Method of generating layout diagram including dummy pattern conversion and system of generating same

Abstract

A method (of revising an initial layout diagram of a wire routing arrangement, the initial layout diagram and versions thereof being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium) includes identifying, in a first conductance layer of the initial layout diagram, a routed pattern and a dummy pattern, each of which extends in a first direction and revising to form a revised layout diagram. The routed patterns are functional in a representation of a circuit and the dummy patterns are non-functional in the representation of the circuit. The revising includes connecting first ends of the corresponding routed and dummy patterns and connecting second ends of the corresponding routed and dummy patterns.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of revising an initial layout diagram of a wire routing arrangement, the initial layout diagram and versions thereof being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the method comprising:
 identifying, in a first conductance layer of the initial layout diagram, a routed pattern and a dummy pattern, each of which extends in a first direction;
 the routed patterns being functional in a representation of a circuit; 
 the dummy patterns being non-functional in the representation of the circuit; and 
   revising to form a revised layout diagram, the revising including:
 connecting first ends of the corresponding routed and dummy patterns; and 
 connecting second ends of the corresponding routed and dummy patterns. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying includes:
 selecting, as a candidate pattern, a conductor pattern in the first conductance layer which overlaps, relative to a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, a portion of the routed pattern; and   setting, if the candidate pattern is suitable for electrical coupling in parallel with the routed pattern, the candidate pattern to be the dummy pattern.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selecting includes:
 determining that the candidate pattern is a non-functional conductor pattern;   determining that locations in a second conductance layer, which correspond to first and second jumper patterns, are vacant, wherein the first and second jumper patterns connect the first ends and the second ends; and   determining that locations in an interconnection layer, which correspond to via patterns, are vacant.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 amongst not-yet-considered non-functional conductor patterns in the first conductance layer, and relative to the second direction, the candidate pattern is a not-yet-considered non-functional conductor pattern which is nearest to the routed pattern.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selecting includes:
 determining that the candidate pattern is a functional conductor pattern; and   repeating the selecting for another candidate pattern.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selecting includes:
 determining that one or more locations in a second conductance layer, which otherwise are to be used for the corresponding first and second jumper patterns, are not vacant; and   repeating the selecting for another candidate pattern.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selecting includes:
 determining that one or more locations in an interconnection layer, which otherwise are to be used for one or more of via patterns, are not vacant; and   repeating the selecting for another candidate pattern.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first conductance layer represents a metallization layer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a functional conductor pattern represents a via pillar. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 fabricating, based on the revised layout diagram, at least one of (A) one or more semiconductor masks or (B) at least one component in a layer of a semiconductor integrated circuit.   
     
     
         11 . A system for revising an initial layout diagram of a wire routing arrangement, the initial layout diagram and versions thereof being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs; and   wherein the at least one memory, the computer program code and the at least one processor are configured to cause the system to execute at least as follows:
 identifying, as a routed pattern, a conductor pattern in a first conductance layer of the initial layout diagram which extends in a first direction and which is functional in a representation of a circuit; 
 selecting, as a candidate pattern, a conductor pattern in the first conductance layer that overlaps, relative to a second direction which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, a portion of the routed pattern, the candidate pattern being non-functional in the representation of the circuit; 
 setting, if the candidate pattern is suitable for electrical coupling in parallel with the routed pattern, the candidate pattern to be a dummy pattern; and 
 revising the initial layout diagram into a revised layout diagram, the revising including:
 connecting first ends of the corresponding routed and dummy patterns; and 
 connecting second ends of the corresponding routed and dummy patterns. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one of:
 a masking facility configured to fabricate one or more semiconductor masks based on the revised layout diagram; or   a fabricating facility configured to fabricate at least one component in a layer of a semiconductor integrated circuit based on the revised layout diagram.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the masking facility is further configured, as an aspect included in fabrication of the one or more semiconductor masks, to perform one or more lithographic exposures based on the revised layout diagram; or   the fabricating facility is further configured, as an aspect included in fabrication of the at least one component in a layer of the semiconductor integrated circuit, to perform one or more lithographic exposures based on the revised layout diagram.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the selecting includes:
 determining that the candidate pattern is a non-functional conductor pattern;   determining that locations in a second conductance layer which correspond to first and second jumper patterns are vacant; and   determining that locations in an interconnection layer which correspond to via patterns are vacant.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the selecting includes one or more as follows:
 (A) including:
 determining that one or more locations in a second conductance layer, which otherwise are to be used for first and second jumper patterns, are not vacant; and 
 repeating the selecting for another candidate pattern; or 
   (B) including:
 determining that one or more locations in an interconnection layer, which otherwise are to be used for one or more of via patterns, are not vacant; and 
 repeating the selecting for another candidate pattern. 
   
     
     
         16 . A method of revising an initial layout diagram of a wire routing arrangement, the initial layout diagram and versions thereof being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the method comprising:
 identifying, in a first conductance layer of the initial layout diagram, first and second routed patterns and a dummy pattern, each of which extends in a first direction;
 each of the first and second routed pattern being functional, and the dummy pattern being non-functional, in a representation of a circuit; 
 the initial layout diagram further including:
 first and second jumper patterns, in a second conductance layer, which extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and 
 connecting the first and second jumper patterns and corresponding first and second ends correspondingly of the first routed patterns; 
 
   revising the initial layout diagram into a revised layout diagram, the revising including:
 connecting first ends of the first and second jumper patterns and corresponding first ends and second ends of the dummy pattern. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the identifying includes:
 selecting, as a candidate pattern, a conductor pattern in the first conductance layer which overlaps, relative to the second direction, a portion of each of the first and second routed patterns; and   setting, if the candidate pattern is suitable for electrical coupling in parallel with the first routed pattern, the candidate pattern to be the dummy pattern.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the selecting includes:
 determining that the candidate pattern is a non-functional conductor pattern;   determining that locations in the second conductance layer, into which the first and second jumper patterns are to be correspondingly extended, are vacant; and   determining that locations in an interconnection layer, which are to correspond to via patterns, are vacant.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the selecting includes one or more as follows:
 (A) including:
 determining that the candidate pattern is a functional conductor pattern; and 
 repeating the selecting and determining for another candidate pattern; 
   (B) including:
 determining that one or more locations in the second conductance layer, which otherwise are to be used for correspondingly extending the first and second jumper patterns, are not vacant; and 
 repeating the selecting and determining for another candidate pattern; or 
   (C) including:
 determining that one or more locations in an interconnection layer, which otherwise are to be used for one or more via patterns, are not vacant; and 
 repeating the selecting for another candidate pattern. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 fabricating, based on the revised layout diagram, at least one of (A) one or more semiconductor masks or (B) at least one component in a layer of a semiconductor integrated circuit.