Abstract: A mask defect repair system which repairs, by irradiating a particle beam, a defect on a mask made of a transparent substrate and a mask material formed on the substrate, includes an imaging beam irradiation unit for two-dimensionally scanning and irradiating the beam for imaging on a surface of the mask, a detector for detecting a first intensity distribution of secondary particles emitted from the surface of the mask by irradiation of the beam for imaging, an image processing unit for performing image processing of at least part of the first intensity distribution of the secondary particles to prepare a second intensity distribution, an image display unit for displaying the first and second intensity distributions as an image, an external input unit for setting, on the image, a desired region to be processed with the beam, an irradiation region determination unit for determining, on the desired region to be processed, a beam irradiation region on the basis of the second intensity distribution, a repair beam

Abstract: In a reticle, a semi-transparent film pattern in place of a light blocking film pattern is used as a mask pattern having a size within a certain range, whereby an exposure system can be improved in resolution limit and faithful pattern transfer can be realized with a constant light quantity. A reticle may be of a stacked layer structure which comprises a shift film for providing a different optical path to exposure light, a mask substrate formed on the top or bottom of the shift film, and a transmissivity ratio adjustment layer having a predetermined transmissivity ratio to the exposure light. The material of a phase shifter may be adjusted in amplitude transmissivity ratio so that a shifter width for effectively improving a contrast can be made large and an accuracy necessary for a shifter width can be loosened.

Abstract: A method of repairing a defect existing on a photo mask comprising a transparent substrate and a mask pattern formed on the substrate, comprises steps of irradiating a focused ion beam toward the defect and supplying XeF.sub.2 gas to the defect, when an etching rate of the defect by the focused ion beam and XeF.sub.2 is 1.7 times greater than an etching rate by a sole irradiation of the focused ion beam.

Abstract: A mask defect repair system which repairs, by irradiating a particle beam, a defect on a mask made of a transparent substrate and a mask material formed on the substrate, includes an imaging beam irradiation unit for two-dimensionally scanning and irradiating the beam for imaging on a surface of the mask, a detector for detecting a first intensity distribution of secondary particles emitted from the surface of the mask by irradiation of the beam for imaging, an image processing unit for performing image processing of at least part of the first intensity distribution of the secondary particles to prepare a second intensity distribution, an image display unit for displaying the first and second intensity distributions as an image, an external input unit for setting, on the image, a desired region to be processed with the beam, an irradiation region determination unit for determining, on the desired region to be processed, a beam irradiation region on the basis of the second intensity distribution, a repair beam

Abstract: In a reticle, a semi-transparent film pattern in place of a light blocking film pattern is used as a mask pattern having a size within a certain range, whereby an exposure system can be improved in resolution limit and faithful pattern transfer can be realized with a constant light quantity. A reticle may be of a stacked layer structure which comprises a shift film for providing a different optical path to exposure light, a mask substrate formed on the top or bottom of the shift film, and a transmissivity ratio adjustment layer having a predetermined transmissivity ratio to the exposure light. The material of a phase shifter may be adjusted in amplitude transmissivity ratio so that a shifter width for effectively improving a contrast can be made large and an accuracy necessary for a shifter width can be loosened.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided a method of repairing a bump defect of a structure obtained by forming a predetermined pattern on a substrate, having the steps of forming a first thin film consisting of a material different from that of the substrate on the substrate around the bump defect or close to the bump defect, forming a second thin film on the bump defect and the first thin film to flatten an upper surface of the second thin film, performing simultaneous removal of the bump defect and the thin films on an upper portion of the projecting defect and around the bump defect using a charged particle beam, and performing removal of the thin films left in the step of performing simultaneous removal.

Abstract: In a reticle, a semi-transparent film pattern in place of a light blocking film pattern is used as a mask pattern having a size within a certain range, whereby an exposure system can be improved in resolution limit and faithful pattern transfer can be realized with a constant light quantity. A reticle may be of a stacked layer structure which comprises a shift film for providing a different optical path to exposure light, a mask substrate formed on the top or bottom of the shift film, and a transmissivity ratio adjustment layer having a predetermined transmissivity ratio to the exposure light. The material of a phase shifter may be adjusted in amplitude transmissivity ratio so that a shifter width for effectively improving a contrast can be made large and an accuracy necessary for a shifter width can be loosened.

Abstract: A charged beam apparatus of this invention comprises a sample table on which a sample is placed, a column for irradiating a charged beam on a surface of the sample, a gas supply mechanism having a gas supply opening for injecting a gas to an irradiated position of the charged beam, and a driving mechanism for moving the gas supply opening parallel to the surface of the sample in order to position the gas supply opening, and moving the gas supply opening perpendicularly to the surface of the sample in order to set a distance from the gas supply opening to a processing position. This allows the gas pressure to be stably held with a high accuracy at the processing position. Accordingly, desired deposition or etching can be performed with a high accuracy, and this further improves the quality of the mask.

Abstract: In a reticle, a semi-transparent film pattern in place of a light blocking film pattern is used as a mask pattern having a size within a certain range, whereby an exposure system can be improved in resolution limit and faithful pattern transfer can be realized with a constant light quantity. A reticle may be of a stacked layer structure which comprises a shift film for providing a different optical path to exposure light, a mask substrate formed on the top or bottom of the shift film, and a transmissivity ratio adjustment layer having a predetermined transmissivity ratio to the exposure light. The material of a phase shifter may be adjusted in amplitude transmissivity ratio so that a shifter width for effectively improving a contrast can be made large and an accuracy necessary for a shifter width can be loosened.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided a method of repairing a bump defect of a structure obtained by forming a predetermined pattern on a substrate, having the steps of forming a first thin film consisting of a material different from that of the substrate on the substrate around the bump defect or close to the bump defect, forming a second thin film on the bump defect and the first thin film to flatten an upper surface of the second thin film, performing simultaneous removal of the bump defect and the thin films on an upper portion of the projecting defect and around the bump defect using a charged particle beam, and performing removal of the thin films left in the step of performing simultaneous removal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a focusing ion beam apparatus, comprising an ion source, focusing and deflecting means for focusing and deflecting an ion beam obtained by the ion source, and a plurality of gas introducing means for a plurality of gases to be supplied onto the surface of a sample to deposit an insulating film. According to the apparatus, a silicon compound gas and a gas mainly consisting of an element other than silicon as a plurality of the gases are supplied onto the surface of the sample, then the ion beam obtained from the ion source is irradiated onto the gases. Thereby, the gases are decomposed so that an insulating film consisting of a silicon oxide or a silicon nitride is deposited on a desired oxide or a silicon nitride is deposited on a desired position of the surface of the sample.