US5759423A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electron beam writing method and apparatus for carrying out the same
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
•
Filing: 1995-11-28
•
Granted: 1998-06-02
•
Expires: 2015-11-28
Abstract
Abstract An electron beam writing apparatus comprises: an electron beam source for projecting an electron beam; a first mask provided with a first rectangular aperture for passing the electron beam projected by the electron beam source to shape the electron beam in a primary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section; a second mask provided with a second rectangular aperture for passing the primary shaped beam to shape the primary shaped beam in a secondary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section, and triangular apertures for passing the primary shaped beam to form a secondary shaped beam having a triangular cross section; a first electron beam deflecting system for moving the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask; and a second electron beam deflecting system for moving the secondary shaped beam on the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written. Each of the triangular apertures is formed in a size such that the triangular aperture can be entirely covered with a rectangular image formed by the first shaped beam on the surface of the second mask.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasunari Sohda
- 👤 Yasuhiro Someda
- 👤 Hiroyuki Itoh
- 👤 Katsuhiro Kawasaki
- 👤 Norio Saitou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:12
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/30; H01J37/317; H01J37/3174; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y40/00; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/30; H01J2237/317; H01J2237/3175; H01J2237/31776
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
An electron beam writing apparatus comprising: an electron beam source for projecting an electron beam; a first mask provided with a first rectangular aperture for passing the electron beam projected by the electron beam source to shape the electron beam in a primary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section; a second mask provided with a second rectangular aperture for passing the primary shaped beam to shape the primary shaped beam in a secondary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section, and triangular apertures for passing the primary shaped beam to form a secondary shaped beam having a triangular cross section; a first electron beam deflecting system for moving the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask; and a second electron beam deflecting system for moving the secondary shaped beam on the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written; each of said triangular apertures being formed in a size such that the triangular aperture can be entirely covered with a rectangular image formed by the first shaped beam on the surface of the second mask.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
An electron beam writing apparatus comprising: an electron beam source for projecting an electron beam; a first mask provided with a first rectangular aperture for passing the electron beam projected by the electron beam source to shape the electron beam in a primary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section; a second mask provided with a second rectangular aperture for passing the primary shaped beam to shape the primary shaped beam in a secondary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section, and triangular apertures for passing the primary shaped beam to form a secondary shaped beam having a triangular cross section; a first electron beam deflecting system for moving the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask; and a second electron beam deflecting system for moving the secondary shaped beam on the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written; each of said triangular apertures being formed in a size such that the triangular aperture can be entirely covered with a rectangular image formed by the first shaped beam on the surface of the second mask.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second rectangular aperture is formed in a size such that the second rectangular aperture can be entirely covered by the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the triangular apertures are disposed near the second rectangular aperture.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the triangular apertures are right-angled triangular apertures.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the two sides of each right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse extend in parallel to the two adjacent sides perpendicular to each other of the second rectangular aperture, respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the right-angled triangular apertures has the shape of a isosceles right triangle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
188 words
An electron beam writing apparatus comprising: an electron beam source for projecting an electron beam; a first mask provided with a first rectangular aperture for passing the electron beam projected by the electron beam source to shape the electron beam in a primary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section; a second mask provided with a second rectangular aperture for passing the primary shaped beam to shape the primary shaped beam in a secondary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section, and a plurality of triangular apertures for passing the primary shaped beam to form a secondary shaped beam having a triangular cross section; a first electron beam deflecting means for moving the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask; and a second electron beam deflecting means for moving the secondary shaped beam on the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written; each of said plurality of triangular apertures being formed in a size such that the triangular aperture can be entirely covered with a rectangular image formed by the first shaped beam on the surface of the second mask.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
188 words
An electron beam writing apparatus comprising: an electron beam source for projecting an electron beam; a first mask provided with a first rectangular aperture for passing the electron beam projected by the electron beam source to shape the electron beam in a primary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section; a second mask provided with a second rectangular aperture for passing the primary shaped beam to shape the primary shaped beam in a secondary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section, and a plurality of triangular apertures for passing the primary shaped beam to form a secondary shaped beam having a triangular cross section; a first electron beam deflecting means for moving the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask; and a second electron beam deflecting means for moving the secondary shaped beam on the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written; each of said plurality of triangular apertures being formed in a size such that the triangular aperture can be entirely covered with a rectangular image formed by the first shaped beam on the surface of the second mask.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second rectangular aperture is formed in a size such that the second rectangular aperture can be entirely covered by the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of triangular apertures are formed in a region surrounding the second rectangular aperture.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of triangular apertures are right-angled triangular apertures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the two sides of each right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse extend in parallel to the two adjacent sides perpendicular to each other of the second rectangular aperture, respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the right-angled triangular apertures has the shape of a isosceles right triangle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the hypotenuses of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures extend in different directions, respectively.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the number of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures is four.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask at least on a prolongation of one of the diagonals of the second rectangular aperture extended on one side of the same diagonal in the region surrounding the second rectangular aperture of the second mask.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
81 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask at least on a prolongation of one of the diagonals of the second rectangular aperture extended on one side of the same diagonal in the region surrounding the second rectangular aperture of the second mask.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask in a region surrounding each of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures on a prolongation of one of the two sides of each right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse of the same extended from the vertex between the same side and the hypotenuse.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask in a region surrounding each of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures on a prolongation of one of the two sides of the right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse of the same extended from the vertex between the same side and the hypotenuse.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
90 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask in a region surrounding each of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures on a prolongation of one of the two sides of the right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse of the same extended from the vertex between the same side and the hypotenuse.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
88 words
An electron beam-writing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second mask is not provided with any aperture in two partial regions of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask beside the two adjacent sides of the second rectangular aperture and in a partial region of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask between the two partial regions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
89 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second mask is not provided with any aperture in two partial regions of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask beside the two adjacent sides of the second rectangular aperture and in a partial region of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask between the two partial regions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
90 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the second mask has a partial region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask in a region surrounding each of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures on a prolongation of one of the two sides of each right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse of the same extended from the vertex between the same side and the hypotenuse.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second mask is further provided with lump pattern apertures of optional shapes in a region surrounding the region in which the plurality of triangular apertures are formed.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
164 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first electron beam deflecting means comprises an electron beam deflector for moving the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask, a first deflection signal feed means for feeding an aperture selecting deflection signal for aperture selection to the electron beam deflector to make the electron beam deflector move the primary shaped beam so that the primary shaped beam overlaps selectively the second rectangular aperture or one of the plurality of triangular apertures, a second deflection signal feed means for feeding an overlapping state adjusting deflection signal for adjusting the overlapping state of the primary shaped beam and a selected aperture, and a signal adding means for adding the aperture selecting deflection signal provided by the first deflection signal feed means and the overlapping state adjusting deflection signal provided by the second deflection feed means to obtain a deflection signal and for giving the deflection signal to the electron beam deflector.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first electron beam deflecting means comprises a plurality of electron beam deflectors.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
95 words
An electron beam writing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first electron beam deflecting means comprises a first electron beam deflector for moving the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask to make the primary shaped beam overlap selectively the second rectangular aperture or one of the plurality of triangular apertures for aperture selection, and a second electron beam deflector for adjusting the overlapping state of the primary shaped beam and a selected aperture selected by moving the primary shaped beam by the first electron beam deflector for overlapping state adjustment.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
158 words
An electron beam writing method comprising steps of: producing an electron beam; projecting the electron beam on a first mask provided with a first rectangular aperture; shaping the electron beam passed through the first rectangular aperture to form a primary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section; projecting the primary shaped beam on a second mask provided with a second rectangular aperture and a plurality of triangular apertures; shaping the primary shaped beam by selectively passing the primary shaped beam through the second rectangular aperture or one of the plurality of triangular apertures to form a secondary shaped beam; and projecting the secondary shaped beam on the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written; Each of the plurality of triangular apertures of the second mask being formed in a size such that the triangular aperture can be covered entirely with a rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
158 words
An electron beam writing method comprising steps of: producing an electron beam; projecting the electron beam on a first mask provided with a first rectangular aperture; shaping the electron beam passed through the first rectangular aperture to form a primary shaped beam having a rectangular cross section; projecting the primary shaped beam on a second mask provided with a second rectangular aperture and a plurality of triangular apertures; shaping the primary shaped beam by selectively passing the primary shaped beam through the second rectangular aperture or one of the plurality of triangular apertures to form a secondary shaped beam; and projecting the secondary shaped beam on the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written; Each of the plurality of triangular apertures of the second mask being formed in a size such that the triangular aperture can be covered entirely with a rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
43 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 27, wherein the second rectangular aperture is formed in a size such that the second rectangular aperture can be entirely covered with the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
47 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 27, wherein the step of projecting the primary shaped beam on the second mask includes a secondary step of deflecting the primary shaped beam to move the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
47 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 27, wherein the step of projecting the secondary shaped beam includes a secondary step of deflecting the secondary shaped beam to move an image formed by the secondary shaped beam on the workpiece on the surface of the workpiece.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
56 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 29, wherein the step of projecting the secondary shaped beam on the surface of the workpiece includes a secondary step of deflecting the secondary shaped beam to move an image formed by the secondary shaped image on the surface of the workpiece on the surface of the workpiece.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 27, wherein all the plurality of triangular apertures are formed in a region surrounding the second rectangular aperture.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 32, wherein all the plurality of triangular apertures are right-angled triangular apertures having the shapes of right triangles, respectively.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
43 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 33, wherein each of the right-angled triangular aperture is disposed with its two sides perpendicular to each other extending in parallel to the two adjacent sides perpendicular to each other of the second rectangular aperture.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 34, wherein the hypotenuses of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures are extended in different directions, respectively.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
81 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 35, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask at least on a prolongation of one of the diagonals of the second rectangular aperture extended on one side of the same diagonal in the region surrounding the second rectangular aperture of the second mask.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
90 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 35, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask in a region surrounding each of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures on a prolongation of one of the two sides of each right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse of the same extended from the vertex between the same side and the hypotenuse.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
90 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 36, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask in a region surrounding each of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures on a prolongation of one of the two sides of each right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse of the same extended from the vertex between the same side and the hypotenuse.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
89 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 35, wherein the second mask is not provided with any aperture in two partial regions of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask beside the two adjacent sides of the second rectangular aperture and in a partial region of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask between the two partial regions.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
90 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 39, wherein the second mask has a vacant region, in which no aperture is formed, of an area which is large enough for entirely covering the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask in a region surrounding each of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures on a prolongation of one of the two sides of each right-angled triangular aperture other than the hypotenuse of the same extended from the vertex between the same side and the hypotenuse.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
98 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 39, wherein the step of projecting the primary shaped beam on the second mask includes an aperture selecting step in which the primary shaped beam is deflected to make the the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask overlap the second rectangular aperture or one of the plurality of right-angled triangular apertures, and an overlapping state adjusting step in which the primary shaped beam is deflected to adjust the overlapping state of the rectangular image and the selected aperture selected by the aperture selecting step.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
66 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 41, wherein the adjustment of the overlapping state of the rectangular image and the right-angled triangular aperture in the overlapping state adjusting step is achieved by deflecting the primary shaped beam so as to move the rectangular image only in a direction parallel to one of the two sides perpendicular to each other of the right-angled triangular aperture.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
45 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 42, wherein the primary shaped beam is deflected to move the rectangular image relative to the right-angled triangular aperture so that only one of the sides of the rectangular image is projected in the right-angled triangular aperture.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
77 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 42, wherein the rectangular image is moved in the overlapping state adjusting step in a direction so that the distance between a position reached by the rectangular image moved so as to go away from the right-angled triangular aperture overlapped by the rectangular image where the rectangular image and the right-angled triangular aperture are in a nonoverlapping state, and the position of the second rectangular aperture is the shortest.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
139 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 41, wherein the overlapping state of the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask and the right-angled triangular aperture selectively overlapped by the rectangular image is determined by by determining the beam profile of the secondary shaped beam by moving an image formed by the secondary shaped beam relative to a straight mark formed on a plane including the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written, and having a width greater than the width of the image formed by the secondary shaped beam as measured along the direction of movement of the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask relative to the right-angled triangular aperture, and fitting the beam profile to a function.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
159 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 41, wherein the overlapping state of the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask and the right-angled triangular aperture selectively overlapped by the rectangular image is determined by by determining the beam profile of the secondary shaped beam by moving an image formed by the secondary shaped beam relative to a straight mark formed on a plane including the surface of a workpiece on which a pattern is to be written, and having a width greater than the width of the image formed by the secondary shaped beam as measured along the direction of movement of the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the surface of the second mask relative to the right-angled triangular aperture, and fitting the beam profile to a function for determining the intersection point of a beam profile differential obtained by differentiating the beam profile, and a differential level.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
64 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 41, wherein the overlapping state of the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask and the right-angled triangular aperture selectively overlapped by the rectangular image is determined on the basis of the beam current of the secondary shaped beam passed through the right-angled triangular aperture selectively overlapped by the rectangular image.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
74 words
An electron beam writing method according to claim 41, wherein the overlapping state of the rectangular image formed by the primary shaped beam on the second mask and the right-angled triangular aperture selectively overlapped by the rectangular image is determined on the basis of the deflection of the secondary shaped beam corresponding to the maximum beam current of the secondary shaped beam passed through the right-angled triangular aperture selectively overlapped by the rectangular image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPH03270215A
Cited
US5334282A
Cited
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-01 | 2001-12-01 | 2002-06-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-01 | 2005-12-01 | 2006-06-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-01 | 2009-12-01 | 2010-06-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |