Robust Mask-Layout Synthesis for MEMS

A method for automated mask-layout and process syn-thesis for MEMS using Genetic Algorithms was proposed by Ma and Antonsson [5]. For a given desired device shape, and several fabrication process choices, this synthesis method will produce one or more mask-layouts and associated fabrication process sequences (which when used can generate shapes close to the desired one). This paper extended the previous work by integrating the robustness of the mask-layout rela-tive to the fabrication variations into the evaluation criteria. By introducing expected variations into the fabrication sim-ulation and making the robustness of the mask-layout part of the evaluation criteria, the stochastic optimization procedure will produce mask-layouts that are least sensitive to these variations, and robust design will be synthesized