Exposure apparatus and exposure method

1. An exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on a sample, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a plurality of blanking electrodes that are provided corresponding to a plurality of charged particle beams and each switch whether the corresponding particle beam irradiates the sample according to an input voltage;

an irradiation control section that outputs switching signals for switching blanking voltages supplied respectively to the blanking electrodes; and

a measuring section that, for each blanking electrode, measures a delay amount that is from when the switching signal changes to when the blanking voltage changes, wherein the measuring section includes:

a reference voltage generating section that generates a sequentially changing reference voltage; and

a delay amount detecting section that, for each blanking electrode, detects a plurality of delay amounts from when the switching signal changes to when the blanking voltage reaches each of the sequentially changed reference voltages.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the irradiation control section includes a timing adjusting section that individually adjusts an output timing of the switch signal for each blanking electrode.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the timing adjusting section, for each blanking electrode, individually adjusts the output timing of the switch signal such that the blanking voltage reaches a predetermined threshold voltage at a predetermined timing.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:

a plurality of drive circuits that are provided corresponding to the blanking electrodes and each output a blanking voltage corresponding to the switching signal to the corresponding blanking electrode.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

each drive circuit includes a time adjusting section that individually adjusts a transient time of the blanking voltage output by the corresponding drive circuit.

6. A method using an exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on a sample, the method comprising:

irradiation control of outputting switching signals for switching blanking voltages supplied respectively to a plurality of blanking electrodes that are provided corresponding to a plurality of charged particle beams and each switch whether the corresponding particle beam irradiates the sample according to an input voltage; and

measurement of, for each blanking electrode, measuring a delay amount that is from when the switching signal changes to when the blanking voltage changes, wherein the measurement includes:

generating a sequentially changing reference voltage; and

detecting a plurality of delay amounts from when the switching signal changes to when the blanking voltage reaches each of the sequentially changed reference voltages.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising

adjustment of, for each blanking electrode, adjusting the time needed for the blanking voltage to reach a predetermined threshold voltage.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein

the adjustment includes, for each blanking electrode, individually adjusting an output timing of the switch signal.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein

the exposure apparatus comprises a plurality of drive circuits that are provided corresponding to the blanking electrodes and each output a blanking voltage corresponding to the switching signal to the corresponding blanking electrode, and

the adjustment includes time adjustment of, for each blanking electrode, individually adjusting a transient time of the blanking voltage output by the corresponding drive circuit.