Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electron beam irradiation apparatus comprises an objective lens configured to irradiate a specimen surface with an electron beam, an electron detector which is provided between the objective lens and the specimen surface and which is configured to detect reflected electrons or secondary electrons emitted from the specimen surface, and an antireflection mechanism which is provided between the electron detector and the specimen surface. The antireflection mechanism has a plurality of holes following spiral trajectories of reflected electrons or secondary electrons emitted from the specimen surface and is configured to prevent the reflected electrons or secondary electrons from being re-reflected toward the specimen surface and to direct a part of the reflected electrons or secondary electrons to the electron detector.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electron beam irradiation apparatus comprises an objective lens configured to irradiate a specimen surface with an electron beam, an electron detector which is provided between the objective lens and the specimen surface and which is configured to detect reflected electrons or secondary electrons emitted from the specimen surface, and an antireflection mechanism which is provided between the electron detector and the specimen surface. The antireflection mechanism has a plurality of holes following spiral trajectories of reflected electrons or secondary electrons emitted from the specimen surface and is configured to prevent the reflected electrons or secondary electrons from being re-reflected toward the specimen surface and to direct a part of the reflected electrons or secondary electrons to the electron detector.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a master disk for discoid patterned medium having a plurality of sectors arranged in a circumferential direction, the plurality of sectors including a recording data portion and a servo data portion that includes a sector identification region having gaps formed in a linear pattern is provided. An imprint master disk having a linear pattern which is common to the sectors before the gaps are formed in the sector identification region and including at least one pattern of the sector is prepared, imprinting is repeated in the circumferential direction by using the imprint master disk to form patterns of a discoid patterned medium on a substrate, and a sector identification pattern is formed in each sector by forming gaps in the linear pattern of each sector identification region among the patterns formed on the substrate.

Abstract: A charged beam drawing apparatus deflects, by an electrostatic deflector, a charged beam generated from a charged beam source, and applies the charged beam to a desired position on a sample to draw a pattern. The electrostatic deflector includes a plurality of deflecting electrodes arranged symmetrically with respect to a point around an optical axis of the charged beam, a ground external cylinder which is disposed coaxially with the optical axis and which is provided to enclose the deflecting electrodes, a resistive film provided on an inner surface of the ground external cylinder, and a conductive film provided on a surface of the resistive film. A capacitance is formed between the deflecting electrodes and the conductive film, and a resistance is formed between the ground conductor and the conductive film.

Abstract: In a defect inspecting apparatus, a differential interference optical system forms a differential interference image which is produced from an optical interference of images in a predetermined direction, the images corresponding to inspecting parts of a pattern formed on a mask. A control part varies the predetermined direction so as to cause the differential interference optical system to produce another differential interference image. An image pickup sensor picks up the differential interference images in accordance with the variation of the predetermined direction. A defect detecting unit detects a defect in the pattern formed on the mask from comparing the differential interference images with reference images, respectively.

Abstract: An electron beam drawing apparatus, comprises an electrostatic deflector which deflects the electron beam by an electric field, a coaxial cable which is connected to deflecting electrodes, and a resistive element which is connected between a central conductor and an outer conductor or the external cylinder. The electrostatic deflector includes the external cylinder provided more downstream than the electron source and kept at the ground potential and a plurality of deflecting electrodes which are provided in the external cylinder. The coaxial cable includes the central conductor and the tubular outer conductor, one end of the central conductor passing through the external cylinder and being connected to the deflecting electrodes and one end of the outer conductor being connected to the external cylinder. The resistive element is set to a resistance for obtaining impedance matching with the coaxial cable.

Abstract: A pattern forming method is proposed for easy correction of a pattern-size variation occurring in an etching process. An energy beam is radiated onto a resist-applied target while the energy beam is adjusted to correct the pattern-size variation occurring in the etching process. The resist on the target is developed to form a resist pattern. The target is etched with the resist pattern as a mask, thus forming patterns thereon.

Abstract: It is made possible to prevent the color aberration at the lenses from increasing and prevent the current distribution on the sample surface from changing at the time of the blanking operation. A deflector is placed between the first and second shaping apertures. A first crossover image is formed between the first and second shaping apertures. A second crossover image is formed in the vicinity of the beam blanking aperture. The deflector placed between the first shaping aperture and the second shaping aperture includes at least two deflectors. A beam position on the beam blanking aperture is moved without moving the image of the first shaping aperture on the second shaping aperture, by deflecting the electron beam at the time of blanking.

Abstract: A charged beam drawing apparatus deflects, by an electrostatic deflector, a charged beam generated from a charged beam source, and applies the charged beam to a desired position on a sample to draw a pattern. The electrostatic deflector includes a plurality of deflecting electrodes arranged symmetrically with respect to a point around an optical axis of the charged beam, a ground external cylinder which is disposed coaxially with the optical axis and which is provided to enclose the deflecting electrodes, a resistive film provided on an inner surface of the ground external cylinder, and a conductive film provided on a surface of the resistive film. A capacitance is formed between the deflecting electrodes and the conductive film, and a resistance is formed between the ground conductor and the conductive film.

Abstract: A pattern forming method is proposed for easy correction of a pattern-size variation occurring in an etching process. An energy beam is radiated onto a resist-applied target while the energy beam is adjusted to correct the pattern-size variation occurring in the etching process. The resist on the target is developed to form a resist pattern. The target is etched with the resist pattern as a mask, thus forming patterns thereon.

Abstract: A pattern forming method is proposed for easy correction of a pattern-size variation occurring in an etching process. An energy beam is radiated onto a resist-applied target while the energy beam is adjusted to correct the pattern-size variation occurring in the etching process. The resist on the target is developed to form a resist pattern. The target is etched with the resist pattern as a mask, thus forming patterns thereon.

Abstract: A charged beam writing method includes acquiring reference data of shapes or positions of a plurality of apertures of a second shaping aperture, thereafter performing a writing operation, scanning a beam passed through a first shaping aperture over the second shaping aperture while a blanking deflector is driven to intercept irradiation of the shaped beam to the surface of a substrate to be processed by the blanking aperture after performing the writing operation for a certain time, measuring the shapes or the positions of apertures of the second shaping aperture by a detector, comparing the shapes or the positions with the reference data to thereby measure shift amounts of the shapes or the positions of apertures of the second shaping aperture, correcting a deflection amount of the objective deflector in accordance with the shift amount, and resuming the writing operation after stopping the driving of the blanking deflector.

Abstract: It is made possible to prevent the color aberration at the lenses from increasing and prevent the current distribution on the sample surface from changing at the time of the blanking operation. A deflector is placed between the first and second shaping apertures. A first crossover image is formed between the first and second shaping apertures. A second crossover image is formed in the vicinity of the beam blanking aperture. The deflector placed between the first shaping aperture and the second shaping aperture includes at least two deflectors. A beam position on the beam blanking aperture is moved without moving the image of the first shaping aperture on the second shaping aperture, by deflecting the electron beam at the time of blanking.

Abstract: In a defect inspecting apparatus, a differential interference optical system forms a differential interference image which is produced from an optical interference of images in a predetermined direction, the images corresponding to inspecting parts of a pattern formed on a mask. A control part varies the predetermined direction so as to cause the differential interference optical system to produce another differential interference image. An image pickup sensor picks up the differential interference images in accordance with the variation of the predetermined direction. A defect detecting unit detects a defect in the pattern formed on the mask from comparing the differential interference images with reference images, respectively.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam writer which draws a pattern on a specimen with a charged-particle beam generated from a single particle generator by both of a VSB strategy and a scan-projection strategy, the charged-particle beam writer comprising a data creating unit configured to create pattern data representing a state where a first-type figure drawn by the VSB strategy and a second-type figure drawn by the scan-projection strategy are arranged on the specimen, a computing unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the pattern data, the amount of correction for correcting the drawing dimensions of the first-type figure on the specimen and the drawing dimensions of the second-type figure on the specimen, and a control unit configured to control the dose of beam at each position on the specimen on the basis of the calculated amount of correction.

Abstract: A charged beam writing method includes acquiring reference data of shapes or positions of a plurality of apertures of a second shaping aperture, thereafter performing a writing operation, scanning a beam passed through a first shaping aperture over the second shaping aperture while a blanking deflector is driven to intercept irradiation of the shaped beam to the surface of a substrate to be processed by the blanking aperture after performing the writing operation for a certain time, measuring the shapes or the positions of apertures of the second shaping aperture by a detector, comparing the shapes or the positions with the reference data to thereby measure shift amounts of the shapes or the positions of apertures of the second shaping aperture, correcting a deflection amount of the objective deflector in accordance with the shift amount, and resuming the writing operation after stopping the driving of the blanking deflector.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an optical system of an energy beam apparatus by using a mark signal that is obtained by one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally scanning a mark on a sample with an energy beam. The mark has a one-dimensional or two-dimensional periodic structure. A first mark signal is detected by scanning the mark with a beam. The mark is set on the optical axis of the optical system. A second mark signal is detected by scanning the mark with a beam. The mark is located at a position that is deviated from the optical axis. A deviation of a deflection position is determined based on a phase difference between the first and second mark signals.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an optical system of an energy beam apparatus by using a mark signal that is obtained by one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally scanning a mark on a sample with an energy beam. The mark has a one-dimensional or two-dimensional periodic structure. A first mark signal is detected by scanning the mark with a beam. The mark is set on the optical axis of the optical system. A second mark signal is detected by scanning the mark with a beam. The mark is located at a position that is deviated from the optical axis. A deviation of a deflection position is determined based on a phase difference between the first and second mark signals.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an optical system of an energy beam apparatus by using a mark signal that is obtained by one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally scanning a mark on a sample with an energy beam. The mark has a one-dimensional or two-dimensional periodic structure. A first mark signal is detected by scanning the mark with a beam. The mark is set on the optical axis of the optical system. A second mark signal is detected by scanning the mark with a beam. The mark is located at a position that is deviated from the optical axis. A deviation of a deflection position is determined based on a phase difference between the first and second mark signals.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam writer which draws a pattern on a specimen with a charged-particle beam generated from a single particle generator by both of a VSB strategy and a scan-projection strategy, the charged-particle beam writer comprising a data creating unit configured to create pattern data representing a state where a first-type figure drawn by the VSB strategy and a second-type figure drawn by the scan-projection strategy are arranged on the specimen, a computing unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the pattern data, the amount of correction for correcting the drawing dimensions of the first-type figure on the specimen and the drawing dimensions of the second-type figure on the specimen, and a control unit configured to control the dose of beam at each position on the specimen on the basis of the calculated amount of correction.