mebes format

**MEBES Format** is a proprietary mask data format developed by ETEC (now part of Applied Materials) for electron-beam lithography systems used in photomask manufacturing. ## What Is MEBES? - **Full Name**: Manufacturing Electron Beam Exposure System - **Purpose**: Define patterns for e-beam direct-write on photomasks - **Structure**: Hierarchical format with trapezoids as primitives - **Usage**: Industry standard for mask shops since 1980s ## Why MEBES Format Matters MEBES remains the dominant format for fracturing GDSII designs into e-beam writable primitives, though newer formats like OASIS are emerging. ```svg ``` **Format Characteristics**: - Binary format with chip header and pattern data - Supports 1nm address resolution - Stripes for parallel writing optimization - Context-aware fracturing for write-speed optimization