JPH11297603A - Electron beam drawing pattern forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: In an electron beam drawing pattern forming method having a figure dividing step for dividing a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures each of which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus, the figure dividing result can be performed at high speed. To be obtained. First, in a graphic classification step 11, an input graphic group is classified into a basic graphic and other polygonal graphics. Here, only the input figures classified as polygon figures are sent to the next figure division direction prediction step 12. Figure division direction prediction process 1
In step 2, based on shape information such as the side lengths and vertex positions of the input polygonal figure, the polygonal figure is horizontally divided by a dividing line in the x-coordinate axis direction so that the generation of a basic figure having a small width can be avoided. It is predicted whether the image should be divided or whether the image should be vertically divided along a dividing line in the y-coordinate axis direction. In the next figure division executing step 13, the polygon figure is horizontally or vertically divided into a plurality of basic figures according to the result of the prediction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electron beam drawing pattern forming method, and more particularly to a method of dividing an inputted polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus. The present invention relates to a method for forming an electron beam drawing pattern.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A variable-shaped electron beam exposure apparatus is generally used for forming a mask pattern on a reticle plate used for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit. In this case, the polygonal figure defined by the mask pattern data is divided into a plurality of basic figures, each of which can be easily beam-scanned, and is then exposed for each basic figure. Here, the basic figure is 3
A figure having one or more vertices or four vertices, and having at least one figure whose size and shape do not change from the figure before the division line is inserted when a division line is inserted in the x coordinate axis direction and the y coordinate axis direction from each vertex. A thing. That is, the x coordinate axis or y
Either a triangular figure having one side parallel to the coordinate axis or a square figure having at least one pair of two opposite sides parallel to the x-axis or the y-axis is referred to as a basic figure. For example, x
A triangular figure having one side parallel to the coordinate axis, a triangular figure having one side parallel to the y coordinate axis, and an opposite 2 parallel to the x coordinate axis
A trapezoidal figure having sides, a trapezoidal figure having two opposite sides parallel to the y coordinate axis, and a rectangular figure having two opposite sides parallel to the x coordinate axis and two opposite sides parallel to the y coordinate axis are all basic figures. is there. A polygon figure refers to a figure having three or more vertices, excluding the basic figure. When a basic figure is input, it is not necessary to divide the basic figure again.

In order to increase the dimensional accuracy of a drawing pattern, it is preferable to divide a figure so as to avoid generation of a basic figure having a minute width. Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
According to the prior art disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 166706, whether an input polygonal figure is horizontally divided by a dividing line in the x coordinate axis direction or vertically divided by a dividing line in the y coordinate axis direction is as follows. It is determined. That is, first, a plurality of rectangular figures are obtained by horizontally dividing a polygon figure, the aspect ratio (dimension in the y-coordinate axis direction / dimension in the x-coordinate axis direction) of each rectangular figure is calculated, and the average of those aspect ratios is calculated. Calculate the value (average aspect ratio). Further, a plurality of rectangular figures are obtained by vertically dividing the original polygon figure, and the aspect ratio and average aspect ratio of each rectangular figure are calculated. Finally, one of the vertical division and the horizontal division whose average aspect ratio is close to 1 is adopted.

[0004]

In the above prior art, either the horizontal division or the vertical division is performed and then either one is adopted. Therefore, an enormous procedure and time are required to derive the figure division result. There was a problem of cost.

[0005] Further, since the above-mentioned prior art employs either horizontal division or vertical division, a polygonal figure having a concave corner formed by vertices having an interior angle larger than 180 degrees is input. In such a case, there is a problem that the interior angles are not equally divided. For example, an inner angle of 270 degrees of the concave corner is divided into two angles of an inner angle of 90 degrees and an inner angle of 180 degrees. At the vertices of each figure after figure division, “bleeding” or “rounding” usually occurs during drawing. Therefore, if the concave corner is divided unequally, the drawing result of the concave corner will be distorted.

Further, since the above prior art adopts either horizontal division or vertical division, a polygonal figure having oblique sides that are not parallel to either the x-coordinate axis or the y-coordinate axis is input. In this case, there is a problem that the dividing direction cannot be determined from the aspect ratio.

A first object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam drawing pattern forming method having a figure dividing step for dividing a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus. Is to be able to derive at high speed.

A second object of the present invention is to allow a concave corner to be divided into a plurality of figures having the same angle in the same electron beam drawing pattern forming method.

A third object of the present invention is to achieve division of a polygonal figure having oblique sides in the method for forming an electron beam drawing pattern.

[0010]

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the first object, a solution taken by the invention of claim 1 is to divide a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures each of which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus. In the method for forming an electron beam drawing pattern having a figure dividing step for performing a figure dividing step, a figure for predicting in which direction the polygon figure should be divided from the shape of the inputted polygon figure The configuration includes a division direction prediction step and a figure division execution step for dividing a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures according to the prediction result of the figure division direction prediction step.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the actual division of the polygonal figure is executed according to the result of the division direction prediction based on the shape of the input polygonal figure. As a result, the number of times of performing the graphic division can be reduced as compared with the case where the graphic division is performed in the two directions and the division direction is determined based on the result.

A second aspect of the present invention is based on the premise of the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention, and further comprises a first parallelism parallel to the x coordinate axis or the y coordinate axis.
Either a triangular figure having sides or a square figure having at least one pair of two opposite sides parallel to the x-coordinate axis or the y-coordinate axis is used as a basic figure. This is a configuration having a process for determining whether to perform horizontal division using a dividing line in the direction or to perform vertical division using a dividing line in the y-coordinate axis direction.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, based on the configuration of the second aspect of the present invention, the figure dividing direction predicting step calculates a distance between x-coordinates of a plurality of vertices of the polygonal figure and calculates the calculated distance. an x-coordinate distance calculating step for outputting a minimum value of the x-coordinate distances; calculating a distance between y-coordinates of a plurality of vertices of the polygonal figure; Calculating a distance between y coordinates for outputting a minimum value;
The minimum value of the inter-coordinate distance and the minimum value of the y-coordinate distance are compared. If the minimum value of the x-coordinate distance is smaller, the horizontal division is performed. The minimum value of the y-coordinate distance is smaller. In such a case, a configuration is provided that includes a coordinate distance comparison step for designating a vertical division.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, based on the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention, the figure dividing step is inputted so that the basic figure is not inputted to the figure dividing direction predicting step and the figure dividing executing step. The configuration further includes a figure classification step for classifying figures.

[0015] In order to achieve the second object, the present invention provides a fifth aspect.
The solution taken by the invention of the invention is to provide a method for forming a pattern for electron beam drawing having a figure dividing step for dividing a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures each of which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus. A concave corner detecting step for detecting a concave corner formed by vertices having an internal angle larger than 180 degrees among a plurality of vertices of the polygonal figure, and a concave shape for equally dividing the internal angle larger than 180 degrees. An intersection calculation step for extending an equiangular segment from the corner toward the inside of the polygonal graphic, and calculating an intersection of the equiangularity with the sides of the polygonal graphic and other equiangular segments,
A figure division executing step for dividing a polygonal figure by a line segment connecting the concave corner and the calculated intersection is provided.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the interior angle of the concave corner is divided into a plurality of interior angles having the same angle. Therefore, "bleeding" and "rounding" are uniformly generated during drawing at the vertices of each figure after figure division according to the concave corner, and good drawing quality of the concave corner is guaranteed. In addition, since there is no need for an extra step such as determining the direction of division after performing graphic division a plurality of times as in the prior art, graphic division can be performed at high speed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a polygonal figure having vertices having an inner angle of 270 degrees is input as a concave corner, based on the premise of the invention of the fifth aspect, and x
Either a triangular figure having one side parallel to the coordinate axis or the y coordinate axis or a square figure having at least one pair of two opposite sides parallel to the x coordinate axis or the y coordinate axis is used as a basic figure, and the intersection calculation step is performed at 270 degrees. Are extended in the x-coordinate axis direction and the y-coordinate axis direction, respectively, so as to equally divide the inner angle into three, and each of the two isometric lines is connected to the sides of the polygonal figure and other isometric angles. The method includes a step for calculating an intersection with a branch line, and the figure division executing step includes a step for dividing the polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures by a line connecting the concave corner and the calculated intersection. It has a configuration to have.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the third object,
The solution taken by the invention of the invention is to provide a method of forming an electron beam drawing pattern having a figure dividing step for dividing a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures each of which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus. Connected to an oblique side not parallel to any of the coordinate axis and the y coordinate axis, and
A special polygonal figure having a concave corner formed by vertices having interior angles larger than degrees is defined by a line segment connecting the concave corner and the vertex having the shortest distance to the concave corner among vertices not adjacent to the concave corner. First for dividing into multiple figures
And a second figure division execution step for dividing each of the polygonal figures among the plurality of figures obtained in the first figure division execution step into a plurality of basic figures. The configuration is as follows.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, after a special polygonal figure having a concave corner connected to a side in an oblique direction is divided into a plurality of figures by a line segment between vertices (including a line segment in a diagonal direction), Since the two-stage graphic division of dividing each of the polygonal figures generated by the division into a plurality of basic figures is employed, the division of the special polygonal figure having the oblique side can be achieved.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is based on the premise of the seventh aspect of the present invention, wherein at least one pair of a triangular figure having one side parallel to the x coordinate axis or the y coordinate axis and at least one pair parallel to the x coordinate axis or the y coordinate axis. Any of a square figure having two opposing sides as a basic figure, and a second figure division executing step,
A configuration having a step of determining whether each of the polygonal figures obtained in the first figure division execution step is horizontally divided by a division line in the x coordinate axis direction or vertically divided by a division line in the y coordinate axis direction It was done.

The ninth aspect of the present invention is based on the premise of the seventh aspect of the present invention, wherein the figure dividing step is performed so that a figure other than the special polygon figure is not input to the first figure dividing execution step.
The configuration further includes a graphic classification step for classifying the input graphic.

[0022]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic flow of an electron beam drawing pattern forming method according to the present invention. First, in the graphic processing step 1, various graphic processings are performed on the mask pattern data in order to prevent multiple exposure.
More specifically, the processing includes a graphic OR operation and a graphic AND operation. Next, in a figure dividing step 2, the polygonal figure defined by the processed mask pattern data is divided into a plurality of basic figures each of which can be drawn by the electron beam exposure apparatus. Here, a basic figure is either a triangular figure having one side parallel to the x-coordinate axis or the y-coordinate axis, or a quadrangle figure having at least one pair of two opposite sides parallel to the x-coordinate axis or the y-coordinate axis. Finally, in a format conversion step 3, the basic graphic data is converted into drawing pattern data having a format unique to the electron beam exposure apparatus. The electron beam exposure apparatus forms a pattern on, for example, a reticle plate using the drawing pattern data formed as described above.

Hereinafter, first to third embodiments of the figure dividing step 2 in FIG. 1 will be sequentially described.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the figure dividing step 2 in FIG. In FIG.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a graphic classification step for classifying the input graphic group into a basic graphic and another polygonal graphic. Reference numeral 12 denotes a figure division direction prediction step for predicting in which direction the polygon figure should be divided from the shape of the polygon figure output from the figure classification step 11. Specifically, whether the polygonal figure is horizontally divided by the dividing line in the x coordinate axis direction,
It is determined whether to divide vertically by a dividing line in the y-coordinate axis direction. 13 is a figure division executing step for dividing the polygon figure into a plurality of basic figures according to the prediction result of the figure division direction prediction step 12.

FIG. 3 shows the figure division direction prediction step 1 in FIG.
2 shows a detailed flow. In FIG. 3, 21 is
This is an x coordinate value calculating step for calculating the x coordinate value of each vertex of the polygonal figure. Reference numeral 22 denotes an x coordinate for calculating a distance between adjacent x coordinate values from the x coordinate value output from the x coordinate value calculation step 21 and outputting a minimum value of the calculated distance between x coordinates. This is a distance calculating step. 23
Is y for calculating the y coordinate value of each vertex of the polygonal figure.
This is a coordinate value calculation step. 24 is a y coordinate value calculating step 23
A distance between adjacent y-coordinate values is calculated from the y-coordinate values output from, and a minimum value of the calculated y-coordinate distances is output. 2
5 compares the minimum value of the x-coordinate distance output from the x-coordinate distance calculation step 22 with the minimum value of the y-coordinate distance output from the y-coordinate distance calculation step 24;
If the minimum value of the distance between coordinates is smaller, horizontal division is used.
When the minimum value of the y-coordinate distance is smaller, this is a coordinate-distance comparing step for outputting a division command so as to designate a vertical division, respectively.

Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to specific examples shown in FIGS. FIG. 4 shows an example of an input graphic group provided to the graphic classification step 11. 31 and 34 are trapezoidal figures;
Is a rectangular figure, and 33 and 35 are polygon figures. In the figure classification step 11, only the two polygon figures 33 and 35, which are non-basic figures, are sent to the figure division direction prediction step 12.

FIG. 5 shows that division by vertical line segments is selected in the figure division direction predicting step 12 for the polygonal figure 33 in FIG. x1 to x6 indicate the x coordinate values of each vertex of the polygonal figure 33, X1 to X5 indicate the distances of the coordinate values x1 to x6, and y1 to y4 indicate the polygonal figure 3
3 is the y coordinate value of each vertex, and Y1 to Y3 are the coordinate values y1 to y.
4 represents each distance. Since the minimum value of the distance between the x coordinates is X3 and the minimum value of the distance between the y coordinates is Y1 and X3> Y1, the distance between coordinates comparison step 25
A vertical division instruction is output to the figure division executing step 13 so as to vertically divide the polygonal figure 33.

FIG. 6 shows that the polygonal figure 33 shown in FIG.
3, 54 and 55 are shown.

FIG. 7 shows that the polygonal figure 35 in FIG.
Is divided horizontally. The figure division execution step 13 receives a horizontal division instruction from the coordinate distance comparison step 25.

FIG. 8 shows the entire division result of the input graphic group shown in FIG. 70 to 80 are basic figures.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the actual division of the polygonal figure is executed according to the result of the division direction prediction based on the shape of the polygonal figure. As compared with the case where the graphic division is performed in two directions, that is, horizontal and vertical, and the division direction is determined based on the result, the number of times the graphic division is performed can be reduced. In addition, since either one of the horizontal division and the vertical division is adopted in the prediction of the division direction, either the result of the horizontal division or the result of the vertical division can be derived at high speed. Further, since it is determined whether to adopt the horizontal division or the vertical division according to the result of the magnitude comparison between the minimum value of the distance between the x coordinates and the minimum value of the distance between the y coordinates of the input polygonal figure. ,
The generation of a basic figure having a small width can be avoided. Moreover,
By adopting a pre-processing step for classifying input figures, processing of basic figures that do not need to be newly divided can be omitted, and the processing of dividing a plurality of input figures can be speeded up.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of the figure dividing step 2 in FIG. In FIG.
90 is 18 among a plurality of vertices of the input polygonal figure.
This is a concave corner detection step for detecting a concave corner formed by a vertex having an inner angle larger than 0 degrees. 91
Extends an equiangular segment from the concave corner detected in the concave corner detecting step 90 toward the inside of the polygonal figure so as to equally divide the apex angle of the concave corner, and multiplies the equiangular segment with the equiangular segment. This is an intersection calculation step for calculating an intersection between a side of the polygonal figure and another isometric line. Reference numeral 92 denotes a figure division executing step for dividing the polygonal figure by a line segment connecting the concave corner detected in the concave corner detection step 90 and the intersection calculated in the intersection calculation step 91.

Hereinafter, a specific example of FIGS. 10 to 12 will be described. FIG. 10 shows an example of a polygonal figure given to the concave corner detection step 90. The polygonal figure 100 shown in FIG. 10 has ten vertices a, b, c, d, e, f,
It is a figure having g, h, i and j. 7 vertices a,
b, c, f, g, i and j are vertices each having an internal angle of 90 degrees and form a convex corner, and three vertices d, e and h are vertices each having an internal angle of 270 degrees. To form a concave corner. The concave corner detection step 90 determines the concave corners d and e from the positional relationship between the vertices of the polygonal figure 100.
And h. For example, when the coordinates of the 10 vertices of the polygonal figure 100 are described in order from the vertex a to the vertex j, and the description is such that the inside of the figure is on the right side in the traveling direction of each side. , When the traveling direction of each side changes from the -y coordinate axis direction to the + x coordinate axis direction, changes from the + x coordinate axis direction to the + y coordinate axis direction, changes from the + y coordinate axis direction to the -x coordinate axis direction. When the angle is changed or when the direction changes from the -x coordinate axis direction to the -y coordinate axis direction, the vertex located between the sides can be recognized as a concave corner having an interior angle of 270 degrees.

FIG. 11 shows intersection points A, B, C, D, and D obtained by extending two equiangular segments from each of the concave corners d, e, and h of the polygonal figure 100 in the intersection point calculation step 91.
E and F are shown. In the intersection calculation step 91, first, two equiangular lines dividing the apex angle into three equal parts from the concave corner d are extended toward the inside of the polygonal figure 100 in the x coordinate axis direction and the y coordinate axis direction, respectively. An intersection A between one of the equiangular lines and the side ab and an intersection B between the other one of the two equiangular lines and the side aj are calculated. Similarly, two equiangular segments that divide the vertex angle into three equal parts from the concave corner e are extended toward the inside of the polygonal figure 100 in the x-coordinate axis direction and the y-coordinate axis direction, respectively. An intersection C between one of them and the side gh and an intersection D between the other one of the two equiangular lines and the side aj are calculated. Further, two equiangular segments that divide the vertex angle into three equal parts from the concave corner h are extended toward the inside of the polygonal figure 100 in the x-coordinate axis direction and the y-coordinate axis direction, respectively. And an intersection E with a line segment e-D, which is one of the equiangular segments dividing the apex angle of the concave corner e into three equal parts, and the other one of the two equiangular segments. And the intersection F of the sides a-j are calculated.

FIG. 12 shows the result of dividing the polygonal figure 100 by the figure dividing execution step 92. The figure division executing step 92 includes a line segment dA connecting the concave corner d and the intersection A.
A line segment d-B connecting the concave corner d and the intersection C, a line segment eC connecting the concave corner e and the intersection C, and a concave corner e
E-D connecting the intersection E and the intersection D, the concave corner h and the intersection E
The polygonal figure 100 is divided by a line segment h-E connecting the point H and a line segment hF connecting the concave corner h and the intersection F. The seven figures 120, 121, 12 obtained by this division
2, 123, 124, 125 and 126 are all basic figures (rectangular figures). Note that the figure division execution step 9
If polygonal figures other than the basic figure remain as a result of performing the figure division in 2, the figure division may be performed again as in the first embodiment.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the interior angle of the concave corner is divided into a plurality of interior angles having the same angle. "Bleeding" and "rounding" occur evenly at the vertex at the time of drawing, so that good drawing quality of the concave corner portion is guaranteed. In addition, since there is no need for an extra step such as determining the direction of division after performing graphic division a plurality of times as in the prior art, graphic division can be performed at high speed. In addition, since the 270-degree interior angle of the concave corner is equally divided into three 90-degree interior angles,
A plurality of basic figures can be easily obtained by a combination of horizontal division and vertical division.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 13 shows a third embodiment of the figure dividing step 2 in FIG. In FIG. 13, reference numeral 130 denotes a special polygonal figure having a concave corner formed by vertices connected to oblique sides that are not parallel to both the x-coordinate axis and the y-coordinate axis and having an interior angle larger than 180 degrees, and not otherwise. This is a figure classification step for classifying the input figure group into a normal polygon figure and a basic figure.
131 connects the figure classified as a special polygon figure in the figure classification step 130 to a concave corner of the special polygon figure and a vertex having a shortest distance from the concave corner among vertices not adjacent to the concave corner. This is a first figure division execution step for dividing a figure into a plurality of figures by line segments (including oblique line segments). 132 is a second figure division execution step for horizontally or vertically dividing each of the polygonal figures among the plurality of figures obtained in the first figure division execution step 131 into a plurality of basic figures. The figure classified into the normal polygon figure in the figure classification step 130 is sent to the second figure division execution step 132, bypassing the first figure division execution step 131. The second figure division executing step 132 also has a function of horizontally or vertically dividing each of the normal polygon figures into a plurality of basic figures. The figures classified into the basic figures in the figure classification step 130 are first and second figure division execution steps 131,
132 are bypassed.

Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to specific examples shown in FIGS. FIG. 14 shows an example of a group of input figures (all polygon figures) given to the figure classification step 130. The figure classification step 130 includes first and second polygonal figures 140,
141 is classified into a special polygonal figure, and the third polygonal figure 142 is classified into a normal polygonal figure. The vertex o in the figure is
A concave corner connected to the oblique side and having an inner angle larger than 180 degrees is formed. The vertex p is the vertex having the shortest distance from the concave corner o among the vertices not adjacent to the concave corner o. The vertex r is connected to the oblique side and forms a concave corner having an inner angle larger than 180 degrees. The vertex q is the vertex having the shortest distance from the concave corner r among the vertices not adjacent to the concave corner r. The vertices s and t are both vertices having an interior angle greater than 180 degrees and form a concave corner, but are distinguished from vertices o and r by points that are not connected to oblique sides. The determination as to whether or not the input graphic has an interior angle larger than 180 degrees can be made, for example, by the same method as in the concave corner detection step 90 of the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 shows that the first polygonal figure (special polygonal figure) 140 in FIG.
31, one basic figure 150 and two polygon figures 1
51 and 152. First,
The first graphic division executing step 131 includes a graphic classification step 130.
In the figure 140 classified as a special polygonal figure, a concave corner o connected to an oblique side, a vertex p having a shortest distance from the concave corner o among vertices not adjacent to the concave corner o, and a diagonal direction Is detected, and a vertex p having the shortest distance from the concave corner r among the vertices not adjacent to the concave corner r is detected. Then, the special polygonal figure 140 is divided into three by an oblique line connecting the concave corner o and the vertex p and an oblique line connecting the concave corner r and the vertex q. The detection of a concave corner is, for example,
This can be achieved by a method similar to that of the concave corner detection step 90 of the second embodiment. Further, the distance between a certain concave corner and the vertex excluding the two adjacent vertices of the concave corner is calculated, and the vertex having the shortest distance is extracted. The vertex having the shortest distance from the point can be detected.

FIG. 16 shows that the second polygonal figure (special polygonal figure) 141 in FIG.
31, one basic figure 160 and two polygon figures 1
61 and 162. The first figure division executing step 131 divides the special polygon figure 141 into three parts by the same method as that for the special polygon figure 140.

FIG. 17 shows one polygonal figure 1 in FIG.
FIG. 1 shows three basic figures 170, 171, and 172 as shown in FIG.
5 are two basic figures 17
3 and 174 indicate that the image is divided by the second figure division execution step 132. The second figure division execution step 132 has, for example, the same configuration as in the first embodiment. In the example of FIG. 17, one polygonal figure 151 is horizontally divided, and the other polygonal figure 152 is vertically divided.

FIG. 18 shows one polygonal figure 1 in FIG.
FIG. 1 shows three basic figures 180, 181, and 182 in FIG.
The other polygonal figure 162 in FIG.
3 and 184 indicate that the image is divided by the second graphic division execution step 132.

FIG. 19 shows that the third polygonal figure (normal polygonal figure) in FIG. 14 is divided into two basic figures 190 and 191 by the second figure division executing step 132. .

FIG. 20 shows the entire division result of the input graphic group shown in FIG. 200 to 213 are all basic figures.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, a special polygonal figure having a concave corner connected to a side in an oblique direction is converted into a plurality of figures by a line segment between vertices (including a line segment in a diagonal direction). After the division, a two-stage graphic division in which each of the polygonal figures generated by the division is divided into a plurality of basic figures is employed, so that a special polygonal figure having oblique sides can be achieved. When a plurality of polygonal figures are obtained in the first figure division executing step 131, the second figure
In the figure division execution step 132, some are horizontally divided,
Since some of them are divided vertically, a special polygonal figure having diagonal sides is efficiently divided into a plurality of basic figures by a combination of diagonal division, horizontal division and vertical division. Further, a pre-processing step 130 for classifying the input graphic
Is adopted so that a figure other than a special polygon figure is not input to the first figure division execution step 131, so that processing of a figure that does not need to be divided into two stages can be simplified, and a plurality of input figures can be divided. Can be speeded up.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible based on the gist of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0047]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the actual division of the polygonal figure is executed according to the result of the division direction prediction based on the shape of the input polygonal figure. As shown in the prior art, figure division is performed in two directions, horizontal and vertical, and the number of times of figure division is reduced as compared with determining the division direction based on the result. As a result, a figure division result can be derived at high speed. it can.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, one of the horizontal division and the vertical division is adopted in predicting the division direction, so that either the result of the horizontal division or the result of the vertical division can be performed at high speed. Can be derived.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, either the horizontal division or the vertical division is performed according to the result of the magnitude comparison between the minimum value of the distance between the x coordinates and the minimum value of the distance between the y coordinates of the input polygonal figure. Since it is decided whether or not to adopt, it is possible to avoid occurrence of a basic figure having a minute width.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the pre-processing step for classifying the input graphic is employed so that the basic graphic is not input to the graphic-dividing direction predicting step and the graphic-dividing execution step, so that it is not necessary to divide again. The processing of the basic figure can be omitted, and the processing of dividing a plurality of input figures can be speeded up.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the interior angle of the concave corner is divided into a plurality of interior angles having the same angle. "Bleeding" and "rounding" occur evenly at the time of drawing, so that good drawing quality of the concave corner portion is guaranteed. In addition, since there is no need for an extra step such as determining the direction of division after performing graphic division a plurality of times as in the prior art, graphic division can be performed at high speed.

According to the invention of claim 6, the concave corner 2
Since the interior angle of 70 degrees is equally divided into three interior angles of 90 degrees, a plurality of basic figures can be easily obtained by a combination of horizontal division and vertical division.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a special polygonal figure having a concave corner connected to an oblique side is divided into a plurality of figures by a line segment between vertices (including a line segment in a diagonal direction). Since the two-stage graphic division of dividing each of the polygonal figures generated by the division into a plurality of basic figures is employed, the division of the special polygonal figure having oblique sides can be achieved.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of polygonal figures are obtained in the first figure division execution step, in the second figure division execution step, some are horizontally divided, and some are divided horizontally. Since the vertical division is used, a special polygonal figure having oblique sides is efficiently divided into a plurality of basic figures by a combination of diagonal division, horizontal division, and vertical division.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, by adopting a pre-processing step for classifying input figures, figures other than special polygon figures are not input to the first figure division execution step. It is possible to simplify the processing of graphics that do not need to be performed, and to speed up the processing of dividing a plurality of input graphics.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic flowchart showing a method for forming an electron beam drawing pattern according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed flowchart showing a first embodiment of a figure dividing step in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing details of a figure division direction prediction step in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a specific example of an input graphic group given to a graphic classification step in FIG. 2;

5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining that division by a vertical line segment is selected for a certain polygonal figure in FIG. 4 by a figure division direction prediction step in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing that the polygonal figure is divided into five basic figures by a vertical line segment in the figure dividing execution step in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing that another polygonal figure in FIG. 4 is divided into three basic figures by horizontal line segments by a figure dividing execution step in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing an entire division result of the input graphic group shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a detailed flow chart showing a second embodiment of the figure dividing step in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a specific example of a polygonal figure given to the concave corner detection step in FIG. 9;

11 is a conceptual diagram showing an intersection obtained by extending an equiangular segment from a concave corner of the polygonal figure in the intersection calculation step in FIG. 9;

12 is a conceptual diagram showing a result of dividing the same polygonal figure by the figure dividing execution step in FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a detailed flowchart showing a third embodiment of the figure dividing step in FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing a specific example of an input graphic group given to a graphic classification step in FIG.

FIG. 15 is a conceptual diagram showing that the first polygonal figure in FIG. 14 is divided into one basic figure and two polygonal figures by the first figure division executing step in FIG. 13; is there.

FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram showing that a second polygonal figure in FIG. 14 is divided into one basic figure and two polygonal figures by a first figure division execution step in FIG. 13; is there.

FIG. 17 shows one polygonal figure in FIG. 15 converted into three basic figures and the other polygonal figure in FIG. 15 converted into two basic figures by the second figure division executing step in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows that it is divided.

FIG. 18 shows one polygonal figure in FIG. 16 converted into three basic figures and the other polygonal figure in FIG. 16 converted into two basic figures by the second figure division executing step in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows that it is divided.

FIG. 19 is a conceptual diagram showing that a third polygonal figure in FIG. 14 is divided into two basic figures by a second figure dividing execution step in FIG. 13;

20 is a conceptual diagram showing an entire division result of the input graphic group shown in FIG. 14;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 figure processing step 2 figure division step 3 format conversion step 11 figure classification step 12 figure division direction prediction step 13 figure division execution step 21 x coordinate value calculation step 22 x coordinate distance calculation step 23 y coordinate value calculation step 24 y coordinate Distance calculation step 25 Inter-coordinate distance comparison step 90 Recessed corner detection step 91 Intersection calculation step 92 Figure division execution step 130 Figure classification step 131 First figure division execution step 132 Second figure division execution step

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An electron beam drawing pattern forming method, comprising: a figure dividing step for dividing a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus. A figure division direction prediction step for predicting in which direction the polygon figure should be divided from the shape of the polygon figure, and a plurality of the polygon figures according to the prediction result of the figure division direction prediction step. And a figure dividing execution step for dividing the figure into basic figures. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of basic figures is a triangular figure having one side parallel to the x-coordinate axis or the y-coordinate axis, and at least one pair of triangular figures parallel to the x-coordinate axis or the y-coordinate axis. And the figure division direction prediction step is to divide the polygonal figure horizontally by a division line in the x coordinate axis direction or to divide the polygonal figure by a division line in the y coordinate axis direction. A method for forming an electron beam lithography pattern, comprising a step of determining whether or not to perform. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the figure division direction predicting step calculates a distance between x-coordinates of a plurality of vertices of the polygonal figure, and calculates a distance between the calculated x-coordinate distances. An x-coordinate distance calculating step for outputting a minimum value, and calculating a distance between y-coordinates of a plurality of vertices of the polygonal figure, and outputting a minimum value of the calculated y-coordinate distance. Calculating the distance between the y-coordinates, comparing the minimum value of the distance between the x-coordinates with the minimum value of the distance between the y-coordinates, and when the minimum value of the distance between the x-coordinates is smaller, An electron beam drawing pattern forming method, comprising: when the minimum value of the y-coordinate distance is smaller in the horizontal division, the inter-coordinate distance comparison step for respectively specifying the vertical division. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said figure dividing step includes a step of classifying the inputted figure so as not to input a basic figure in said figure dividing direction predicting step and said figure dividing execution step. A method for forming an electron beam drawing pattern, further comprising a classification step. 5. An electron beam drawing pattern forming method, comprising: a figure dividing step for dividing a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus. A concave corner detection step for detecting a concave corner formed by vertices having an internal angle larger than 180 degrees among a plurality of vertices of the polygonal figure, wherein the concave shape is formed so as to equally divide the internal angle larger than 180 degrees. An intersection calculation step for extending an equiangular segment from the corner toward the inside of the polygonal figure, and calculating an intersection of the isometrical line with a side of the polygonal figure and another isometrical line; A pattern dividing step of dividing the polygonal figure by a line segment connecting the concave corner and the intersection. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the polygonal figure comprises vertices having an interior angle of 270 degrees as the concave corner, and each of the plurality of basic figures is parallel to an x-axis or a y-axis. One of a triangular figure having one side and a quadrangle figure having at least one pair of two opposing sides parallel to the x-coordinate axis or the y-coordinate axis, wherein the intersection calculation step equally divides the interior angle of 270 degrees into three. So that the two equiangular segments extend in the x-coordinate axis direction and the y-coordinate axis direction, respectively, and the intersection of each of the two equiangular segments with the side of the polygonal figure and other equiangular segments And the figure division performing step includes a step of dividing the polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures by a line segment connecting the concave corner and the intersection. Characteristic electron beam writing Turn-forming method. 7. An electron beam drawing pattern forming method comprising a figure dividing step for dividing a polygonal figure into a plurality of basic figures which can be drawn by an electron beam exposure apparatus, wherein the figure dividing step comprises: A special polygonal figure having a concave corner formed by vertices connected to oblique sides not parallel to any of the y-coordinate axes and having an inner angle larger than 180 degrees, the concave corner and a vertex not adjacent to the concave corner. A first figure division executing step for dividing into a plurality of figures by a line segment connecting a vertex having the shortest distance to the concave corner, and a plurality of figures obtained in the first figure division executing step A second figure division executing step for dividing each of the polygonal figures into a plurality of basic figures. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of basic figures is a triangular figure having one side parallel to the x-axis or the y-axis, and at least one pair of a triangle figure parallel to the x-axis or the y-axis. The second figure division executing step is a dividing line in the x coordinate axis direction, wherein each of the polygon figures obtained in the first figure division executing step is A step of determining whether to perform horizontal division or vertical division using a division line in the y-coordinate axis direction. 9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the graphic dividing step classifies the input graphic such that a graphic other than the special polygonal graphic is not input to the first graphic division executing step. A method for forming an electron beam drawing pattern, the method further comprising the step of: