Patent US5663017A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5663017A
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Optical corrective techniques with reticle formation and reticle stitching to provide design flexibility
Assignee: Bell Semiconductor LLC
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Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 1997-09-02
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Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for forming large scale fields suitable for use in the fabrication of integrated circuit structures having submicron dimensions. The method includes subdividing the large scale field into a plurality of subfields along the boundaries of functional components forming a very large scale integrated circuit. Stitching the subfields into the large scale field is then substantially simplified since the number and dimensions of conductive interconnects between the functional components can be more easily accommodated. The large scale field further includes a custom portion and a standard portion of functional components. Reticle formation of the standard portion involves optical correction techniques. Reticle formation of the custom portion may involve standard reticle formation techniques.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Schinella
- 👤 Keith Chao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:19
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70425; G03F7/70433; G03F7/70441; G03F7/70475
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for forming an integrated circuit comprising: forming a first reticle set using optical proximity correction techniques for a standard portion of an integrated circuit; forming a second reticle set using conventional photolithographic techniques for a custom portion of the integrated circuit; transferring said first reticle set and said second reticle set to a substrate; and interconnecting lines of said standard portion and said custom portion to form said integrated circuit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for forming an integrated circuit comprising: forming a first reticle set using optical proximity correction techniques for a standard portion of an integrated circuit; forming a second reticle set using conventional photolithographic techniques for a custom portion of the integrated circuit; transferring said first reticle set and said second reticle set to a substrate; and interconnecting lines of said standard portion and said custom portion to form said integrated circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said standard portion comprises a microprocessor circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said standard portion comprises a memory circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said standard portion and said custom portion each comprise at least one function block.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said at least one function block of each of said standard portion and said custom portion has input and output lines terminating at predetermined locations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as recited in claim 6 wherein said input and output lines of said function blocks of said custom portion and said standard portion form a portion of said interconnecting lines.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said interconnecting lines have a width greater than about 1 micron.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
44 words
A method for forming an integrated circuit comprising: producing at least one first reticle by optical proximity correction techniques; producing at least one second reticle by conventional photolithographic techniques; and combining said first and second reticles on a substrate to form an integrated circuit.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
44 words
A method for forming an integrated circuit comprising: producing at least one first reticle by optical proximity correction techniques; producing at least one second reticle by conventional photolithographic techniques; and combining said first and second reticles on a substrate to form an integrated circuit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said optical proximity correction techniques comprise phase-shift techniques.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said at least one first reticle comprises a standard portion of said integrated circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said standard portion comprises a microprocessor circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said standard portion comprises a memory circuit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said at least one second reticle comprises a custom portion of said integrated circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein each of said first reticle and said second reticle comprise a function region and an input and output line representation region.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as recited in claim 15 wherein said step of combining comprises stitching said input and output line representations of said first reticle with said input and output line representations of said second reticle on said substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said input and output line representations are located at designated locations on said first reticle and said second reticle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 15 wherein said input and output line representations are greater than about 1 micron in width.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said substrate is a semiconductor wafer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
An integrated circuit formation apparatus comprising: at least one first reticle produced by optical proximity correction techniques; at least one second reticle produced by conventional photolithographic techniques; and an interconnector of said first reticle and said second reticle on a substrate to form an integrated circuit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
An integrated circuit formation apparatus comprising: at least one first reticle produced by optical proximity correction techniques; at least one second reticle produced by conventional photolithographic techniques; and an interconnector of said first reticle and said second reticle on a substrate to form an integrated circuit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein said at least one first reticle comprises a standard portion of said integrated circuit.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein said at least one second reticle comprises a custom portion of said integrated circuit.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein each of said first reticle and said second reticle further comprises a function region and an input and output line representation region.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein said interconnector combines said input and output line representation regions of said first reticle and said second reticle.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein input and output line representations of said input and output line representation region are at least one micron in width.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-01 | 2005-03-03 | 2005-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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