The Database Editor Module
The database is central to the compiler since all parts of the program access
it. The database consists of a collection of different records called atoms. These atoms contain information about individual process steps such as
etches, deposition, diffusion, and lithography parameters and laboratory processes.
Although the database information is stored in a text file that can be edited
with a text editor, a database editor is included in the software that allows
examination, addition, deletion, and modification of the database entries
directly and easily from the MISTIC environment.
Description of the Interface
Different areas of the Database Editor main window are described below.
- Menu area
- The Process Viewer menu functions have the following structure:
- File
- New -- Start a new database
- Open -- Open a new database
- Save -- Save the loaded database
- Save as -- Save the loaded database in a new name
- Quit -- Quit the database editor
- Edit
- Delete -- Delete an atom
- Undelete -- Undelete the last deleted atom
- Types
- Deposition -- Switch the display to deposition type
- Substrate -- Switch the display to substrate type
- Diffusion -- Switch the display to diffusion type
- Sacrificial -- Switch the display to sacrificial type
- Epitaxial -- Switch the display to epitaxial type
- Reactive growth -- Switch the display to reactive growth type
- Photoresist -- Switch the display to photoresist type
- Etchant -- Switch the display to etchant type
- Cleaning cycle -- Switch the display to cleaning cycle type
- Lithography -- Switch the display tolLithography type
- Options
- Read only -- Make the loaded database read only
- Editable -- Make the loaded database editable
- Filename area
- The filename area shows the filename of the currenly
loaded database.
- Atom count area
- The atom count area shows the total number of loaded atoms by the editor.
- Atom type label
- The atom type label shows the type of the atoms displayed in the atom
list.
- Atom list
- The atom list is a sorted list of atoms of a certain
type selected by a menu function. This list also acts as the control mechanism
for editing contents of atoms. Clicking on a list item pops up a new window
that allows editing, adding and copying of the atom in the database.
- Database statistics
- The database statistics area shows the numbers
of different types of atoms loaded in the database.
General Atom Editor
The structure of the general atom editor window is shown in the following
figure. The structure of the editor interface is same for all types of atoms
except etchant atoms. This editor is
arranged as a set of {property name,property value} pairs. The property value
is usually a text field that inhibits unacceptable values for any property. At
the bottom of this window, there are two text field windows, one of them shows
the description of the atom and the other shows the reference of the atom.
Etchant Atom Editor
The etchant atom editor window is an augmented version of the general atom
editor window. In addition to the parts of general atom window, it has an etch
rate edit window on the top-right corner of the interface, which allows editing
etch rates of an etchant with different materials.
Summary
The database editor provides a convenient method of tuning the database
according to the need and specifications of a specific laboratory. Its
error-checking method for different property values of database atoms
ensures integrity of the database.
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MISTIC version 1.0 (July 1997) Copyright © 1997 by University
of Michigan. All rights reserved.