( DAC 99 Item 13 ) ----------------------------------------------- [6/25/99]

    "IMHO one of the most noteworthy companies at DAC was Numerical
     Technologies or Numeritech.  They offer a `phase-shifting' program
     which facilitates creation of sub-0.25um geometries with +0.35um
     equipment.  My impression is that their s/w essentially analyzes 
     a database and adds patterns which cause creation of required polygons
     through a combination of direct illumination and interference.  This
     eliminates some of the problems associated w/ sub-lambda lithography.
     The license costs about $400K and is probably cheap compared to the
     cost of equipment required to achieve similar geometries.  However
     it should be noted that the phase-shifting technique really only
     applies to polysilicon and thus probably wouldn't achieve the max
     possible density."   ( http://www.numeritech.com )

         - an anon engineer