Abstract: A method of fabricating a 3 dimensional structure, includes: forming a stack of at least 2 layers of photo resist material having different photo resist sensitivities upon a substrate; exposing the stack to beams of electromagnetic radiation or charged particles of different dosages to achieve selective solubility along a height of the stack; and dissolving soluble portions of the stack with a solvent to produce a 3 dimensional structure of desired geometry.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a 3 dimensional structure, includes: forming a stack of at least 2 layers of photo resist material having different photo resist sensitivities upon a substrate; exposing the stack to beams of electromagnetic radiation or charged particles of different dosages to achieve selective solubility along a height of the stack; and dissolving soluble portions of the stack with a solvent to produce a 3 dimensional structure of desired geometry.

Abstract: A multiple-deflection blanker for charged particle beam lithography includes a support structure, a first pair of electrodes mounted to the support structure and providing a first electric field, a second pair of electrodes mounted to the support structure and providing a second electric field, at least a third pair of electrodes mounted to the support structure and providing a third electric field, and a surface, such as, an aperture or knife edge, positioned to obstruct a charged particle beam passed through the electric fields. The blanker may include at least a fourth pair of electrodes providing a fourth electric field and apparatus for regulating the time of the excitation of the electric fields. Methods for exposing media to charged particles and aperture holders are also provided.

Abstract: A multiple-deflection blanker for charged particle beam lithography includes a support structure, a first pair of electrodes mounted to the support structure and providing a first electric field, a second pair of electrodes mounted to the support structure and providing a second electric field, at least a third pair of electrodes mounted to the support structure and providing a third electric field, and a surface, such as, an aperture or knife edge, positioned to obstruct a charged particle beam passed through the electric fields. The blanker may include at least a fourth pair of electrodes providing a fourth electric field and apparatus for regulating the time of the excitation of the electric fields. Methods for exposing media to charged particles and aperture holders are also provided.

Abstract: Fine positioning of a shaped or patterned charged particle beam without use of intrusive fiducial marks is achieved by providing a dithered shadow pattern, preferably in the form of a grid, within the shaped or patterned charged particle beam. Light output from fiducial marks preferably formed of a scintillating material is reduced when the dithered shadow pattern is incident on some or all of the fiducial marks. The timing of the incidence of the shadow pattern on fiducial marks indicates the position of the shaped or patterned charged particle beam such that correction of the beam position on the target can be corrected to a small fraction of system resolution. The dither pattern and repetition period is chosen to avoid interference with uniformity of beam illumination of the target. Feedback of position error thus provides phase locked position correction in real time and is suitable for mask making since the fiducial marks are not intrusive.

Abstract: A system for supporting and adjusting the position of an object in a vacuum includes inner and outer support rings that are connected by flexible mounts that are compliant along one axis and stiff along other axes, and drivers extending through the wall of the vacuum chamber that move the supports independently along their respective axes. At least the inner support is clamped after adjustment by a clamp that exerts a strong clamping pressure while exerting transverse force only less than a threshold selected to avoid motion after adjustment.

Abstract: A multi-beam shaped-beam electron beam lithography system employs conventional lenses and magnetic deflectors, with an array of lithographically fabricated electrodes disposed about a central axis to simultaneously and independently deflect electron beams in beamlet exposure ranges separated transversely from one another within a subfield, so that subfields overlap.

Abstract: A multi-beam shaped-beam electron beam lithography system employs conventional lenses and magnetic deflectors, with an array of lithographically fabricated electrodes disposed about a central axis to simultaneously and independently deflect electron beams in beamlet exposure ranges separated transversely from one another within a subfield, so that subfields overlap.

Abstract: Motion of a block carrying a grid for backscattering portions of a pattern of charged particles incident on the grid is moved generally axially of a charged particle beam tool while the position of the block is measured, preferably to optically, with a grazing incidence laser beam or interferometer, in the axial direction for any or all of the degrees of freedom of the block. Backscatter is correlated with known grid position to correct the backscatter measurement to compensate for lateral components of motion parallel to the target plane in measurement of actual beam position at different axial locations. Telecentricity and landing angle can thus be observed to an accuracy of 0.003 milliradians in substantially real time; permitting substantially real time adjustment thereof. The basic principles of this process and apparatus can be extended to measurement of numerical aperture and are equally applicable to probe-forming and beam projection lithography tools.

Abstract: Fine positioning of a shaped or patterned charged particle beam without use of intrusive fiducial marks is achieved by providing a dithered shadow pattern, preferably in the form of a grid, within the shaped or patterned charged particle beam. Light output from fiducial marks preferably formed of a scintillating material is reduced when the dithered shadow pattern is incident on some or all of the fiducial marks. The timing of the incidence of the shadow pattern on fiducial marks indicates the position of the shaped or patterned charged particle beam such that correction of the beam position on the target can be corrected to a small fraction of system resolution. The dither pattern and repetition period is chosen to avoid interference with uniformity of beam illumination of the target. Feedback of position error thus provides phase locked position correction in real time and is suitable for mask making since the fiducial marks are not intrusive.

Abstract: A scattering target for use in a particle beam system is formed from a grid of gold on a substrate of carbon, with an intermediate smoothing layer (e.g. copper) on the carbon to provide a surface sufficiently smooth to provide an adequate target. An optional bonding layer may be used to improve adhesion between the gold and the smoothing layer.

Abstract: A method of calibrating an electron beam system in which a plurality of standard grids are mounted in various presentations in the electron beam system and treated as different presentations of the same grid for the purposes of applying algorithms to adjust a computer-controlled system for deflecting the electron beam. A standard grid mask is fabricated in an electron beam system and used in a stepper to make the standard grids, the same stepper and the same stepper optics being used to make each of the standard grids.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of electron beam lithography. More particularly, the invention relates to shaped beam lithography for generating variable-shaped spots on photoresist for use in integrated circuit manufacturing processes. According to an aspect of the invention, an electron beam lithography method is provided, having the steps of generating an electron beam and directing it through a first square aperture in a first lamina, the first square aperture having a first serrated edge. According to a further aspect of the invention, the beam emanating from the first square aperture in the first lamina is focused onto a second square aperture in a second lamina having a second serrated edge. The spot generated has a subresolution edge zone induced at least in part by the first serrated edge and/or the second serrated edge.

Abstract: A system and method of converting large Integrated Circuit (IC) designs into patterns. First, based on shape density, the design is fragmented into pieces, each piece including roughly the same number of shapes. Next, a band of shapes, all within the proximity correction area for each piece, are identified. Each piece, including its identified band, is processed individually to convert data within the piece and within the proximity correction band to Numerical Control (NC) data. The NC data for the proximity correction band is discarded. The piece's NC data is stored as an NC data file for the piece. This is repeated until all of the pieces are converted to NC data. Finally, the pattern is written, one piece at a time.

Abstract: Across chip line width variations and other repetitive deviations from the design pattern desired in E-Beam lithography are compensated for by examining each of the regions (i.e., frames, stripes, etc.) of a patterned substrate, determining the amount of deviation for each region, and using the determined regional deviation as a local bias when patterning subsequent substrates. Thus, the E-Beam lithography tool will utilize both global and local biases in order to produce new patterned substrates which lack the deviations found when local bias was not applied. In this way, the root cause of the deviation does not need to be determined. The local bias can be applied directly by modifying the E-Beam lithography system tool commands to provide for patterning wider or thinner lines or to provide for greater or lesser exposure time. Alternatively, the local bias can be applied by varying the emission current of the electron gun for different regions of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for monitoring resist charging in an electron beam lithography system is disclosed. The method involves the use of a reference plate (REFP) registration scheme in which a resist-coated REFP having registration marks on a substrate is prepared and scanned. The scanning process includes the deposition of an amount of charge on the surface. Then the REFP is coated with a resist to be tested and scanned again. The difference between the two scans is calculated. Preferably, each scan is performed first with the stage moving in a forward-ordered serpentine path in the tool to determine the perceived positions of the registration marks and then in a backward-ordered serpentine path. As the tool's stage moves from field to field, a small charge is deposited on the REFP to simulate the effect of a writing process. The difference between the forward and reverse scan position measurements is then determined.

Abstract: A process smooths the edges of rectangles written by an E-beam lithography system to improve critical dimension (CD) control in these shapes in the preparation of X-ray masks. The CD tolerances of X-ray masks are improved without the usual postprocessing costs normally associated with multipass solutions, thereby saving time and money when multipass writing is used in X-ray lithography. Two enhancements are provided to an X-ray mask maker that allow use of the same E-beam drive code for each exposure of a multipass write operation.

Abstract: An X-ray mask includes one or more X-ray transparent mask windows and at least one pattern-to-mask alignment mark etched into the mask substrate from the same side as the mask windows. The pattern-to-mask alignment marks can be etched at the same time as the mask windows and are detectable from the front surface of the mask substrate by an electron beam lithography system prior to creating the circuit pattern. The alignment marks are detected by the absence of backscattered electrons at the pattern-to-mask alignment marks.