Wednesday 3rd April 2019
My design has an overall size of roughly 80 mm x 60 mm and I need a database unit of 1x10^-13 meters.
This won't work in the free version; will it work in the paid version?
When I setup the database units to be 1x10^-13 meters and import my DXF I get this error:
```
Open of DXF-File "/Users//Downloads/Outline.dxf"
Strong warnings:
157 overflow, please adjust DXF units (setup/fileformats/DXF) (-10.373, -12.373, -16.789, -17.315, -18.789, -2.019, -2.093, -2.167, -2.24, -2.313, -2.385, -26.979, -38.76, -40.76, 16.789, 17.315, 18.789, 19.404, 2.056, 2.13, 2.203, 2.277, 2.349, 26.979, 31.468, 33.468, 37.983, 38.76, 40.76, 40.983, 42.933, 42.942, 42.95, 42.958, 42.964, 42.97, 42.974, 42.978, 42.981, 42.982, 42.983, 9.033)
Informations:
1 4 not needed points removed
```
I'm using the Free Version, Build 20190401 on macOS Mojave 10.14.2
Jürgen LayoutEditorFull Wednesday 3rd April 2019
Hi Neil,
a database unit of 1x10^-13 meter that is 0.0001 nm or about 0.001 times the diameter of a single silicon atom. Such a high resolution is not common. A typical value and the default in the LayoutEditor is 1 nm. I have never seen a design with a resolution bigger than 0.1 nm ( that is about the diameter of a silicon atom).
GDS is a 32 bit format. Its maximal design size depends on the database units settings. The maximal coordinates are +-2^31 database units or the maximal size of 2^32 database units. So for a database unit of 1nm you have a maximal size of a little bit more than 4 meters per side.
With a database units settings of 1x10^-13 meter the maximal size possible with GDS is 400 µm. So DXF coordinates of -10 meters (like you have in the DXF) cannot be stored with these database units and the mentioned error message pops up. So this is a limitation of GDS (and most other formats supported by the LayoutEditor) and independent of the LayoutEditor license you have.
Neil
Wednesday 3rd April 2019
Hi Jürgen,
Many thanks for the quick reply. My design is unconventional and I understand that my database unit is subatomic, I'm currently working with the designer to establish a more realistic precision. In the meantime, I see that the OASIS file format is 64-bit, so I'm going to give that a try today. I'll report back with the results.
Jürgen LayoutEditorFull Wednesday 3rd April 2019
The LayoutEditor works internally in the GDS format. So anything you create with the LayoutEditor is limited to 32 bit as well.
Also the file formats used by most masks writers are 32 bit. So you will you will not be able to produce photomasks with 64 bit resolution. Not to mention that a 0.1 pm (1x10^⁻13 m) resolution is far behind the physical limitations in photomask fabrication.
Jim LayoutEditorFull Wednesday 3rd April 2019
Hi Neal,
Can you speak generally to the application that is driving this level of resolution in the design? As Jürgen mentions, if your ultimate goal is to produce masks you will be snapped to a much coarser grid.
Neil
Thursday 4th April 2019
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your question. I'm afraid I cannot talk about what I'm working on because I'm bound by an NDA, but I do understand the absurdity of such high precision and how it will all be limited at the mask making stage. I was able to work with the designer and get the tolerances bumped up a bit so I'm able to fit the whole design.
Hi Jürgen,
I ended up not trying out the OASIS file format after I read your post on the 32-bit limit in the software and at the mask making stage. Thanks again for your speedy responses; it's rare to see such excellent support :)
Jim LayoutEditorFull Thursday 4th April 2019
Fully understood, Neal. I think it was a great question. Now I know the relationship between DBU and patten extent in the LayoutEditor.