1. A method for forming a patterned photosensitive material layer, the method comprising:
(a) forming a photosensitive material layer over a substrate;
(b) exposing the photosensitive material layer and measuring an parameter of the photosensitive material layer;
(c) determining whether the measured parameter is acceptable or not; and
(d) developing the photosensitive material layer if the measured parameter is acceptable.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the following process before the step (d) if the measured parameter is not acceptable:
repeating a step (e) of removing the photosensitive material layer and the steps (a), (b) and (c) in sequence for at least one cycle until the measured parameter is determined to be acceptable in step (c), wherein an exposure condition in step (b) of each cycle is calibrated according to the parameter measured in step (b) of the preceding cycle.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of exposing the photosensitive material layer produces a latent image in the photosensitive material layer, and the step of measuring the parameter comprises:
providing a laser beam; and
scanning the latent image with the laser beam and analyzing a signal generated from the laser scanning to obtain a line-width of the latent image.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of measuring the parameter comprises:
providing a laser beam; and
scanning exposed portions and non-exposed portions of the photosensitive material layer with the laser beam and analyzing a signal generated from the laser scanning to obtain a thickness difference between the exposed portions and the non-exposed portions of the photosensitive material layer.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of measuring the parameter comprises:
providing a laser beam; and
scanning the photosensitive material layer with the laser beam and analyzing a signal generated from the laser scanning to obtain a thickness difference of the photosensitive material layer over the substrate.
6. A method for forming a patterned photosensitive material layer, the method comprising:
(a) forming a photosensitive material layer over a substrate;
(b) using an exposuremeasurement tool to expose the photosensitive material layer to form a latent image in the photosensitive material layer and using the exposuremeasurement tool to measure a parameter of the photosensitive material layer;
(c) comparing the measured parameter with a predetermined value; and
(d) developing the photosensitive material layer if the measured parameter is smaller than the predetermined value.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the following process before step (d) if the measured parameter is larger than the predetermined value:
repeating a step (e) of removing the photosensitive material layer and the steps (a), (b) and (c) in sequence for at least one cycle until the measured parameter is found to be smaller than the predetermined value in step (c), wherein an exposure condition in step (b) of each cycle is calibrated according to the parameter measured in step (b) of the preceding cycle.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein calibrating the exposure condition according to the measured parameter comprises:
feeding back a control signal generated based on the measured parameter to the exposuremeasurement tool to order the exposuremeasurement tool to calibrate the exposure condition.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein measuring the parameter comprises:
scanning the latent image with a laser beam provided by the exposuremeasurement tool; and
analyzing a signal generated from the laser scanning to derive a line-width of the latent image.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of measuring the parameter comprises:
scanning the photosensitive material layer with a laser beam provided by the exposuremeasurement tool; and
analyzing a signal generated from the laser scanning to obtain a thickness difference between the exposed portions and the non-exposed portions of the photosensitive material layer.
11. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of measuring the parameter comprises:
scanning the photosensitive material layer with a laser beam provided by the exposuremeasurement tool; and
analyzing a signal generated from the laser scanning to obtain a thickness difference of the photosensitive material layer over the substrate.
12. An apparatus for forming a patterned photosensitive material layer, comprising:
a photosensitive material coating tool for coating a photosensitive material layer on a substrate;
an exposuremeasurement tool for exposing the photosensitive material layer to form a latent image therein and for measuring a parameter of the photosensitive material layer;
a development tool for developing the photosensitive material layer; and
a substrate carrying tool connected between the photosensitive material coating tool, the exposuremeasurement tool and the development tool.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a photosensitive material removal tool that is connected with the exposuremeasurement tool via the substrate carrying tool.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the photosensitive material removal tool is connected with the photosensitive material coating tool via the substrate carrying tool.
15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the substrate carrying tool carries the substrate to the photosensitive material removal tool or the development tool according to a value of the parameter.
16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the exposuremeasurement tool comprises:
an exposure module for forming a latent image in the photosensitive material layer; and
a measurement module for measuring the parameter of the photosensitive material and for feeding back a control signal generated based on the measured parameter to the exposure module.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the exposure module comprises:
an exposure light source disposed over the substrate; and
a photomask disposed between the exposure light source and the substrate.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the measurement module comprises:
a laser light source for scanning a line-width of the latent image in the photosensitive material layer;
a signal reception device for receiving a test signal generated from the laser scanning that contains information of the line-width; and
a signal feedback device for generating the control signal based on the test signal and for feeding back the control signal to the exposure module.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the measurement module comprises:
a laser light source for scanning the photosensitive material layer;
a signal reception device for receiving a test signal generated from the laser scanning that contains information of a thickness difference of the photosensitive material layer on the substrate; and
a signal feedback device for generating the control signal based on the test signal and for feeding back the control signal to the exposure module.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a programmable logic device, the programmable logic device including:
a plurality of LABs arranged in an array;
a plurality of inter-LAB lines interconnecting the LABs of the array, wherein each of the LABs further include:
a predetermined number of logic elements;
one or more control signals distributed among the predetermined number of logic elements in the LAB; and
LAB lines spanning between logic elements in different LABs in the array.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LAB lines within each LAB are arranged in a staggered pattern.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the staggered LAB lines within each LAB have a predetermined pitch with respect to one another.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the predetermined pitch consists of one of the following: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more than eight logic elements respectively.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the predetermined pitch is an integral fraction of the number of logic elements in the LAB.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the predetermined pitch consists of one of the following: one half, one third, one quarter, one eighth, or one sixteenth of the number of logic elements in the LAB.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LAB lines are configured to both:
(i) programmably inter-connect logic elements in the same LAB; andor
(ii) programmably inter-connect logic elements in different LABs.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the LABs in the array have a boundary, the LAB boundary being defined by the predetermined number of logic elements receiving the one or more control signals that are distributed in the LAB respectively.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the LAB lines that can connect logic elements in different LABs extend beyond the boundary of the LAB to different LABs in the anay respectively.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising overlapping LABs wherein the boundary between adjacent LABs overlap and the control signals from the overlapping LABs are distributed to overlapping logic elements in the overlapping LABs respectively.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more control signals consist of one or more of the following LAB control signals: clock signals, clock enable signals, clear signals, or load signals.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each LAB further comprises a programmable interconnect pattern of programmable elements that programmably connect the logic elements of the LAB to both
(i) the LAB lines of the LAB; and
(ii) the LAB lines of the different LAB.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the programmable elements consist of one or more of the following: multiplexers, RAM storage cells, ROM storage cell, or programmable fuses.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inter-LAB lines consist of one or more of the following: horizontal inter-LAB lines; vertical inter-LAB lines; or L-shaped inter-LAB lines that travel in both the horizontal and vertical directions.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of multiplexers to route signals from the plurality of inter-LAB lines to the LAB lines for each LAB in the array and vice-versa respectively.
16. An apparatus, comprising:
a programmable logic device, the programmable logic device including:
a plurality of LABs arranged in an array;
a plurality of inter-LAB lines interconnecting the LABs of the array, wherein a first LAB in the array further includes:
a first predetermined number of logic elements;
first LAB lines that interconnect the first predetermined number of logic elements; and
a first control signal generated by a first control signal generator, the first control signal being distributed to:
(i) the first predetermined number of logic elements in the first LAB; and
(ii) at least one logic element in a second LAB, the second LAB adjacent the first LAB in the array.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second LAB further comprises:
a second predetermined number of logic elements;
second LAB lines to interconnect the second predetermined number of logic elements; and
a second control signal generated by a second control signals generator, the second signal being distributed to:
(i) the second predetermined number of logic elements in the second LAB; and
(ii) one of the first predetermined number of logic elements in the first LAB.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein one or more of the first LAB lines of the first LAB spans to the second LAB.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first LAB lines of the first LAB are staggered.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the LAB lines of the first LAB are staggered by a predetermined pitch; the predetermined pitch including one of the following:
(i) one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight or more logic elements; or
(ii) half, quarter, or a third of the first predetermined number of the logic elements of the first LAB.
21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein one or more of the second LAB lines of the second LAB span to the first LAB.
22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second LAB lines are staggered.
23. An method, comprising:
providing a programmable logic device, the provided programmable logic device including:
a plurality of LABs arranged in an array;
a plurality of inter-LAB lines interconnecting the LABs of the array, wherein each of the provided LABs further include:
a predetermined number of logic elements;
one or more control signals distributed among the predetermined number of logic elements in the LAB; and
LAB lines that can inter-connect logic elements in different LABs in the array.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the provided LAB lines within each LAB are provided in a staggered pattern.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the provided staggered LAB lines within each LAB have a predetermined pitch with respect to one another.
26. A method comprising,:
providing a programmable logic device, the provided programmable logic device including:
a plurality of LABs affanged in an array;
a plurality of inter-LAB lines interconnecting the LABs of the array, wherein a first LAB in the away further includes:
a first predetermined number of logic elements;
first LAB lines that interconnect the predetermined number of logic elements; and
a first control signal generated by a first control signal generator, the first control signal being distributed to:
(i) the first predetermined number of logic elements in the first LAB; and
(ii) a logic element in a second LAB, the second LAB adjacent the first LAB in the array.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the provided second LAB further comprises:
a second predetermined number of logic elements;
second LAB lines to interconnect the second predetermined number of logic elements; and
a second control signal generated by a second control signal generator, the second signal being distributed to:
(i) the second predetermined number of logic elements in the second LAB; and
(ii) one of the first predetermined number of logic elements in the first LAB.
28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first subset of the LAB lines are arranged in a staggered pattern with respect to one another and a second subset of the LAB lines are arranged in a non-staggered pattern with respect to one another.
29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the different LABs are adjacent to one another in the array of LABs.
30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the different LABs are not adjacent to one another in the array of LABs.