CATS provides inspection support for the following die-to-database inspection systems, CATS is the only commercially available software package to support both a wide variety of electron beam exposure tools and all major photomask inspection tools.
Design data, fractured E-beam or pattern generator data, as well as jobdecks may be converted to these inspection formats. Data compaction is supported, as are Do-Not-Inspect Regions, Inspection Regions, and manual and automated alignment point definition for both standard and non-standard alignment points.
One of the more powerful and unique features of this option is the ability to fracture at the "natural resolution" of the input file, ensuring the maintenance of arrays and data compaction through the fracture process. The inspection data need not be converted to the actual inspection grid until the very last stages of the process where the data is converted to the actual inspection format. Also, a change of alignment points or the re-destination of the data to a different inspection tool need not necessarily involve a refracture of the data. In many cases it is possible to update the information and simply write out the new inspection file with new alignment points.
And since this capability is an integral part of the CATS package, those users who know how to use CATS graphics and basic fracturing techniques, already know the vast majority of what they'll need to perform fracturing for inspection systems.