Multiple beam exposure system

Claim 2

Apparatus for scanning multiple radiant beams over the surface of a radiation-sensitive workpiece to define patterns therein, said apparatus comprising a single electron source of radiation, means responsive to radiation from said single source for forming multiple spaced-apart radiant beams, means for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for demagnifying and scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said forming means comprises a multiply apertured plate member, and means for uniformly illuminating one side of said plate member with a radiant beam to form multiple beams respectively emanating from the other side of said plate member from the apertures therethrough.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said plate member includes a linear array of apertures therethrough for forming a corresponding linear array of beams.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3 further including means for mechanically moving said workpiece in a first direction, and wherein said scanning means comprises means for repeatedly scanning said array of beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece in an interleaved fashion in a direction perpendicular to said first direction.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said plate member includes a two-dimensional array of apertures therethrough for forming a corresponding two-dimensional array of beams.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 5 further including means for mechanically moving said workpiece in a first direction, and wherein said scanning means comprises means for repeatedly scanning said array of beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece in an interleaved fashion in a direction perpendicular to said first direction.

Claim 8

Apparatus for scanning multiple radiant beams over the surface of a radiation-sensitive workpiece to define microminiature patterns therein, said apparatus comprising means, including only a single electron source, for forming multiple spaced-apart radiant beams, means for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 9

Apparatus for scanning multiple radiant beams over the surface of a radiation-sensitive workpiece to define microminiature patterns therein, said apparatus comprising means, including only a single electron source, for forming multiple spaced-apart radiant beams, means for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 10

In combination in an electron beam exposure system a source of electrons, a plate having an array of apertures therethrough for forming a plurality of electron beams, means responsive to electrons emitted by said source for forming a beam and simultaneously illuminating all the apertures in said array with said beam thereby to provide an array of beams respectively emanating from said apertures, means for demagnifying and scanning said array of beams over the surface of a resist-coated workpiece, and means for independently blanking each of said beams.

Claim 11

In combination in an electron beam exposure system a source of electrons, a plate having an array of apertures therethrough for forming a plurality of electron beams, means responsive to electrons emitted by said source for forming a beam and simultaneously illuminating all the apertures in said array with said beam thereby to provide an array of beams respectively emanating from said apertures, means for demagnifying and scanning said array of beams over the surface of a resist-coated workpiece, and means for independently blanking each of said beams.

Claim 12

Apparatus for defining a microminiature pattern in a resist layer disposed on a supporting substrate, said apparatus comprising means, including only a single electron source, for forming an array comprising multiple spaced-apart radiant beams, means for independently blanking the individual ones of said beams, means for mechanically moving said substrate, and means for scanning said array of beams in unison over the surface of said resist layer in an interleaved fashion as said substrate is moved.

Claim 13

Apparatus for defining a microminiature pattern in a resist layer disposed on a supporting substrate, said apparatus comprising means, including only a single electron source, for forming an array comprising multiple spaced-apart radiant beams, means for independently blanking the individual ones of said beams, means for mechanically moving said substrate, and means for scanning said array of beams in unison over the surface of said resist layer in an interleaved fashion as said substrate is moved.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said array comprises multiple electron beams arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, said rows being parallel to the direction of mechanical movement of said substrate and said columns being parallel to the direction of scanning, adjacent columns of said beams being spaced-apart at the resist surface by multiple address positions, wherein said blanking means comprises an independent blanking subunit associated with each different one of said array of beams, said subunits also being arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, and means for applying individual blanking signals to said subunits in unison as said array of beams is scanned over the surface of said resist layer in an interleaved column-by-column way.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said applying means comprises means for storing digital representations indicative of whether or not each address position in a column to be scanned is to be exposed, means for respectively applying said stored representations to the blanking subunits in the first row of said matrix to control the exposure of particular corresponding address positions in spaced-apart columns at the surface of said resist layer during scanning thereof, means for forming signals indicative of the number of address positions that are or will be exposed neighboring the particular positions currently being exposed, and means responsive to said forming means for controlling a specific number of the additional subunits in each column to also expose the particular positions with their respectively associated beams at successive timed intervals.

Claim 16

A high-speed method for defining high-resolution microminiature patterns in a radiation-sensitive layer, said method comprising the steps of providing from a single electron source a single radiant beam, forming from said single beam an array of radiant beams, demagnifying said array and directing it to impinge upon the surface of said layer to appear thereon as an array comprising multiple spaced-apart radiant spots, scanning said array of spots in unison over said surface, and independently blanking the individual spots in said array during scanning.

Claim 17

A high-speed method for defining high-resolution microminiature patterns in a radiation-sensitive layer, said method comprising the steps of providing from a single electron source a single radiant beam, forming from said single beam an array of radiant beams, demagnifying said array and directing it to impinge upon the surface of said layer to appear thereon as an array comprising multiple spaced-apart radiant spots, scanning said array of spots in unison over said surface, and independently blanking the individual spots in said array during scanning.

Claim 18

A method as in claim 12 wherein said forming step comprises forming a linear array of radiant beams.

Claim 19

A method as in claim 12 wherein said forming step comprises forming a two-dimensional array of radiant beams arranged in rows and columns.

Claim 20

A method as in claim 14 comprising the additional step of selectively controlling the radiant dose delivered to each address position in a column on said surface as a corresponding column of spots is scanned thereover.

Claim 21

Apparatus for scanning multiple radiant beams over the surface of a radiation-sensitive workpiece to define patterns therein, said apparatus comprising a single electron source of radiation, means for forming multiple spaced-apart radiant beams, means positioned between said forming means and said workpiece for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for demagnifying and scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 22

Apparatus for scanning multiple radiant beams over the surface of a radiation-sensitive workpiece to define patterns therein, said apparatus comprising a single electron source of radiation, means for forming multiple spaced-apart radiant beams, means positioned between said forming means and said workpiece for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for demagnifying and scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 23

Apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said apparatus is characterized by a single main longitudinal axis along which said aforespecified means are positioned, and wherein said demagnifying and scanning means comprise means positioned along said single axis for generating demagnifying and scanning fields to cause each of said multiple beams to be identically demagnified and scanned with respect to the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 24

Apparatus for scanning multiple charged-particle beams over the surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising a single source of charged particles, means responsive to particles from said single source for forming multiple spaced-apart beams, means for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for demagnifying and scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 25

Apparatus for scanning multiple charged-particle beams over the surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising a single source of charged particles, means responsive to particles from said single source for forming multiple spaced-apart beams, means for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for demagnifying and scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 26

Apparatus for scanning multiple charged-particle beams over the surface of a workpiece to define microminiature features therein, said apparatus comprising means, including only a single source of charged particles, for forming multiple spaced-apart beams, means for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 27

Apparatus for scanning multiple charged-particle beams over the surface of a workpiece to define microminiature features therein, said apparatus comprising means, including only a single source of charged particles, for forming multiple spaced-apart beams, means for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 28

In combination in a charged-particle beam exposure system, a source of charged particles, a plate having an array of apertures therethrough for forming a plurality of charged-particle beams, means responsive to charged particles emitted by said source for forming a beam and simultaneously illuminating all the apertures in said array with said beam thereby to provide an array of beams respectively emanating from said apertures, means for demagnifying and scanning said array of beams over the surface of a workpiece, and means for independently blanking each of said beams.

Claim 29

In combination in a charged-particle beam exposure system, a source of charged particles, a plate having an array of apertures therethrough for forming a plurality of charged-particle beams, means responsive to charged particles emitted by said source for forming a beam and simultaneously illuminating all the apertures in said array with said beam thereby to provide an array of beams respectively emanating from said apertures, means for demagnifying and scanning said array of beams over the surface of a workpiece, and means for independently blanking each of said beams.

Claim 30

Apparatus for defining microminiature features in a workpiece, said apparatus comprising means, including only a single source of charged particles, for forming an array comprising multiple spaced-apart charged-particle beams, means for independently blanking the individual ones of said beams, means for mechanically moving said workpiece, and means for scanning said array of beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece in an interleaved fashion as said workpiece is moved.

Claim 31

Apparatus for defining microminiature features in a workpiece, said apparatus comprising means, including only a single source of charged particles, for forming an array comprising multiple spaced-apart charged-particle beams, means for independently blanking the individual ones of said beams, means for mechanically moving said workpiece, and means for scanning said array of beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece in an interleaved fashion as said workpiece is moved.

Claim 32

A high-speed method for defining high-resolution microminiature features in a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of providing from a single source a single beam of charged particles, forming from said single beam an array of charged-particle beams, demagnifying said array and directing it to impinge upon the surface of said workpiece to appear thereon as an array comprising multiple spaced-apart charged-particle spots, scanning said array of spots in unison over said surface, and independently blanking the individual spots in said array during scanning.

Claim 33

A high-speed method for defining high-resolution microminiature features in a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of providing from a single source a single beam of charged particles, forming from said single beam an array of charged-particle beams, demagnifying said array and directing it to impinge upon the surface of said workpiece to appear thereon as an array comprising multiple spaced-apart charged-particle spots, scanning said array of spots in unison over said surface, and independently blanking the individual spots in said array during scanning.

Claim 34

Apparatus for scanning multiple charged-particle beams over the surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising a single source of charged particles, means for forming multiple spaced-apart charged-particle beams, means positioned between said forming means and said workpiece for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for demagnifying and scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.

Claim 35

Apparatus for scanning multiple charged-particle beams over the surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising a single source of charged particles, means for forming multiple spaced-apart charged-particle beams, means positioned between said forming means and said workpiece for independently blanking each of said beams, and means for demagnifying and scanning said independently blanked beams in unison over the surface of said workpiece.