Manufacturability

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for modifying an existing microdevice design to improve its manufacturability. With these techniques, a designer receives manufacturing criteria associated with data in a design. The associated design data then is identified and provided to the microdevice designer, who may choose to modify the design based upon the manufacturing criteria. In this manner, the designer can directly incorporate manufacturing criteria from the foundry in the original design of the microdevice.

1 . A method of designing a microdevice, comprising:
 receiving a design for a microdevice into a design database;   receiving manufacturing criteria;   analyzing the design in the design database to identify design data associated with the manufacturing criteria;   selecting at least a portion of the identified design data to be displayed;   displaying the selected portion of the identified design data;   receiving a selection of at least a portion of the displayed design data to modify; and   modifying the selected portion of the displayed design data based upon the manufacturing criteria.   
     
     
         2 . The method recited in  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the portion of the design data to be displayed based upon statistical information. 
     
     
         3 . The method recited in  claim 2 , wherein the statistical information relates to the frequency of occurrence of the portion of the design data. 
     
     
         4 . The method recited in  claim 3 , wherein the frequency of occurrence is the frequency of occurrence of the portion of the design data in the design. 
     
     
         5 . The method recited in  claim 3 , wherein the frequency of occurrence is the frequency of occurrence of the portion of the design data in a specified structure. 
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 2 , wherein the statistical information relates to the frequency of failure of the portion of the design data. 
     
     
         7 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method of designing a microdevice, comprising:
 receiving a design for a microdevice into a design database;   receiving manufacturing criteria;   analyzing the design in the design database to determine available modifications that may be made to at least a portion of the design data based upon the manufacturing criteria; and   providing feedback regarding the available modifications.   
     
     
         29 . The method recited in  claim 28 , wherein the feedback includes a description of at least a portion of the available modifications. 
     
     
         30 . The method recited in  claim 28 , wherein the feedback describes available modifications that are common to the entire microdevice. 
     
     
         31 . The method recited in  claim 28 , wherein the feedback describes available modifications that correspond to at least one defined characteristic. 
     
     
         32 . The method recited in  claim 31 , wherein the at least one defined characteristic relates to timing operations of the microdevice. 
     
     
         33 . The method recite in  claim 31 , wherein the at least one defined characteristic relates to a manufacturing yield for manufacture of the microdevice. 
     
     
         34 . The method recite in  claim 31 , wherein the at least one defined characteristic relates to performance of the microdevice. 
     
     
         35 . The method recite in  claim 31 , wherein the at least one defined characteristic relates to costs for manufacture of the microdevice. 
     
     
         36 . The method recite in  claim 31 , wherein the at least one defined characteristic relates to reliability of the microdevice. 
     
     
         37 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A method of designing a microdevice, comprising:
 receiving a design for a microdevice into a design database;   receiving manufacturing criteria;   analyzing the design in the design database to identify design data associated with the manufacturing criteria;   defining relationship data describing a relationship between the identified design data and the design; and   providing the relationship data to a user of the design.   
     
     
         43 . The method recited in  claim 42 , wherein
 the identified design data relates to one or more structures; and   the relationship data describes a location of each of the one or more structures on the microdevice.   
     
     
         44 . The method recited in  claim 42 , wherein
 the identified design data relates to one or more structures; and   the relationship data describes a density of the one or more structures on the microdevice.   
     
     
         45 . The method recited in  claim 42 , wherein
 the relationship data describes a statistical relationship between the identified design data and the design.   
     
     
         46 . The method recited in  claim 42 , wherein
 the identified design data relates to one or more structures; and   the relationship data defines a ratio of each of the one or more structures to one or more other structures on the microdevice.   
     
     
         47 - 81 . (canceled)