Automated flow in PSM phase assignment

Claim 2

1 . A method of automatically applying phase shifting rule sets to a layout, the method comprising: receiving an ordered sequence of rule sets; receiving a layout, the layout comprising a plurality of cells; applying a first rule set in the ordered sequence in a first cell in the plurality of cells; determining a number of phase conflicts in the first cell caused by applying the first rule set; and based on determining the number of phase conflicts, phase shifting portions of the first cell with no phase conflicts using the first rule set and further processing portions of the first cell with phase conflicts using remaining rule sets in the ordered sequence.

Claim 3

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rule sets are generated from parameters.

Claim 4

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cells are determined from at least one of a layout format and a layout geometry.

Claim 5

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the number of phase conflicts includes comparing the number of phase conflicts against a predetermined threshold.

Claim 6

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined threshold is associated with the applied rule set.

Claim 7

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein further processing includes recursively trying successive rule sets in the ordered sequence within each area of the first cell having phase conflicts.

Claim 8

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of applying, determining, and phase shifting are performed on at least a second cell in the layout, the second cell being adjacent to first cell, the method further including: identifying any inter-cell phase conflicts; and resolving the inter-cell phase conflicts.

Claim 9

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein resolving the inter-cell phase conflicts includes determining whether a same rule set is applied to the first and second cells.

Claim 10

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein if the same rule set is applied and based on the number of inter-cell phase conflicts, then phase shifting shared edge portions of the first and second cells with no phase conflicts using a less aggressive rule set than the same rule set and further processing shared edge portions of the first and second cells with phase conflicts using remaining rule sets in the ordered sequence.

Claim 11

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein if a different rule set is applied and based on the number of inter-cell phase conflicts, then phase shifting shared edge portions of one of the first and second cells, whichever cell with a more aggressive rule set, using a next rule set in the ordered sequence.

Claim 12

11 . A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit, the method comprising: forming a phase shifting mask based on a layout for the integrated circuit, wherein forming the phase shifting mask includes: receiving an ordered sequence of rule sets; receiving the layout, which includes a plurality of cells; applying a first rule set in the ordered sequence in a first cell; determining a number of phase conflicts in the first cell caused by applying the first rule set; and based on determining the number of phase conflicts, phase shifting portions of the first cell with no phase conflicts using the first rule set and further processing portions of the first cell with phase conflicts using remaining rule sets in the ordered sequence; forming a complementary mask based on the layout for the integrated circuit; and exposing the phase shifting mask and the complementary mask.

Claim 13

11 . A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit, the method comprising: forming a phase shifting mask based on a layout for the integrated circuit, wherein forming the phase shifting mask includes: receiving an ordered sequence of rule sets; receiving the layout, which includes a plurality of cells; applying a first rule set in the ordered sequence in a first cell; determining a number of phase conflicts in the first cell caused by applying the first rule set; and based on determining the number of phase conflicts, phase shifting portions of the first cell with no phase conflicts using the first rule set and further processing portions of the first cell with phase conflicts using remaining rule sets in the ordered sequence; forming a complementary mask based on the layout for the integrated circuit; and exposing the phase shifting mask and the complementary mask.

Claim 14

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the rule sets are generated from parameters.

Claim 15

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the number of phase conflicts includes comparing the number of phase conflicts against a predetermined threshold.

Claim 16

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined threshold is associated with the applied rule set.

Claim 17

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein further processing includes recursively trying successive rule sets in the ordered sequence within each area of the first cell having phase conflicts.

Claim 18

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the steps of applying, determining, and phase shifting are performed on at least a second cell in the layout, the second cell being adjacent to first cell, wherein forming the phase shifting mask further includes: identifying any inter-cell phase conflicts; and resolving the inter-cell phase conflicts.

Claim 19

17 . A phase shifting mask for fabricating an integrated circuit, the phase shifting mask comprising: a plurality of rectangular regions, wherein in at least one rectangular region, a first plurality of phase shifters have a first set of parameters and a second plurality of phase shifters have a second set of parameters.

Claim 20

17 . A phase shifting mask for fabricating an integrated circuit, the phase shifting mask comprising: a plurality of rectangular regions, wherein in at least one rectangular region, a first plurality of phase shifters have a first set of parameters and a second plurality of phase shifters have a second set of parameters.

Claim 21

18 . The phase shifting mask of claim 17 , wherein the first set of parameters includes a first shifter width and the second set of parameters includes a second shifter width, and wherein the first and second phase shifter widths are different.

Claim 22

19 . The phase shifting mask of claim 17 , wherein the first set of parameters includes a first shifter length and the second set of parameters includes a second shifter length, and wherein the first and second phase shifter lengths are different.

Claim 23

20 . An integrated circuit exhibiting enhanced performance, the enhanced performance resulting from exposing a phase shifting mask formed using a layout, the layout including a plurality of cells, wherein at least one cell includes multiple phase shifting rule sets applied automatically by a system to facilitate fabrication of a higher percentage of gates using the most aggressive phase shifting rules than could be fabricated if only a single set of parameters was used for forming the gates.

Claim 24

20 . An integrated circuit exhibiting enhanced performance, the enhanced performance resulting from exposing a phase shifting mask formed using a layout, the layout including a plurality of cells, wherein at least one cell includes multiple phase shifting rule sets applied automatically by a system to facilitate fabrication of a higher percentage of gates using the most aggressive phase shifting rules than could be fabricated if only a single set of parameters was used for forming the gates.

Claim 25

21 . The integrated circuit of claim 20 , wherein the at least one cell includes a first shifter having a first width and a second shifter having a second width, wherein the first and second widths are different.

Claim 26

22 . The integrated circuit of claim 20 , wherein the at least one cell includes a first gate having a first endcap margin and a second gate having a second endcap margin, wherein the first and second endcap margins are different.

Claim 27

23 . The integrated circuit of claim 20 , wherein the at least one cell includes a first gate having a first fieldcap margin and a second gate having a second fieldcap margin, wherein the first and second fieldcap margins are different.

Claim 28

24 . A system of providing phase assignment, the system comprising: a computer; and a tool running on the computer, the tool including means for receiving an ordered sequence of rule sets; means for receiving a layout, the layout comprising a plurality of cells; means for applying a first rule set in the ordered sequence in a first cell; means for determining a number of phase conflicts in the first cell caused by applying the first rule set; and means for phase shifting portions of the first cell with no phase conflicts using the first rule set and further processing portions of the first cell with phase conflicts using remaining rule sets in the ordered sequence, wherein the means for phase shifting is responsive to the means for determining.

Claim 29

24 . A system of providing phase assignment, the system comprising: a computer; and a tool running on the computer, the tool including means for receiving an ordered sequence of rule sets; means for receiving a layout, the layout comprising a plurality of cells; means for applying a first rule set in the ordered sequence in a first cell; means for determining a number of phase conflicts in the first cell caused by applying the first rule set; and means for phase shifting portions of the first cell with no phase conflicts using the first rule set and further processing portions of the first cell with phase conflicts using remaining rule sets in the ordered sequence, wherein the means for phase shifting is responsive to the means for determining.

Claim 30

25 . The system of claim 24 , further including: means for detecting at least one inter-cell phase conflict at a shared edge of the first cell and a second cell; and means for resolving the at least one inter-cell phase conflict.

Claim 31

26 . An output file regarding phase assignment in a layout, the output file including: information regarding a plurality of cells in the layout, wherein information associated with at least one cell indicates application of multiple rule sets in the at least one cell, and wherein the multiple rule sets were applied automatically by a software product.

Claim 32

26 . An output file regarding phase assignment in a layout, the output file including: information regarding a plurality of cells in the layout, wherein information associated with at least one cell indicates application of multiple rule sets in the at least one cell, and wherein the multiple rule sets were applied automatically by a software product.

Claim 33

27 . A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to automatically modify a layout including phase assignment, the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code for receiving an ordered sequence of rule sets; computer readable program code for receiving a layout, the layout comprising a plurality of cells; computer readable program code for applying a first rule set in the ordered sequence in a first cell; computer readable program code for determining a number of phase conflicts in the first cell caused by applying the first rule set; and computer readable program code for phase shifting portions of the first cell with no phase conflicts using the first rule set and further processing portions of the first cell with phase conflicts using remaining rule sets in the ordered sequence, wherein the computer readable program code for phase shifting is responsive to the computer readable program code for determining.

Claim 34

27 . A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to automatically modify a layout including phase assignment, the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code for receiving an ordered sequence of rule sets; computer readable program code for receiving a layout, the layout comprising a plurality of cells; computer readable program code for applying a first rule set in the ordered sequence in a first cell; computer readable program code for determining a number of phase conflicts in the first cell caused by applying the first rule set; and computer readable program code for phase shifting portions of the first cell with no phase conflicts using the first rule set and further processing portions of the first cell with phase conflicts using remaining rule sets in the ordered sequence, wherein the computer readable program code for phase shifting is responsive to the computer readable program code for determining.

Claim 35

28 . The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein the computer readable program code for determining the number of phase conflicts includes computer readable program code for comparing the number of phase conflicts against a predetermined threshold.

Claim 36

29 . The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein the computer readable program code for phase shifting further includes computer readable program code for recursively trying successive rule sets in the ordered sequence within each area of the first cell having phase conflicts.

Claim 37

30 . The computer program product of claim 27 , further including: computer readable program code for identifying any inter-cell phase conflicts between the first cell and a second cell adjacent the first cell; and computer readable program code for resolving the inter-cell phase conflicts.

Claim 38

31 . The computer program product of claim 30 , wherein the computer readable program code for resolving the inter-cell phase conflicts includes computer readable program code for determining whether a same rule set is applied to the first and second cells.

Claim 39

32 . The computer program product of claim 31 , wherein computer readable program code for determining whether the same rule set is applied includes computer readable program code for phase shifting shared edge portions of at least one of the first and second cells.

Claim 40

33 . A method of automatically applying phase shifting rule sets to a layout, the method comprising: dividing the layout into a plurality of cells; and allowing the use of multiple rule sets within a single cell.

Claim 41

33 . A method of automatically applying phase shifting rule sets to a layout, the method comprising: dividing the layout into a plurality of cells; and allowing the use of multiple rule sets within a single cell.

Claim 42

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein allowing the use of multiple rule sets includes: determining a number of phase conflicts in the cell; and comparing the number of phase conflicts with a predetermined limit.

Claim 43

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein if the number of phase conflicts is equal to or less than the predetermined limit, then masking any phase conflict areas, phase shifting any other areas of the cell with a first rule set, and attempting to phase shift any phase conflict areas with a second rule set, wherein the first rule set is more aggressive than the second rule set.

Claim 44

36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein allowing the use of multiple rule sets includes: phase shifting a first portion of the cell with a first rule set; and attempting to phase shift a second portion of the cell with a second rule set, wherein the first rule set is more aggressive than the second rule set.

Claim 45

37 . The method of claim 33 , further including detecting at least one inter-cell phase conflict at a shared edge of two cells and applying a less aggressive rule set to one of a first region including any phase conflict area in both cells and a second region including any phase conflict area in one of the two cells, wherein any non-phase conflict area in the two cells is phase shifted with a more aggressive rule set.