If I already have a dummy fill methodology with Hercules™, why do I need PrimeYield CMP?
While the rule-based approach to dummy fill has been effective for earlier technology nodes, it is no longer viable at 65nm. In those older approaches, metal density is normalized by adding additional metal in the empty space, and by slotting the wide metal channels. These approaches did not consider the cumulative effect of metal fill on subsequent layers. PrimeYield CMP considers the density and thickness of each layer when computing the planarity of a given design layer.
