ASML Stepper 3 - Job Creator

The "Job Creator" software option allows users to convert text files into binary job files that can be loaded into the Batch/Task Streaming for wafer exposures.

Example wafer layout generated by Python scripting with for loops. Plotting functions utilize matplotlib module.

Demis D. John has created a python module for generating the text job files:

• ASML Job Creator (GitHub source) - Python scripts for generating ASML Job Files.

These text files can be uploaded remotely via the Nanofiles FTP system, and then converted into the usable binary job files when at the machine (locally).

Contact the supervisor if interested in utilizing this capability.

Utility

This scripting capability is especially useful for very complex jobs - such as complex stitching wafer-layouts in which a for() loop and some math can really help.

Also, for engineers that are routinely writing similar jobs (eg. new masks but otherwise similar layouts), this can be used to upload jobs to to the tool, which your local users can then convert & run.

Caveats

The python script does not include all the error-checking that the ASML GUI contains, so brand-new or complex jobs will likely show some conversion error, which needs to be fixed (in your python script) and re-converted. In this case, you should bring the laptop you ran the Python script on with you, and fix errors and re-upload/convert until the job runs as expected. (Be sure to actually run a test exposure as well - some errors only pop up during exposure.)

There is (currently) no function to return the "allowed" on-wafer die. If your uploaded job includes illegal die exposures – for example, off the wafer – the conversion will fail. A workaround is to distribute only a small portion of the die, and then use the ASML Modify Job GUI to distribute the Images across the wafer correctly. Users are welcome to contribute such a function to the codebase! Please see this GitHub Issue.

Required Files

• Usage instructions and scripting files/examples are found on the GitHub page, here:
  • ASML Job Creator (GitHub source)
• The Defaults.py file for the UCSB ASML PAS5500/300 DUV Stepper is here:
  • Defaults.py (UCSB NetID login required)
  • This is available only to authorized users of the UCSB ASML Stepper, and requires a UCSB Login.

Author Credits

Please consider our Publication Policy if you publish using this code. This module was authored by Demis D. John at the UCSB Nanofabrication Facility, in addition to any other contributors listed on the Github page. You may cite this module using standard formats for referencing open-source software packages. Thank you for understanding!