Mentor Graphics and NuFlare extend collaboration to address advanced maskwriting challenges

WILSONVILLE, USA: Mentor Graphics Corp. and NuFlare Technology Inc. announced the extension of their successful collaboration on integrated hardware and software solutions for advanced IC mask generation. The companies’ new joint marketing and support agreement will help ensure seamless interfaces, high mask fidelity, fast mask writing times, and very high levels of technical support.

The new agreement covers the Mentor Graphics Calibre FRACTUREt, Calibre FRACTUREv, Calibre MDPmerge, Calibre MDPverify, Calibre nmMPC and Calibre MDPview products. These are used with NuFlare mask writers starting with the EBM-3000, all the way up to the EBM-8000 series, and are being expanded for future generation machines to perform data preparation, process correction and verification of mask data to improve the fidelity of the final mask pattern.

NuFlare will also use Mentor tools to explore innovations during research and development, to verify new product features, and to assist in customer support. Past efforts between Mentor and NuFlare have resulted in the definition of an OASIS.MASK input interface and the definition of format extensions to carry dose annotation for advanced mask writing on future generation tools.

“Mentor is the recognized industry leader in OPC, MDP and MPC, and has proven to be a reliable and innovative strategic partner during our longstanding collaboration to date,” said Kiyoshi Hattori, director and general manager of NuFlare's Mask Lithography Engineering department. “Our engagement has delivered many benefits for our mutual customers in OASIS.MASK support, mask process correction advances, and mask write time reduction techniques.”

“We’re very pleased to extend our relationship with NuFlare, an acknowledged leader in mask writing equipment. Our close co-operation has provided many technology and service benefits to our mutual customers,” said Joseph Sawicki, vice president and general manager of the Mentor Design to Silicon division. “We look forward to tackling the significant challenges of advanced IC manufacturing together as we push beyond the historical limits of IC scaling.”