Abstract: An exposure apparatus for drawing a pattern on a wafer using an electron beam includes a plurality of driving elements for drawing the pattern on the wafer while scanning the wafer with a charged-particle beam, a plurality of driving data memories for storing a plurality of time-series driving data strings for driving the plurality of driving elements, each driving data memory sequentially supplying data forming the time-series driving data string from the first data to a corresponding driving element in accordance with an operation command, and a clock pattern memory for storing a plurality of operation command data strings obtained by aligning operation commands and non-operation commands in time-series, the operation commands and the non-operation commands constituting each operation command data string being sequentially supplied from the first operation command data to a corresponding driving data memory in accordance with a drawing sync clock supplied to the clock pattern memory.

Abstract: A mask stage speed |Vm|, a wafer stage speed |Vw|, and an absolute value |&Dgr;S| of a beam deflection value are determined (step 101). Then, it is judged whether a stripe number is even or odd (step 108) and deflective directions of a mask stage, a wafer stage, and a wafer deflector are set in accordance with the above judgment result (steps 109 and 110). Then, the wafer stage and mask stage respectively start continuous movement (step 113) and divided patterns are exposed (step 115-119). It is judged whether all divided patterns are exposed (step 120). When all divided patterns are not exposed, the next divided pattern is exposed by adding a deflection value on a wafer corresponding to a beam width on a mask (step 121).

Abstract: A mask stage speed |Vm|, a wafer stage speed |Vw|, and an absolute value |&Dgr;S| of a beam deflection value are determined (step 101). Then, it is judged whether a stripe number is even or odd (step 108) and deflective directions of a mask stage, a wafer stage, and a wafer deflector are set in accordance with the above judgment result (steps 109 and 110). Then, the wafer stage and mask stage respectively start continuous movement (step 1113) and divided patterns are exposed (step 115-119). It is judged whether all divided patterns are exposed (step 120). When all divided patterns are not exposed, the next divided pattern is exposed by adding a deflection value on a wafer corresponding to a beam width on a mask (step 121).

Abstract: An element exposure field (EF) having a size falling within a range where aberration by an electron optical system is suppressed to a predetermined amount or less is divided into a plurality of partial fields (PF), and a pattern is drawn on a substrate with an electron beam on the basis of exposure information in which charged-particle beam dosages for the plurality of partial fields are set. Each partial field (PF) is continuously scanned and exposed with a corresponding dosage contained in the exposure information. Scan/exposure for each partial field (PF) is sequentially executed for all the partial fields (PF) in the element exposure field (EF).

Abstract: A control system is provided for a charged particle exposure apparatus. A plurality of dot control data are concatenated and compressed to generate compressed concatenated control data. A plurality of compressed concatenated control data are arranged to generate exposure control data. An electron beam exposure apparatus expands the exposure control data to reconstruct the plurality of dot control data, and performs exposure while controlling blankers on the basis of the reconstructed dot control data.

Abstract: Alignment marks of partial transfer patterns on a transfer mask are measured. On the basis of these measured alignment marks, functions for determining the positions of the alignment marks and the scale magnification in the relative scanning direction are calculated. The start and end positions of transfer of the partial transfer patterns to an object of transfer are calculated, and the scale magnification for moving a mask stage is corrected. The mask stage and a wafer stage are moved to sequentially expose the partial transfer patterns.

Abstract: Alignment marks of partial transfer patterns on a transfer mask are measured. On the basis of these measured alignment marks, functions for determining the positions of the alignment marks and the scale magnification in the relative scanning direction are calculated. The start and end positions of transfer of the partial transfer patterns to an object of transfer are calculated, and the scale magnification for moving a mask stage is corrected. The mask stage and a wafer stage are moved to sequentially expose the partial transfer patterns.

Abstract: The joint precision of a transfer pattern is improved by correcting the relative positions between the partial transfer patterns on a transfer mask and a transfer medium. The positions of alignment marks for the partial transfer patterns on the transfer mask are measured (step 23), and the actual coordinate system of the alignment marks is calculated based on the measured positions (step 25). Parameters that represent the relative relationship between the actual coordinate system calculated in step 25 and a design coordinate system are calculated (step 26), and the transfer positions of the partial transfer patterns to the transfer medium are calculated based on the calculated parameters (step 29). After that, a mask stage and wafer stage are driven based on the transfer positions calculated in step 29 to sequentially transfer patterns by exposure (steps 34 to 40).

Abstract: A charged-particle beam exposure apparatus for exposing a member to be exposed to a charged particle beam with a pattern includes memories (902-905) for storing a plurality of control data for controlling reference dose data of the charged particle beam in accordance with the incident position of the charged particle beam on the member to be exposed, a selector (907) for selecting any one of the plurality of control data stored in the memories, and an exposure unit for controlling the reference dose data of the charged particle beam for each irradiation position on the basis of the control data selected by the selector, thereby exposing the member to be exposed with the pattern. The charged-particle beam exposure apparatus rapidly performs proper proximity effect correction to expose the member to be exposed with the pattern.

Abstract: An element exposure field (EF) having a size falling within a range where aberration by an electron optical system is suppressed to a predetermined amount or less is divided into a plurality of partial fields (PF), and a pattern is drawn on a substrate with an electron beam on the basis of exposure information in which charged-particle beam dosages for the plurality of partial fields are set. Each partial field (PF) is continuously scanned and exposed with a corresponding dosage contained in the exposure information. Scan/exposure for each partial field (PF) is sequentially executed for all the partial fields (PF) in the element exposure field (EF).

Abstract: An exposure control system includes a pulsed light source; a photoelectric converting device for receiving a portion of pulsed light from the pulsed light source and for producing a photoelectric signal; an integration gate producing device for producing an integration gate signal after a predetermined specified time from the production of an emission synchronization signal related to the pulsed light source, wherein the specified time is set to be not greater than a delay time from the production of the emission synchronization signal to the start of actual emission of the pulsed light source; and integrating device for integrating the photoelectric signal from the photoelectric converting device during a time period in which the integration gate producing device produces the integration gate signal; and a control device for integrating a resultant of the integration by the integrating device each time one pulse light is emitted, the control device discriminating whether the result of integration is less tha

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a pulsed light source for repeatedly emitting a pulsed light; a photoelectric converting device for receiving at least a portion of the pulsed light from the pulsed light source; and a control device for controlling the emission of the pulsed light source, on the basis of a value related to a difference between a photoelectric signal produced from the photoelectric converting device at the time of emission of the pulsed light and an offset signal produced from the photoelectric converting device at the time of non-emission of the pulsed light.

Abstract: A distance calculating device includes a plurality of distance measuring systems for measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane, a storing element having portions corresponding respectively to the plurality of measuring systems, for storing therein information as to effectiveness/ineffectiveness of each of values detected, as the result of measurement by the plurality of measuring systems, respectively, in accordance with points of measurement on the surface of the object, and an element for calculating the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane by reference to the storing element and by use of only an effective value, of the detected values, in accordance with the points of measurement on the surface of the object.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a semiconductor wafer to a pattern of the mask with light from a light source, thereby to transfer the pattern of the mask onto the wafer. The appartus includes a shutter operable for selectively passing/blocking the light from the light source to the wafer, and a control system for controlling the intensity of light emission from the light source in a manner that the intensity becomes greater at the time of exposure operation than that at the time of non-exposure operation. The shutter opening movement for effecting the exposure is initiated after the intensity of light from the light source, when it is increased by the control system, becomes substantially stable. This avoids unpreferable effects, upon exposure, of overshooting, ringing, etc. in the light from the light source, such that the amount of exposure of the wafer can be controlled accurately.