JPH07261104A - Beam exposure device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a beam exposure device capable of realizing smooth oblique line plotting with uniform energy density at a low cost and with simple constitution. CONSTITUTION:This device is constituted so that D/A conversion times of respective D/A converters 17, 18 are changed by the control of an image controller 22 according to differences of sizes between a basic vector LXY in the oblique direction and respective basic vectors LX, LY in the directions of X axis and Y axis in the time when a vector plotting digital figure data part interpolated by the basic vector LXY in the oblique direction is D/A-converted simultaneously by both D/A converters 17, 18 of the X axis and the Y axis, and in the time when the vector plotting digital figure data part respectively interpolated by respective basic vectors LX, LY in the directions of X axis and Y axis is D/A- converted by single D/A converters 17, 18 of either one side of the X axis and the Y axis.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beam exposure apparatus for drawing on a record carrier with a laser beam or a charged particle beam, and more particularly to a beam exposure apparatus for drawing figures, characters and the like in a vector system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vector drawing method is used as a means for significantly reducing the data amount of graphic data such as CAD data stored in a memory when a graphic is output. An XY plotter is a typical conventional output device that outputs graphics by the vector drawing method. The XY plotter draws a figure on a recording paper by moving a pen driven by a pulse motor according to the figure data output from a host computer.

Further, the vector drawing method is based on the above-mentioned XY.
In addition to plotters, it has come to be adopted also in beam exposure apparatuses such as electron beam drawing apparatuses for producing semiconductor photomasks, direct writing, reticle creation, etc., and laser beam recording apparatuses for printing output on recording paper. It was In the drawing system of the beam exposure apparatus, unlike an XY plotter in which a drawing is directly drawn on a recording paper with a pen, a charged particle beam or a light beam is recorded on a recording material such as a photosensitive material for forming a reticle or a photosensitive drum. An energy beam such as a beam is irradiated, and the beam irradiation position on the record carrier is moved according to the graphic data output from the host computer to draw a graphic on the record carrier. A beam deflector is used to move the beam irradiation spot on the record carrier.

The beam deflector is different for a charged particle beam and for a light beam. A deflection coil is generally used as a beam deflector for a charged particle beam, and a galvanometer mirror or the like is generally used as a beam deflector for a light beam. Deflection mirrors are used. In these beam deflectors, since the beam deflection angle generally changes according to the value of the driving analog current, the graphic data in a digital format such as CAD data output from the host computer is converted into an analog value by the D / A converter. And is supplied to the beam deflector. Then, the beam deflector deflects the energy beam in a two-dimensional direction according to the supplied analog current, whereby a graphic corresponding to the graphic data from the host computer is drawn on the record carrier by the energy beam.

However, since these energy beam drawing methods irradiate an energy flux on the record carrier, in order to obtain a uniform drawing line, the energy density of the energy beam irradiated on the record carrier is increased. Must be constant. If the energy density is not constant, the width and depth of the drawing line will vary, and for example, in a laser beam recording apparatus, the line width of a figure after development will become thin, or the amount of toner adsorbed will decrease and the line will be reduced. Problems such as thinning occur.

In the raster drawing method, since the beam moving direction on the record carrier is limited to the main scanning direction, in order to make the energy density of the energy beam constant, for example, the beam's constant angular velocity-constant linear velocity by an fθ lens or the like. It suffices to make the beam moving speed in the main scanning direction constant by conversion, and it is not particularly necessary to consider the uniform speed. On the other hand, in the vector drawing method, the beam moves not only vertically and horizontally but also diagonally on the record carrier.

The beam is moved vertically and horizontally by operating the beam deflector for vertical movement and the beam deflector for horizontal movement independently, and the diagonal movement is performed by the beam deflector for vertical movement. This is done by simultaneously operating the beam deflectors for horizontal movement. Therefore, the moving distance of the beam is different between the case where the beam moves vertically and horizontally by one step and the case where the beam obliquely moves by one step. Therefore,
In the vector drawing method, in each beam deflector for vertical movement and horizontal movement, not only is the angular velocity-constant linear velocity conversion of the beam performed, but the beam moves up and down and left and right by one step, and the beam is moved diagonally. Must move at the same beam moving speed when moving by one step.

However, if the graphic data in the digital format from the host computer is simply converted into analog values and supplied to the beam deflector as it is, 1
Since the beam movement for one step and the beam movement for one step diagonally occur at the same required time, the moving speed of the diagonal beam moving exceeds the moving speed of the vertical and horizontal beam moving. Therefore, in order to eliminate the variation in the beam moving speed due to the difference in the beam moving direction, various measures have been taken conventionally.

For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-1018,
By a galvanometer type optical deflector for deflecting the recording laser beam, a reference laser beam different from the recording laser beam is deflected at the same time, and the moving speed of the reference laser beam is detected by a linear encoder. A method is disclosed in which the drive of the optical deflector is feedback-controlled so that the moving speed of the reference laser beam becomes constant based on the detection result. Further, in JP-A-4-10614, a first table on which an optical head is arranged and a second table on which a workpiece is placed and which moves in a direction orthogonal to the first table are provided. Detects the relative movement speed vector of the optical head with respect to the workpiece based on the movement speed of each table, and according to the magnitude of the speed vector,
A method is disclosed in which the intensity and depth of focus of laser light output from an optical head are feedback-controlled to make the amount of laser light irradiated to a workpiece per unit time constant.

Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-56820, the waveform data of the drive command current of the galvanometer is stored, the waveform data is fed back to the drive command current at every predetermined time, and the laser deflected by the galvanometer. A method of keeping the angular velocity of light constant is disclosed. Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-89188, even if the moving speed of the laser on the processed portion changes, the energy of the laser irradiated on the processed portion is constant per pulse of the laser oscillation signal. Therefore, a method of feedback controlling the pulse frequency and the current value of the laser oscillation signal is disclosed.

[0011]

However, the above-mentioned conventional method by the feedback control requires the beam moving speed detecting means and the feedback arithmetic circuit, and
When the reference light beam is used, in addition to the beam constant angular velocity-constant velocity conversion means for the writing light beam, the beam constant angular velocity-constant velocity conversion means for the reference light beam is separately provided. Since it has to be provided, there is a problem that the cost becomes high. Further, in the conventional method for converting digital graphic data into analog graphic data so that the beam moving speed on the recording unit is always constant, the conversion process is complicated, and therefore the expensive graphic circuit is used to convert the graphic data. Need to do. Therefore, for example, it is useful for expensive devices such as high-precision precision processing machines and semiconductor photomask manufacturing devices, but it is not a practical method for drawing devices such as laser beam recording devices whose device price is low. there were.

Therefore, if the basic vector for drawing is limited to the X coordinate direction and the Y coordinate direction and the beam moving direction is limited to the vertical and horizontal directions as in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-166704, for example, analog The conversion process to graphic data can be simplified. However, the diagonal vector and the arc-shaped vector can be set to 2 in the X coordinate direction and the Y coordinate direction.
Interpolation with only one fundamental vector results in a relatively large step-like jagged line on the record carrier.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a beam exposure apparatus capable of realizing smooth oblique line drawing with a uniform energy density at a low cost and with a simple structure. .

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides digital drawing graphic data with basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction which are orthogonal to each other, and the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Vector drawing graphic data conversion means for interpolating each basic vector in the diagonal direction with a diagonal basic vector having a size different from that of the basic vector to convert it into digital graphic data for vector drawing, and the vector drawing D / A for the X-axis component of digital graphic data
An X-axis D / A converter for converting, a Y-axis D / A converter for D / A converting the Y-axis component of the digital graphic data for vector drawing, and a drawing modulated by the digital graphic data for vector drawing A beam output source that outputs a beam, an X-axis deflector that operates by the output of the X-axis D / A converter to deflect the drawing beam in the X-axis direction, and an output of the Y-axis D / A converter that operates. In a beam exposure apparatus including a Y-axis deflector for deflecting the drawing beam in the Y-axis direction, the vector drawing digital graphic data portion interpolated by the oblique fundamental vector is added to both the X-axis and the Y-axis. / A / D converter simultaneously D /
At the time of A conversion, the digital graphic data portion for vector drawing interpolated by each basic vector in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is set to D on either the X-axis or the Y-axis.
D / A conversion by the A / A converter alone
A D / A conversion time control means for changing the D / A conversion time of the converter according to the difference in magnitude between the diagonal basic vector and the respective basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is provided. .

Further, according to the present invention, the diagonal basic vector extends in a direction of 45 ° with respect to the respective basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and each of the basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is The D / A conversion time control means has a size of 2 ^1/2 times, and the digital drawing data portion for vector drawing interpolated by the diagonal basic vector is the X portion.
The D / A conversion time of each D / A converter when simultaneously performing D / A conversion by both the A-axis and Y-axis D / A converters is expressed as X
Each D / A conversion of the digital graphic data portion for vector drawing interpolated with each basic vector in the axial direction and the Y-axis direction by the D / A converter alone for either the X-axis or the Y-axis It was set to 2 ^1/2 times the D / A conversion time of the D / A converter. Furthermore, in the present invention, the D / A conversion time of each D / A converter is changed by adjusting the pulse interval of the strobe signal for setting the sampling timing of each D / A converter.

[0016]

The digital graphic data portion for vector drawing interpolated by the diagonal basic vector is simultaneously D / A converted by the D / A conversion time control means by both the X-axis and Y-axis D / A converters.
At the time of A conversion, the digital graphic data portion for vector drawing interpolated by each basic vector in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is set to D on either the X-axis or the Y-axis.
D / A conversion by the A / A converter alone
The D / A conversion time of the converter can be calculated using the diagonal basic vector and X
By changing according to the difference in magnitude between the basic vector in the axial direction and the basic vector in the Y-axis direction, the moving speed of the beam deflected by both the X-axis and Y-axis deflectors on the record carrier becomes The moving speed of the beam deflected by one of the Y-axis deflectors on the record carrier becomes the same, and the energy density of each drawing portion on the record carrier drawn by the both beams becomes the same.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser beam drawing system to which the method of the present invention is applied. The laser beam writing system of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 modulates a writing laser beam L irradiated on a record carrier A according to the figure data of a drawn figure and scan-deflects in a two-dimensional plane. A Y scanning unit 12, a control unit 13 that controls the modulation and scanning deflection of the laser beam L in the XY scanning unit 12, and a host computer 14 that holds digital drawing graphic data such as CAD data. Has been done.

The XY scanning section 12 includes three laser blocks 1, 2 and 3 (corresponding to beam output sources) for outputting the laser beam L and laser blocks 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
X-axis deflector 4 for scanning and deflecting laser beam L from 3 in the X-axis (horizontal) direction, and each laser beam L scanned and deflected by X-axis deflector 4 is further deflected in the Y-axis (vertical) direction. Rotating plane mirror type Y-axis deflector 5, a plane exposure unit 6 for holding the record carrier A, the laser blocks 1,
The laser drive circuits 7, 8 and 9 of 2 and 3 and the drivers 10 and 11 of the deflectors 4 and 5 are provided.

The laser blocks 1, 2 and 3 are provided with a semiconductor laser and a collimator lens group (both not shown) for beam diameter correction. In the present embodiment, each of the deflectors 4 and 5 uses a scan head (G120D: manufactured by General Scanning Co.), and each of the deflectors 4 and 5 includes rotating plane mirrors 401 and 501, respectively. The laser beam L from each of the laser blocks 1, 2 and 3 is reflected by the rotating plane mirror 401 and then by the rotating plane mirror 501, and is focused on the record carrier A of the plane exposure unit 6. The laser beam L is scanned and deflected in the X-axis direction by the independent operation of the X-axis deflector 4, and is scanned and deflected in the Y-axis direction by the independent operation of the Y-axis deflector 5, so that both the X and Y deflectors 4, 5 are formed. Are simultaneously operated to scan-deflect in an oblique direction intersecting 45 ° with respect to both X and Y axis directions.

In this embodiment, the minimum rotation angles of the rotary plane mirrors 401 and 501 of the deflectors 4 and 5 are set to the same angle, and the lengths corresponding to the respective minimum rotation angles are shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, a total of four basic vectors L _X and L _Y , two in the X-axis direction and two in the Y-axis direction, and four diagonal basic vectors L _XY are configured. Figure O Each basis vector L _X, L _Y, L indicates the _XY origin, the ratio of each basic vector L _X, L _Y, L _XY of magnitude, L _X: L _Y:
L _XY = 1: 1: 2 ^1/2 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, an fθ lens 20 is provided between the Y-axis deflector 5 and the plane exposure section 6, and the laser beam scanned and deflected by both the deflectors 4 and 5 is moved. L is converted into a constant angular velocity-constant linear velocity by the fθ lens 20, whereby the laser beam L on the record carrier A is converted.
The moving speeds of when moving in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the diagonal direction are corrected to be constant in each direction.

The laser drive circuits 7, 8 and 9 drive the semiconductor lasers of the laser blocks 1, 2 and 3 to emit light in accordance with the beam modulation signals output from the scan controller 13. Each of the drivers 10 and 11 converts the voltage of each beam position control signal in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction output from the scanning control unit 13 into a current and supplies the current to the respective deflectors 4 and 5, and supplies the same. Each of the rotating flat mirrors 4 at an angle according to the current
01 and 501 are rotationally driven. In addition, each driver 1
When the rotational speeds of the rotary plane mirrors 401 and 501 can be controlled non-linearly by 0 and 11, or the swing angle θ of the laser beam L due to the rotation of the rotary plane mirrors 401 and 501.
Is sufficiently small and tan θ≈θ holds, the fθ lens 20 may be omitted.

The scanning control unit 13 generates digital graphic data for vector drawing on the basis of a host interface 15 to which the host computer 14 is connected via a communication line 21 and drawing graphic data from the host computer 14. An image controller 22 (corresponding to vector drawing graphic data conversion means and D / A conversion time control means) that generates and controls the operation of the entire scanning control unit 13;
The memory 16 stores various software necessary for the operation of the image controller 22. Further, the scanning control unit 13 outputs an X-axis direction beam signal and a Y-axis direction beam position control signal by analog voltage to the deflectors 4 and 5, respectively.
/ A converter 18, each of the laser drive circuits 7, 8,
9 and a laser modulation interface 19 for outputting the beam modulation signal. In the following description, only the drawing process by the vector method will be described, but the laser beam drawing system of the present embodiment can naturally perform the drawing process by the raster method.

In the scanning controller 13, the drawing graphic data input from the host computer 14 via the host interface 15 is taken into the memory 16, and the image controller 22 executes the software stored in the memory 16. Then, the drawing graphic data is linearly interpolated by the image controller 22 with three types of basic vectors L _X , L _Y , and L _XY in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the oblique direction, and the vector drawing digital data is obtained. Converted to graphic data.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the linear interpolation processing of the drawing graphic data by the image controller 22. In the figure, 30 is a drawing vector given by the drawing figure data from the host computer 14, and the drawing vector 30 has coordinates (X
It is a straight line from ₀ , Y ₀ ) to coordinates (X ₁₀ , Y ₇ ).
This drawing vector 30 is used as the three types of basic vectors L
_When linear interpolation is performed with _X , L _Y , and L _XY , the conversion vector 40 shown by the solid line in the figure is obtained.

More specifically, the origin of the drawing vector 30 is the coordinate (X ₀ , Y ₀ ), and the origin of the conversion vector 40 is also set to the coordinate (X ₀ , Y ₀ ). In the image controller 22, the gradient of the drawing vector 30 with respect to the X axis is 0 °.
In the range of ± 22.5 °, the basic vector L _X is interpolated as the conversion vector 40 in the first step, and in the range of the gradient of the drawing vector 30 of ± 22.5 ° to ± 67.5 °, the first vector The basic vector L _XY is interpolated as the conversion vector 40 of the step, and the gradient of the drawing vector 30 is ± 67.
In the range of 5 ° to ± 90 °, the basic vector L _Y is interpolated as the conversion vector 40 of the first step. Here, the step corresponds to one size of each of the basic vectors L _X and L _Y , and corresponds to 1/10 of the resolution of the laser beam drawing system of this embodiment. In the second step, what is the virtual vector connecting the end point coordinates of the conversion vector 40 interpolated in the first step and the coordinates of the drawing vector 30 in the second step in the X axis direction with respect to the X axis? The basic vector to be interpolated is determined in the same manner as in the first step depending on whether the gradient is obtained, and thereafter, the same processing as in the second step is repeated.

Therefore, when the drawing vector 30 is viewed as a whole, when the gradient with respect to the X axis is 45 ° or less,
When the vector movement in the Y-axis direction is thinned out using the two types of basic vectors L _X and L _XY and the gradient of the drawing vector 30 with respect to the X axis exceeds 45 °, the two types of basic vectors L _Y and L _XY Is used to thin out the vector movement in the X-axis direction.

When the conversion vector 40 linearly interpolated as described above is drawn, the X-axis D is drawn when the conversion vector 40 portion interpolated by the basic vectors L _X and L _Y is drawn.
Either one of the A / A converter 17 and the Y-axis D / A converter 18 outputs each beam position control signal in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction, and at the time of drawing the conversion vector 40 portion interpolated by the basic vector L _XY. , Both the X-axis D / A converter 17 and the Y-axis D / A converter 18 simultaneously output beam position control signals in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

By the way, as is apparent from FIG. 3, the basic vectors L _X and L _Y and the basic vector L _XY have different sizes, and the conversion vector 40 part interpolated by the basic vectors L _X and L _Y is used. When drawing and the basic vector L _XY
When the conversion vector 40 portion interpolated by
When the rotary plane mirror 401 of the axial deflector 4 and the rotary plane mirror 501 of the Y-axis deflector 5 are rotated at the same speed, the basic vector L
_X, than the beam moving velocity of the translation vector 40 parts interpolated by L _Y, fundamental beam moving velocity of the vector L translation vector 40 parts interpolated by _XY is faster, the energy density of the beam thereof both translation vector 40 parts Are different from each other. Therefore, in this embodiment, from both the X-axis D / A converter 17 and the Y-axis D / A converter 18,
When the respective beam position control signals in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are simultaneously output, by the control of the image controller 22,
The D / A conversion time of both D / A converters 17 and 18 is set to 2 ^1/2 times the D / A conversion time when the D / A converters 17 and 18 perform D / A conversion independently, and the basic vector L _X ,
The drawing linear velocities of L _Y and the basic vector L _XY were matched.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image controller 22 for making the drawing linear velocities of the basic vectors L _X and L _Y and the basic vector L _XY coincide with each other.
In the figure, 50 is a CPU for overall control, 51 is a CPU 5
A memory for storing 0 control software, 52 is a memory for storing digital drawing graphic data from the host computer 14, and these memories 51 and 52 constitute the memory 16. Reference numeral 53 is a crystal oscillator that oscillates a signal that is a source of the D / A conversion sampling strobe signal 56 of each of the D / A converters 17 and 18.
Is a crystal oscillation clock frequency dividing counter for dividing the signal generated by the crystal oscillator 53, and 55 is a system clock generator for generating the strobe signal 56 from the clock divided by the crystal oscillation clock frequency dividing counter 54. In the embodiment, the CPU 50, the crystal oscillator 53, the crystal oscillation clock frequency dividing counter 54, and the system clock generator 5
The image controller 22 is constituted by 5. Reference numerals 59 and 60 in the figure respectively denote amplifiers for amplifying the analog signals converted by the D / A converters 17 and 18 to obtain the beam position control signals.

In the image controller 22, the memory 5
When the CPU 50 executes the processing of the software in 1, the drawing graphic data from the host computer 14 is converted into vector drawing digital graphic data,
The vector drawing graphic data is divided into an X-axis direction component and a Y-axis direction component and sent from the image memory 52 to the D / A converters 17 and 18, respectively. The X-axis direction component of the vector drawing graphic data is the X-axis D / A converter 17
And the Y-axis direction component is sent to the Y-axis D / A converter 18 and converted into a beam position control signal of an analog voltage. The conversion of the vector drawing graphic data into the beam position control signal is performed at the sampling timing of the strobe signal 56 from the system clock generating circuit 55. In the present embodiment, the X-axis direction component and the Y-axis direction component of the vector drawing graphic data are X-axis D / A.
When the strobe signal 56 is sent to the converter 17 and the Y-axis D / A converter 18 at the same time, the pulse interval of the strobe signal 56 is D / A for the X-axis D / A converter 17 and the Y-axis D / A converter 18 respectively. 2 ^{1 /} when converting
As will be ^doubled, the signal output operation of the system clock generation circuit 55 is controlled by the CPU 50.

As a result, the D / A conversion time when the X-axis D / A converter 17 and the Y-axis D / A converter 18 simultaneously perform D / A conversion is determined by the X-axis D / A converter 17 or the Y-axis D / A conversion time. It is 2 ^1/2 times the D / A conversion time when D / A conversion is performed by the A converter 18 alone, and the basic vector L
_X, and the beam moving speed of the interpolated transform vector 40 parts by L _Y, beam movement speed of the interpolated transform vector 40 portion becomes the same basic vector L _XY.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the conversion vector 40 portion interpolated with the basic vectors L _X and L _Y is drawn, and when the conversion vector 4 interpolated with the basic vector L _XY is used.
Since the beam moving speed on the record carrier A becomes the same at the time of drawing the 0 portion, the energy densities of the beams at both conversion vector 40 portions can be made equal to each other. Therefore, as in the conventional method of detecting the moving speed of the laser beam L deflected by the respective deflectors 4 and 5 and performing feedback control of the respective deflectors 4 and 5, the means for detecting the moving speed of the beam and the feedback calculation are performed. A circuit is not required, and the width and depth of the drawing line are varied and the line width of the figure after development is narrowed without separately providing a reference laser beam and its constant angular velocity-constant linear velocity conversion means. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of problems such as thinning of the stretched wire with a low cost and a simple configuration. Further, a basic vector for linearly interpolating the drawing vector 30 is defined as a basic vector L _X in the X-axis direction, a basic vector L _Y in the Y-axis direction, and 45 in both the X and Y axis directions.
Since the basic vector L _XY in the diagonal direction intersecting with ° is formed, as in the case of forming the basic vector only by the basic vector L _{X in the X-} axis direction and the basic vector L _{Y in the} Y-axis direction,
The conversion vector 40 can prevent the occurrence of the problem that the drawing line of the figure drawn on the record carrier A has a relatively large step-like jagged line.

In the present embodiment, the case has been described in which the basic vector in the oblique direction with respect to the X and Y axis directions is the basic vector L _XY with a direction of 45 ° with respect to the X and Y axis directions. In the present invention, the basic vector in the diagonal direction with respect to the X and Y axis directions is, for example, 22.
It can also be applied to a vector drawing system that is a vector in the 5 ° direction or the 67.5 ° direction. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a system for irradiating a charged particle beam or the like onto a record carrier other than the laser drawing system.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, digital drawing graphic data are provided with basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction which are orthogonal to each other, and the respective basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Vector drawing graphic data conversion means for interpolating with a diagonal basic vector having a size different from that of each basic vector in a diagonal direction with respect to the vector, and drawing vector graphic drawing data conversion means, and the vector drawing digital data An X-axis D / A converter for D / A converting the X-axis component of the graphic data, a Y-axis D / A converter for D / A converting the Y-axis component of the vector graphic drawing digital graphic data, and the vector drawing A beam output source that outputs a beam for drawing modulated by the digital graphic data of
An X-axis deflector that operates by the output of the X-axis D / A converter to deflect the drawing beam in the X-axis direction, and an output of the Y-axis D / A converter that operates the drawing beam in the Y-axis direction. In a beam exposure apparatus provided with a Y-axis deflector for deflecting, the digital graphic data portion for vector drawing interpolated by the oblique basic vector is simultaneously D / A converted by both the X-axis and Y-axis D / A converters. And the digital graphic data portion for vector drawing interpolated with each basic vector in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is D / A by the D / A converter alone in either the X-axis or the Y-axis. At the time of D / A conversion, the D / A conversion time of each D / A converter is changed according to the size difference between the diagonal basic vector and the basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Is provided with the control unit, it can be realized at a low cost and simple construction a smooth oblique line drawn with a uniform energy density.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser beam drawing system to which the method of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a basic vector adopted in the laser beam drawing system in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of linear interpolation processing of drawing graphic data by the image controller shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image controller shown in FIG. 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 and 3 laser block (beam output source) 4 X-axis deflector 5 Y-axis deflector 17 X-axis D / A converter 18 Y-axis D / A converter 22 Image controller (vector drawing graphic data conversion means, D / A conversion time control means) 30 drawing vector 40 conversion vector 56 strobe signal A record carrier L _X basic vector in X axis direction _Y Y basic vector in Y axis direction L _XY basic vector in diagonal direction

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. Digital drawing graphic data is provided with basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction that are orthogonal to each other, and the respective basic vectors in an oblique direction with respect to the respective basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Vector drawing graphic data conversion means for interpolating with a diagonal basic vector of a size different from the above and converting into digital graphic data for vector drawing, and D / A conversion of the X axis component of the digital graphic data for vector drawing. An X-axis D / A converter, a Y-axis D / A converter for D / A converting the Y-axis component of the vector drawing digital graphic data, and a drawing beam modulated by the vector drawing digital graphic data A beam output source for outputting the beam, an X-axis deflector that is actuated by the output of the X-axis D / A converter, and deflects the drawing beam in the X-axis direction; A beam exposure apparatus comprising: a Y-axis deflector which is operated by the output of a D / A converter and deflects the drawing beam in the Y-axis direction; and a digital drawing data portion for drawing the vector, which is interpolated by the oblique basic vector. Both the X-axis and Y-axis D /
When the A / D converter simultaneously performs D / A conversion, and when the vector drawing digital graphic data portion interpolated with each basic vector in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the D-axis on either the X-axis or the Y-axis is used. / A converter alone D / A
D / A conversion time for changing the D / A conversion time of each D / A converter depending on the size difference between the diagonal basic vector and the basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. A beam exposure apparatus comprising a control means. 2. The diagonal basic vector extends in a direction of 45 ° with respect to the basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and is 2 ^{1/2 of the} basic vector in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
The D / A conversion time control means is configured to double the size, and the digital graphic data portion for vector drawing interpolated by the diagonal basic vector is simultaneously processed by both the X-axis and Y-axis D / A converters. Each D / A at the time of D / A conversion
The D / A conversion time of the converter is interpolated with each of the basic vectors in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the digital graphic data portion for vector drawing is D / A of either the X-axis or the Y-axis. 2. The beam exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the D / A conversion time of each D / A converter when the converter alone performs the D / A conversion is set to 2 ^1/2 times. 3. The beam according to claim 1, wherein the D / A conversion time of each D / A converter is changed by adjusting the pulse interval of the strobe signal for setting the sampling timing of each D / A converter. Exposure equipment.