JP5035434B2 - Semiconductor device design support program and semiconductor device design system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the design system design support program, and a semiconductor device of the semi-conductor device for supporting the pattern design to insert a repeater for adjusting a signal delay in the wiring in the semiconductor integrated circuits.

  In recent years, with the miniaturization of semiconductors, the physical layout of integrated circuits has become complicated. The process of creating mask data from this physical layout starts with a layout (layout with graphic data) output after placement and routing. That is, after a design rule check (DRC) and a schematic inspection (LVS) are performed on a layout output after the placement and routing process, an optical proximity effect correction (OPC) is performed on the pattern. Data is created.

  On the other hand, in parallel with such layout processing, timing convergence processing such as so-called RC extraction, delay calculation, static timing analysis (STA), etc. is performed to calculate the parasitic capacitance value and the parasitic resistance value in the semiconductor integrated circuit. Yes.

  Recently, due to the complexity of the physical layout described above, the mutual influence between the layout processing side and the timing convergence side has begun to be concerned. For example, when the layout after the detailed wiring is changed, it is necessary to ensure the influence on the timing, and it is necessary to confirm whether or not there is no influence on the layout in the process for the timing convergence.

  Among these, for the former, a placement and routing technique that eliminates a pattern that exceeds the lithography margin (pattern that has not reached the lithography margin) has been developed, and a flow of layout processing has been developed for each device.

  However, with respect to the latter, there has been no design factor that trades off with timing since a design method that gives priority to timing convergence has been made.

  Here, repeater insertion processing is one of timing convergence processing that affects the layout. The repeater is inserted in the middle of the wiring as necessary to adjust the delay of the wiring. The wiring pattern is divided at the design stage, and an element such as a buffer is inserted between the wiring patterns to reduce the parasitic resistance and parasitic of the wiring. The capacity is adjusted. This repeater is inserted if there is a timing error in the delay calculation after RC extraction. At that time, the wiring at the insertion position is cut, so the layout changes after the wiring is cut. For this reason, it is necessary to check whether a lithography margin unachieved pattern exists in the processed layout.

  With respect to this point, Patent Document 1 lists RC nets that take into account variations in wiring width and spacing, changes the size of buffers and transistors based on the input waveform of the circuit, and finally finds the obtained RC There has been proposed a method of selecting a network with the smallest delay and adopting it as a wiring layout.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for searching for a buffer insertion optimum location by searching for a path that affects delay calculation and timing verification, and then determining a functional block that affects timing. Furthermore, a technique for changing the connection of the wiring affected by the buffer insertion has been proposed.

JP 2003-132111 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-40785

  However, in the above-described conventional technology, it is not confirmed whether or not a lithography margin unachieved pattern exists in the result of the timing convergence process. That is, since there is no interface between the timing convergence flow and the layout processing flow, it is difficult to investigate the influence on the timing when the layout is changed and the influence on the lithography when the repeater is inserted. For this reason, if a timing error occurs after the mask data is created, it is necessary to go back to the layout stage, which greatly increases the development time. In addition, if the wiring is cut when the repeater is inserted, a figure having a short wiring length is generated, which causes a lithography error.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that pays attention to repeater insertion as processing for timing convergence and considers the influence on the layout at the time of repeater insertion.

According to the present invention, a first step of acquiring information on a figure constituting a physical layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and a second step of extracting a long wiring length portion having a length longer than a preset length based on the information on the figure a step of, the have rows level calculating physical layout, performed a third step of extracting a portion which does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography conditions, the calculation of signal delay based on the physical layout, setting the signal delay in advance a fourth step of obtaining a wiring not meeting the in version, the wiring does not satisfy the specification, the point does not satisfy the long wiring length portion a and the predetermined photolithographic condition, a fifth step of inserting the repeater Is a design support program for a semiconductor device that causes a computer to execute

In such present invention, when inserting the repeater wiring not meeting the specification of the signal delay, since the insertion of repeaters in locations that do not meet the long wiring length portion a and the predetermined photolithography conditions, during repeater insertion It becomes possible to provide a program that can perform repeater insertion in consideration of the influence on the layout.

Further, the present invention is a design support program for a semiconductor device that, in the third step, performs a transfer image calculation in addition to the step calculation of the physical layout .

In addition, the present invention satisfies the predetermined photolithography condition except that after the fifth step, it can be determined that a portion that does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography condition does not occur due to the layout by the repeater insertion. A semiconductor device design support program for causing a computer to execute a sixth step of extracting a missing portion .

According to the present invention, a first step of acquiring information on a figure constituting a physical layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and a long wiring length portion that is longer than a preset length based on the information on the figure are extracted. a second step, the have rows level calculating physical layout, performed a third step of extracting a portion which does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography conditions, the calculation of the signal delay based on the physical layout, the signal delay a fourth step of obtaining a wiring not meeting the preset specification, the wiring does not satisfy the specification, the point does not satisfy the long wiring length portion a and the predetermined photolithography conditions, of the 5 to insert a repeater 1 is a semiconductor device design system including a computer that executes steps.

In such present invention, when inserting the repeater wiring not meeting the specification of the signal delay, at locations that do not satisfy the long wiring length portion a and a predetermined photolithography conditions, from inserting a repeater, when the repeater insertion It becomes possible to provide a manufacturing system capable of performing repeater insertion in consideration of the influence on the layout.

Further, the present invention is, in the third step, in addition to the level calculating pre Symbol physical layout, a design system of a semiconductor device which performs transfer image calculation.

In addition, according to the present invention, the computer can determine a predetermined photo after the fifth step, unless the computer can determine that a location that does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography condition does not occur due to the layout by the repeater insertion. It is a semiconductor device design system for executing a sixth step of extracting a portion that does not satisfy the lithography conditions .

  According to the present invention, when a repeater is inserted into a wiring whose signal delay does not satisfy a preset specification, the repeater is inserted into a long wiring long portion and a portion not satisfying a predetermined photolithography condition. Repeater insertion can be performed in consideration of the influence on the layout at the time of insertion.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment. It is a figure explaining the result of a shape check. It is a schematic diagram explaining the repeater insertion position in this embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the manufacturing method of the semiconductor device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to a third embodiment. It is a figure explaining the overlap of various conditions. It is a flowchart explaining the conventional manufacturing method. It is a figure which shows the repeater insertion location in the case of inserting with the conventional manufacturing method.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Process overview]
In the design support of a semiconductor integrated circuit to be manufactured, the present invention inserts a repeater in consideration of the influence of lithography when inserting a repeater composed of an element such as a buffer into a predetermined wiring in order to adjust a signal delay of the circuit. It is characterized by

The semiconductor device manufacturing method according to this embodiment mainly includes the following steps.
(A) A step of acquiring information of a figure constituting the physical layout of the semiconductor integrated circuit.
(B) A step of calculating a transfer image and a step in the physical layout.
(C) A step of calculating a signal delay based on the physical layout and obtaining a wiring in which the signal delay does not satisfy a preset specification.
(D) A step of setting a repeater insertion location based on at least one result of graphic information, transfer image calculation, and step calculation for wiring that does not satisfy the above specifications.

  More specifically, first, from the physical layout after detailed wiring of the semiconductor integrated circuit to be manufactured, graphic data (data in GDS format) constituting the physical layout is also referred to as a placement and routing tool (also referred to as a placement and routing system). And the graphic data is input to the shape check system.

  Next, in the shape check system, a layout transfer simulation and a step simulation are performed to determine the location where the wiring width and length do not satisfy the predetermined photolithography conditions, that is, the location where the specification has not been reached (lithographic margin unachieved pattern). Create a coordinate value list. In addition, the parasitic capacitance value and the parasitic resistance value of the circuit are extracted by an RC extraction tool (also referred to as an RC extraction system), and the signal delay of the circuit is calculated to obtain a wiring that does not satisfy the specifications. Here, the parasitic resistance value R of the circuit is calculated by the wiring cross-sectional area A, the wiring length L, and the electrical resistivity ρ determined by the wiring film thickness and the wiring width. For this reason, it is obtained by calculating R = ρ × L / A using the result of the transfer simulation and the result of the step simulation. In some cases, the parasitic resistance value R of the circuit is used as a specification. In this case, a wiring in which the parasitic resistance value R obtained by the above calculation does not satisfy a predetermined value is obtained.

  Next, in the range that does not violate the constraints of the floor plan such as placement and routing, among the wiring that does not satisfy the above specifications, a buffer is selectively inserted into the coordinate value on the physical layout that is the lithography margin unachieved pattern, and again Check signal delay calculation (timing check). Thereafter, if there is no problem in the timing check, the physical layout data is output to the subsequent stage (for example, a mask data processing system). By such a method, it is possible to accurately extract the repeater insertion recommended position by performing a shape check on the physical layout after the detailed wiring.

[First Embodiment]
Next, a first embodiment according to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention will be described. Prior to the description of the first embodiment, the flow of a conventional manufacturing method will be briefly described for comparison.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a conventional manufacturing method. That is, in the conventional manufacturing method, the physical layout graphic data (GDS format data) generated by the rough wiring (step S401) and detailed wiring (step S402) processing by the placement and routing tool is sent to the mask data processing.

  On the other hand, as timing convergence processing, RC extraction processing (step S403) and delay calculation (step S404) are performed, and when there is an error (timing error) that does not satisfy the preset specification in the delay calculation, One repeater is inserted (step S406). After the repeater is inserted, delay calculation is performed again. If the signal delay satisfies a preset specification, static timing analysis is performed (step S405).

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a repeater insertion location when inserting by a conventional manufacturing method. A repeater is inserted at a position indicated by an arrow in the wiring pattern P shown in FIG. The repeater insertion position is a long wiring long position, but in FIG. 8, the repeater insertion position is selected for the long wiring long position without considering the layout in the vicinity. Therefore, a figure with a short wiring length may be generated after the repeater is inserted, and a new lithography margin unachieved pattern may be generated. In addition, a repeater is not inserted here even though the long wiring P ′ has a lithography margin unachieved pattern.

  In the conventional manufacturing method, since mask data processing and timing convergence processing are performed independently, no consideration is given to the generation of a figure with a short wiring length. Therefore, the lithography margin check is not performed after the repeater insertion as shown in FIG. 7, but if it is performed, the lithography is performed next to the static timing analysis (step S405) as shown by the broken line in FIG. The presence / absence of the unreached margin pattern is confirmed, and if it exists, it is necessary to return to the placement and routing tool and correct the layout. This increases the processing time due to return.

  Next, a first embodiment according to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the first embodiment. The difference between the first embodiment and the prior art described above is that shape check, OPC (optical proximity effect correction), and OPC verification are performed on the graphic data of the physical layout generated by the placement and routing.

  To explain in order, first, the graphic data (GDS format data) of the physical layout generated by the processing of the rough wiring (step S101) and the detailed wiring (step S102) by the placement and routing tool is sent to the mask data processing.

  On the other hand, the RC extraction process (step S105) by the RC extraction tool is performed as the timing convergence process. The process of sending circuit connection information to this RC extraction tool (step S103) and the graphic data of the physical layout generated by the placement and routing tool A shape check and OPC / OPC verification (step S104) is performed.

  As this shape check, a long wiring length portion that is longer than a preset length is extracted from the graphic data of the physical layout. Information on the extracted location is held as coordinates on the physical layout. In addition, OPC and OPC verification are performed, and a lithography margin unachieved pattern is extracted.

  The result of the shape check and OPC verification (position of the lithography margin unachieved pattern) is input to the RC extraction tool. Information (results of circuit connection information and shape check and OPC verification) input to the RC extraction tool is used when a timing error occurs in the delay calculation after RC extraction. That is, the signal delay of the circuit is calculated by the delay calculation tool (step S106), and when a timing error that does not satisfy the preset specification occurs, a repeater is inserted as one of the countermeasures (step S107). .

  In the present embodiment, this repeater insertion position is inserted in consideration of the layout using the shape check and lithography margin check information (position of the lithography margin unreachable pattern) input to the RC extraction tool and the circuit connection information. Position.

  Since the signal delay of the wiring in the circuit increases in proportion to the square of the wiring length, if there is a timing error, the wiring is cut by inserting a repeater consisting of elements such as buffers in the middle of the wiring and the delay is adjusted Timing error can be improved. At this time, by setting the repeater insertion position to the position of the long wiring length and the lithography margin unachieved pattern, the lithography margin unachieved pattern can be eliminated simultaneously with the improvement of the timing error. That is, a repeater can be selectively inserted at a position convenient for both.

  Here, the repeater insertion step (step S107) in the first embodiment will be described in detail. First, the above-described shape check and lithography margin check are input to the RC extraction tool. The RC extraction tool is used to extract the parasitic capacitance value and parasitic resistance value of the semiconductor integrated circuit to be manufactured in the stage before delay calculation. The form uses this function.

  That is, since the RC extraction tool has a function of inputting / outputting a physical layout when performing RC extraction, information on lithography margin check such as physical layout shape check and OPC / OPC verification can be additionally input. Can do. In the shape check, the distribution of the wiring width and wiring length of the GDS data (physical layout graphic data) output after the placement and routing process is examined.

  The shape check is a method of examining the line width, line length, etc. of the figures constituting the layout by a design rule check method, for example. A histogram of the result of the shape check is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2A, the horizontal axis indicates the wiring length, and the vertical axis indicates the frequency of each wiring length. In addition, the horizontal axis of FIG. 2B shows the wiring delay when the wiring length of FIG. The wiring delay to the right of the allowable value in FIG. 2B is a value that exceeds the delay threshold, and the range when this range is converted into the wiring length is indicated by a circle in FIG. Also, the conversion between FIGS. 2A and 2B is performed using the graph of FIG. In FIG. 2C, the horizontal axis represents the wiring length, and the vertical axis represents the slope of the delay function when the delay calculation is performed by specifying the model circuit, the capacitance value, and the resistance value.

  That is, in the model circuit used in the present embodiment, when the wiring length is increased, the slope of the delay function is decreased, that is, the speed is decreased. Accordingly, it is necessary to cut the wiring for a wiring length (a portion of the wiring length indicated by a hatched circle in the circle) whose delay is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. That is, when the wiring length indicated by the oblique line in the circle in FIG. 2A exists in the layout, a repeater is inserted into the wiring length portion.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the delay calculating circuits for wire length, it is set a tolerance from the perspective of whether or not meeting the specifications determined by restriction of the capacitance value and the resistance value, as a reference example, wire in addition to the long, wiring width, metal thickness constituting an element of a semiconductor integrated circuit, it may be used a tolerance for at least one of the thickness of the correlation insulating film.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, OPC and OPC verification are performed on the physical layout, and a repeater insertion location is determined using information on a lithography margin unachieved pattern obtained as a result.

  As an example, as an optical condition for transfer simulation of OPC and lithography margin check, an exposure wavelength is set to 193 nm, NA = 0.75, σ = 0.85, and 2/3 annular zone, and an exposure amount is set to 0 at 13.5 mJ center. The defocus amount is calculated in 0.05 μm steps within a range of ± 0.2 μm by varying by 0.5 mJ steps. Note that the setting value of the dose focus condition is targeted to a line and space of 100 nm. Further, the OPC process may or may not be applied as long as the lithography margin unachieved pattern can be extracted.

  Here, a large number of lithography margin unachieved patterns exist, for example, in lines near the line P1 having a large wiring width as shown in FIG. If a 100 nm line is present in the vicinity of a line width of 150 nm or more, the 100 nm line width is narrowed, resulting in a lithography margin unreachable pattern. In the portion where the line width of 100 nm is narrowed, if the line of 100 nm is shortened (if the wiring is cut), the lithography margin unachieved pattern can be reduced.

  When the position (coordinates) of the lithography margin unachieved pattern is input to the RC extraction tool and the connection information of the circuit is referred to, it is possible to selectively insert the lithography margin unachieved pattern when the repeater needs to be inserted. .

  The position of the lithography margin unachieved pattern can be obtained not only from the transfer image calculation result but also from the circuit connection information and the step simulation calculation result. Further, it may be obtained from a plurality of transfer image calculation results, circuit connection information, and step simulation calculation results. When specifying the position of the lithography margin unachieved pattern from the circuit connection information, it is predicted that the position will be slightly shifted as compared with the case of specifying from the transfer image calculation result, but for the purpose of cutting the wiring, the level is 1 nm. The accuracy of is not necessary.

  The repeater insertion position selected in the present embodiment is indicated by an arrow in FIG. The wiring length of the arrow is the long wiring P ′ existing in the vicinity of the thick line P1. The transfer image (thick solid line in the figure) shows that the wiring width is narrow in the vicinity including the position of the arrow. Therefore, it is advantageous from the viewpoint of lithography margin if a repeater is inserted at this position.

  In the present embodiment, the physical layout into which the repeater is inserted is verified again to confirm that there is no problem (step S108), delay calculation (step S106), and static timing analysis (step S109).

  As described above, in this embodiment, after the repeater is inserted, the lithography margin check and the timing verification are performed again. Here, the layout verification (step S108) can be omitted if unnecessary. The case where the processing is unnecessary is a case where it can be determined that there is little change in the layout and there is clearly no newly generated lithography margin unachieved pattern.

  In the present embodiment, the OPC and OPC verification conditions described above can be set according to the semiconductor integrated circuit to be manufactured. In addition to the design rule check method, the shape check may be based on layout, wafer image analysis, film thickness distribution, and the like. The example of the repeater insertion layout used in this embodiment is merely an example of a circuit diagram.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment has been inserted selectively repeater a and lithography margin unachieved pattern length wiring length position, as a reference example In example embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, lithography margin unachieved pattern, long wiring length portion The repeater may be set according to the purpose so that a repeater is inserted at a location where at least two of the three conditions of the critical path satisfy the condition of overlapping.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as an example of shape check, an example of extracting a long wiring length portion that is equal to or longer than a preset length from graphic data of a physical layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit has been described. A wiring level difference may be detected from the cross-sectional structure of the physical layout, and a wiring location where the level difference is greater than or equal to a preset value may be extracted and used as a repeater insertion location candidate.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment according to the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, the shape check, OPC, and OPC verification processes in the first embodiment described above are built in an RC extraction tool (RC extraction system).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the second embodiment.
First, the graphic data (GDS format data) of the physical layout generated by the process of rough wiring (step S201) and detailed wiring (step S202) by the placement and routing tool is sent to the mask data processing.

  On the other hand, the generated graphic data of the physical layout is sent to the RC extraction tool, and shape check, OPC, OPC verification, and RC extraction are performed in the RC extraction tool (step S203). That is, the RC extraction tool extracts a long wiring length portion that is longer than a preset length from the graphic data of the physical layout after the detailed wiring. Further, the RC extraction tool performs OPC and OPC verification from the graphic data of the physical layout, and extracts a lithography margin unachieved pattern. The OPC, OPC verification conditions, and the contents of the lithography margin check may be the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

  As the shape check, a long wiring length portion that is longer than a preset length is extracted from the graphic data of the physical layout. Information on the extracted location is held as coordinates on the physical layout.

  Further, the verification of the lithography margin unachieved pattern is performed by performing OPC and OPC verification and extracting a portion where the predetermined lithography margin is not achieved. The lithography margin unachieved pattern can be obtained not only from the transfer image calculation result but also from the circuit connection information and the step simulation calculation result. Further, it may be obtained from a plurality of transfer image calculation results, circuit connection information, and step simulation calculation results.

  Thereafter, the verification result of the shape check and the lithography margin unachieved pattern is held, and the signal delay of the circuit is calculated by the delay calculation tool (step S204).

  As a result, when a timing error occurs and it is determined that repeater insertion is necessary, the repeater insertion location is extracted by combining the shape check, lithography margin unachieved pattern information and circuit connection information that were previously held, A repeater is inserted (step S205).

Similar to the first embodiment, the repeater is inserted at the position indicated by the arrow shown in FIG. Further, layout verification is performed on the physical layout after the repeater is inserted (step S206), and it is confirmed that a new lithographic margin unachieved portion has not occurred, and static timing analysis (step S20 7 ) is performed. Here, the layout verification (step S206) can be omitted if unnecessary. The case where the processing is unnecessary is a case where it can be determined that there is little change in the physical layout and that there is clearly no new lithography margin unachieved pattern.

  In the second embodiment, the shape check result and circuit connection information required in the first embodiment need not be input to the RC extraction tool, so that the processing efficiency is improved as compared with the first embodiment. Is possible. That is, by performing lithography verification in the RC extraction tool, it is possible to omit the extra data input / output time and reduce the processing time.

  In the present embodiment, the OPC and OPC verification conditions described above can be set according to the semiconductor integrated circuit to be manufactured. In addition to the design rule check method, the shape check may be based on layout, wafer image analysis, film thickness distribution, and the like. The example of the repeater insertion layout used in this embodiment is merely an example of a circuit diagram.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment has been inserted selectively repeater a and lithography margin unachieved pattern length wiring length position, as a reference example In example embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, lithography margin unachieved pattern, long wiring length portion The repeater may be set according to the purpose so that a repeater is inserted at a location where at least two of the three conditions of the critical path satisfy the condition of overlapping.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as an example of shape check, an example of extracting a long wiring length portion that is equal to or longer than a preset length from graphic data of a physical layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit has been described. A wiring level difference may be detected from the cross-sectional structure of the physical layout, and a wiring location where the level difference is greater than or equal to a preset value may be extracted and used as a repeater insertion location candidate.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment according to the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention will be described. The third embodiment is characterized in that the shape check, OPC, OPC verification and timing error check processing by delay calculation in the first embodiment described above are processed by a placement and routing tool (placement and routing system).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the third embodiment. First, in the placement and routing tool, the graphic data (GDS format data) of the physical layout generated by the rough routing (step S301) and detailed routing (step S302) processing is sent to the mask data processing.

  Next, using the same placement and routing tool, a shape check is performed to extract a figure with a long wiring length and an RC extraction is performed (step S303). In the shape check, long wiring length portions that are longer than a preset length are extracted from the graphic data of the physical layout after detailed wiring. Information on the extracted location is held as coordinates on the physical layout.

  Further, the placement and routing tool performs OPC and OPC verification from the graphic data of the physical layout, and extracts a lithography margin unachieved pattern. The OPC, OPC verification conditions, and the contents of the lithography margin check may be the same as those in the first embodiment described above. The lithography margin unachieved pattern can be obtained not only from the transfer image calculation result but also from the circuit connection information and the step simulation calculation result. Further, it may be obtained from a plurality of transfer image calculation results, circuit connection information, and step simulation calculation results.

  In the processing so far, as a result of the shape check, a wiring length portion and a lithography margin unachieved pattern that does not satisfy the characteristic specifications are extracted and the information is retained.

  Next, the placement and routing tool calculates the capacitance value and the resistance value using the graphic data of the physical layout generated previously or the data of the transfer image calculated by OPC verification. Thereafter, using the thus calculated capacitance value and resistance value, the delay calculation processing unit built in the placement and routing system performs delay calculation (step S304).

As a result, if a timing error occurs and it is determined that repeater insertion is necessary, the repeater insertion location is extracted by referring to the shape check, lithography margin unachieved pattern information, and circuit connection information that were previously held. Then, a repeater is inserted (step S 3 05). In the repeater insertion, an element such as a buffer is inserted between the divided wirings within a range that does not violate the constraints of the floor plan such as placement wiring.

  Similar to the first embodiment, the repeater is inserted at the position indicated by the arrow shown in FIG. Further, the layout verification is performed on the physical layout after the repeater is inserted (step S306), and it is confirmed that a portion where the lithographic margin has not been reached has not newly occurred. Here, the layout verification (step S306) can be omitted if unnecessary. The case where the processing is unnecessary is a case where it can be determined that there is little change in the physical layout and that there is clearly no new lithography margin unachieved pattern.

  The above processing is performed with the placement and routing tool, followed by RC extraction (step S307), delay calculation (step S308), and static timing analysis (step S309). Since the repeater is inserted by the process in the place and route tool, the subsequent process does not require a repeater insertion.

  In this embodiment, the timing error check process (step S304) by delay calculation is calculated by the delay calculation processing unit built in the placement and routing tool, but this delay calculation requires a lot of calculation time, In some cases, the overall processing time is increased. In such a case, the relationship between the capacitance and resistance value and the delay time is obtained in advance, and constraints on the capacitance and resistance value are created. That is, when the capacitance / resistance is calculated from the graphic data after detailed wiring by the placement and routing tool, a design rule regarding the wiring width and space width, or a rule regarding the capacitance value and resistance value is entered. Then, the rule is read when calculating the capacity and resistance of the placement and routing tool, and the coordinates of the outline are output to the placement and routing database. In this way, only the shape check is performed, and the delay calculation in step S304 is not necessary.

  In this embodiment, since many of the main processes are executed in the placement and routing tool, it is possible to save time for data input / output and to reduce the processing time.

  In the present embodiment, the OPC and OPC verification conditions described above can be set according to the semiconductor integrated circuit to be manufactured. In addition to the design rule check method, the shape check may be based on layout, wafer image analysis, film thickness distribution, and the like. The example of the repeater insertion layout used in this embodiment is merely an example of a circuit diagram.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment has been inserted selectively repeater a and lithography margin unachieved pattern length wiring length position, as a reference example In example embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, lithography margin unachieved pattern, long wiring length portion The repeater may be set according to the purpose so that a repeater is inserted at a location where at least two of the three conditions of the critical path satisfy the condition of overlapping.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as an example of shape check, an example of extracting a long wiring length portion that is equal to or longer than a preset length from graphic data of a physical layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit has been described. A wiring level difference may be detected from the cross-sectional structure of the physical layout, and a wiring location where the level difference is greater than or equal to a preset value may be extracted and used as a repeater insertion location candidate.

[Application example]
The processing according to the embodiment described above can be realized as a program (semiconductor device manufacturing program) executed by a computer. That is, (a) a step of acquiring information of a figure constituting the physical layout of the semiconductor integrated circuit, (b) a step of calculating a transfer image of the physical layout and a step of wiring, and (c) a signal delay based on the physical layout. A step of calculating and finding a wiring in which the signal delay does not satisfy a preset specification; (d) for a wiring that does not satisfy the above specification, a repeater insertion location based on the result of graphic information, transfer image calculation, and step calculation; Is executed by a computer.

  Among these, the step (a) corresponds to the schematic wiring (steps S101, S201, S301) and the detailed wiring (steps S102, S202, S302) shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, and the step (b) Corresponds to the shape check, OPC, and OPC verification (steps S104, S203, and S303) shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, and the step (c) is the delay calculation shown in FIGS. Corresponding to (Steps S106, S204, S304), Step (d) corresponds to the layout consideration repeater insertion (Steps S107, S205, S305) shown in FIGS.

  Each step constituting the semiconductor device manufacturing program of this embodiment may be prepared as an individual module, or may have a configuration in which a plurality of steps are incorporated into one module. For example, a design support program in the manufacture of a semiconductor device is a combination of various tools such as the placement and routing tool (placement and routing system), RC extraction tool (RC extraction system), and delay calculation tool (delay calculation system) described above. Or, it is configured to read out various tools as necessary. Modules that can use each step are stored in the storage means of a local computer and executed as necessary, or stored in a server connected to the network, and accessed and executed as necessary. .

  By executing the processing including these steps as a program on a computer, it becomes possible to insert a repeater considering the lithography margin, which is a feature of the present embodiment.

  Note that the program having the processing according to the present embodiment is executed by a computer, distributed in a state stored in a predetermined medium (CD, DVD, etc.), or distributed via a network.

  The present invention can also be realized as a computer system (semiconductor device manufacturing system) having a configuration that is advantageous for executing a program including the processing according to the above-described embodiment. The semiconductor device manufacturing system includes hardware suitable for executing various steps of the program according to the present embodiment. For example, it is configured to include a CPU for quickly processing various steps, a memory having a sufficient capacity for processing, a storage means for storing various data, a display, and an input / output interface.

  In this semiconductor device manufacturing system, the semiconductor device manufacturing program according to the present embodiment is incorporated in advance, or installed from the outside via a medium or a network, so that the characteristic processing described above can be executed. Yes.

  In particular, in the semiconductor device manufacturing system of this embodiment, various tools (systems) such as a placement and routing tool (placement and routing system), an RC extraction tool (RC extraction system), and a delay calculation tool (delay calculation system) are used as necessary. The design support system is a combination of these tools, and these tools are individually incorporated, and are configured to use the necessary tools, or with integrated software that facilitates access to the individual tools. It may be configured to read and use various tools from the interface of the integrated software.

P wiring pattern P 'long wiring P1 line

Claims (6)

A first step of acquiring information of a figure constituting a physical layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit;
A second step of extracting a long wiring length portion that is equal to or longer than a preset length based on the graphic information ;
There rows stage difference calculation of the physical layout, a third step of extracting a portion which does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography conditions,
A fourth step of calculating a signal delay based on the physical layout and obtaining a wiring in which the signal delay does not satisfy a preset specification;
For a wiring that does not satisfy the specifications, a fifth step of inserting a repeater at a long wiring long portion and a portion that does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography condition ;
Is executed by a computer. A semiconductor device design support program . In the third step,
In addition to the level calculating pre Symbol physical layout design support program for a semiconductor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transferred image calculation. After the fifth step, a portion that does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography condition is extracted unless it can be determined that a position that does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography condition does not newly occur due to the layout by the repeater insertion. 6. The semiconductor device design support program according to claim 1 , wherein the six steps are executed by a computer . A first step of acquiring information of a figure constituting a physical layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit;
A second step of extracting a long wiring length portion that is equal to or longer than a preset length based on the graphic information ;
There rows stage difference calculation of the physical layout, a third step of extracting a portion which does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography conditions,
A fourth step of calculating a signal delay based on the physical layout and obtaining a wiring in which the signal delay does not satisfy a preset specification;
Wiring that does not satisfy the pre-SL specification, the portion that does not meet the long wiring length portion a and the predetermined photolithographic condition, a fifth step of inserting a repeater,
A semiconductor device design system comprising a computer for executing In the third step,
Before SL addition to the physical layout of the level calculating, design system according to claim 4 Symbol mounting of the semiconductor device and performing the transfer image calculation. The computer
After the fifth step, a portion that does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography condition is extracted unless it can be determined that a position that does not satisfy the predetermined photolithography condition does not newly occur due to the layout by the repeater insertion. 6. The semiconductor device design system according to claim 4 , wherein six steps are executed .

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