Abstract: In an electron beam exposure method for production very high-integration semiconductor devices and its related apparatus in a conventional method, the exposure is divided into fine divisions and carried out by performing a number of shots. However, by utilizing an aperture stop produced by working a single crystalline silicon thin film finely, exposure of a predetermined range is done by one shot. According to the invention, the exposure can be accomplished by the number of shots which is smaller by about two orders than that of the conventional technique and the throughput can be improved remarkably. Since the shot number does not substantially differ depending on whether patterns are complicated or not, individual steps can be processed within substantially identical time.

Abstract: Reduction projection type X-ray lithography with an exposing beam wavelength of 40-150A, longer than in conventional 1:1 proximity exposure, has a high-vacuum space. This would reduce wafer replacement work efficiency and contaminate optical mirrors with substances released by a resist decomposed during exposure except for separating an optical system chamber and a wafer exposing chamber by a differential pumping section and a thin-film window. Wafer exposure is under atmospheric pressure, improving productivity, accuracy of exposure and longevity of the optical devices.

Abstract: An electron beam writing system is used in variable shaping and cell projection methods to produce LSI and reticles. In the cell projection method, the beam is deflected to define a writing position. In the time it takes to define the writing position, an operation of forming the beam is concluded, which operation includes the deflection of the beam to select a cell graphic, re-deflection for correcting the origin position of the written graphic, astigmatism correction of the written graphic, and focus correction for reducing the Coulomb effect. An electrostatic deflector is used as the deflector for the cell graphic selection. The arrangement of graphics includes a square aperture centrally located with a group of cell projection apertures positioned adjacent two sides of the square aperture.

Abstract: An electron beam lithography apparatus is disclosed which has an aperture plate provided with an aperture including an array of repeated unit patterns and an ordinary aperture of a rectangular shape. A region free of the influence of a proximity effect is delineated using the former aperture, and a region affected by the proximity effect is delineated using the latter aperture. The number of repeated unit patterns included in the former aperture is determined considering the number of repeated unit patterns included in a pattern array to be delineated on a substrate. Thereby, the number of electron beam shots is reduced. A plurality of apertures having slightly different aperture widths may be provided for always keeping a pattern line width constant.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for compensating for proximity effects between selected adjacent portions of pattern elements on an integrated circuit wafer where it is determined by simulation that undesirable resist patterns will result. The subject lithography system includes projecting an electron beam onto the wafer through an aperture plate of pattern elements to obtain the desired beam pattern. An aperture mask includes a plurality of first portions corresponding to first wafer circuit element portions spaced for avoiding proximity effects on the wafer and a plurality of second portions corresponding to second element portions spaced for obtaining proximity effects between elements on the wafer. The plurality of second portions are sized to have an increased adjacent spacing relative to a resultant adjacent spacing of the corresponding second element portions whereby the resultant adjacent spacing of the second element portions on the wafer is selectively reduced by the proximity effects.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive material comprising a polyacid composed of tungsten and niobium, titanium and/or tantalum. A uniform film can be formed by an easy spin coating method. The polyacid has a radiation sensitivity higher than that of a polyacid comprising only tungsten.

Abstract: An electron beam drawing apparatus having a grounded conductor for a screening operation in the neighborhood of a detection surface of a detector to detect a reflected electrons obtained by irradiating an electron onto a specimen and a secondary electron generated through the electron irradiation. The conductor has openings to pass therethrough the reflected electron and the secondary electron. As a result, the electric charge accumulated on an organic substance fixed onto the front surface of the detector through the electron irradiation is prevented from exerting an influence on the drawing electron beam.

Abstract: A pattern printing method includes a step of printing a pattern on a wafer on the basis of a target mark provided on the surface of the wafer which is opposite to the surface thereof on which the pattern is to be printed. Also disclosed is a pattern printing apparatus which comprises detecting means for detecting a target mark provided on the surface of a wafer which is opposite to the surface thereof on which a pattern is to be printed, and pattern printing means for printing the pattern on the pattern printing surface of the wafer on the basis of mark position data obtained by the detecting means.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electron beam pattern line width measurement system wherein an electron beam is converged to a fine spot, the electron beam is scanned on a sample formed with a pattern to-be-measured, secondary electrons generated from a surface of the sample by the projection of the electron beam are detected, and the detected signal is processed to determine a line width of the pattern to-be-measured, comprising a secondary electron detector which detects a signal corresponding to an amount of all secondary electrons generated by the scanning, and a secondary electron energy analyzer which selectively detects a signal corresponding to an amount of secondary electrons of specified energy. With the electron beam pattern line width measurement system, it becomes possible to precisely detect a pattern boundary region defined by different sorts of materials in a stepped structure of a small level difference not having been measurable with a prior-art electron beam pattern line width measurement system.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of producing a semiconductor device which is suitable for forming a bipolar transistor having less fluctuation of characteristics at a high production yield.In accordance with the present invention, a graft base (or an extrinsic base) 20 is formed by doping an impurity from a polycrystalline silicon film 13, while an emitter is formed by lithographic technique.Since the emitter is formed by lithographic technique, the position at which the emitter is to be formed unavoidably changes at the time of mask alignment, but its influence upon transistor characteristics is negligible. Therefore, bipolar transistors having far more uniform characteristics can be formed far more easily than with the method which forms the emitter by self-alignment.

Abstract: Herein disclosed are a stamper for replicating a high-density data recording disk, wherein there is formed on a substrate a multi-layered metal film, in which a plurality of metals of different kinds are laminated and which has a thickness equal to the depth of a pit, by an etching technique having a selectivity for the kinds of metals and a process for producing that stamper. Since one or more pits having different depths are formed very precisely, the recording density is increased, and the quality of a readout data signal is improved while dispensing with the plating step. As a result, there can be attained an effect that the productivity and economy can be improved.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a novel compound 4,4'-methylene-bis-(2-ethyl-5-methyl imidazole) represented by the structural formula ##STR1## A method is provided for producing the novel compound subjecting formaldehyde or a methylenizing agent to thermal reaction with 2-ethyl-4-methyl imidazole in the presence of a catalyst; and a method of curing an epoxy compound and a method of accelerating curing the epoxy compound and a method of inhibiting crystallization of 2-ethyl-4-methyl imidazole, respectively by use of the new compound.

Abstract: Desired portions of the positive-type photoresist film are irradiated with an electron beam, and regions including at least the regions irradiated with the electron beam are further irradiated with ultraviolet light, followed by developing.The photosensitive radicals are destroyed in the regions which are irradiated with the electron beam. Therefore, the solubility of the photoresist film is not increased even when it is irradiated with ultraviolet light, and resist patterns are formed by developing.

Abstract: That region of a resist film in which a contact is to be formed and that region thereof in which an interconnection is to be formed are respectively irradiated with an electron beam in a dose substantially equal to an optimum dose of the resist film and in a dose less than the optimum dose. Thereafter, the resist film is developed.By performing dry etching, an opening extending to a substrate is provided in the region in which the contact is to be formed, and the surface of an insulating film overlying the substrate is exposed in the region in which the interconnection is to be formed.After depositing a conductive metal film on the whole surface the remaining resist film is removed together with the metal film deposited thereon, whereby the contact and the interconnection are formed.

Abstract: A method of forming a pattern comprising heat-treating a resist film subjected to irradiation with light and thereafter removing an unhardened area of the resist film.Since the heat treatment reduces the film thickness of the unhardened area and hardens a hardened area still more, a pattern on the order of submicrons can be readily formed.