Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes an electrode configured to deflect a charged particle beam, an amplifier configured to apply a deflection potential to the electrode, a diagnostic circuit configured to diagnose the amplifier, a switching circuit arranged between an output of the amplifier and the electrode, and configured to switch the output of the amplifier between the electrode and the diagnostic circuit, an electron optical system configured to irradiate a target object with the charged particle beam deflected by being applied with the deflection potential by the amplifier, a column configured to include therein the electrode and the electron optical system, a first coaxial cable configured to connect an output side of the amplifier with the switching circuit, a second coaxial cable configured to connect the electrode with the switching circuit, a third coaxial cable configured to connect the output side of the amplifier with the diagnosti

Abstract: A system for determining Schottky thermal field emission (TFE) usable current and brightness of a Schottky TFE source is provided, the system including: one or more processors, configured to: acquire and store in a memory a Schottky TFE emission image in a digital format; and determine Schottky TFE usable beam current and brightness for the based on experimentally developed algorithms that utilize usable current criteria and usable emission current density, the usable current criteria being generated based on properties of a central beam component and an outer beam component of Schottky TFE beam current.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a Schottky thermal field emission (TFE) source for emitting an electron beam. Exemplary embodiments can provide the acquisition of high-resolution emission images of Schottky TFE source and compute usable beam current and brightness based on experimentally developed usable current criteria. Advantages of these exemplary embodiments include: (1) obtaining usable beam current and brightness of a Schottky TFE source can be important with reference to Schottky TFE development and quality inspection, and (2) optimizing Schottky TFE operation modes so as to maximize Schottky TFE usable beam current and brightness can enable operation of multi-beam electron optical tools.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a Schottky thermal field emission (TFE) source for emitting an electron beam. Exemplary embodiments can provide the acquisition of high-resolution emission images of Schottky TFE source and compute usable beam current and brightness based on experimentally developed usable current criteria. Advantages of these exemplary embodiments include: (1) obtaining usable beam current and brightness of a Schottky TFE source can be important with reference to Schottky TFE development and quality inspection, and (2) optimizing Schottky TFE operation modes so as to maximize Schottky TFE usable beam current and brightness can enable operation of multi-beam electron optical tools.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter (DAC)/amplifier testing system for use in an electron-beam (e-beam) mask writer, the e-beam mask writer including a plurality of DAC/amplifier circuits to output analog voltage signals, each DAC/amplifier circuit having a first output terminal and a second output terminal, the first output terminals of the plurality of DAC/amplifier circuits being respectively coupled to deflection plates of the e-beam mask writer to provide the output analog voltages as deflection voltages, is provided. The testing system including a summation circuit to sum voltage signals and to output a summation signal indicating the sum of the received analog voltage signals and an analyzer circuit to digitize the summation signal and to detect to compare the digitized summation signal with an error tolerance range to detect whether at least one of the DAC/amplifier circuits is experiencing an operating error.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter (DAC)/amplifier testing system for use in an electron-beam (e-beam) mask writer, the e-beam mask writer including a plurality of DAC/amplifier circuits to output analog voltage signals, each DAC/amplifier circuit having a first output terminal and a second output terminal, the first output terminals of the plurality of DAC/amplifier circuits being respectively coupled to deflection plates of the e-beam mask writer to provide the output analog voltages as deflection voltages, is provided. The testing system including a summation circuit to sum voltage signals and to output a summation signal indicating the sum of the received analog voltage signals and an analyzer circuit to digitize the summation signal and to detect to compare the digitized summation signal with an error tolerance range to detect whether at least one of the DAC/amplifier circuits is experiencing an operating error.