Hi All -

I've been using imagesetter output (i.e. Scitex or AGFA) for quick-and-cheap
photomasks.  Imagesetters can give you up to 4000 dpi (i.e. ~ 6 micron)
resolution, and they take bitmap images (i.e. .bmp, .tif, etc.) for input.

Recently I've been investigating the use of photoplotters, which are used
in the PCB industry.  These can apparently give you up to 8000 dpi
(and I've heard of 16000 dpi), _but_ they require Gerber data as their
input.

Does anyone know an easy way to convert from bitmap data (i.e. .tif) to
Gerber data?  Failing that, what's the easiest way to make mask patterns
and get Gerber data?  I.e. is there a _good_ piece of software for mask
layout, one that is cheap and easy to use?  I don't need much "intelligence"
from the program - i.e. it doesn't need to generate multiple mask sets for
drag-and-drop DRAM cells, for instance - since our layouts are relatively
uncomplicated compared to (say) microprocessors;  I'd much prefer software
that was easy to use.

I'll summarize responses back to the list.

Thanks in advance,

Marc Unger
Mycometrix, Inc.