Abstract: A method for providing charged particle beam exposure onto an object having a plurality of chip areas with a plurality of aligning marks formed in correspondence to each of said chip areas. A charged particle beam is irradiated upon an object mounted on a mobile step based upon positions of the aligning marks. Actual positions of the alignment marks are detected and compared to the design positions of the alignment marks to determine approximate relationships which are used to calculate an actual position to perform exposure.

Abstract: To improve in the throughput of an exposure system, the setting time during a step change in the output of an amplifier is reduced by switching resistance between the amplifier and deflector, a glitch waveform generated during a step change in the output of a D/A converter at the preceding stage of the amplifier, is anticipated and is canceled out with a correction waveform, after the output of the D/A converter has settled, this output is sample held and the step change is interpolated at a smoothing circuit, the deflection area is increased by positioning a electrostatic deflector offset around the optical axis relative to another electrostatic deflector, the response speed of the main deflection is improved by adding auxiliary deflection coils of one or two turn, and the alignment time is reduced by combining the coordinate conversion in the wafer area and in the chip area.

Abstract: To improve the throughput of an exposure system, the setting time during a step change in the output of an amplifier is reduced by switching resistance between the amplifier and a deflector. A glitch waveform generated during a step change in the output of a D/A converter at the preceding stage of the amplifier is anticipated and is cancelled out with a correction waveform. After the output of the D/A converter has settled, this output is sample-held and the step change is interpolated with a smoothing circuit. The deflection area is increased by positioning an electrostatic deflector offset around the optical axis relative to another electrostatic deflector, and the response speed of the main deflection is improved by adding auxiliary deflection coils of one or two turns. The alignment time is reduced by combining the coordinate conversion in the wafer area and in the chip area.

Abstract: To improve in the throughput of an exposure system, the setting time during a step change in the output of an amplifier is reduced by switching resistance between the amplifier and a deflector, a glitch waveform generated during a step change in the output or a D/A converter at the preceding stage of the amplifier, is anticipated and is canceled out with a correction waveform, after the output of the D/A converter has settled, this output is sample held and the step change is interpolated at a smoothing circuit, the deflection area is increased by positioning a electrostatic deflector offset around the optical axis relative to another electrostatic deflector, the response speed of the main deflection is improved by adding auxiliary deflection coils of one or two turn, and the alignment time is reduced by combining the coordinate conversion in the wafer area and in the chip area.

Abstract: A charged particle beam exposure apparatus employs a main deflector made of electromagnetic coils and a subdeflector made of electrostatic deflection electrodes. An exposure method used for this apparatus is capable of shortening a wait time of the main deflector. The main deflector deflects a charged particle beam in a direction X, while the subdeflector deflects the beam around the deflecting position of the main deflector to expose an object to the beam. An area to be exposed on the object is divided into thin subfields such that the width, in an X-axis direction of each subfield, is approximately 1/3 the length in a Y-axis direction of the same.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam exposure method is used for a charged-particle beam exposure apparatus equipped with a blanking aperture array plate in which columns are arranged side by side in a first direction, and each of the columns includes a plurality of blanking apertures arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, a charged-particle beam being moved on a wafer in the first direction. The method includes the steps of (a) determining one of first and second axes of a pattern to be exposed to be a priority axis; (b) projecting an image of the blanking aperture array plate onto the wafer so that the priority axis is perpendicular to the second direction; and (c) deflecting the charged-particle beam so that the wafer is scanned in the direction of the priority axis.

Abstract: A charged particle beam exposure method for deflecting a charged particle beam in a deflection system which includes electromagnetic deflection coils, includes the steps of (a) controlling the deflection system based on deflection data, and (b) generating heat at least a vicinity of the electromagnetic deflection coils so as to compensate for a change in heat generated from the electromagnetic deflection coils.

Abstract: A charged particle beam exposure method deflects a charged particle beam in a deflection system which includes electromagnetic deflection coils and an electromagnetic lens. The charged particle beam exposure method includes controlling the deflection system based on deflection data, and blocking heat radiation from at least the electromagnetic deflection coils by a partition so as to prevent the heat radiation from reaching the electromagnetic lens and to prevent heat conduction to the electromagnetic lens by the partition.