Abstract: In a particle beam apparatus and a method for operating a particle beam apparatus, the particle beam apparatus has a column having a particle-beam optical system for generating a particle beam, to thereby expose a desired pattern in a vacuum sample chamber in an exposure operation. In a cleaning operation, a regulable gas stream having photodissociatable gas is fed to the column and/or the vacuum sample chamber via a gas-feed system. The photodissociation of the supplied gas is brought about in the cleaning operation with the aid of a plurality of light sources distributed spatially in the column and/or in the vacuum sample chamber. In the cleaning operation, individual light sources are able to be switched on and off selectively with respect to time via a control unit connected to the light sources, in order to clean individual elements in the column and/or in the vacuum sample chamber in targeted fashion.

Abstract: A proposed aerostatic bearing arrangement for moving a device on a base structure, particularly in a vacuum environment, has at least one aerostatic bearing element comprising a bearing body having a load-carrying zone and a suction area. An electrostatic preloading unit having at least one electrode is associated with the at least one aerostatic bearing element, and a voltage can be applied to the electrode in such a way that a force component is generated in direction of the surface normal of the bearing body of the aerostatic bearing element.

Abstract: A table system for vacuum application has a base plate and a moving table guided by aerostatic bearing units. The bearing units (10) are connected to supply lines and suction lines for supplying and extracting the gas required for the operation of the bearing units and are provided in each instance with a sealing system having at least one stage and comprising suction channel and sealing gap for sealing relative to the vacuum. The table system is characterized in that the aerostatic bearing units (10) are constructed at least partially as swivel joints, and a push rod (4) which is actuated by a drive (5) for guiding the moving table laterally is connected to the rotating part (21) of each swivel joint, and in that the push rods (4) are hollow and constitute a component part of the suction lines for extracting the operating gas.

Abstract: A table for vacuum application which is guided by aerostatic bearing elements, having a fixedly mounted supporting structure and a tabletop which is displaceable in x-direction and y-direction with respect to the fixedly mounted supporting structure by means of slides. The slides are provided with the aerostatic bearing elements for guiding, these aerostatic bearing elements being connected to feed lines for supplying the gas required for the operation of the gas bearings and suction lines for removing this gas. The suction lines comprise at least one variable-length line arrangement having a first pipe member and a second pipe member which penetrate one inside the other without contacting, at least one sealing gap being provided between the pipe members.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for the illumination of a substrate with a plurality of individually shaped, controllable particle beams, particularly for electron beam lithography in the semiconductor industry. It is the object of the invention to find a novel possibility for illuminating a substrate with a plurality of individually shaped, controllable particle beamlets which permits a high-resolution structuring of substrates with a high substrate throughput without limiting the flexibility of the applicable structure patterns or limiting the high substrate throughput due to a required flexibility.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for producing resist profiled elements. According to the invention, an electron beam lithography system is used to produce an electron beam, the axis of the beam being essentially perpendicular to a resist layer in which the resist profiled element is to be produced. The electron beam can be adjusted in terms of the electron surface dose in such a way that a non-orthogonal resist profiled element can be produced as a result of the irradiation by the electron beam.

Abstract: The invention discloses a multibeam modulator which generates a plurality of individual beams from a particle beam. The particle beam illuminates the multibeam modulator at least partially over its surface. The multibeam modulator comprises a plurality of aperture groups composed of aperture row groups. The totality of all aperture rows defines a matrix of m×n cells, where m cells form a row, and k openings are formed in each row. The density of openings within a row is inhomogeneously distributed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for the illumination of a substrate with a plurality of individually shaped, controllable particle beams, particularly for electron beam lithography in the semiconductor industry. It is the object of the invention to find a novel possibility for illuminating a substrate (91) with a plurality of individually shaped, controllable particle beamlets (118) which permits a high-resolution structuring of substrates with a high substrate throughput without limiting the flexibility of the applicable structure patterns or limiting the high substrate throughput due to a required flexibility.

Abstract: A table system for vacuum application has a base plate and a moving table guided by aerostatic bearing units. The bearing units (10) are connected to supply lines and suction lines for supplying and extracting the gas required for the operation of the bearing units and are provided in each instance with a sealing system having at least one stage and comprising suction channel and sealing gap for sealing relative to the vacuum. The table system is characterized in that the aerostatic bearing units (10) are constructed at least partially as swivel joints, and a push rod (4) which is actuated by a drive (5) for guiding the moving table laterally is connected to the rotating part (21) of each swivel joint, and in that the push rods (4) are hollow and constitute a component part of the suction lines for extracting the operating gas.

Abstract: A proposed aerostatic bearing arrangement for moving a device on a base structure, particularly in a vacuum environment, has at least one aerostatic bearing element comprising a bearing body having a load-carrying zone and a suction area. An electrostatic preloading unit having at least one electrode is associated with the at least one aerostatic bearing element, and a voltage can be applied to the electrode in such a way that a force component is generated in direction of the surface normal of the bearing body of the aerostatic bearing element.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a table for vacuum application which is guided by means of aerostatic bearing elements, having a fixedly mounted supporting structure and a tabletop which is displaceable in x-direction and y-direction with respect to the fixedly mounted supporting structure by means of slides. The slides are provided with the aerostatic bearing elements for guiding, these aerostatic bearing elements being connected to feed lines for supplying the gas required for the operation of the gas bearings and suction lines for removing this gas. The suction lines comprise at least one variable-length line arrangement having a first pipe member and a second pipe member which penetrate one inside the other without contacting, at least one sealing gap being provided between the pipe members.

Abstract: An illumination condenser for a particle optics projection system is disclosed. The illumination condenser is formed of a magnetic lens comprising a plurality of gaps. The magnetic lens is formed of a sequence of a plurality of partial lenses.

Abstract: A correction lens system for a particle beam projection device with at least a first magnetic lens and a second magnetic lens is disclosed. A plurality of correction lens pairs is arranged between the first magnetic lens and second magnetic lens and the particle beam.

Abstract: A method for reducing the fogging effect in an electron beam lithography system wherein the exposure is controlled in order to obtain resulting pattern after processing which conforms to design data. A model for the fogging effect is fitted by individually changing at least the basic input parameters of the control function, the function type is chosen in accordance to the Kernel type used in the proximity corrector. The proximity effect is considered as well and an optimized set of parameters is obtained in order to gain a common control function for the proximity and fogging effect. The pattern writing with an e-beam lithographic system is controlled by the single combined proximity effect control function and the fogging effect control function in only one data-processing step using the same algorithms as are implemented in a standard proximity corrector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for producing resist profiled elements. According to the invention, an electron beam lithography system is used to produce an electron beam, the axis of the beam being essentially perpendicular to a resist layer in which the resist profiled element is to be produced. The electron beam can be adjusted in terms of the electron surface dose in such a way that a non-orthogonal resist profiled element can be produced as a result of the irradiation by the electron beam.