Multi-exposure drawing method and apparatus thereof

• US 20050052464A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ORC Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Pentax Industrial Instruments Co. Ltd. (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Okuyama, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,295,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves

Abstract

In a drawing method, all information on a pattern to be drawn on a drawing surface, represented by first vector-graphic data of a drawing-coordinate-system, is transmitted to an exposure drawing apparatus having a plurality of optical modulation elements. The first vector-graphic data is converted to second vector-graphic data of an exposing-coordinate-system that conforms to the exposure drawing apparatus, and the second vector-graphic data is converted to raster-graphic data of the exposing-coordinate-system. Finally, the drawing surface is multi-exposed for drawing the pattern, based on the raster-graphic data to control the exposure by the optical modulation elements.

Claims

1. A drawing method for drawing a pattern on a drawing surface comprising:

a first converting step in which first vector-graphic data of a drawing-coordinate-system, that represents all information on said pattern, is converted in an exposure drawing apparatus having a plurality of optical modulation elements, to second vector-graphic data of an exposing-coordinate-system that conforms to said exposure drawing apparatus;

a second converting step in which said second vector-graphic data is converted to raster-graphic data of the exposing-coordinate-system, to control the exposure by said optical modulation elements; and

a multi-exposing step in which said drawing surface is multi-exposed for drawing said pattern, based on said raster-graphic data.

2. The drawing method of claim 1, further comprising:

an extracting step in which part of said second vector-graphic data is extracted, between said first converting step and said second converting step;

wherein said second converting step, in which said part of said second vector-graphic data is converted to said raster-graphic data, said multi-exposing step, and said extracting step are repeated.

3. The drawing method of claim 1, wherein said first vector-graphic data contains information to determine a method for converting said second vector-graphic data to said raster-graphic data.

4. The drawing method of claim 1, wherein, in said second converting step, said second vector-graphic data is put in order and assigned a number according to the coordinate system values of each of said second vector-graphic data,

all of said second vector-graphic data is divided into odd-numbered vector-graphic data and even-numbered vector-graphic data based on each said number of said second vector-graphic data, and

said second vector-graphic data is converted to said raster-graphic data, by dividing an exposing area which is an exposable area in the exposing-coordinate-system, into exposed zones and un-exposed zones based on said odd-numbered vector-graphic data and said even-numbered vector-graphic data.

5. The drawing method of claim 4, wherein, in said second converting step, smaller numbers are assigned to said second vector-graphic data having smaller coordinate system values, coordinate axes of the exposing-coordinate-system are included in said even-numbered vector-graphic data, and a zone that is between one even-numbered vector-graphic data and one odd-numbered vector-graphic data having an assigned number 1 more than that of said even-numbered vector-graphic data, is set as said un-exposed zone, and a zone that is between one odd-numbered vector-graphic data and one even-numbered vector-graphic data having an assigned number 1 more than that of said odd-numbered vector-graphic data, is set as said exposed zone.

6. The drawing method of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitting step in which said information on said pattern to be drawn on said drawing surface, represented by said first vector-graphic data, is transmitted to said exposure drawing apparatus.

7. A multi-exposure drawing apparatus for drawing a pattern on a drawing surface comprising:

an exposure unit that includes a plurality of optical modulation elements,

a first converter that converts first vector-graphic data of a drawing-coordinate-system, that represents all information on said pattern, to second vector-graphic data of an exposing-coordinate-system,

a second converter that converts said second vector-graphic data to raster-graphic data of the exposing-coordinate-system, and a multi-exposing system that operates said plurality of optical modulation elements to draw said pattern based on said raster-graphic data.

8. The multi-exposure drawing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

an extractor that extracts part of said second vector-graphic data,

wherein said second converter converts said part of said second vector-graphic data to said raster-graphic data, said modulation system operates said exposure unit based on said raster-graphic data, and said extraction, said second conversion, and said modulation are repeated.

9. The multi-exposure drawing apparatus of claim 7, wherein, said optical modulation elements are arranged in a two-dimensional arrangement.

10. The multi-exposure drawing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a receiver that receives said information on said pattern to be drawn on a drawing surface, as said first vector-graphic data.