The Results of Joint Research on Lithography by the University of Aizu, Institute of Science Tokyo, and Kioxia Corporation Have Been Accepted for Publication in IEEE Journal

　A research paper resulting from the joint research between the University of Aizu, Institute of Science Tokyo, and Kioxia Corporation has been accepted for publication in the IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems (IEEE TCAD) (*1, *2), an academic journal issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) (*3). IEEE TCAD is widely recognized as one of the top journals in the field, covering research on design methodologies for semiconductor integrated circuits, design automation, and optimization technologies for design and manufacturing.

　The accepted paper is based on the research conducted by Mr. Naoki Nonaka (currently at Socionext Inc.), Mr. Masaki Kuramochi (currently at Kioxia Corporation), and Ms. Rina Azuma (currently at Kioxia Corporation) during their studies under the supervision of Senior Associate Professor Yukihide Kodaira (*4) at the School of Computer Science and Engineering, the University of Aizu.

　In this research, the team developed a novel method called Guided Local Search for Mask Optimization (GLS-MO), which enables more accurate and faster photomask design--a critical step in the semiconductor manufacturing process. While conventional technologies faced challenges in simultaneously achieving circuit pattern fidelity during fabrication, tolerance against pattern variations, and a short computational time, GLS-MO successfully realizes all these requirements at a high level. By incorporating efficient computational techniques such as mathematical optimization and heuristic algorithms, GLS-MO enables the creation of high-quality masks in significantly less time than conventional methods. This advancement is expected to contribute to further improvements in manufacturing precision and cost reduction in semiconductor production.

　IEEE TCAD is classified as a Q1 journal, with a SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) of 0.725 (as of 2024) and an H-index of 136.

Lithography

*1 Published paper

Name of Journal: IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems

Authors: Naoki Nonaka, Masaki Kuramochi, Yukihide Kohira, Rina Azuma, Tomomi Matsui, Atsushi Takahashi, Chikaaki Kodama

Title: Fast Mask Optimization Under Process Variation Using Guided Local Search on Quadratic Programming

Link: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10949618

*2 IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems (IEEE TCAD)

*3 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

*4 KOHIRA Yukihide Senior Associate Professor

Related Information
The research findings on "Optimization Design of Semiconductor Mask Patterns," a collaborative research conducted by researchers from the University of Aizu, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Kioxia Corporation, were featured in Nikkei xTECH.
https://u-aizu.ac.jp/en/information/post-20240131.html

A high-precision and high-speed open source lithography simulation tool has been released as a result of joint research conducted by researchers from the University of Aizu, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Kioxia Corporation.
https://u-aizu.ac.jp/en/information/post-20240142.html