Efficient range pattern matching algorithm for process-hotspot detection

As very large scale integration (VLSI) technology advances to smaller and smaller nodes, certain layout configurations tend to have reduced yield and/or reliability during manufacturing processes because of increased susceptibility to stress effects or poor tolerance to certain processes like lithography. Such layout configurations are called process-hotspots, which are represented here accurately and compactly by range patterns. The concept of a range pattern is introduced to represent a set of similar patterns compactly. Since low-yielding patterns are directly represented, it can supplement the deficiencies of available modelling and/or subsequent correction (for instance, mask synthesis) techniques. A scoring mechanism can be provided for each range pattern to score the problem regions covered by the range pattern according to their yield impact. A library of range patterns for representing the process-hotspots is being developed in collaboration with a semiconductor manufacturing company. A fast and accurate process-hotspot detection system based on the range pattern matching algorithm is implemented, which can find all occurrences of the process-hotspots represented as range patterns in a given industrial layout. Experimental results are quite promising and show that all the locations that match each range pattern (i.e. process-hotspots) in a given layout can be found in several minutes.