Charged particle beam exposure apparatus, device manufacturing method, and charged particle beam applied apparatus

1. A charged particle beam exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern on a substrate by using a plurality of charged particle beams, said apparatus comprising:

a charged particle beam source;

an electron optical element for forming a plurality of intermediate images of said charged particle beam source within or in the vicinity of a plane;

a blanker array having a plurality of blankers, arranged on the plane, for individually controlling whether to shield each of the plurality of charged particle beams;

a reduction electron optical system for reducing and projecting the plurality of intermediate images onto a substrate; and

a correction lens array having a plurality of electron lenses, arranged between said blanker array and said reduction electron optical system, for respectively adjusting each virtual image position of the plurality of intermediate images in accordance with an aberration of said reduction electron optical system.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the blankers arranged in said blanker array deflect a charged particle beam that should be shielded and do not deflect a charged particle beam that should not be shielded, and

said correction lens array has a stopper array for shielding and passing therethrough, among a plurality of charged particle beams passing through the plurality of blankers arranged in said blanker array, deflected and undeflected charged particle beams, respectively.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the blankers arranged in said blanker array deflect a charged particle beam that should be shielded and do not deflect a charged particle beam that should not be shielded, and

said charged particle beam exposure apparatus further comprises a stopper array for shielding and passing therethrough, among a plurality of charged particle beams passing through the plurality of blankers arranged in said blanker array, deflected and undeflected charged particle beams, respectively.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said electron optical element has (i) an aperture array having a plurality of apertures for passing the charged particle beam emitted by said charged particle beam source therethrough, and (ii) a lens array having a plurality of electron lenses for forming the plurality of intermediate images within or in the vicinity of the plane with the plurality of charged particle beams respectively passing through the plurality of apertures.

5. A device manufacturing method including the steps of:

applying a photosensitive material on a substrate;

exposing a pattern on the substrate coated with the photosensitive material with a charged particle beam exposure apparatus, and

developing the photosensitive material on the substrate exposed to the pattern,

the charged particle beam exposure apparatus comprising

(i) a charged particle beam source,

(ii) an electron optical element for forming a plurality of intermediate images of the charged particle source within or in the vicinity of a plane,

(iii) a blanker array having a plurality of blankers arranged on the plane for individually controlling whether to shield each of the plurality of charged particle beams,

(iv) a reduction electron optical system for reducing and projecting the intermediate images onto a substrate, and

(v) a correction lens array having a plurality of electron lenses, arranged between said blanker array and said reduction electron optical system, for respectively adjusting each virtual image position of the plurality of intermediate images in accordance with an aberration of said reduction electron optical system.

6. A charged particle beam applied apparatus comprising:

a charged particle beam source,

an electron optical element for forming a plurality of intermediate images of said charged particle beam source within or in the vicinity of a plane,

a blanker array having a plurality of blankers arranged on the plane for individually controlling whether to shield each of the plurality of charged particle beams,

a reduction electron optical system for reducing and projecting the plurality of intermediate images onto a substrate, and

a correction lens array having a plurality of electron lenses, arranged between said blanker array and said reduction electron optical system, for respectively adjusting each virtual image position of the plurality of intermediate images in accordance with an aberration of said reduction electron optical system.

7. A charged particle beam exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern on a substrate by using a plurality of charged particle beams, said apparatus comprising:

an electron optical element for focusing each of the plurality of charged particle beams within or in the vicinity of a plane;

a blanker array having a plurality of blankers arranged on the plane, for individually controlling whether to shield each of the plurality of charged particle beams;

an electron optical system for projecting the plurality of charged particle beams from said blanker array onto a substrate; and

a correction lens array having a plurality of electron lenses, arranged between said blanker array and said reduction electron optical system, for respectively adjusting each virtual image position of the plurality of intermediate images in accordance with an aberration of said reduction electron optical system.