Method and apparatus for performing pattern alignment to plurality of dies

The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the preparing of the adjusted first circuit pattern data comprises:

• d. rendering the first circuit pattern data from a set of ideal pattern data;
• then
• e. re-sampling the first circuit pattern data in order to fit the adjusted first circuit pattern to
• i. the at least one first sub-area of the first layer within the required first fitting tolerances;
• and
• ii. the at least one of the connection points of the at least one die of the first circuit pattern representing the at least one first sub-area to the at least one of the connection points of the one or plurality of specific features of the at least one second circuit pattern within the second fitting tolerance(s);
• or
• f. re-sampling the first circuit pattern data in order to fit the adjusted first circuit pattern data to the at least one first sub-area of the first layer, wherein the first circuit pattern data is re-sampled independently of the re-sampling of the at least one second circuit pattern data;
• and merging the re-sampled first circuit pattern data with the at least one re-sampled second circuit pattern data in order to produce a re-sampled third circuit pattern data representing both the adjusted first circuit pattern and an adjusted at least one second circuit pattern within the first and the second fitting tolerances;
• or
• g. storing pattern data for different transformation zones from different layers in separate data collections, rasterizing and transforming said data collections separately, then merging said separate data collections into a single data collection.

The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the preparing of the adjusted first circuit pattern data comprises:

• a. rendering the first circuit pattern data from a set of ideal pattern data;
• then
• b. re-sampling the first circuit pattern data dependent on the measured position data of the at least one die(s) and on the transformed position and shape of the first workpiece in order to fit data to each die on the first workpiece in the coordinate system of the direct write machine;
• or
• c. re-sampling the first pattern data dependent on measured position data of a group or a cluster of the plurality of dies and on the transformed position and shape of the workpiece in order to fit data representing the associated pattern with the plurality of the specific features on the first workpiece in the coordinate system of the direct write machine.

The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the certain requirement or pre-settable deviation parameters are associated with at least one of:

• a. type of die, component, or group of dies/components;
• or
• b. a characteristic of the surface structure of the die(s)/component(s);
• or
• c. a characteristic of the shape of the die(s)/component(s), such as an edge or a corner of the die(s)/component(s).

The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one reference feature of the workpiece is determined by a selection or a combination of:

• a. one or several alignment mark(s) provided on the workpiece;
• or
• b. one or several reference feature(s) provided on one or a plurality of reference die(s) selected among the plurality of dies;
• or
• c. a characteristic of the arrangement of the dies distributed on the workpiece;
• or
• d. a characteristic of the surface structure of the workpiece;
• or
• e. a characteristic of the surface structure of the die(s);
• or
• f. one or several reference die(s);
• or
• f. a characteristic of the shape of the workpiece, such as an edge or a corner of the workpiece or
• g. measurement on the writing side or on the backside of the workpiece.

The method of any of the preceding claims wherein a reference feature of a die is determined by a selection or a combination of:

• a. one or several alignment mark(s) provided on the die;
• or
• b. a characteristic of the surface structure of the die(s);
• or
• c. a characteristic of the shape of the die, such as an edge or a corner of the die;
• or
• d. measurement on the writing side or on the backside of the workpiece.

The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring of the position of a die is determined by a selection of:

• a. determining the spatial position of the die in relation to the reference feature by means of a selection of a shape based position determining algorithm, an edge detection based algorithm, a correlation based algorithm or another image analysis techniques devised for extracting a position from a reference feature;
• or
• b. determining the spatial position of the die in relation to the reference feature with one or several alignment mark(s) on the die;
• or
• c. determining the spatial position of the die in relation to the reference feature by a characteristic of the surface structure of the die

The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the preparing of adjusted circuit pattern data comprises:

• d. rendering the original pattern data from a set of ideal pattern data;
• then
• e. re-sampling the original pattern data dependent on the measured position data of the die(s) and on the transformed position and shape of the workpiece in order to fit data to each die on the workpiece in the coordinate system of the direct write machine;
• or
• f. re-sampling the original pattern data dependent on measured position data of a group or a clusters of the dies and on the transformed position and shape of the workpiece in order to fit data to each group or cluster on the workpiece in the coordinate system of the direct write machine.

An apparatus for patterning a layer of a workpiece in a direct write machine in the manufacturing of a multilayer stack, where the direct write machine is provided with a coordinate system for controlling write operations on a first layer of the first workpiece having a plurality of dies distributed thereon, wherein the plurality of dies each have a plurality of connection points;

• the apparatus comprising a computer system (15) configured to:
• a. retrieving first circuit pattern data of a first circuit pattern representing at least one first sub-area of said first layer of the first workpiece, wherein the at least one first sub-area is associated with at least one die of the plurality of dies of the first layer;
• b. retrieving second circuit pattern data of a second circuit pattern representing at least a second sub-area associated with, and covering, a plurality of connection points of one or a plurality of specific features of a second layer(s), wherein the second layer(s) is one or a plurality of preceding or succeeding layer(s) of the first workpiece and/or one or a plurality of layer(s) in a second workpiece that is to be connected to the first workpiece, and wherein at least one of the plurality of connection points of the at least one die of the first layer is adapted for connecting to at least one of the connection points of the one or plurality of specific features of the second layer(s);
• c. determining required first fitting tolerance(s) for adjusting the first circuit pattern at least to the first sub-area of the first layer;
• d. determining required second fitting tolerance(s) for adjusting the first circuit pattern so that the connection points of the adjusted first circuit pattern fit to the connection points of at least one second circuit pattern representing the one or plurality of specific features of the second layer(s);
• e. preparing adjusted first circuit pattern data that fit the adjusted first circuit pattern to
• i. the at least one first sub-area of the first layer within the required first fitting tolerances;
• and
• ii. the at least one of the connection points of the at least one die of the first circuit pattern representing the at least one first sub-area to the at least one of the connection points of the one or plurality of specific features of the at least one second circuit pattern within the second fitting tolerance(s);
• and a
• f. a writing tool control unit (18) configured to control a writing tool (20) to writing a pattern on the workpiece according to the adjusted circuit pattern data.

A computer program product for patterning a layer of a workpiece in a direct write machine in the manufacturing of a multilayer stack, where the direct write machine is provided with a coordinate system for controlling write operations on a first layer of the first workpiece having a plurality of dies distributed thereon, wherein the plurality of dies each have a plurality of connection points;

• the computer program product comprising computer program code portions configured to control a computer system to perform the steps of:
• a. retrieving first circuit pattern data of a first circuit pattern representing at least one first sub-area of said first layer of the first workpiece, wherein the at least one first sub-area is associated with, and is covering, at least one die of the plurality of dies of the first layer;
• b. retrieving second circuit pattern data of a second circuit pattern representing at least a second sub-area associated with, and covering, a plurality of connection points of one or a plurality of specific features of a second layer(s), wherein the second layer(s) is one or a plurality of preceding or succeeding layer(s) of the first workpiece and/or one or a plurality of layer(s) in a second workpiece that is to be connected to the first workpiece, and wherein at least one of the plurality of connection points of the at least one die of the first layer is adapted for connecting to at least one of the connection points of the one or plurality of specific features of the second layer(s);
• c. determining required first fitting tolerance(s) for adjusting the first circuit pattern at least to the first sub-area of the first layer;
• d. determining required second fitting tolerance(s) for adjusting the first circuit pattern so that the connection points of the adjusted first circuit pattern fit to the connection points of at least one second circuit pattern representing the one or plurality of specific features of the second layer(s);
• e. preparing adjusted first circuit pattern data that fit the adjusted first circuit pattern to
• i. the at least one first sub-area of the first layer within the required first fitting tolerances;
• and
• ii. the at least one of the connection points of the at least one die of the first circuit pattern representing the at least one first sub-area to the at least one of the connection points of the one or plurality of specific features of the at least one second circuit pattern within the second fitting tolerance(s);
• f. controlling a writing tool (20) to writing a pattern on the workpiece according to the adjusted circuit pattern data.