Preparing a thin-film specimen adapted for TEM (transmission electron microscopy) observation. A high-brightness pixel extraction unit extracts high-brightness pixels which form a specimen image taken by an imaging unit. The intensities becoming greater than a given threshold value as the specimen is thinned. A decision unit makes a decision as to whether the high-brightness pixels extracted by the high-brightness pixel extraction unit form a continuous sequence of pixels whose number is in excess of a given number on the specimen image. If the decision is affirmative, the decision unit sends a signal to an ion gun control unit to stop the ion-beam irradiation of the specimen.

Method and apparatus for preparing specimen

A communications system is provided for routing calls based on a location of a calling party. The communications system includes a processor that determines routing of a call placed by a calling party using one of a plurality of call origination devices. The call origination devices are operatively connected to a switching device that is operatively connected to the processor. The call is placed to a destination corresponding to a service having a service area. The switching device services calls placed from call origination devices located within the service area and calls placed from call origination devices located outside the service area. The processor determines whether the calling party is within the service area, and the processor instructs the switching device to route the call to the destination based upon the processor determining that the calling party is within the service area. The switching device routes the call to the destination only when the processor determines that the calling party is within the service area.

Geographical call routing for a non-emergency calling service

A pattern data handling system for an electron beam exposure system wherein figure data conversion is performed simultaneously with irradiation of a workpiece, thereby providing high speed operation Figure data, containing figure descriptions for a stripe area, is subdivided into blocks of segment figure data and is stored in a pattern data memory Multiple pattern generators, each including a bit map memory, simultaneously convert blocks of segment figure data to bit maps and store the bit maps in their respective bit map memories The bit maps are transferred out of the bit map memories and through a shift register one at a time to provide continuous beam blanking data The system is particularly useful for electron beam exposure of reticles which are characterized by little or no repetition of features and by relatively large features

Pattern data handling system for an electron beam exposure system

A system and an algorithmic method are provided for scanning an electron beam in a predetermined pattern over a surface, which is partitioned into a matrix of sub-fields. The system includes an electron beam, and it determines the boundary portions of that pattern in a selected sub-field of the matrix which extends into the next sequential adjacent sub-fields in the same row and column as the selected sub-field. The coordinates of the pattern boundary portion in the selected and the adjacent sub-fields are stored in a memory. The electron beam scans over the surface for fully exposing the surface with all portions of the predetermined pattern within the selected sub-field, except for the boundary portions. Then the boundary portions in the currently selected sub-field are spliced, i.e. partially exposed, as are the boundary portions of the adjacent sub-fields which extend into the currently selected sub-field. Portions of the spliced data are stored in a buffer for use in computing the data for the corresponding adjacent sub-fields. Then the coordinates of the pattern boundary portions in the previously selected sub-fields are deleted from the memory.

Pattern splicing system and method for scanning of electron beam system

Bit pattern data stored in an external memory unit (8) is read out under the control of a microprocessor (9) for being compressed in a data compressing unit (10) and then stacked in a memory unit (30). At the time when storing data in the memory unit (30), all the stripe data constituting one chip frame are written in a state capable being made high speed sequential access to at the time of the read-out without need of dividing a memory bank into portions for the individual stripes but by continuously using the address space covering the entire memory areas. This is effected by a memory management unit and a memory module management unit provided in the memory unit (30).

Electron beam pattern generation system

The data corresponding to an IC pattern to be depicted on a semiconductor pellet are compressed and stored in a memory. A plurality of pattern data trains with the same content are compressed into a single pattern data train. A code representing the number of the same patterns is added to the head of the single pattern data train. The data element continuously included in the single pattern data train are encoded into another code for data compression. In this coding, the binary "0" is disposed with the same number as the result of subtraction of 2 from the quotient of n (number of the continuous data elements having the same binary value)/2. Following a series of binary "0"s, the binary "1" is disposed for partition. After the partitive binary "1", the binary "0" or "1" is disposed for indicating odd or even number of the data elements. The binary "1" or "0" is inserted between the code for representing the number of the same line patterns and the compressed single pattern data train. The binary inserted is used for correctly coupling adjacent divided patterns together.

Method for compressing pattern data and data compression processing circuit for radiant beam exposure apparatuses

A radiant beam exposure method is provided in which an IC pattern is depicted on a semiconductor pellet with the IC pattern being divided into a plurality of pattern sections. Each of the pattern sections is depicted with a number of scanning lines traversing it. Each of the scanning lines corresponds to a train of bits representing a part of the pattern section. The pattern bit train is provided at at least one end with a bit representing jointing portion. The jointing bit is used to joint divided pattern sections.

Masahiko Sumi

Papers

Method for compressing pattern data and data compression processing circuit for radiant beam exposure apparatuses

Radiant beam exposure method