JPH04155336A - Diagram processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To create photo mask describing date with high accuracy with the duplicated sections of diagram data removed while being unaffected by the number of photo masks by storing the design pattern diagram data of a hierarchical structure, selecting the diagram data for a higher hierarchy and a lower hierarchy, and thereby handling all data. CONSTITUTION:The design pattern diagram data of a hierarchical structure including duplicated diagrams is stored in a diagram data memory device 10. The coordinate data of the respective data is stored in a coordinate data memory device 12. A comparison program compares the diagram of a selected hierarchy with the diagram of a lower hierarchy to find out duplicated sections between both of the hierarchies, so that the coordinate data for the duplicated sections between the diagrams is thereby obtained. The duplicated sections are removed from the higher hierarchical diagram by a duplicated diagram removing program based on the coordinate data of the duplicated sections, so that the diagram data for higher hierarchies is thereby changed based on the diagram of the higher hierarchy in which removal processing has been over.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary S] Relates to a graphic processing device, more specifically, relates to a graphic processing device that creates photomask drawing data from design pattern graphic data of a photomask used in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device; A graphic data storage means for storing design pattern graphic data in a hierarchical structure, with the purpose of creating highly accurate photomask drawing data by removing graphic data in overlapping portions without being affected by the number of patterns; The upper hierarchical graphic data is manually input from the graphic data storage means, the upper hierarchical graphic data is compared with the lower hierarchical graphic data, and the data of each graphic forming the upper hierarchical pattern is compared. A figure data selection means for selecting a figure that intersects with or is included in the existence area of a pattern in a lower hierarchy from the figure data selection means, and a figure in the upper hierarchy selected by the figure data selection means and each figure constituting the pattern in a lower hierarchy is compared. , a figure comparing means for determining an overlapping part of figures between both hierarchies, and a figure comparing means for removing the overlapping part found by the figure comparing means from the figure of the upper layer, and forming a pattern of the upper layer with the removed figure. a duplicate figure removing means for changing the upper hierarchical figure data as a figure; and the upper hierarchical figure data changed by the duplicate figure removing means as the lower hierarchical figure data, and the upper hierarchical figure data is sequentially transferred to the top layer. and a repeating means for executing change processing based on each of the above-mentioned means up to the graphic data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a graphic processing apparatus, and more particularly to a graphic processing apparatus that creates photomask drawing data from design pattern graphic data of a photomask used in a semiconductor device manufacturing process.

As the scale and density of semiconductor devices increases, the number of photomask patterns increases, and this increase leads to an increase in design pattern graphic data and photomask drawing data.

As a result, rational processing of photomask design pattern graphic data is required in order to suppress the increase in the capacity of storage means for storing these data.

U Prior Art 5 Design pattern graphic data of a photomask used in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device has a hierarchical structure. For example, the first layer graphic data is defined by one basic pattern or a predetermined number of patterns, and the second layer graphic data (upper layer graphic data) is defined by a plurality of the first layer graphic data (lowest layer graphic data) and a predetermined pattern. Hierarchical figure data) is defined,
Furthermore, the plurality of second layer graphic data (in this case, it becomes lower layer graphic data) and the third layer graphic data (in this case, it becomes upper layer graphic data) in a predetermined pattern.
, and then the graphic data of the upper hierarchy is defined using the graphic data of the lower hierarchy.

To be more specific, the graphic data A of the semiconductor device shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9, first, the lower hierarchical graphic data Al,
The hierarchical graphic data A I is defined in the lower hierarchical graphic data al, and the hierarchical graphic data A I is defined in the lower hierarchical graphic data al.
2 are lower hierarchical graphic data al, a2. Defined in a3.

In order to create a highly accurate photomask from design pattern graphic data configured in a hierarchical structure as described above, it is necessary to remove duplicate graphic data from the photomask drawing data. Conventionally, the overlapping portions of graphic data could not be removed unless all layers were expanded to find the overlapping portions.

Since it is necessary to expand all the graphic data of each layer that constitutes the design pattern graphic data, the storage means for storing the graphic data must have a large capacity because all the defined graphic data is expanded. Ta.

``Invention or Problem to be Solved'' However, as semiconductor devices become larger and more dense, the number of photomask patterns increases significantly, resulting in a large storage capacity to store all the developed graphic data. The storage means no longer exists, and it becomes impossible to remove duplicate graphic data using the method described above.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to remove overlapping graphic data without being affected by the number of patterns on a photomask, and to create a highly accurate photomask. An object of the present invention is to provide a graphic processing device capable of creating drawing data. [Means for Solving the Problems] Fig. 1 is a diagram explaining the principle of the present invention.

The graphic data storage means 1 stores design pattern graphic data of a one-level structure. The graphic data selection means 2 inputs the upper hierarchical graphic data from the graphic data storage means 1, and compares the upper hierarchical graphic data with the lower hierarchical graphic data with respect to the upper hierarchical level. From among the figures constituting the pattern, a figure that intersects with or is included in the existence area of a pattern in a lower hierarchy is selected.

The figure comparison means 3 compares the figure of the upper hierarchy selected by the figure data selection means 2 with each figure constituting the pattern of the lower hierarchy, and finds the overlapping part of the figures between the two hierarchies.

The duplicate figure removing means 4 removes the overlapping portion found by the figure comparison means 3 from the figure in the upper hierarchy, and changes the figure data in the upper hierarchy by treating the removed figure as a figure constituting the pattern in the upper hierarchy. and output.

On the other hand, the repeating means 5 uses the upper hierarchical figure data changed by the duplicate figure removing means 4 as the lower hierarchical figure data,
The data is output to the graphic data selection means 2, and the upper hierarchical graphic data is sequentially changed to the highest hierarchical graphic data based on the above-mentioned means.

7 under action.

The graphic data storage means 1 stores design pattern graphic data in a hierarchical structure, and the graphic data selection means 2 selects each figure constituting a pattern in a higher hierarchy from the graphic data storage means 1,
Each figure constituting the lower hierarchical pattern is compared with each other, and each figure constituting the upper hierarchical pattern that intersects with or is included in the existence area of the lower hierarchical pattern is selected. Then, the figure comparison means 3 compares the figure of the upper hierarchy selected by the figure data selection means 2 with each figure constituting the pattern of the lower hierarchy, and finds the overlapping part of the figures between the two hierarchies. After that, the duplicate figure removing means 4 removes the overlapping portion found by the figure comparing means 3 from the figure in the upper hierarchy, and changes the removed figure as the figure data in the upper hierarchy. Further, the repeating means 5 outputs the upper hierarchical graphic data changed by the duplicate graphic removing means 4 to the graphic data selecting means 2 as lower hierarchical graphic data. Then, the upper hierarchical graphic data is sequentially changed according to the above-described procedure, and the hierarchical graphic data at the highest level is executed and changed based on each of the above-mentioned means, and hierarchically structured design pattern graphic data is output.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of a graphic processing device embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the graphic data storage device 10 stores design pattern graphic data with a hierarchical structure including overlapping graphics, and the design pattern graphic data with the same hierarchical structure is output to the processing device 11. ing. The coordinate data storage device 12 stores the coordinates of each figure constituting each hierarchical figure data.

A control block program storage device 13 is connected to the processing device 11, and the hierarchically structured design pattern graphic data stored in the graphic data storage device IO is processed based on the program in the control program storage device 13. It has become. The control program storage device 13 stores a graphic selection program, a graphic comparison program, and a duplicate graphic removal program.

The graphic selection program is a program that inputs upper hierarchical graphic data from the hierarchically structured design pattern graphic data of the graphic data storage device 10, and also inputs lower hierarchical graphic data with respect to the upper hierarchical graphic data. The figure selection program is a program that selects a figure that intersects with or is included in an area where a pattern of a lower hierarchy exists, based on lower hierarchy figure data, from among the figures constituting a pattern of an upper hierarchy.

The processing device 11 stores coordinate data of each graphic data constituting the upper hierarchical graphic pattern and each graphic data constituting the lower hierarchical graphic pattern in the coordinate data storage device 12.

The figure comparison program compares the figure in the upper hierarchy selected by the figure selection program with each figure constituting the pattern in the lower hierarchy, determines the overlapping part of figures between the two hierarchies, and stores the figure in the coordinate data storage means 12. Based on the coordinate data, the coordinate data of the overlapping part of the figure is determined.

The duplicate figure removal program removes the duplicate parts from the upper layer figures based on the coordinate data of the figure overlap parts obtained by the figure comparison program, and uses the removed figures as figures constituting the upper layer pattern. The upper hierarchical graphic data is changed.

The processing device J1 also includes the control program storage device 13.
A modified graphic data storage device 17 is connected to sequentially store hierarchical graphic data modified based on the data.

Next, graphic processing of the above-described hierarchical graphic data, Alal, by the graphic processing apparatus configured as described above will be explained.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper hierarchical graphic data A I, the lower hierarchical graphic data a1, and the arrangement configuration are the graphic data storage device 10, which is the hierarchically structured design pattern graphic data.
is stored in The processing device 11 then processes each hierarchical graphic data A1. The coordinate values of al and the arrangement marks of the upper hierarchical graphic data A1 and the lower hierarchical graphic data al are temporarily stored in the coordinate data storage device 12.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper hierarchical graphic data A1
is composed of four figures 5l-84, each figure S1
The coordinate values of each end point in ~S4 and the minimum coordinate value (Xl.

y+) and maximum coordinate values (X2, Y2). Similarly, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower hierarchical figure data al is composed of three figures P1 to P3, and the coordinate values of each end point in each figure PI-P3 and the minimum coordinate value of the lower hierarchical figure data al (X3, Y3) and the maximum coordinate value (x4.Y4).

Then, the processing device 11 selects upper hierarchical graphic data A based on the graphic selection program in the control program storage device 13.
The figure 5l-34 in 1 is the lower hierarchical figure data al
Upper hierarchical graphic data A that intersects or is included in the existence area of
Select figure 1 5l-34.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the processing device 11 determines the existence area of the lower hierarchical graphic data a1 based on the minimum coordinate value (X3, Y3) and maximum coordinate value (X4, Y,) of the lower hierarchical graphic data al. Then, it is determined whether the existence area of each of the figures 81 to S4 obtained based on the coordinate values of the end points of each of the figures 5l to 84 in the upper layer graphic data A1 intersects or is included in this existence area. As a result, each figure 81
~S4, since the figures S2 to S4 intersect with or are included in the existence area of the lower hierarchical figure data a1, the figures 82 to S4
or selected.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the processing device 11 selects the graphics S2 to S4 of the upper hierarchical graphic data selected by the graphic selection program based on the graphic comparison program and the graphic PI-S4 of the lower hierarchical graphic data a1. Figures S2 to S4 between both layers, AI, and a1 are compared with P3. P
Find the overlapping portion of I to P3.

That is, the processing device 11 determines the existence area of each figure P1 to P3 based on each end point of each figure PI-P3 of the lower hierarchical figure data a1, and calculates the existence area of each figure 82 in the upper hierarchical figure data AI with respect to this existence area. ~Find how much overlap with S4. As a result, the upper hierarchical graphic data AI
A part of the figure S2 in the lower hierarchical figure data a1 overlaps with a part of the figure P1 in the lower hierarchical figure data a1, and a part of the figure S4 in the upper hierarchical figure data A1 and a part of the figure P2 in the lower hierarchical figure data al overlap. Duplicate. Then, the processing device 11 processes the overlapping figure Jl, which is the overlapping part,
Minimum coordinate value of J2 (X3.Y,), (Xs, Ys
) and maximum coordinate values (X8.Y6), (X7, Y
7) is read out from the coordinate data storage device l2.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the processing device 11 processes the minimum coordinate values (Xs.Y3), (Xs.
, Y5 ) and maximum coordinate values (X6.Y6), (X7
, Y7), the graphics S2. Only the existing region bones of the duplicate figures Jl and J2 are deleted from S4.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the processing device J1 removes the graphics Sl of the upper hierarchical graphic data AI that intersects with or is not included in the existence area of the lower hierarchical graphic data a1, and the upper hierarchical graphic data AI that has been removed. The graphics 82 to S4 are synthesized and stored in the modified graphic data storage device 17 as new modified upper hierarchical graphic data, 1.

In this embodiment, graphic processing is performed for a two-layer structure of upper hierarchical graphic data A1 and lower hierarchical graphic data a1, or in the case of a two-layer structure or more, the processing device 11 processes the upper hierarchical graphic data A1. The upper hierarchical graphic data is changed by reading out the upper hierarchical graphic data corresponding to the changed lower hierarchical graphic data from the graphic data storage device 10, and repeatedly executing the graphic processing of the upper hierarchical graphic data in the above order. It's fine.

Therefore, a highly accurate photomask can be created by reading design pattern graphic data based on drawing data from the modified graphic data storage device 17.

In addition, in order to sequentially delete overlapping figures starting from the upper hierarchical figure data while comparing the upper and lower hierarchical figure data, it is not possible to expand all the design pattern figures in the hierarchical structure and delete the duplicate figures, as in the past. There is no need to do this, and the storage capacity for storing graphic data can be reduced.

As a result, highly accurate photomask drawing data can be quickly created without being affected by the number of photomask patterns accompanying the increase in scale and density of semiconductor devices.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, the present invention can remove overlapping graphic data without being affected by the number of patterns on a photomask, and can create highly accurate photomask drawing data. Has excellent effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram of a graphic processing device embodying the present invention, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the layout of hierarchical graphic data A1, and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the layout of hierarchical graphic data A1. An explanatory diagram showing the layout of data al; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing hierarchical graphic data AI selected based on hierarchical graphic data a1; FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing hierarchical graphic data AI selected based on hierarchical graphic data a] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the overlapped portion between the hierarchical graphic data AI and the hierarchical graphic data AI, FIG. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the hierarchical structure of graphic data, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing graphic data of a semiconductor integrated circuit. In the figure, 1 is a figure data storage means, 2 is a figure data selection means, 3 is a figure comparison means, 4 is a duplicate figure removal means, and 5 is a repetition means. Figure 9: Explanatory diagram showing the hierarchical structure of graphic data Figure 10

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Graphic data storage means (1) for storing design pattern graphic data in a hierarchical structure; and inputting upper hierarchical graphic data from the graphic data storage means (1), and storing the upper hierarchical graphic data. graphic data that compares the upper layer with the lower layer graphic data and selects a shape that intersects with or is included in the existence area of the lower layer pattern from among the shapes that make up the upper layer pattern. a selection means (2), comparing the upper layer figure selected by the figure data selection means (2) with each figure constituting the lower layer pattern;
A figure comparing means (3) for determining the overlapping part of figures between both hierarchies; and removing the overlapping part found by the figure comparing means (3) from the figure of the upper layer, and comparing the removed figure with the figure of the upper layer. Duplicate figure removal means (4) for changing upper hierarchical figure data as figures constituting the pattern.
Then, the upper hierarchical graphic data changed by the duplicate graphic removing means (4) is made into lower hierarchical graphic data, and the upper hierarchical graphic data is sequentially changed based on the above-mentioned means up to the highest hierarchical graphic data. A graphic processing device characterized by comprising: repeating means (5) for causing execution.