JP4977935B2 - Photomask data display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display device for photomask data for a drawing apparatus, and in particular, displays photomask data for a target drawing apparatus based on information in a cache file corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing apparatus. The present invention relates to a display device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, various functions of LSl represented by ASIC have been required to have higher integration and higher functionality due to the trend toward higher functionality and lighter and smaller electronic devices.
LSIs such as the above ASICs, through function, logic design, circuit design, layout design, etc., produce graphic data for photomask pattern production, use this to produce a photomask, and then use the photomask pattern as a wafer It is manufactured through a number of processes in which it is transferred by reduction projection exposure or the like and a semiconductor element manufacturing process is performed.
[0003]
Under such circumstances, the LSI industry generally uses a stream format as a file format for LSI layout data in an LSI design process and a photomask manufacturing process. The LSI layout data is converted into a data format and is provided to each drawing apparatus as photomask data for the drawing apparatus.
Photomask data for a drawing apparatus includes, for example, a MEBES format (for a Perkin Elmer drawing apparatus) and an EBM format (for a Toshiba drawing apparatus) for a raster type electron beam drawing apparatus, and a vector type electron For line drawing devices, there are Jeol formats (for drawing devices manufactured by JEOL Ltd.), but there are various others.
[0004]
Then, while displaying the photomask data for the drawing device on the display device and performing enlargement and reduction display, pattern placement confirmation before manufacturing the photomask, identification of the dimension inspection location, data defect analysis when a defect occurs, etc. May be performed.
However, in recent years, more and more photomask data, particularly photomask data for drawing apparatus, has been rapidly increasing in scale, and accordingly, the time spent for viewing photomask data for drawing apparatus in these operations. Has become a problem in terms of workability.
Conventionally, even when an arbitrary display area is enlarged or reduced, the corresponding graphic information is displayed from the result of searching all data from the beginning to the end of the photomask data for the drawing apparatus. .
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in recent years, as photomask data for drawing devices has been increasing in scale, when displaying graphic information of photomask data for drawing devices, or whenever the display area is enlarged or reduced. The time required for display took more than a practical level, and the response was required.
The present invention corresponds to this, and even when the file size of the photomask data for the drawing apparatus is increased, it does not depend on the size, and the graphic information display of the photomask data for the drawing apparatus, or It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device capable of performing enlargement and reduction display of a display area within a practical level of time.
Specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a photomask data display device capable of reducing a file open time and a display time for viewing photomask data for a drawing apparatus.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A photomask data display device of the present invention is a display device for displaying photomask data for a target drawing device based on information in a cache file corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing device. Storage means for storing and storing photomask data, a cache file, etc. for the drawing apparatus, and a cache file for checking whether or not a cache file of the target photomask data for the drawing apparatus exists in the storage means Confirmation means, cache file creation means for creating a cache file corresponding to photomask data for a drawing apparatus, display method determination means for acquiring information from the cache file and determining a display method, and display method determination means In the storage means according to the file seek information of the cache file. And a graphic acquisition means for acquiring graphic data corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing apparatus, and an abbreviated graphic generation means for generating abbreviated graphic data from the abbreviation information of the cache file according to an instruction from the display method determining means, Graphic data obtained by the graphic acquisition means, graphic display control means for controlling the display of the abbreviated graphic obtained by the abbreviated graphic generation means, display means for displaying these figures, and photomask data to be displayed An input unit for inputting a name, a display position, and the like, and a control unit for controlling each unit , and the cache file corresponds to photomask data for a drawing apparatus in accordance with a predetermined value. It is divided into a plurality of figure group data consisting of a number of figures, and the plurality of figure group data are grouped together. Each figure group data includes the figure number, figure surface A bit representing whether or not a figure exists for each divided part when the figure zone, the file seek address start and end in the photomask data for the drawing device, and the figure area are separated by a predetermined mesh Omitted information when generating the abbreviated graphic data as the file seek information when acquiring the figure of the photo mask data with the file seek address beginning and end of each graphic group As described above, it is used .
In the photomask data display device described above, the photomask data for the drawing device is photomask data for a large-scale LSI.
[0007]
Here, the photomask data for large-scale LSI is the photomask data of logic LSI, memory LSI, and ASIC that are equipped with millions or more transistors, which are generally known, and the file size is also in gigabyte order. It means that.
[0008]
[Action]
The photomask data display device of the present invention has such a configuration, so that even when the file size of the photomask data for the drawing device becomes large, the graphic information of the photomask data does not depend on the size. Or a display device that can perform display of an enlarged or reduced display area within a practical level of time.
Specifically, a display device for displaying photomask data for a target drawing device based on information in a cache file corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing device, the photomask for the drawing device. Storage means for storing and storing mask data, cache files, etc., cache file existence confirmation means for confirming whether or not a cache file for a target drawing apparatus for photomask data exists in the storage means, and a drawing apparatus Cache file creation means for creating a cache file corresponding to the photomask data for use, a display method determination means for obtaining information from the cache file and determining a display method, and a cache file according to instructions from the display method determination means The file seek information is used to search the storage means, and the photomask for the drawing device is used. Graphic data acquisition means for acquiring graphic data corresponding to the graphic data, graphic data obtained by the graphic acquisition means for generating the graphic data omitted from the omission information of the cache file in accordance with instructions from the display method determination means The graphic display control means for controlling the display of the abbreviated figure obtained by the abbreviated figure generation means, the display means for displaying these figures, the photomask data name to be displayed, the display position, etc. are input. And a control unit for controlling each unit , wherein the cache file corresponds to photomask data for a drawing apparatus and includes a plurality of graphic groups made up of a predetermined number of graphics. The data is divided into a plurality of graphic group data, and each graphic group data includes the number of graphics, the graphic area, the graphic zone, and the drawing device. When the file seek address start and end in the photomask data and the graphic area are separated by a predetermined mesh, each of the divided parts has a bitmap that represents whether or not a graphic exists. By using the beginning and end of the file seek address of the graphic group as file seek information when acquiring a graphic of photomask data, and using a bitmap as abbreviated information when generating abbreviated graphic data Has achieved this.
Specifically, in the photomask data display device of the present invention, when displaying the photomask data for the target drawing apparatus, a cache file is used, and the photomask data for the drawing apparatus is searched, The file seek information for obtaining the graphic data and the omission information for generating the omission figure data for the photomask data for the drawing apparatus are provided in this cache file, and the photomask data for the drawing apparatus is provided. By displaying the display using omission information for generating omission graphic data of the cache file as much as possible, it is possible to display the designated area of the photomask data for the drawing apparatus within a predetermined range of a practical level. It is possible.
[0009]
The photomask data cache file for the drawing apparatus is divided into a plurality of figure group data composed of a predetermined number of figures corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing apparatus, and the plurality of figure group data are combined and combined. Things.
Each figure group data includes the number of figures, the figure area, the figure zone, the file seek address start and end in the photomask data for the drawing apparatus, and the figure area when the figure area is separated by a predetermined mesh. One having a bitmap representing whether or not a graphic exists for each.
In this case, the file seek address start and end of each figure group is used as file seek information when acquiring a figure of photomask data for the drawing apparatus, and when omitting a bitmap, when omitting figure data, it is omitted. It can be used as information.
That is, map information of graphic groups is prepared in advance in a cache file, and in actual display, graphic data can be retrieved from a specific location in photomask data for a drawing device and displayed based on this map information. In some cases, the abbreviated figure can be displayed using the abbreviated figure data of the cache file.
According to the present invention, since it is not necessary to search the entire photomask data for the drawing apparatus as in the prior art, the display time can be set to a predetermined time of a practical level without depending on the data size. It becomes possible to keep within the range.
This is particularly effective when the photomask data for the drawing apparatus is large-scale photomask data.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be given and described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration and operation of an example of an embodiment of a photomask data display device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 (a) is a diagram showing the structure of a cache file. FIG. 2B is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the figure arrangement on the photomask, the figure group, and the figure, and FIG. 2C is the storage of the cache file seek tip position and seek end position, and corresponding photomask data. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the bitmap display, and FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C show the status of the bitmap. 4 (a1), FIG. 4 (b1), and FIG. 4 (c1) are omitted figures generated corresponding to FIG. 4 (a), FIG. 4 (b), and FIG. 4 (c), respectively. FIG. 5 (a) shows a figure of a figure group, and FIG. 5 (b) shows FIG. 5 (a). It is a diagram showing a state in which collapsed the figure group.
FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a state of being divided by a predetermined mesh, and FIG. 3B is a diagram in which bit states corresponding to the divided areas A (m, n) are arranged according to the arrangement of the divided areas. It is a thing.
In FIG. 1, S11 to S29 indicate processing steps.
1, 2, and 3, 110 is a storage unit (magnetic disk), 120 is a cache file existence confirmation unit, 130 is a cache file creation unit, 140 is a display method determination unit, 150 is an abbreviated figure generation unit, and 160 is Graphic acquisition means, 170 graphic display control means, 180 display means (display), 190 control unit, 200 input means, 210 photomask data for drawing apparatus, 211 graphic information, 220 cache file, 221 Is cache information, 230 is input information (display position, data name, etc.), 240 is omission information (bitmap information), 250 is file seek information, 260 is display graphic data, 270 is cache file existence information, 311 is graphic Groups 1 and 312 are figure groups 2 and 320 are figures, 330 is a zone, and A (m, n) is minutes. Area, Me is a mesh.
[0011]
One example of the embodiment of the photomask data display device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This example is for displaying photomask data 210 for a target drawing apparatus based on information in a cache file 220 corresponding to photomask data for a raster type or vector type electron beam drawing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, the display device includes a storage means 110, a cache file existence confirmation means 120, a cache file creation means 130, a display method determination means 140, an abbreviated figure generation means 150, and a figure acquisition means 160. , Graphic display control means 170, display means 180, input means 200, and control unit 190.
The storage means 110 is for storing and storing photomask data 210, a cache file 220, and the like for the drawing apparatus.
The cache file existence confirmation unit 120 is for confirming whether or not a cache file of the target photomask data for the drawing apparatus exists in the storage unit 110.
The cache file creation means 130 is for creating a cache file corresponding to photomask data for a drawing apparatus.
The display method determining means 140 acquires information from the cache file 220 and determines the display method. The display method determining means 140 determines whether to display an abbreviated graphic or a photomask data graphic for a drawing apparatus. .
The graphic acquisition unit 160 searches the file seek information 250 of the cache file 220 according to the instruction of the display method determination unit 140 and acquires corresponding graphic data of the photomask data for the drawing apparatus.
The abbreviated graphic generation unit 150 generates abbreviated graphic data from the abbreviated information 240 of the cache file 220 in accordance with an instruction from the display method determination unit 140.
The graphic display control means 170 controls the display of the graphic data obtained by the graphic acquisition means 160 and the abbreviated graphic obtained by the abbreviated graphic generation means 150.
The display means 180 is for displaying these figures.
The input unit 200 is for inputting a photomask data name for a drawing apparatus to be displayed, a display position, and the like.
The control unit 190 is for controlling each unit.
[0012]
The cache file is divided into a plurality of figure group data composed of a predetermined number of figures corresponding to the photomask data 210 for the drawing apparatus, and the plurality of divided figure group data are grouped together. A cache file corresponding to FIG. 2B in which a group is arranged on two photomasks is represented as shown in FIG.
Here, in order to make the explanation easy to understand, the relationship between the format, the graphic group, and the graphic is simply taken using the cache file corresponding to FIG. 2B in which the graphic group is arranged on two photomasks. As will be described, the number of graphic groups is not limited to two.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the data of the graphic group 1 and the data of the graphic group 2 are files in the number of graphics, graphic area, zone (referred to as graphic zone), and photomask data for the drawing apparatus, respectively. When the seek start position that is the start of the seek address, the seek end position that is the end of the file seek address in the photomask data for the drawing device, and when the figure area is divided by a predetermined mesh, there is a figure for each divided place. And a bitmap representing whether or not.
[0013]
The seek start position and seek end position of each graphic group indicate the address of the storage means 110, and are used as file seek information when acquiring a graphic of photomask data for a drawing apparatus.
As for the photomask data for the drawing apparatus on the storage unit 110, as shown in FIG. 2C, the data of the graphic group 1 is stored in the graphic group 2 at the address (0000-0004) of the storage unit 110. Is stored at the addresses (0005 to 0016) of the storage means 110, the data of each graphic group can be easily obtained based on the seek start position and seek end position of the cache file.
[0014]
The bitmap is used as omission information when generating omission graphic data. For each divided area A (m, n) (m and n are integers) obtained by dividing the area of the graphic group with a predetermined mesh, Bit 1 is assigned to an area with a graphic, and bit 0 is assigned to an area without a graphic.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, when a graphic group is divided into divided areas A (i, j) to A (i + 8, j + 4), the corresponding bitmap is as shown in FIG. Become.
[0015]
In the case of bitmaps mapped as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, for example, FIGS. 4A1 and 4C correspond to these, respectively. b1) A figure is generated as shown in FIG.
Further, when a plurality of the same figures as shown in FIG. 5A are arranged at a display magnification of 1000, only one figure may be displayed at a display magnification of 1 as shown in FIG. 5B. good.
[0016]
Next, an example of the processing operation of the photomask data display device of the present invention will be briefly described with reference to FIG.
First, the input means 200 inputs a photomask data name for a drawing apparatus to be displayed, a display position, and the like. (S11)
Via the control unit 190 (S12), the cache file existence confirmation unit 120 confirms whether there is a cache file corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing apparatus to be displayed in the storage unit 110 (S13). The file presence / absence information 270 is sent to the control unit 190. (S14)
[0017]
When the cache file existence confirmation unit 120 confirms that there is no cache file corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing apparatus to be displayed, and information indicating no cache file is sent to the control unit 190, the control unit 190 The cache file creation means 130 is instructed to create a cache file corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing apparatus to be displayed. (S12)
The cache file creation unit 130 (S15) obtains the graphic information 211 from the drawing device photomask data 210 (S16) to be displayed in the storage unit 110 (S17), and corresponds to the drawing device photomask data 210. Then, it is divided into a plurality of graphic group data consisting of a predetermined number of graphics, and for each graphic group data, the cache information 221 as each piece of information of the cache file is extracted (S18). A cache file 220 is created in which data is gathered together. (S19)
The cache information 221 is information such as the number of figures, the figure area, the figure zone, the file seek address head and tail in the photomask data for the drawing apparatus, and the bitmap.
When the cache file existence confirmation unit 120 confirms that there is a cache file corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing apparatus to be displayed, and information on the presence of the cache file is sent to the control unit 190, the cache file creation unit At 130, the cache file creation process is not performed.
[0018]
The display method determining means 140 acquires the cache file information (S21) corresponding to the input information sent under the instruction of the control unit 190, and displays the information for each graphic group. Instead, it is determined whether or not the graphic group of the photomask data for the drawing apparatus is displayed as it is. (S22)
In the display method determining means 140, first, the information of the graphic group corresponding to the display position is read from the cache file 220, and the dot size on the display is compared with the size of the display area determined from the zone information of the cache file 220. Then, based on the graphic group information stored in the cache file 220, it is determined whether or not to omit the display.
When αμm is converted into photomask data displayed by one dot of the display, if one bit of the graphic group is smaller than αμm, an abbreviated display is performed.
Further, when it is determined that an omitted figure is not generated, the number of figures of the figure group and the figure area are determined for the target figure group, and the figure group to be omitted and displayed is selected by this determination.
The determination is performed as follows, for example.
In the case where α μm is converted into photomask data displayed by one dot of the display, the length per bit of the bitmap of the graphic group is equal to or less than a predetermined constant multiple of 1 μm or more, and When the number of figures is a predetermined number or more and the figure area ratio (%) is a predetermined value or more, the object is omitted.
Here, [graphic area / graphic zone area] × 100 is defined as the area ratio.
For the graphic group determined to be omitted, the omission information 240 (S23) including the bitmap is sent to the omission graphic generation means 150 to generate the corresponding omission graphic. (S24)
The graphic generated by the abbreviated graphic generation means 150 is used as display graphic data 260 (S28), and the display graphic data 260 (S28) is displayed on the display means 180 under the control of the graphic display control means 170 (S27). Display. (S29)
On the other hand, for graphic groups other than the graphic group determined to be omitted, the graphic group of the photomask data for the drawing apparatus is determined to be displayed as it is, and the file seek information 250 of the cache file 220 is determined. (S25) is sent to the figure acquisition means 160. (S26)
The graphic acquisition means 160 performs a seek based on the received file seek information 250 and acquires data of a graphic group corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing apparatus in the storage means 110.
The graphic acquired by the graphic acquisition means 160 is used as display graphic data 260 (S28), and the display graphic data 260 (S28) is displayed on the display means 180 under the control of the graphic display control means 170 (S27). Let (S29)
In this way, display of a predetermined position of the photomask data for the target drawing apparatus is performed.
[0019]
【Effect of the invention】
As described above, the present invention is not dependent on the size even if the file size of the photomask data for the drawing apparatus is increased, and does not depend on the size. It is possible to provide a display device that can perform enlargement and reduction display within a practical level of time.
As a result, it has become possible to provide a photomask data display device that can shorten the file open time and the display time for viewing photomask data for a drawing apparatus.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration and operation of an example of an embodiment of a photomask data display device of the present invention.
2A is a diagram showing the structure of a cache file, and FIG. 2B is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the figure layout on the photomask, the figure group, and the figure. (c) is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the seek tip position and seek end position of the cache file and the storage position of the corresponding photomask data.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining bitmap display;
4 (a), 4 (b), and 4 (c) are diagrams showing bitmap states, and FIGS. 4 (a1), 4 (b1), and 4 (c1) are FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing abbreviated figures generated corresponding to FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C, respectively.
FIG. 5 (a) illustrates a graphic of the graphic group, and FIG. 5 (b) illustrates a state in which the graphic group of FIG. 5 (a) is omitted.
[Explanation of symbols]
110 Storage means (magnetic disk)
120 cache file existence confirmation means 130 cache file creation means 140 display method determination means 150 abbreviated figure generation means 160 figure acquisition means 170 figure display control means 180 display device (display)
190 Control unit 200 Input means 210 Photomask data for drawing apparatus 211 Graphic information 220 Cache file 221 Cache information 230 Input information (display position, data name, etc.)
240 Omitted information (bitmap information)
250 File seek information 260 Display graphic data 270 Cache file existence information 311 Graphic group 1
312 Figure group 2
320 figure 330 zone A (m, n) divided area Me mesh

Claims (2)

A display device for displaying photomask data for a target drawing device based on information of a cache file corresponding to the photomask data for the drawing device, the photomask data for the drawing device, and a cache file Storage means for storing and storing, etc., cache file existence confirmation means for confirming whether or not a cache file of the target photomask data for the drawing apparatus exists in the storage means, and photomask data for the drawing apparatus Cache file creation means for creating a cache file corresponding to the above, a display method determination means for acquiring information from the cache file and determining a display method, and a file method seek information of the cache file according to instructions of the display method determination means Search the storage means, and the photomask data for the drawing device The figure acquisition means for acquiring the corresponding figure data and the omitted figure generation means for generating the omitted figure data from the omission information of the cache file according to the instruction of the display method determination means, the figure data obtained by the figure acquisition means, and the omission A graphic display control means for controlling the display of the abbreviated figure obtained by the graphic generation means, a display means for displaying these figures, a photomask data name to be displayed, a position for display, etc. An input unit and a control unit for controlling each unit are provided , and the cache file includes a plurality of graphic group data including a predetermined number of graphics corresponding to photomask data for a drawing apparatus. Divided into a plurality of graphic group data, and each graphic group data includes the number of graphics, the graphic area, the graphic zone, and the photomask for the drawing apparatus. Each figure has a bitmap that indicates whether or not a figure exists when the figure seek area at the beginning and end of the data is divided by a predetermined mesh. The beginning and end of a file seek address of a group are used as file seek information when acquiring a figure of photomask data, and a bitmap is used as abbreviated information when generating omitted figure data. A display device for photomask data.   2. The photomask data display device according to claim 1, wherein the photomask data for the drawing device is photomask data for a large-scale LSI.

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