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Guidelines of Mask Design for MiRC Mask Shop| 1. Software Any CAD tools such as AutoCAD, Cadence, Lasi, Ledit, Magic, or others could be used to design your masks as long as GDSII, or DXF format can be obtained. |
| 2. Design rules 2.1. Minimum feature size: 3 um 2.2. Minimum feature increment: 1 um 2.3. Minimum position increment: 0.5 um 2.4. Maximum layout size: 85 mm x 85 mm 2.5. Snap grid: 0.5 um (or integral multiple) |
| 3. File format and file size 3.1. *.DWM 3.2. File size less than 1MB is recommended. If the file is over 1 MB, an additional charge will be incurred. MiRC has installed a software package in its PC cluster in Room 230A to convert *.DXF and *.GDS into *.DWM (see instructions of GDS2PG and DXF2PG). To access the room and the software, please see MiRC computer staff in Room 201.More detailed manuals on data conversion and data sort can be obtained by clicking these links: ASM 2500W DXF to Pattern Generator Postprocessor, PGSORT User's Manual |
| 4. Pattern generation and reduction Pattern designed with above rules will be generated by PG in ratio 1:1. If the pattern requires 1 um feature size or needs to be repeated many times, it will need both PG and the stepper to generate the mask. When the stepper is requested, an addition to above rules is to design the pattern 5 times larger than its actual size (The maximum layout size is still 85 mm x 85 mm). The pattern will then be generated by PG and reduced and repeated by the stepper over a 150 x 150 mm area (typical plate sizes are 100 x 100 mm). The row and column spacing can be specified (in 0.1 micron increments, with 0.6 micron accuracy of placement over a full plate) so as to avoid overlap of adjacent exposures. |
| 5. Mask plates Mask plates are made in two different types: dark field and clear field. In dark field masks, the pattern you designed will be transparent to light and other area will be opaque. The clear field mask has opaque pattern and transparent field. There are two mask sizes available: 5 X 5 inches and 4 X 4 inches. If a stepper job is requested (4 or 5 inches plate), a 5 X 5 inches mask generated by pattern generator should also be requested. |