DFM EDA Technology: A Lithographic Perspective

Design for manufacturability (DFM) is a broadly used term that can be applied to many yield-related activities in the semiconductor industry. However, recent focus in the industry has centered on managing the impact of the increasing complexity of lithography on process and electrical yield. This paper looks at the evolution of DFM tools with a focus on the impact of lithography on design and how electronic design automation (EDA) tools will be used to compensate for the increasing difference between ideal design data and resulting structures on silicon wafers.