NPGS : Upgrade History
| Cost | Feature Added |
| free | Keithley 6485 Serial Interface Support: Software is available with NPGS that can take multiple readings through a serial interface connection to a Keithley 6485 Picoammeter and enter an averaged value for use by NPGS. |
| free | DesignCAD Support: The latest version of NPGS v9.0 supports DesignCAD Express v16.2, in addition to DesignCAD LT 2000. |
| free | FIB Modes: Special writing modes have been added to allow user-defined multiple passes of all writing entities, including arbitrary filled polygons. Multiple pass writing can either have identical repeats or will use back-and-forth passes, as selected by the user. |
| free | Auto-Text: This feature has two modes. One mode allows each element of arrays created within DesignCAD to be automatically numbered. The second mode allows NPGS to generate the exposure number, array row and column number, time and/or date which can be written within patterns at run time. In all cases, the user has control over the size and dose for the auto-text, and in the runtime mode, the user can set the orientation and even modify the font. Time/Date options include: HH:MM:SS, HH:MM, MM/DD/YYYY, MM/DD/YY, DD/MM/YYYY, and DD/MM/YY formats. |
| free | PDF Manual: A copy of the NPGS User's Manual in the PDF format that covers both NPGS v8.0 and v9.0 is now included in the updates for NPGS. This format is optimized for making printed copies of the NPGS manual. Current NPGS v8.0 and v9.0 users can use the "Help - Password for Updates" feature in the NPGS Menu to generate the necessary password to download the latest update for their version. (Also, on the password generation dialog box, the "Help - About..." option will provide a link to the download page.) |
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low*
(*nearly full credit is given for the original software purchase price) |
NPGS v9.0: This is a major release that uses the new NPGS PCI516 hardware, which is based on a custom, high speed, 16 bit PCI lithography board. One of the unique features of this board is that the timing resolution is 0.25% or better at all output speeds (to 5 MHz). Also, all NPGS code is now 32 bit and runs under Windows 2000 or XP. New features include an advanced alignment mode for autoaligning to inside or outside corners of large structures, an adjustable input range for the 16 bit ADC image acquisition, an automatic feature to seamlessly update older system files, an advanced diagnostic mode, and refinements to the very thorough NPGS Installation Guide and Manual. And, of course, NPGS v9.0 is backwards compatible with previous versions of NPGS, so existing patterns and run files can still be used. Overall, NPGS v9.0 is the fastest, high resolution SEM lithography system available. (Current NPGS users can send e-mail to info@jcnabity.com to obtain pricing for the NPGS v9.0 upgrade.) |
| free | Digital Imaging: The NPGS Digital Imaging feature now has a 32 bit Windows user interface that provides dynamic crosshairs for distance measurements, text annotations, basic image editing, and output to jpg, tif, bmp, and eps graphics formats. |
| free | Windows User Interface: The 32 bit Windows interface for NPGS is available as a free upgrade to qualified* users. NPGS Users: To receive download information, please send your Name and Institution to info@jcnabity.com. The new interface is fully backwards compatible with all current patterns and run files, and can even coexist with the previous version of NPGS. Also, the logical organization of the present system has been preserved, so that current users will be able to immediately understand the new interface. In addition to the advanced Windows interface, new features include an Auto Logging mode for convenient exposure documentation, support for VBScripts and JavaScripts, and extensive online documentation. |
| free | Fine Tuning for Optimum Performance: Over the years, NPGS has continuously been optimized for a wide range of user applications. This has resulted in a level of customer satisfaction that is unmatched by any other system. The features listed below have resulted from close interaction with existing customers, which has made the features have sometimes subtle, but always significant, advantages over similar features offered by competing systems. |
| free | X-Y-Focus Mode: Allows NPGS to correct for focusing errors caused by a tilted sample. This mode can be fully automatic (after initialization) or fully manual, depending on the hardware configuration of the microscope. Note that most new SEMs have the hardware to take advantage of this feature in the automated mode, while all SEMs can be used in the manual mode. This standard NPGS feature can make it unnecessary to purchase an additional stage leveling device for the SEM. |
| free | Auto-Alignment: Allows NPGS to automatically align to registration marks on the sample. This feature is most useful when an automated stage is available on the system. A semi-automatic alignment mode is also included. For many applications, the NPGS alignment feature can make the purchase of an expensive high-resolution stage unnecessary. |
| free | Global Rotation Correction: Allows NPGS to make stage movements along the sample axes, rather than along the stage axes. |
| free | Array Mode: Allows NPGS to easily generate arrays of a single pattern. |
| free | CIF and GDSII Support: Allows NPGS to import pattern files saved in the CIF and GDSII formats. There is no software limit to the size of the patterns that can be imported and written. |
| free | Automated Beam Current Reading: Allows NPGS to automatically make measurements of the beam current and to compensate for drift. A variety of hardware configurations for reading the beam are supported. |
| free | Fracturing of Large Patterns: Allows NPGS to automatically break large patterns into smaller subfields for writing. This feature is most useful when an automated stage is available on the system. Unique features of this mode are that the field positions can be defined by the user and that the software can often reduce the number of pattern elements that must be broken at the subfield boundaries. No other system matches the power and flexibility of the NPGS Fracturing feature. |
| free | Support for Automated Stages: NPGS can work with almost any automated stage. Software drivers for many common stages are available at no charge. |
| free | Support for Digital Microscopes: NPGS can work with almost any digital microscope which allows remote control of the microscope parameters. Software drivers for many common digital microscopes are available at no charge. |
| free | Improvements to the Manual: The NPGS manual is updated whenever a customer reports a unique problem with their microscope or a technique that may be useful to others. This makes each new release of the NPGS manual an increasingly complete reference for SEM lithography. |
Note that other systems may claim to have several of these features, but the flexibility and ease-of-use of the features in NPGS are superior to any other system. So even if the competition offers a particular feature, closer inspection will typically reveal that it is either quite limited and simplistic or a needlessly complex version of what NPGS offers. By way of analogy: a used car salesman may promise that a car includes a radio, but after buying the car you may find that the radio only gets one station. The salesman didn't lie, but you didn't get what you expected, although the salesman did get his commission!
All of the features in NPGS are continuously fine tuned in response to comments and suggestions from users doing a wide variety of research. This attention to customer feedback is why NPGS has become the top selling SEM lithography system based on word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied users.
*Qualified users include the original purchaser of any version of NPGS other than version 7.4B.