Charged particle beam exposure method using a mask

Claim 2

A mask for use in exposing a desired pattern (31, 40a-40e) on a substrate (28) by a charged particle beam exposure, said mask comprising a plurality of pattern groups (33), each of said pattern groups including a plurality of patterns (31, 40a-40e) within an approximately rectangular region, characterized in that there is provided: a plurality of position matching patterns (34) formed at positions different from those of said pattern groups (33), and that positional relationships of each of said pattern groups and said position matching patterns are predetermined and fixed.

Claim 3

The mask as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said pattern groups (33) and said position matching patterns (34) are respectively arranged in a matrix arrangement.

Claim 4

The mask as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said position matching patterns (34) have a rectangular shape.

Claim 5

The mask as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said position matching patterns (34) are arranged at a peripheral portion of the mask surrounding a region in which said pattern groups (33) are formed.

Claim 6

The mask as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said position matching patterns (34) are arranged at four corner portions of the mask which has a rectangular shape.

Claim 7

The mask as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said position matching patterns (34) have a rectangular shape.

Claim 8

The mask as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said patterns (31, 40a-40e) of said pattern groups (33) and said position matching patterns (34) respectively are holes in the mask.

Claim 9

The mask as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a reference point (35) in each of said pattern groups (33) has a predetermined fixed relationship to at least one of said position matching patterns (34) which is adjacent to the pattern group.

Claim 10

A charged particle beam exposure method for exposing a desired pattern (31, 40a-40e) on a substrate (28) by a charged particle beam, said desired pattern being one of a plurality of patterns which are formed in a mask (20, 20a) in a form of pattern groups (33) and selected by appropriately deflecting the charged particle beam in a deflection system (50a, 50b) depending on a position of said desired pattern, characterized in that said charged particle beam exposure method comprises: a first step for exposing one of a plurality of position matching patterns (34) in the mask (20, 20a) at a predetermined position on the substrate (28) by the charged particle beam by passing the charged particle beam through the deflection system (50a, 50b), each of said position matching patterns having a predetermined fixed positional relationship to at least an adjacent pattern group in the mask; a second step for detecting an irradiating position of the charged particle beam through said one position matching pattern; a third step for exposing another position matching pattern in the mask at the predetermined position on the substrate by the charged particle beam by passing the charged particle beam through the deflection system; a fourth step for detecting an irradiating position of the charged particle beam through said other position matching pattern; a fifth step for calculating an error between the irradiating positions of the charged particle beam which is irradiated on the substrate through said one and other position matching patterns; and a sixth step for calculating a correction quantity for controlling the deflection system so that the error becomes approximately zero.

Claim 11

A charged particle beam exposure method for exposing a desired pattern (31, 40a-40e) on a substrate (28) by a charged particle beam, said desired pattern being one of a plurality of patterns which are formed in a mask (20, 20a) in a form of pattern groups (33) and selected by appropriately deflecting the charged particle beam in a deflection system (50a, 50b) depending on a position of said desired pattern, characterized in that said charged particle beam exposure method comprises: a first step for exposing one of a plurality of position matching patterns (34) in the mask (20, 20a) at a predetermined position on the substrate (28) by the charged particle beam by passing the charged particle beam through the deflection system (50a, 50b), each of said position matching patterns having a predetermined fixed positional relationship to at least an adjacent pattern group in the mask; a second step for detecting an irradiating position of the charged particle beam through said one position matching pattern; a third step for exposing another position matching pattern in the mask at the predetermined position on the substrate by the charged particle beam by passing the charged particle beam through the deflection system; a fourth step for detecting an irradiating position of the charged particle beam through said other position matching pattern; a fifth step for calculating an error between the irradiating positions of the charged particle beam which is irradiated on the substrate through said one and other position matching patterns; and a sixth step for calculating a correction quantity for controlling the deflection system so that the error becomes approximately zero.

Claim 12

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that there are further provided a seventh step for calculating a correction quantity for the desired pattern in the mask (20, 20a) based on the correction quantity which is calculated for the position matching patterns (34), and an eighth step for controlling the deflection system (50a, 50b) based on the correction quantity for the desired pattern so that an error becomes approximately zero for the desired pattern.

Claim 13

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the correction quantity for the desired pattern is considered to be the same as the correction quantity for the position matching patterns (34).

Claim 14

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said first through sixth steps are repeated for all the position matching patterns (34) in the mask (20, 20a).

Claim 15

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that there are further provided a seventh step for calculating a correction quantity for the desired pattern in the mask (20, 20a) based on the correction quantities which are calculated for the position matching patterns (34), and an eighth step for controlling the deflection system (50a, 50b) based on the correction quantity for the desired pattern so that an error becomes approximately zero for the desired pattern.

Claim 16

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the correction quantity for the desired pattern is considered to be the same as the correction quantity for the position matching pattern (34) which is closest to the desired pattern.

Claim 17

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the correction quantity for the desired pattern is calculated from an interior division of the correction quantities for the position matching patterns (34) which are closest to and surround the desired pattern by distances between the desired pattern and the closest surrounding position matching patterns.

Claim 18

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that the pattern groups (33) and the position matching patterns (34) are respectively arranged in a matrix arrangement in the mask (20).

Claim 19

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that said position matching patterns (34) have a rectangular shape.

Claim 20

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that the position matching patterns (34) are arranged at a peripheral portion of the mask (20a) surrounding a region in which the pattern groups (33) are formed.

Claim 21

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the position matching patterns (34) are arranged at four corner portions of the mask (20a) which has a rectangular shape.

Claim 22

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the position matching patterns (34) have a rectangular shape.

Claim 23

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 20, characterized in that the patterns (31, 40a-40e) of the pattern groups (33) and the position matching patterns (34) respectively are holes in the mask (20, 20a).

Claim 24

The charged particle beam exposure method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 21, characterized in that a reference point (35) in each of the pattern groups (33) has a predetermined fixed relationship to at least one of the position matching patterns (34) which is adjacent to the pattern group.