JPH0766399B2 - Mask pattern generator - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mask pattern creating apparatus for creating a mask pattern for manufacturing an integrated circuit such as an LSI, particularly a mask pattern creating data file realized in a standard format. The present invention relates to a mask pattern creation device that easily corrects the above.

[Prior Art] With the recent breakthrough in semiconductor technology, circuits are becoming larger in scale, and the circuits are also designed using computers. Such circuit design is usually performed by a CAD device, and is performed while inputting data interactively.

Then, elements, wiring patterns, etc. in an actual LSI or the like are determined based on the circuit thus designed, and a mask corresponding to this pattern is created. That is, in the process of manufacturing an LSI or the like, a mask corresponding to a pattern to be manufactured must be created in various processing steps such as photo etching. Then, such a mask is manufactured by a mask manufacturing apparatus that operates according to an input mask pattern creation data file.

Therefore, it is necessary to create mask pattern creation data for driving such a mask manufacturing apparatus, but it is very inefficient to create this data manually one by one. Therefore, the creation of a data file containing a series of mask pattern creation data is described above.
This is done by using a CAD device as a mask pattern creating device.

That is, when the circuit design is completed as described above,
According to this circuit design, a CAD device is used to create a mask pattern creation data file. Then, it suffices to drive the mask manufacturing device based on this mask pattern creation data file, but it is not possible that the CAD device and the mask manufacturing device use data files expressed in the same format. It is rare.

Therefore, the mask pattern creation data file created by the CAD device is stored in a predetermined standard format (for example,
It is generated in the product name stream format of Karma. Then, the data format represented by this standard format is converted by a converter corresponding to the mask manufacturing apparatus, and the mask manufacturing apparatus is driven by using this converted data file.

On the other hand, an integrated circuit such as an LSI can usually be divided into a plurality of patterns for each function. Then, wiring design and the like are also performed for each functional pattern (structure). Therefore,
A mask pattern creation data file created by a CAD device can often be created for each structure. The internal structure of the structure itself may be common to many integrated circuits. It is inefficient to produce each mask pattern creation data file for a structure common to other integrated circuits by a CAD device.

For this reason, conventionally, a mask pattern creation data file of a standard format created by a CAD device is modified by a modification program created by a user, or processing of inserting created data is performed. By performing such a process, it is not necessary to newly create all data files for the mask pattern by the CAD device from the beginning, and the mask pattern creation data file can be created efficiently.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, conventionally, a user created a correction program for a mask pattern creation data file created by a CAD device each time. This program directly modifies the mask pattern creation data file according to its purpose and specifications, and required skill and much knowledge to develop this program.

That is, in order to create this correction program,
It is necessary to fully understand the structure of the mask pattern creation data file (the structure of the standard format described above). This is because the file expressed in the standard format must be modified and converted into the file expressed in the standard format.

In this way, when creating a conventional correction program,
There is a problem that it requires a lot of labor and a lot of time.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a mask pattern creating apparatus capable of correcting a mask pattern creating data file expressed in a standard format by a simple operation and instruction. The purpose is to provide.

[Means for Solving the Problem] A mask pattern forming apparatus according to the present invention is a CA for forming a mask pattern used for manufacturing an integrated circuit.
Accepts a mask pattern creation data file expressed in the standard format for CAD created by the D device,
In a mask pattern creation device for making corrections by a user created program, means for storing a mask pattern creation data file already created, means for specifying a mask pattern creation data file and specification of creation contents, and user created Correction processing means for performing correction processing on the mask pattern creation data file by executing a program, wherein the correction processing means directly accesses the mask pattern creation data file and uses it for correction. Access library,
It is characterized by having a storage unit for storing a user release programming routine used when the user-created program uses the direct access library.

[Operation] The mask pattern creating device according to the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, receives a mask pattern creating data file expressed in the CAD standard format, corrects it, and creates a new mask pattern. It is necessary to create a user-created program to generate a data file for use. According to the present invention, the user-created program is generated using the user release programming routine based on the specified contents of creation. When the modification processing means executes the user-created program, the user release programming routine directly modifies the mask pattern creation data file using the direct access library. In this way, by using the user release programming routine, the mask pattern creation data file
You can easily make corrections without knowledge of the contents of the standard CAD format.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of a mask pattern forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration, and the input file 10 is a mask pattern creation data file in a CAD standard format created by a CAD device.
Then, the input file 10 is input to the correction processing unit 12, where the correction processing is performed, and the output file 14 is output. The correction processing unit 12 is a part that performs the correction processing according to the present invention, and is usually composed of a general-purpose computer or the like, but may be also used as a CAD device for creating the input file 10.

The modification processing unit 12 has a user release programming routine 20 and a direct access library 22 in its internal storage unit. The user release programming routine 20 is a modification processing unit for modifying a user-created program created by a user such as the modification program described above.
Provide a set of subroutines to work with 12,
Various programs can be created without limitation by user programming. Any programming language can be adopted, and for example, C language can be used.

On the other hand, the direct access library 22 has a plurality of standard function groups inside. That is, according to the illustrated example, the element processing function group 22a, the structure creating function group 22b, and the copy function group 22c have three types of function groups. And this direct access library 22
Corresponding functions are called and executed in accordance with the program execution in the user release programming routine 20 to modify the input file 10.

The M card 30 is used to specify a data file to be processed for modification and to specify a structure to be modified.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In this example, the input file 10 includes two mask pattern creation data files 10a and 10b, and the correction processing unit 12 receives these mask pattern creation data files 10a and 10b. The correction processing unit 12 uses the copy function group 22c to extract a portion to be inserted into the mask pattern creation data file 10a from the mask pattern creation data file 10b and copy it. In addition, a predetermined insertion data file is created using the element processing function group 22a and the structure creation function group 22b, this is combined with the mask pattern creation data file 10a, and the output file 14a is output. In this way, extract a part from the existing mask pattern creation data file 10b,
Or create a newly created insert data file,
It is possible to easily create a new mask pattern creating data file by inserting the mask pattern creating data file 10a into a portion to be inserted.

By the way, when performing such processing, first, the input file 10a to be processed by the M card is designated. Next, a correction program (hereinafter referred to as a user created program) executed in the user release programming routine 20 is created. In this example, in this user-created program, the direct access library 22
The contents to be created by using and the insertion location are specified, and the user created program is created.

In the correction processing section 12, when a user-created program using the user release programming routine 20 is executed,
The mask pattern creation data file 10a designated by the M card 30 is modified to create a new mask pattern creation data file, which is output to the output file 14a. According to FIG. 2, a new program is executed by executing a user-created program consisting of partial copy of the data file 10a, addition of elements, partial copy of the data file 10a, structure creation, and partial copy from the data file 10b. A mask pattern creation data file is created. Next, details of the process of correcting the data file and newly creating it will be described.

First, the structure from the beginning of the data file 10a to the designated structure (A) is copied to the output file. When the first data (As) of the specified structure (A) comes out, copying is continued until the last data of the structure (Ae, which is usually represented as "ENDSTR").

Next, regarding the structure (A), data is replenished for the element at the last part of the structure. Therefore,
Continuously write the data for the element specified by the user-created program.

The data about this element is created by executing the element processing function group 22a according to an instruction from the user-created program. In this way, the element designated by the user-created program is inserted, and the element insertion processing is performed for the designated structure.

Next, data "ENDLIB" indicating the end of the input file 10a from the structure next to the specified structure (A)
Copy as is until before.

Then, the structure specified by the user-created program is created by executing the structure creation function group 22b, and this structure is inserted. When this structure is inserted, data "ENDSTR" indicating the end of the structure exists at the end of the inserted data file, so this "ENDSTR" is specified by the user-created program.

Next, after the structure is inserted in the user-created program, the data of the predetermined structure is copied from the other input file 10b. That is,
Specified structure (B) of other input file 10b
Copy from the beginning (Bs) to the end (Be “ENDSTR”).

When the correction processing such as the insertion specified by the user-created program is completed in this way, "ENDLIB" meaning the end of the output file at the end of the file.
And output it to the output file 14.

As described above, the correction processing such as the insertion of the element specified by the user-created program, the insertion of the structure, and the copy from another file can be performed. Then, a predetermined mask can be manufactured by subjecting the output file to a predetermined conversion process and driving the mask pattern manufacturing apparatus.

The functions in the direct access library 22 are as follows. First, the functions included in the structure creation function group 22b will be described.

SREF (subroutine for creating a pattern for a new element) In this case, the description in the user-created program is performed as follows, for example.

mutmake sref (cell name, presence / absence of reflection, & magnification, & angle, x coordinate, y coordinate, & number of points); where mutmake sref is the function name in the structure creation function group 22b, and the data is given in parentheses. Parameters can be specified by writing the substituted variables in parentheses in the above order. Then, the cell name is a name of an element or the like that operates in a predetermined manner in the circuit, the presence or absence of reflection is a code as to whether the element is forward-reverse inverted, and the magnification is its magnitude. And specifies the installation site and the like in terms of angles, coordinates, and the like.

By executing this function of mutmake sref, it is possible to create data for forming a predetermined pattern on a predetermined portion of the mask.

Various other function groups are prepared, for example, by the following input method.

AREF (copy of specified element) mutmake aref (cell name, presence / absence of reflection, & magnification, & angle, & column number, & row number, x coordinate, y coordinate, & point number); Next, element processing function The functions included in group 22a are shown.

BOUNDARY (function that specifies wiring boundary (polygon)) mutmake born (& layer, & data type, x coordinate, y coordinate, & number of points); PATH (setting of wiring width) mutmake path (& layer, & data Type, & path type, path width, x coordinate, y coordinate, & number of points); TEXT (description of element contents) mutmake text (& layer, & dext type, & path type, path width, presence / absence of reflection) , & Magnification, & angle, & font number, & TJUST, x coordinate, Y coordinate, & number of points, string); & indicates passing a variable to the function by address.

According to this embodiment, when the input file 10 is modified, the part for accessing the input file 10 is described in the direct access library 22 in advance, so that there is no need for programming here, and the user open programming routine. It is possible to significantly reduce the time required for the user to develop the user-created program executed in.

Further, if the direct access library 22 is replaced with a library for another format, the user-created program itself may be used as it is, and there is also an advantage that no modification is necessary.

That is, there are many standard CAD formats such as APPLE (product name), MEBES (product name), and MANN3000 (product name) in addition to the above-mentioned stream format (product name) at Karma. According to the embodiment, it can be directly applied to the data correction of these standard formats. Furthermore, a general-purpose large computer can be used as well as a computer or a CAD device that actually executes this correction work. Therefore, extremely high-speed processing becomes possible.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, in the modification of the mask pattern creation data file created in the CAD device, the program portion for directly accessing the mask pattern creation data file is used as a subroutine in the direct access library. Since it is provided in advance, and the user can use it in any language and has a user release programming routine to use the direct access library, it greatly simplifies the program development for the user to modify the mask pattern creation data file. It can be done, and the time to create it can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a mask pattern creating apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation in the same embodiment. 10 …… input file 12 …… correction processing unit 14 …… output file 20 …… user release programming routine 22 …… direct access library 30 …… M card

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A mask pattern creating data file expressed in a standard CAD format created by a CAD device for creating a mask pattern used for manufacturing an integrated circuit is accepted, and its modification is made by a user created program. In the mask pattern creation device, the means for storing the data file for mask pattern creation already created, the means for specifying the data file for mask pattern creation and the creation contents, and the mask by executing the user created program A correction processing unit for performing a correction process on the pattern creation data file, wherein the correction processing unit directly accesses the mask pattern creation data file for modification and a user created program. Direct access Mask pattern creating apparatus characterized by having a storage unit for storing the user releases programming routines, the to be used when using the library.