatically satisfying one or more design rules, and perform one or more post-layout operations on the layout including the one or more parallel fill shapes.