Abstract: An electron gun includes an electron source configured to emit electrons. The electron source includes an electron emission region configured to emit the electrons and an electron emission restrictive region configured to restrict emission of the electrons. The electron emission restrictive region is located on a side surface of the electron source except an electron emission surface on a tip of the electron source and is covered with a different material from the electron source. The electron gun emits thermal field-emitted electrons by applying an electric field to the tip while maintaining a sufficiently low temperature to avoid sublimation of a material of the electron source. The material of the electron source may be lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) or cerium hexaboride (CeB6). The electron emission restrictive region may be covered with carbon.

Abstract: An electron gun having an electron source emitting electrons includes: an acceleration electrode which accelerates the electrons; an extraction electrode which has a spherical concave surface having the center on an optical axis and facing the electron emission surface, and which extracts an electron from the electron emission surface; and a suppressor electrode which suppresses electron emission from a side surface of the electron source. In the electron gun, an electric field is applied to the electron emission surface while the electron source is kept at a low temperature in such an extent that sublimation of a material of the electron source would not be caused, to cause the electron source to emit a thermal field emission electron.

Abstract: A mask inspection apparatus includes: an electron gun for generating an electron beam; an exposure mask for shaping the electron beam into a predetermined cross-sectional shape; means for scanning the electron beam shaped by the exposure mask; means for selecting and transmitting part of the shaped electron beam, which selecting means includes a thin film having a small transmission aperture transmitting the electron beam scanned by the scanning means and includes a thick substrate having an opening larger than the small transmission aperture and a thickness greater than that of the thin film; and means for detecting the electron beam passed through the selecting means and outputting a current signal. The detecting means includes: a reflective body for reflecting the electron beam selected by the selecting means; and a detector for detecting the electron beam reflected by the reflective body.

Abstract: A mask inspection apparatus includes: an electron gun for generating an electron beam; an exposure mask for shaping the electron beam into a predetermined cross-sectional shape; means for scanning the electron beam shaped by the exposure mask; means for selecting and transmitting part of the shaped electron beam, which selecting means includes a thin film having a small transmission aperture transmitting the electron beam scanned by the scanning means and includes a thick substrate having an opening larger than the small transmission aperture and a thickness greater than that of the thin film; and means for detecting the electron beam passed through the selecting means and outputting a current signal. The detecting means includes: a reflective body for reflecting the electron beam selected by the selecting means; and a detector for detecting the electron beam reflected by the reflective body.

Abstract: This invention provides a multielectron gun which generates a plurality of electron beams having uniform characteristics. A multielectron gun (2) is formed of a plurality of electron guns (2a-2c). The electron gun (2a) has, in addition to an electron source (21a), Wehnelt electrode (22a), and anode electrode (23), a shield electrode (24) between the Wehnelt electrode (22a) and anode electrode (23). The shield electrode reduces field interference among the electron guns.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern to a wafer by a plurality of electron beams, comprising an electron beam generating section for generating a plurality of electron beams, a deflecting section having a plurality of deflectors for deflecting the plurality of electron beams, and a screening section having a first screen electrode disposed between the plurality of deflectors and extending from a position close to the electron beam generating section from one end of the deflector to a position close to the wafer from one end of the deflector along the direction of radiation of electron beams.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus for exposing a wafer includes: a multi-axis electron lens operable to converge a plurality of electron beams independently of each other; and a lens-intensity adjuster including a substrate provided to be substantially parallel to the multi-axis electron lens, and a lens-intensity adjusting unit operable to adjust the lens intensity of the multi-axis electron lens applied to the electron beams passing through the lens openings, respectively.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure system for exposing a pattern on a wafer using a plurality of electron beams, comprising a section for generating a plurality of electron beams, an electron lens section having a plurality of apertures for passing a plurality of electron beams and focusing the plurality of electron beams independently, and a magnetic field formation section provided at least one of the plurality of apertures and forming a magnetic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the irradiating direction of an electron beam passing through the aperture.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing system for manufacturing a semiconductor device on a wafer, comprising: a first exposure apparatus for exposing the wafer using a light source while moving the wafer with a predetermined interval; and a second exposure apparatus for exposing the wafer by irradiating a plurality of electron beams on the wafer, the plurality of electron beams having an interval of substantially N times or 1/N times, where N is a natural number, of the predetermined interval.

Abstract: An electron beam generating apparatus for generating a plurality of electron beams, which includes: a plurality of cathodes for generating thermoelectrons; a cathode power supply unit for applying negative voltage to the cathodes so as to emit the thermoelectrons from the cathodes; a plurality of grids, which correspond to the plurality of cathodes respectively, for focusing the thermoelectrons emitted from each of the plurality of cathodes, and shaping the plurality of electron beams; and an insulator on which the plurality of cathodes and the plurality of grids are attached.

Abstract: This invention provides a multielectron gun which generates a plurality of electron beams having uniform characteristics. A multielectron gun (2) is formed of a plurality of electron guns (2a-2c). The electron gun (2a) has, in addition to an electron source (21a), Wehnelt electrode (22a), and anode electrode (23), a shield electrode (24) between the Wehnelt electrode (22a) and anode electrode (23). The shield electrode reduces field interference among the electron guns.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus for exposing a wafer with a plurality of electron beams includes a multi-axis electron lens having a plurality of lens openings operable to converge the electron beams independently of each other, the plurality of lens openings having different shapes.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus for exposing a wafer with a plurality of electron beams has a multi-axis that includes: a plurality of magnetic conductive member arranged to be substantially parallel to each other, the magnetic conductive members having a plurality of openings; and a non-magnetic conductive member provided between the magnetic conductive members, the non-magnetic conductive member having a plurality of through holes. The openings of the magnetic conductive members and the through holes of the non-magnetic conductive members form together a plurality of lens openings operable to converge the electron beams independently of each other by allowing the electron beams to pass therethrough, respectively.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern to a wafer by a plurality of electron beams, comprising an electron beam generating section for generating a plurality of electron beams, a deflecting section having a plurality of deflectors for deflecting the plurality of electron beams, and a screening section having a first screen electrode disposed between the plurality of deflectors and extending from a position close to the electron beam generating section from one end of the deflector to a position close to the wafer from one end of the deflector along the direction of radiation of electron beams.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure system for exposing a pattern on a wafer using a plurality of electron beams, comprising a section for generating a plurality of electron beams, an electron lens section having a plurality of apertures for passing a plurality of electron beams and focusing the plurality of electron beams independently, and a magnetic field formation section provided at least one of the plurality of apertures and forming a magnetic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the irradiating direction of an electron beam passing through the aperture.

Abstract: An electron beam generating apparatus for generating a plurality of electron beams, which includes: a plurality of cathodes for generating thermoelectrons; a cathode power supply unit for applying negative voltage to the cathodes so as to emit the thermoelectrons from the cathodes; a plurality of grids, which correspond to the plurality of cathodes respectively, for focusing the thermoelectrons emitted from each of the plurality of cathodes, and shaping the plurality of electron beams; and an insulator on which the plurality of cathodes and the plurality of grids are attached.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus of high accuracy and high throughput despite a change in the ambient atmospheric pressure has been disclosed. In an electron beam exposure apparatus, and an electron beam exposing method using it, which comprises a vacuum chamber that accommodates a column and a stage and internally contains a vacuum, the atmospheric pressure in the environment, in which the electron beam apparatus is installed, is detected and the irradiation position of the electron beam on a specimen or the focal position of the electron beam with respect to the surface of the specimen is corrected according to the detected atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: An electron beam radiation apparatus having an electrostatic deflector capable of deflecting the electron beam with high accuracy and with a reduced displacement of the deflection position, is disclosed. The electrostatic deflector comprises a cylindrical holding member made of an insulating material and a plurality of electrodes separately fixed from each other inside of the holding member with at least a part of the surface thereof covered with a metal film. The holding member has a plurality of wedge-shaped fixing holes corresponding to the portions of the electrodes where they are fixed, respectively, the holes having a larger diameter on the outer peripheral surface than on the inner peripheral surface of the holding member. The electrodes are fixed on the holding member in such a manner that a molten joining metal is injected in the fixing holes with the electrodes arranged on the holding member and the joining metal is hardened in close contact with the metal film of the electrodes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a charged-particle beam lithography system in which deterioration of a BAA chip is prevented without a reduction in the magnitude of a charged-particle beam used for exposure. The charged-particle beam lithography system has a charged-particle beam emitter source and a chip having a plurality of apertures arrayed therein. The plurality of apertures shapes a charged-particle beam emitted from the emitter source so that the cross section thereof will have a predetermined shape. The charged-particle beam lithography system uses the charged-particle beam having passed through the apertures to pattern an exposed sample. The charged-particle beam lithography system includes a mask having a plurality of apertures bored therein. The plurality of apertures is arrayed in the same manner as the plurality of apertures arrayed in the chip, and has a size that is any multiple of the size of the apertures of the chip.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing system for manufacturing a semiconductor device on a wafer, comprising: a first exposure apparatus for exposing the wafer using a light source while moving the wafer with a predetermined interval; and a second exposure apparatus for exposing the wafer by irradiating a plurality of electron beams on the wafer, the plurality of electron beams having an interval of substantially N times or 1/N times, where N is a natural number, of the predetermined interval.