Methods for converting planar designs to FinFET designs in the design and fabrication of integrated circuits

Methods for converting planar designs to FinFET designs in the design and fabrication of integrated circuits are provided. In one embodiment, a method for converting a planar integrated circuit design to a non-planar integrated circuit design includes identifying a rectangular silicon active area in the planar integrated circuit design, superimposing a FinFET design grid comprising a plurality of equidistantly-spaced parallel grid lines over the rectangular silicon active area such that two sides of the rectangular silicon active area are parallel to the grid lines, and generating a rectangular active silicon marker area encompassing the silicon active area. Furthermore, the method includes generating fin mandrels longitudinally along every other grid line of the plurality of grid lines and within the active silicon marker area and the silicon active area, and removing the fin mandrels from areas of the design grid outside of the active silicon marker area.