Method and system for forming a pattern on a surface using multi-beam charged particle beam lithography

1. A method for forming a pattern on a surface using multi-beam charged particle beam lithography, the method comprising:

inputting a set of single-beam charged particle beam shots;

calculating a calculated image using the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots;

generating a set of multi-beam shots based on the calculated image, to thereby convert the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots to the set of multi-beam shots which will produce a surface image on a surface, wherein the surface image matches the calculated image, within a pre-determined tolerance, and wherein the generating is performed using a computing hardware processor; and

forming the pattern on the surface using the set of multi-beam shots.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern comprises one or more patterns, and wherein the calculated image comprises contour information for the one or more patterns.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the calculated image comprises dose margin information for the one or more patterns.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculated image comprises an aerial image.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each multi-beam shot comprises a plurality of beamlets.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein shots in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots comprise assigned dosages.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein shots in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots have no assigned dosages.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein shots in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots overlap.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein shots in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots comprise variable shaped beam (VSB) shots.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculating comprises charged particle beam simulation.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the charged particle beam simulation includes at least one of a group consisting of forward scattering, backward scattering, resist diffusion, Coulomb effect, fogging, loading and resist charging.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern comprises one or more patterns, wherein the multi-beam charged particle beam lithography comprises exposing a plurality of pixels or beamlets, and wherein the step of generating comprises:

determining pixel or beamlet dosage information for each of the patterns in the one or more patterns; and

generating the set of multi-beam shots from the pixel or beamlet dosage information for the one or more patterns.

13. A method for forming a pattern on a surface using multi-beam charged particle beam lithography, the method comprising:

inputting a set of single-beam charged particle beam shots;

selecting a first single-beam shot in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots;

determining, based on the first single-beam shot, a first set of multi-beam exposure information which will produce an exposure which matches the first single-beam shot, within a pre-determined tolerance;

selecting a second single-beam shot in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots;

determining, based on the second single-beam shot, a second set of multi-beam exposure information which will produce an exposure which matches the second single-beam shot, within the pre-determined tolerance; and

generating a set of multi-beam shots using the first multi-beam exposure information and the second multi-beam exposure information, thereby converting the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots to the set of multi-beam shots, wherein the set of multi-beam shots is to be used to form a pattern on a surface, wherein the step of generating is performed using a computing hardware processor; and

forming the pattern on the surface using the set of multi-beam shots.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first multi-beam exposure information and the second multi-beam exposure information each comprise a dosage for each of a plurality of beamlets or pixels.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the generating comprises:

combining the first multi-beam exposure information and the second multi-beam exposure information to create a combined multi-beam exposure information; and

determining one or more multi-beam shots which together produce the combined multi-beam exposure information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first multi-beam exposure information and the second multi-beam exposure information each comprise a dosage for each of a plurality of beamlets or pixels, and wherein the combining comprises combining dosages on a pixel-by-pixel or beamlet-by-beamlet basis.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein dosages are combined by addition.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein each multi-beam shot comprises a plurality of beamlets.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein shots in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots comprise assigned dosages.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein shots in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots overlap.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein shots in the set of single-beam charged particle beam shots comprise variable shaped beam (VSB) shots.