Design Workshop Technologies - Electronic Design Automation
Design Workshop software for design of microelectronics and photonics computer components
  Download Trial 
  Brochures & White Papers 
  Product/Sales FAQ 
  Request Info 
    dw-2000
    Flexibility
    Automation
    Integration
    Extendibility
    Modularity
    Solution
    Layout Editor Features
    P-Cells
    Data Conversion



Data Conversion Modules

Fast and easy data conversion is a necessity with any CAD system that must interface with other processes at different stages of the engineering and design spectrum. dw-2000 provides conversion compatible with the formats below:
* If you cannot locate a specific converter, please check with us to determine its availability.

GDSII

The GDSII format is a standard in hierarchical data exchange that is completely natural to dw-2000's hierarchical database format. GDSII is a convenient archival format since Element information is never lost during conversion. For these and other reasons, GDSII conversion has long been standard in dw-2000 database handling. Since most other CAD products accept GDSII formats, compatibility with dw-2000 is therefore almost automatic. What's more, conversion to GDSII when creating masks offers reliability, as well as savings in cost and time. Too often, users fail in their attempts to generate masks through formats such as DXF, due to extra conversions or the non-natural conversion of certain Elements.

Stream Out Highlights
  • Stream-out Structures with specific names or wildcard matches
  • Output streams with differing resolutions
  • Remap Layers and Data Types
  • Replace invalid characters in Structure names
  • Convert all Structure names to uppercase
  • Convert Boxes to Boundaries automatically
  • Filter output for specific Layers (using Criteria)
  • Output (merge) Structures in external Reference Libraries
  • No text output option
  • Remap text point sizes
  • Error and activity logging

Stream In Highlights
  • Stream-in Structures with specific names or wildcard matches
  • Remap Layers and Data Types
  • Append data in existing Structures
  • Replace invalid characters in Structure names
  • Control overwriting based on matching names, data creation dates, or last modification dates
  • Convert Boxes to Boundaries automatically
  • Ignore properties and attributes
  • Rebuild hierarchies
  • Filter input for specific Layers only (using Criteria)
  • Remap text point sizes
  • Error and activity logging

OASIS

The dw-2000 OASIS (Open Artwork System Interchange Standard) Conversion is fully integrated into the dw-2000 framework and allows users to import from and export to OASIS file format.

The OASIS is a formal industry standard that is owned and maintained by the trade standards organization SEMI that serves the semiconductor material and equipment industries worldwide.

The main feature of the file formats is that it produces files that are much smaller than GDSII files. It could be up to 10 - 50 times smaller. In addition, we have an option under the Export to OASIS to eliminate data duplication that helps cleaning up the design file.

MEBES

MEBES conversion is intended for those who wish to take data from a dw-2000 library and convert it directly into EBEAM readable format (MEBES type of data). There are essentially two reasons for conversion: to avoid the expense of having a mask house perform the conversion, or to observe the intrinsic distortions that MEBES will have on the data.

In fact, the latter reason is of utmost consideration for those who require data so precise that even the natural MEBES distortions could create a component failure. These users can output to MEBES from dw-2000, then read back the MEBES data into their library (using a MEBES In dialog) and superimpose it over the original data. They can then compare the differences and correct any problems they uncover before they can be transferred to a mask.

AutoCAD (DXF,DWG)

AutoCAD files are a commonly used format for mechanical and generic CAD layout, however, it is not the preferred format for mask manufacturing. Design Workshop Technologies offers a Bidirectional Translator. This allows designers of MMIC, photonic and MEMS to convert their designs and create ready for manufacturing masks using dw-2000. See video presentations to learn more.

Cambridge SPD

The Cambridge SPD conversion module is intended for users who want to perform a direct conversion from a dw-2000 library directly to Cambridge SPD format for further conversion to EBEAM or other equipment supporting these features.

As with MEBES conversion, the user can reconvert the data to dw-2000 format and superimpose it over the original to pinpoint conversion-induced inaccuracies.

Cambridge Out Highlights
  • Manufacturing limit: 1 nanometer to 1 millimeter
  • Clock statements insertion based on layer or data types
  • Fracturing control selection from none to full trapezoidal
  • Reference descent commenting
  • Rectangle insetting for zero-width line scans

JEOL-01

The JEOL-01 conversion module is intended for users who want to perform a direct conversion from a dw-2000 library to JEOL-01 format for further conversion to EBEAM or other equipment supporting these features. As with the MEBES conversion, the user can reconvert the data and superimpose it over the original to determine if the conversion produced any inaccuracies.

JEOL-01 Out Highlights
  • Manufacturing limit: 1 nanometer to 1 millimeter
  • Shot rank modulation based on layer or data types
  • Reference descent commenting
  • Supports line outputs as zero width paths
  • Error & activity logging

JEOL-51

The JEOL-51 conversion module is intended for users who wish to take data from a dw-2000 library and convert it into machine-readable format for various classes of JEOL equipment. Any JEOL JBX-5D11/5FE with EOS 1-8 can be selected. Field sizes and sub-field sizes can be independently set for X and Y directions, allowing a wide variety of combinations and flexibility.

As with MEBES conversion, dw-2000 contains a JEOL-51 reader that lets the user superimpose the converted data over the original data to examine conversion round-offs and discrepancies.

JEOL-51 Out Highlights
  • EOS selection (1-8)
  • Independent X and Y field size and sub-field sizes
  • Shot rank modulus by 16 or 64 on data types
  • Byte reordering for older PDP-11 compatibility
  • ID name insertions for post-processing compatibility (PREAD)
  • Error and activity logging

CIF INPUT

CIF or Caltech Interchange Format is used mostly in educational environments. The Data Conversion Module contains GPE programs that read CIF formatted data and directly convert it into a dw-2000 library format. There is no CIF output converter at this time, since it is impossible to convert certain features of dw-2000 elements to CIF.

GRAPHICS OUTPUT

Output to graphical environments to interface with other applications for activities such as documentation, presentations, etc.
Disclaimer