CATS' Synthesis Module is a collection of powerful features that may be used to generate or synthesize data. The capabilities include:

• KEEP - select input data based on polygon rules
• Binary Polygon Selection - select input data based on relationship to another file
• Tiling - generate tile features (dummy metal, planarization, etc.)

KEEP

The KEEP feature found in CATS' Synthesis Module provides the means to select repolygonized post-fracture shapes. Using the rules similar to CATS' fractured figure SELECT rules (which include the selection of rectilinear polygons or non-rectilinear polygons in addition to selecting polygons by geometric properties like area, perimeter, etc.), users may selectively process polygon shapes after typical fracture functions.

This module also provides the ability to identify binary polygon edge touching situations. That is, CATS will output a "flag" feature of a user-specified size when a polygon from one layer is found to touch a polygon from another layer.

The capabilities offered by the Synthesis Module offer a powerful means of selectively processing or filtering design shapes after any data processing.

Fig 1: Original Design Data - Polygons	Fig 2: Polygon selected with KEEP WIDTH
Fig 3: Polygon (fig2) deselected with KEEP WIDTH	Fig 4: Polygon selection with CFA application

Binary Polygon Selection

This option allows for the selection of polygons based on certain interactions with the polygons from another layer. This differs from the KEEP option in that it requires two files (binary). There are currently three sets of selection criteria:

TOUCH & NOTOUCH

In this example, the blue data represents shapes from the primary input pattern while the red data represents data from the secondary input pattern.
The shaded green areas indicate the data from the primary input pattern that will be output since they are "touched" by polygons from the secondary input file.
The shaded green areas indicate the data from the primary input pattern that will be output since they are not touched by polygons from the secondary input file.

INTERSECT & NOINTERSECT

In this example, the blue data represents shapes from the primary input pattern while the red data represents data from the secondary input pattern.
The shaded green areas indicate the data from the primary input pattern that will be output since they are intersected by polygons from the secondary input file.
The shaded green areas indicate the data from the primary input pattern that will be output since they are not intersected by polygons from the secondary input file.

ENCLOSE & NOENCLOSE

In this example, the blue data represents shapes from the primary input pattern while the red data represents data from the secondary input pattern.
The shaded green areas indicate the data from the primary input pattern that will be output since they are enclosed by polygons from the secondary input file.
The shaded green areas indicate the data from the primary input pattern that will be output since they are not enclosed by polygons from the secondary input file.

In each of these cases, polygons from the primary input file are fractured and output based on their relationship to polygons in the secondary input file.

Tiling

(Also known as: "dummification", "dummy metal", "dummy active", "stress relief", "metal fill", "planarization")

"Tiling" is the process of adding or removing "non-electrically connected" figures for the purpose of satisfying a known

topological effect that occurs during the manufacture of a wafer. CATS allows the creation of "tiles" or fill features with the following control parameters:

• tile size
• tile spacing
• tile clearance
• tile shape
• tile tone

Tiles may be merged into the fractured data as a part of a normal fracture flow or they may be output to a separate file. Adding tiles during a fracture adds very little overhead to the fracture though it may add many figures to the final output file.

Examples:

	A simple example of tiling. This shows the generation of square tiles stepped in a regular pattern with a specified clearance from the original pattern data.
	CATS also allows the creation of a user-defined tile defined as a complex polygon.

Positive Tone: Rectangular Tile	Negative Tone: Rectangular Tile
Positive Tone: Donut Tile	Negative Tone: Rectangular Tile