Abstract: The present invention provides a mask inspection apparatus and method capable of eliminating distortion of each optical image, which is caused by distortions of mirrors and flexure of a mask, and performing a mask inspection with satisfactory accuracy. A stage with the mask held thereon is moved in X and Y directions and an optical image of each pattern written onto the mask is acquired while using the results of measurement by laser interferometers (Step S100). A positional displacement of the acquired optical image is corrected using polynomial equations in which pre-measured amounts of positional displacement of optical images have been fitted (Step S102). Each positional displacement that remains after the polynomial correction is corrected using a map descriptive of pre-measured amounts of positional displacements (S104). Each optical image subsequent to the map correction and a reference image are compared (Step S108).

Abstract: A charged particle beam drawing apparatus forms a map having meshes, forms representative figures, area of each representative figure in each mesh being equal to gross area of figures in each mesh, and calculates a proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam in each mesh on the basis of area of each representative figure in each mesh. If it is necessary to change the proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam for drawing at least one pattern corresponding to at least one figure, the charged particle beam drawing apparatus changes area of the at least one figure before the representative figures are formed by a representative figure forming portion, and changes the proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam for drawing the at least one pattern corresponding to the at least one figure, calculated by a proximity effect correction dose calculating portion.

Abstract: A correcting substrate for a charged particle beam lithography apparatus includes a substrate body using a low thermal expansion material having a thermal expansion lower than that of a silicon oxide (SiO2) material; a first conductive film arranged above the substrate; and a second conductive film selectively arranged on the first conductive film and having a reflectance higher than the first conductive film, wherein the low thermal expansion material is exposed on a rear surface of the correcting substrate.

Abstract: A method and system for imaging an object to be inspected and obtaining an optical image; creating a reference image from design pattern data; preparing an inspection recipe including one or more templates and parameter settings necessary for the inspection; checking the pattern and the template against each other, and selecting the reference image which corresponds to the template; detecting first and second edges in the selected reference image in accordance with the parameter setting using determined coordinates as a reference; detecting first and second edges in the optical image, this optical image corresponds to the selected reference image; and determining an inspection value by acquiring the difference between the line width of the optical image and the reference image using the first edge and second edge of the reference image and the first edge and second edges of the optical image.

Abstract: A charged particle beam drawing apparatus forms a map having meshes, forms representative figures, area of each representative figure in each mesh being equal to gross area of figures in each mesh, and calculates a proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam in each mesh on the basis of area of each representative figure in each mesh. If it is necessary to change the proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam for drawing at least one pattern corresponding to at least one figure, the charged particle beam drawing apparatus changes area of the at least one figure before the representative figures are formed by a representative figure forming portion, and changes the proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam for drawing the at least one pattern corresponding to the at least one figure, calculated by a proximity effect correction dose calculating portion.

Abstract: In the charged particle beam lithography system, a pattern area to be drawn is divided into a plurality of frames, a main deflection positions a charged particle beam to a subfield within the frame, and an auxiliary deflection draws a pattern in units of the subfield. The charged particle beam lithography system includes a beam optical system including a deflector deflecting the beam, a driver driving the deflector, and a deflection control portion controlling the driver according to drawing data indicating a pattern to be drawn. The deflection control portion controls the driver according to a settling time that is determined so that an offset of an irradiation position of the charged particle beam has a certain value irrespective of any changes in deflection amount of the auxiliary deflection in the subfield.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam lithography system is provided. A region to be patterned is divided into plural frames, a main deflection positions a beam to a subfield within the frame, and an auxiliary deflection draws a pattern in units of subfield. The deflection control portion draws a pattern in units of stripe including a first frame drawing region and a second frame drawing region. The first frame drawing region corresponds to one of the frames, and the second frame drawing region is a region moved by a distance C from the first frame drawing region toward a frame to be drawn next. The deflection control portion controls the driver to alternately pattern a first sub-field drawing region in the first frame drawing region and a second sub-field drawing region in the second frame drawing region. The distance C satisfies 0<C<Ws. Ws is a width of the subfield.

Abstract: A charged particle beam writing method on a chemical amplification type resist, comprising: coating said chemical amplification type resist which contains an acid diffusion inhibitor, on a surface of a mask substrate, exposing charged particle beams to said chemical amplification type resist layer on said surface of the mask substrate, baking said chemical amplification type resist layer which said charged particle beams were exposed, and developing said chemical amplification type resist after the baking, wherein an exposure current density of said electron beams exposing ranges of 50˜5000 A/cm2, said photo acid generator is in an amount ranging from 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mask inspection apparatus and method capable of eliminating distortion of each optical image, which is caused by distortions of mirrors and flexure of a mask, and performing a mask inspection with satisfactory accuracy. A stage with the mask held thereon is moved in X and Y directions and an optical image of each pattern written onto the mask is acquired while using the results of measurement by laser interferometers (Step S100). A positional displacement of the acquired optical image is corrected using polynomial equations in which pre-measured amounts of positional displacement of optical images have been fitted (Step S102). Each positional displacement that remains after the polynomial correction is corrected using a map descriptive of pre-measured amounts of positional displacements (S104). Each optical image subsequent to the map correction and a reference image are compared (Step S108).

Abstract: The present invention provides a mask inspection apparatus and method capable of inspecting masks used in double patterning with satisfactory accuracy. Optical images of two masks are acquired (S100). The acquired optical images of the two masks are combined together (S102). Relative positional displacement amounts of patterns of the first mask and patterns of the second mask are measured at the combined image (S104). The measured relative positional displacement amounts are compared with standard values to thereby determine whether the two masks are good (S106).

Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus includes a light source, a stage configured to mount thereon a substrate with a pattern formed thereon, a first laser measuring unit configured to measure a position of the stage by using a laser beam, a sensor configured to capture a pattern image obtained from the pattern, formed on the substrate, irradiated by light from the light source, an optical system configured to focus the pattern image on the sensor, a second laser measuring unit configured to measure a position of the optical system by using a laser beam, a correction unit configured to correct a captured pattern image by using a difference between the position of the stage and the position of the optical system, and an inspection unit configured to inspect whether there is a defect of the pattern by using a corrected pattern image.

Abstract: A method of obtaining a deflection aberration correcting voltage. The method includes writing predetermined patterns at a plurality of focus height positions such that a dose is used as a variable. Dimensional variations of width sizes of the predetermined patterns written at the plurality of focus height positions such that the dose is used as the variable are measured. Further, effective resolutions of the written predetermined patterns are calculated by using the dimensional variations. The method further includes, on the basis of a focus height position at which a minimum effective resolution of the predetermined patterns is obtained, calculating a correcting voltage to correct deflection aberration and outputting the correcting voltage. The correcting voltage is used when a charged particle beam is deflected.

Abstract: A position measuring apparatus includes a holder having storage spaces in which a three-point support member for supporting a backside of a substrate being a mask at three points, and a vacuum chuck member for holding a backside of a substrate being a mask are prepared, a stage on which one of the three-point support member and the vacuum chuck member prepared in the storage spaces of the holder is mounted, a vacuum pump to hold and chuck the substrate through the vacuum chuck member in a state of being mounted on the stage, and a recognition unit to recognize a position of a pattern written on the substrate supported by the three-point support member mounted on the stage and a position of a pattern written on the substrate held by the vacuum chuck member on the stage.

Abstract: A correcting substrate for a charged particle beam lithography apparatus includes a substrate body using a low thermal expansion material having a thermal expansion lower than that of a silicon oxide (SiO2) material; a first conductive film arranged above the substrate; and a second conductive film selectively arranged on the first conductive film and having a reflectance higher than the first conductive film, wherein the low thermal expansion material is exposed on a rear surface of the correcting substrate.

Abstract: A charged particle beam writing method includes measuring a topography of a backside of a substrate without an influence of a gravity sag, calculating a first positional deviation amount of a pattern written on a frontside of the substrate in a case of the backside of the substrate having been corrected to be flat, based on the the backside topography of the substrate, calculating a first coefficient of a first approximate expression indicating a positional deviation correction amount for correcting the first positional deviation amount, based on the first positional deviation amount, adding the first coefficient to a second coefficient of a second approximate expression indicating a positional deviation correction amount for correcting a second positional deviation amount of the pattern written on the frontside of the substrate in a case of the backside of the substrate having not been corrected to be flat, and writing the pattern on the frontside of the substrate utilizing a charged particle beam, based on

Abstract: A writing apparatus including a selector unit responsive to receipt of input data of a pattern to be written by shots of irradiation of an electron beam, configured to select a current density of the electron beam being shot and a maximal shot size thereof based on the input data of the pattern to be written; and a writing unit configured to create an electron beam with the current density selected by said selector unit, shape the created electron beam into a shot size less than or equal to said maximal shot size in units of the shots, and shoot the shaped electron beam onto a workpiece to thereby write said pattern.

Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an unit configured to irradiate a beam, a deflector configured to deflect the beam, a stage, on which a target is placed, configured to perform moving continuously, an lens configured to focus the beam onto the target, an unit configured to calculate a correction amount for correcting positional displacement of the beam on a surface of the target resulting from a first magnetic field caused by the lens and a second magnetic field caused by an eddy current generated by the first magnetic field and the moving of the stage, an unit configured to calculate a correction position where the positional displacement on the surface of the target has been corrected using the correction amount, and an unit configured to control the deflector so that the beam may be deflected onto the correction position.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam lithography system is provided. A region to be patterned is divided into plural frames, a main deflection positions a beam to a subfield within the frame, and an auxiliary deflection draws a pattern in units of subfield. The deflection control portion draws a pattern in units of stripe including a first frame drawing region and a second frame drawing region. The first frame drawing region corresponds to one of the frames, and the second frame drawing region is a region moved by a distance C from the first frame drawing region toward a frame to be drawn next. The deflection control portion controls the driver to alternately pattern a first sub-field drawing region in the first frame drawing region and a second sub-field drawing region in the second frame drawing region. The distance C satisfies 0<C<Ws. Ws is a width of the subfield.

Abstract: In the charged particle beam lithography system, a pattern area to be drawn is divided into a plurality of frames, a main deflection positions a charged particle beam to a subfield within the frame, and an auxiliary deflection draws a pattern in units of the subfield. The charged particle beam lithography system includes a beam optical system including a deflector deflecting the beam, a driver driving the deflector, and a deflection control, portion controlling the driver according to drawing data indicating a pattern to be drawn. The deflection control portion controls the driver according to a settling time that is determined so that an offset of an irradiation position of the charged particle beam has a certain value irrespective of any changes in deflection amount of the auxiliary deflection in the subfield.

Abstract: The present invention realized the excellent dimensional accuracy of resist patterns by using a chemical amplification type resist whose effective acid diffusion length is shorten without decreasing throughput of a charged particle beam writing system. The resist pattern forming method of the present invention features that the amount of the acid diffusion inhibitor in a chemical amplification type resist in order to shorten the effective acid diffusion length increases and the current density of a charged particle exposure in order to prevent the throughput drop of the writing system increases.