JP2000306802A - Drawing graphic database apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable coping with increase in the amount of graphic data which is caused by design rule reduction and supplying graphic data to each electron beam drawing apparatus, in drawing graphic database machine providing graphic data which are divided into characteristic divided regions of electron beam drawing apparatuses and only have graphic data capable of being stored in the respective dividing regions to the electron beam drawing apparatus. SOLUTION: This drawing graphic database apparatus consists of a database part 110, which stores drawing graphic data as polygon data outline-displayed by using a coordinate system eliminating dividing regions, and has a retrieving function for extracting desired graphic information from the stored drawing graphic data, and an interface part 120 which converts the graphic information composed of the extracted polygon data into graphic data for an electron beam drawing apparatus and supplies them. The database part 110 stores the drawing graphic data in the state that graphic data of the same shape are compressed data expressed by basic graphic information and arrangement information. A calculation processing part performing calculation processings on the stored drawing graphic data is installed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a graphic pattern for an electron beam lithography apparatus, which is divided into divided areas unique to an electron beam lithography apparatus (also referred to as an EB lithography apparatus) and has only graphic data which fits in each divided area. The present invention relates to a drawing figure database device for providing data to an electron beam drawing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the density of semiconductor elements (chips) has been drastically increased, and mass production of a 64M DRAM having a design rule of 035 μm has already started.
We are moving into the era of MDRAM. For this reason, the accuracy of a reticle for creating a master mask for performing exposure on a wafer or for directly reducing and projecting a wafer on a wafer has been increasingly required. In recent years, chip reduction aimed at cost reduction has been remarkable, and 64MDRAM has been miniaturized to 0.25 design rule, or 256MDRAM has been reduced to 0.1%.
Chip miniaturization is performed by miniaturizing up to eight design rules. Assuming that 64 MDRAM has a 0.2 μm design rule, the chip size is about the same as that of about 16 MDRAM, and the bit cost is about １ ／ of 16 M. The cost can be reduced with the current apparatus without increasing the wafer size. 0.18μm design rule has been developed and 200
It is expected that development of a 0.15 μm design rule will be completed in 2000.

[0005] Under such circumstances, in pattern drawing for producing a reticle, the processing accuracy is becoming more and more strict and the time required for drawing is required to be shortened. As a pattern drawing, an electron beam drawing apparatus (EB
However, in the case of a raster-type electron beam writing apparatus that performs scanning by drawing over the entire surface while turning on and off a beam of a predetermined diameter, the minimum drawing position is increased as the demand for processing accuracy increases. It is necessary to make the interval (also called a drawing grid or a minimum address unit) finer, and accordingly, the drawing time is significantly increased, and the design rule of 0.18 μm or less is not at a practical level. On the other hand, a vector-type electron beam writing apparatus that performs writing by irradiating only a pattern portion by using a beam shaped into a rectangle or a triangle having a 45 ° hypotenuse is more advantageous than a raster type in terms of writing speed. Have been used in the production of reticles. Note that such a vector-type electron beam writing apparatus is also referred to as a shaped beam type or shaped beam type electron beam writing apparatus.

[0004] By the way, the graphic data for the electron beam lithography apparatus is divided into divided areas unique to the electron beam lithography apparatus, and has only graphic data that fits within each divided area. Or trapezoid,
It consists of figure data of rectangle, square, and parallelogram. Each of the rectangles, squares, and parallelograms can be handled as a part of the trapezoidal display, and all of them can be made up of trapezoidal figure data. Basically, each figure is represented by defining a figure position and a figure shape. Here, the two parallel sides of the trapezoid have the x direction and the y direction.
They are called an x-direction trapezoid and a y-direction trapezoid, respectively.

[0005] Such graphic data for an electron beam lithography apparatus includes, for each divided area, a repeated graphic, that is, the same graphic whose position can be defined only by pitch feed in the X and Y directions. In such a case, data compression is usually performed by defining a starting figure position, a figure shape, a feed pitch, and an array number for each figure having the same shape. For example, a rectangle having a width W1 and a height H1 is defined as a starting figure position (X1, Y1).
In the case of arranging Nx pieces in the X direction and Ny pieces in the Y direction at pitches Px and Py, respectively, (X1, Y1,.
W1, H1, Px1, Py1, Nx, Ny). When each figure shown in FIG. 4A is individually represented one by one, graphic data for the figure (31 pieces) is required, but as shown in FIG. 4B, A1, B1 , C1,
C2, D1, E1, C3, F1, G1, C4, A2, B
2, compressed data 13 using figures of C5 respectively
It can be represented by an individual. A (m1, n1), A (m
1 + 1, n1) indicate divided areas. in this way,
At present, compressed data is used for graphic data for an electron beam lithography apparatus. However, the number of data is large because a picture is cut off at the boundary of a divided area and the data is expressed in graphic units.

For this reason, with the reduction in design rules in recent years, the amount of graphic data for creating one reticle has been steadily increasing, and recently, the amount of data that can be handled is now limited to a practical level. Have been. In particular, when further processing is performed, the processing becomes difficult on a practical level.

Although the graphic data for the electron beam drawing apparatus is basically based on trapezoidal display, the data divided areas and expressions are slightly different for each drawing apparatus. It is difficult to transfer graphic data for a drawing device to another model as it is, and there has been a demand for a method that can be easily transferred to another model.

[0008] Further, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of divided areas A (m, n), A (m + 1, n), A
(M, n + 1) and A (m + 1, n + 1),
Each divided area is represented by graphic data. When the entire graphic data for the electron beam drawing apparatus is subjected to a reduction sizing process for reducing the size by a predetermined size, as shown in FIG. 5B, the reduced graphic data ',', ','
Is obtained at the boundary between the divided areas, but a gap is generated between the graphic data even though there should be no gap. That is, depending on the design, deformation may occur due to the sizing process. For this reason, there is a demand for a process that can easily perform an arithmetic process such as a reduction sizing process without deforming a figure.

[0009]

Under these circumstances, in electron beam lithography, it is possible to cope with an increase in the amount of graphic data accompanying the reduction in design rules in recent years. A method that can be diverted was required. Further, there has been a demand for a method capable of easily performing arithmetic processing such as reduction sizing processing without causing deformation of a figure. The present invention corresponds to this, and specifically,
A drawing figure database device for providing, to the electron beam drawing apparatus, figure data for the electron beam drawing apparatus, which is divided into divided areas unique to the electron beam drawing apparatus and has only figure data that fits within each divided area. It is possible to cope with an increase in the amount of graphic data due to a reduction in design rules in recent years,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a drawing pattern database device capable of supplying the drawing data to various electron beam drawing apparatuses.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a graphic pattern database apparatus for an electron beam drawing apparatus, which is divided into divided areas unique to the electron beam drawing apparatus and has only figure data which fits within each divided area. A drawing figure database apparatus for providing data to an electron beam drawing apparatus, wherein the drawing figure data is stored as polygon data represented by a coordinate system without a divided area, and stored from the stored drawing figure data. A database unit having a search function for searching for and extracting desired graphic information, and converting graphic information composed of polygon data extracted by the search function into graphic data for a desired electron beam lithography apparatus and supplying them. An interface unit, wherein the database unit stores basic graphic information and its layout information for graphic data of the same shape. In representation, in the form of compressed data obtained by compressing the amount of data, it is characterized in that it is intended to store the drawing graphic data. In the above, the interface unit is provided for each electron beam writing apparatus.
The conversion parameters, such as a predetermined divided area, a drawing grid (minimum address unit), and whether the data format of the drawing apparatus is an x-direction trapezoidal display or a y-direction truncated trapezoidal display, are determined and stored in the database unit. It is characterized in that drawing graphic data composed of polygon data in a compressed data state is converted into graphic data for a desired drawing device, and the drawing data is supplied to the drawing device. And in the above, the search function is
From the stored drawing graphic data, search for and retrieve information on the specified graphic or information on the graphic in the specified area.
It is characterized in that information of the extracted figure is sent to the interface unit. Further, in the above, there is provided an arithmetic processing unit for performing arithmetic processing on the drawing graphic data composed of polygon data in a compressed data state.

As the compressed data, a repetitive arrangement of one figure is represented by one figure expression part and arrangement information, and a figure group including a plurality of figures is not interfered (does not overlap). There is a type in which a plurality of repetitively arranged graphic data are expressed by a plurality of graphic expression units for expressing each graphic of one graphic group and arrangement information of the graphic group. Here, one figure in the repetitive arrangement of one figure or a figure group including a plurality of figures is simply called a cell, and is also called cell-based compression.

[0012]

With such a configuration, the drawing graphic database apparatus according to the present invention can cope with an increase in the amount of graphic data accompanying the recent reduction in design rules. It is possible to provide a drawing figure database device that can be supplied. Specifically, it has a search function for storing drawing graphic data as polygon data expressed in a coordinate system without a divided area, and searching for and extracting desired graphic information from the stored drawing graphic data. A database unit, and an interface unit for converting graphic information consisting of polygon data extracted by a search function into graphic data for a desired electron beam drawing apparatus and supplying the converted data, and the database unit has the same shape. As for the graphic data, the drawing graphic data is stored in the state of the compressed data in which the data amount is compressed, expressed by the basic graphic information and the arrangement information thereof.
It is possible to cope with an increase in the amount of graphic data. Then, the interface unit determines, for each electron beam writing apparatus, a predetermined divided area, a writing grid (minimum address unit), whether the data format of the writing apparatus is a trapezoidal display in the x direction or a trapezoidal display in the y direction, and the like. It determines the conversion parameters, converts drawing graphic data consisting of polygon data in a compressed data state stored in the database unit into graphic data for a desired drawing device, and supplies the drawing data to the drawing device. With this configuration, the graphic data can be supplied to various electron beam drawing apparatuses. In addition, the search function is to search for and retrieve information on a specified graphic or information on a graphic in a specified area from the stored drawing graphic data, and send the retrieved graphic information to the interface unit. By
The handling of graphic information is simplified. Furthermore, by providing an arithmetic processing unit for performing arithmetic processing on drawing graphic data composed of polygon data in a compressed data state, arithmetic processing such as reduction sizing processing can be simplified without causing deformation of the graphic. It can be done.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a drawing figure database apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first example of an embodiment of a drawing graphic database device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first example of an embodiment of the drawing graphic database device of the present invention. , FIG.
Data conversion from database to electron beam writer,
It is a figure for explaining supply concretely. 1 and 2
Among them, 100 is a drawing figure database device, 110 is a database unit, 120 is an interface unit, 131 to 1
33 is an electron beam drawing apparatus, 200 is a drawing figure database, 210 is a database unit, 220 is an interface, 231 to 233 are electron beam drawing apparatuses, 240 is an arithmetic processing unit, and Fa, Fb, Fc, and Fd are basic figures.

First, a first example of an embodiment of a drawing figure database apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. This example is divided into divided regions unique to the electron beam writing apparatus, and has only graphic data that fits in each divided region.
A drawing figure database apparatus for providing figure data for an electron beam drawing apparatus to a plurality of electron beam drawing apparatuses. A database having a search function for storing drawing graphic data as polygon data expressed in a coordinate system without a divided area, and for searching and retrieving specified graphic data or graphic data in a specified area. And an interface unit 120 for converting the stored drawing graphic data into graphic data for a desired electron beam drawing apparatus and supplying the converted graphic data. This function is used to store drawing graphic data in the form of compressed data in which the amount of data is compressed, expressed as information and its arrangement information.A function to perform arithmetic processing of graphic data consisting of stored polygon data is provided. Not equipped.

In order to make the explanation easy to understand, graphic data shown in FIG. 3A consisting of polygon data having the same pattern (F1, F2, F3, F4) is converted to a database device of this embodiment shown in FIG. The function of each unit of the present embodiment will be described using an example of processing for converting and supplying as graphic data for an electron beam drawing apparatus by using 100. Picture (figure) F1
F4 represent basic graphic information representing the shape of a pattern that is repeatedly arranged, and the database unit 110 in a state where the data amount is compressed by the arrangement information (position coordinates of the arrangement).
Is stored within. Here, the compression of the polygon data will be briefly described. The polygon data indicates only the outer periphery of the pattern. Each corner of the outer periphery of the pattern (not shown, but each corner is counterclockwise C
0, C1, C2,... Cn. ) Can be listed in order, but usually, the position coordinates of each corner are the starting corner C0 coordinate position (placement position) and each position (C1, C2... Cn). Are indicated by the amount of displacement from the adjacent corner. That is, FIG.
Are respectively (Xm, Ym, dxm1, dym1, dxm2,
.., dxm12, dym12). If F1 to F4 have the same shape, (dxm2
1, dym1, dxm2, dym2 ..., dx
Since m12, dym12) match at m = 1, 2, 3, and 4, overlapping descriptions are stopped, and this part (graphic information) is expressed only once as an expression part of the shape of the graphic. And the coordinate positions (Xm0, Xm0) (m = 1, 2, 3, 4) of the corners of the shots F1 to F4, all of the patterns F1 to F4 can be expressed. As described above, for a figure (pattern) having the same shape, overlapping description is stopped, and a pattern having the same shape is expressed by basic figure information (graphic information of the same figure) and arrangement information of the figure (arrangement position coordinates). This state is referred to as a state in which the data amount is compressed. The repetitive arrangement of one graphic is represented by one graphic expression part and arrangement information, and the arrangement of a plurality of repetitively arranged graphic groups without interfering with each other (without overlapping) is performed. Are represented by a plurality of graphic expression units for expressing each graphic of the one graphic group, and the arrangement information of the graphic group, which is information for integrally arranging them. As already mentioned, 1
One figure in a repetitive arrangement of one figure or a figure group consisting of a plurality of figures is simply referred to as a cell, and since data is compressed by arranging it in units of cells, such data compression is also referred to as cell compression.

The search function of the database unit 110 searches and retrieves desired graphic information, that is, a representation of the shapes of the figures F1 to F4 and the arrangement information thereof from the stored drawing figure data. Interface section 12
Send that information to 0. If the drawing graphic data to be processed is not a repetition of a single graphic shape like F1 to F4, a corresponding search is performed. For example, a search is performed for each part corresponding to a divided region in the data for the electron beam writing apparatus, and graphic information of the region is extracted.

FIG. 3A shows a picture (figure) extracted by the search function of the database unit 110.
Since the compressed graphic data is not in a form usable in the electron beam drawing apparatus (131 to 133) as it is, it is converted into graphic data in a predetermined form via the interface unit 120, and the desired electron beam drawing apparatus What,
The graphic data is supplied. Because the drawing data for drawing equipment that can be used differs for each type of electron beam drawing equipment,
In response to this, the interface unit 120 includes:
For each electron beam drawing apparatus, a predetermined split area, a drawing grid (minimum address unit), and conversion parameters such as whether the data format of the drawing apparatus is an x-direction trapezoidal display or a y-direction trapezoidal display are determined. Database part 1
The drawing graphic data stored in the storage unit 20 and composed of polygon data in a compressed data state is converted into graphic data for a desired drawing device, and the drawing data is supplied to the drawing device. As described above, through the interface unit 120, FIG.
The graphic data shown in FIG. 3A is, for example, the one shown in FIG.
And so on.

The pictures f1, f2, f3, f4 in FIG. 3 (b)
Are the patterns of FIG. 3A, F1, F2, F3, respectively.
Corresponding to F4, each picture of f1, f2, f3, f4 is further divided into rectangular (one type of general trapezoidal display) figures. That is, the pattern f1 is expressed together with seven figures f11 to f17. In FIG. 3B, A
(M1, n1) and A (m1 + 1, n1) indicate the divided areas, and the pattern f3 is further divided at the boundary (indicated by a dotted line) of the divided areas. The size of the divided area is uniquely determined according to the type of the electron beam writing apparatus, and is adjusted to this. Each figure is represented by defining the figure position and the shape of the figure, and one based on the y direction (y-direction trapezoidal display) and one based on the x direction (x-direction truncated trapezoidal display). Yes, and conversion is performed accordingly. Also,
The minimum grid (address size) is determined according to the drawing conditions, the type of the electron beam drawing apparatus, and the like, and this is also set as a conversion parameter.

If the interface unit 120 is provided with a function for repeatedly retrieving a figure, as described in FIG. 4B, the figure f1 shown in FIG.
1, f12, f14, f24, f31, f32, f3
4, f31 ', f32', f34 ', f41, f42,
The patterns f1 to f4 can be represented by 13 of f44.

In the above description, the figure shapes (figure shapes F1 to F4) shown in FIG. 3A have been described, but the figures (basic figures) that are repeatedly arranged are not limited thereto.
For example, figures (basic figures) Fa and F shown in FIG.
b, Fc and Fd may be used. Each basic figure has basic figure information and arrangement information for arranging the basic figure information. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a basic figure that is substantially different from the original basic figure may be provided by expressing the basic figure with an instruction to reduce or enlarge the basic figure by a predetermined percentage.

Next, a second example of the embodiment of the drawing figure database apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this example, as in the first example, the graphic data for the electron beam drawing apparatus, which is divided into divided areas specific to the electron beam A drawing figure database device to be provided to a drawing apparatus. The drawing figure data is stored as polygon data represented by a coordinate system without a divided area, and a specified figure data or a figure data in a specified area is searched. A database unit 210 having a search function that can be taken out, and an interface unit 220 for converting stored drawing graphic data into graphic data for a desired electron beam drawing apparatus and supplying the converted data.
Numeral 10 is for storing drawing graphic data in the form of compressed data in which the amount of data is reduced by expressing basic graphic information and its layout information for graphic data of the same shape. Unlike the above, an arithmetic processing unit 2 for performing arithmetic processing of graphic data composed of stored polygon data
40. Briefly, the second example is the first
In this example, an arithmetic processing unit is added to the database device 100 of the example, and only the arithmetic processing unit will be described here.

As described above with reference to FIG. 5, when the graphic data for the electron beam drawing apparatus is reduced and sized, a gap (deformation of the graphic) may occur at the boundary of the divided area, which is a problem. However, the database unit 21
This can be prevented by causing the arithmetic processing unit 240 to perform arithmetic processing on the graphic data in the state of the polygon data stored in “0”. That is, in the polygon data reduction sizing process, a new coordinate position obtained by moving each corner of each picture (figure) inward by a predetermined amount is used as a new corner, and a new picture is expressed. It is good. Compressed data of polygon data (a portion expressed by compressing the amount of data) which is obtained by compressing and expressing a plurality of the same graphics is also represented by a graphic expression section,
The position coordinates of the first corner are newly calculated and newly
Compressed data can be obtained.

In the above description, a reduction sizing process has been described as an arithmetic process. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to an enlargement sizing process of graphic data for an electron beam drawing apparatus. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to inversion processing (reverse processing) for an electron beam writing apparatus. Further, the present invention can be applied to other calculations.

[0024]

As described above, the present invention can cope with an increase in the amount of graphic data accompanying the recent reduction in design rules.
It has become possible to provide a drawing figure database device capable of supplying the figure data to various electron beam drawing apparatuses. At the same time, it has become possible to provide a drawing figure database device which can easily perform figure calculation and perform a figure calculation processing without deformation as a result of the figure calculation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first example of an embodiment of a drawing figure database device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first example of an embodiment of a drawing graphic database apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of data conversion and supply from a database to an electron beam drawing apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining data compression of graphic data for an electron beam writing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a problem of a reduction sizing process of graphic data for an electron beam writing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 100 drawing figure database apparatus 110 database section 120 interface section 131-133 electron beam drawing apparatus 200 drawing figure database apparatus 210 database section 220 interface section 231-233 electron beam drawing apparatus 240 arithmetic processing section Fa, Fb, Fc, Fd basic figure

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Watanabe 1-1-1, Ichigaya-Kaga-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo F-term in Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (reference) 5B050 AA04 BA18 EA10 FA19 GA08 5F056 CA02 CA22

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for providing to an electron beam lithography apparatus graphic data for an electron beam lithography apparatus which is divided into divided areas unique to the electron beam lithography apparatus and has only graphic data which fits within each of the divided areas. A drawing function for a drawing figure database device, in which drawing figure data is stored in polygon data expressed in a coordinate system without a divided area, and desired figure information is retrieved and retrieved from the stored drawing figure data. And a interface unit for converting graphic information consisting of polygon data extracted by a search function into graphic data for a desired electron beam lithography apparatus and supplying the converted graphic data. Graphic data of the same shape is drawn in the state of compressed data in which the data amount is compressed, represented by basic graphic information and its layout information. A drawing figure database device for storing drawing figure data. 2. The interface unit according to claim 1, wherein the interface unit determines whether the data format of the predetermined divided area, the drawing grid, and the drawing apparatus is an x-direction trapezoidal display or a y-direction truncated trapezoidal display for each electron beam drawing apparatus. After determining the conversion parameters such as the above, the drawing graphic data composed of the polygon data in the state of the compressed data stored in the database unit is converted into the graphic data for the desired drawing device, and the graphic data is supplied to the drawing device. A drawing figure database device, characterized in that: 3. The retrieval function according to claim 1, wherein the retrieval function retrieves and retrieves information of a specified graphic or information of a graphic in a specified area from the stored drawing graphic data. A drawing figure database device for transmitting information to an interface unit. 4. The drawing figure database apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation processing unit for performing an operation process on drawing figure data composed of polygon data in a state of compressed data.