Edge-Based Camera for Characterizing Semiconductor Layout Designs

摘要

System and methods for an edge-based camera are disclosed. Semiconductor layout designs are a representation of an integrated circuit that are used to manufacture the integrated circuit. Parts of the layout design, such as points of Interest (POIs), may be subject to analysis with regard to a downstream application, such as hotspot detection. Unlike pixel-based characterizations, POIs are characterized using topological features indicative of quantized values and dimensional features indicative of analog values. For example, an edge may be characterized using a set of relations, which characterizes corners and polygons (including the polygon on which the POI resides and external polygons). In turn, the set of relations may be used to define image representations, including images in different directions relative to the POI (including cardinal and ordinal image). In this way, the topological/dimensional characterization of the POI may be used to analyze the POI in the layout design.