A method of selecting a photomask manufacturer includes the steps of storing bidding data sent from a photomask manufacturer, correcting a responded delivery date included in the received bidding data to a corrected delivery date based on a delivery date achieving ratio in a last month, storing priorities relating to a delivery date, technology, order reception and price, reading the corrected delivery date for each of the manufacturers making a bid for a product number to be ordered when the product number is input, calculating total evaluation for each photomask manufacturer based on the plurality of priorities, and selecting the photomask manufacturer satisfying the corrected delivery date and providing the highest result of total evaluation, as the receiver of the order.

Device and method of selecting photomask manufacturer based on received data

Method for producing CATS include files for photomask production. A table of algorithms identifies each level of the design to be used in a given photomask layer. A key word table is created to identify special functions that must be performed on the data to define changes to be made to polygons in the pattern data of the mask. Compensations for dimensions of the polygons are applied to one or more data levels of the design data based on the specific process and vendor tools to be used to make the photomask. Optimal mathematical steps are derived from the algorithms and include any respective dimensional compensations which are needed to create the polygons of the mask. Each of the mathematical steps are broken into one or more substeps which are executed to create the pattern data. The executable substeps enhance parallel computation for creating the pattern data.

Method for preparing command files for photomask production

Masks from which integrated circuits are manufactured are derived from layers found in integrated circuit designs. The mapping from design layers to mask layers produces masks with various essential properties. The operators that transform the design layers to the mask layers consist of the Boolean operations along with fattening and shrinking. This invention shortens the (long) compute time used in carrying out these operations by keeping all temporary layers in main memory and never on disk, avoiding both disk space and access time as a result. (Temporary layers are extra, intermediate layers used in computing the final mask layers). The savings are achieved by slicing the design into (slightly) overlapping pieces, each of which can fit in main memory, and carrying out the operations upon each piece (all layers) before beginning the next piece.

Reduced disk access for complex mask generation

A method of manufacturing printhead modules which can be combined to form a pagewidth printhead is provided which includes laying out each of the printhead modules on a wafer substrate to be either right-handed or left-handed. At least one of the printhead modules is larger than a reticle step used in laying out that printhead module.

Method Of Manufacturing Printhead Modules For Combination As Pagewidth Printhead

The invention provides a method and an apparatus for producing an exposure mask by which an exposure mask can be produced in a reduced production period and with a high degree of reliability. Data division which does not have an influence on a pattern of an exposure mask is indicated, and indication data which include a predetermined index code is retrieved from layout data to produce a file. Then, the layout data are divided in accordance with the file, and for each of the divided layout data, a corresponding one of processes is selectively performed in accordance with a condition. EB files produced by such processes are unified in accordance with the file to produce a plotting job.

Method of and apparatus for producing exposure mask

A computer process of creating a Moving Electron Beam Exposure System (MEBES) pattern-generation file, that is to be used in the manufacture of integrated-circuit masks, from a technology-independent and semiconductor-process independent layout-design, by transmitting a scaleable and process-independent layout design to a computer, selecting the layers necessary for a particular semiconductor-process, selecting the scale to which the layout design will be converted, converting the layout design to that scale, positioning the layout design in a full-wafer or reticle-based layout, adding scribe lines, converting the layout design to a format acceptable to a conversion program, converting the layout design to a MEBES pattern-generation file, and transmitting the MEBES pattern-generation file in a format acceptable to a manufacturer of integrated-circuit masks.

Gayle Fraser

Papers

Method of creating a mebes pattern-generation file for use in the manufacture of integrated-circuit masks