D/A conversion device and method and charged particle beam exposure apparatus and method

1. A D/A conversion device including a first D/A conversion circuit which receives input of digital data composed of a plurality of bits and which outputs a corresponding electric output signal, and a second D/A conversion circuit which receives input of a correction code for the digital data and outputs a corresponding electric correction signal, in which the first and second D/A conversion circuits are connected to each other at their respective output terminals so that the electric output signal is corrected by the electric correction signal, the D/A conversion device comprising:

storing means for storing correction codes each for one bit of the digital data, the correction codes being determined in correlation with the first D/A conversion circuit; and

calculating means for performing serial entry and addition of the correction codes each for one bit of the digital data, and outputting a correction code for all bits of the digital data.

2. The D/A conversion device according to claim 1 , comprising a decision circuit which determines whether bit data of the digital data is “0” or “1,”

wherein the calculating means serially reads out and adds the correction codes for bits corresponding to the bit data “1,” and outputs the correction code for all bits of the digital data.

3. A charged particle beam exposure apparatus for shaping a charged particle beam and irradiating an object to be exposed with the charged particle beam, comprising:

a D/A conversion device configured as described in claim 1 where the D/A conversion device outputs an electric scan signal; and

a charged particle beam scanning deflector connected to an output terminal of the D/A conversion device.

4. A D/A conversion method, comprising the steps of:

(1) inputting digital data composed of a plurality of bits to a first D/A conversion circuit, and outputting a corresponding electric output signal;

(2) storing correction codes each for one bit of the digital data, the correction codes being determined in correlation with the first D/A conversion circuit;

(3) performing serial entry and addition of the correction codes each for one bit of the digital data, and outputting a correction code for all bits of the digital data;

(4) inputting the correction code for all bits of the digital data to a second D/A conversion circuit, and outputting a corresponding electric correction signal; and

(5) correcting the electric output signal by the electric correction signal.

5. The D/A conversion method according to claim 4 , wherein when serial data corresponding to the number of bits of the digital data, with bits sequentially set to “1,” is inputted to the first D/A conversion circuit, the correction codes each for one bit of the digital data are set as digital data Δk corresponding to a deviation ΔV k from an ideal output line (where k represents bit).

6. A charged particle beam exposure method for shaping a charged particle beam and irradiating an object to be exposed with the charged particle beam, comprising the steps of:

serially correcting the digital data and outputting an electric scan signal by a D/A conversion method comprised of the steps described in claim 4 ; and

scanning the charged particle beam over the object to be exposed by the electric scan signal.

7. A D/A conversion device including a first D/A conversion circuit which receives input of digital data composed of a plurality of bits, and which outputs a corresponding electric output signal, and a second D/A conversion circuit which receives input of a correction code for the digital data and which outputs a corresponding electric correction signal, in which the first and second D/A conversion circuits are connected to each other at their respective output terminals so that the electric output signal is corrected by the electric correction signal, the D/A conversion device comprising:

storing means for storing expanded correction codes each for a plurality of bits of the digital data, the expanded correction codes being determined in correlation with the first D/A conversion circuit; and

calculating means for performing serial entry and addition of the expanded correction codes each for the plurality of bits, and outputting a correction code for all bits of the digital data.

8. A D/A conversion method, comprising the steps of:

(1) inputting digital data composed of a plurality of bits to a first D/A conversion circuit, and outputting a corresponding electric output signal;

(2) storing expanded correction codes each for a plurality of bits of the digital data, the expanded correction codes being determined in correlation with the first D/A conversion circuit;

(3) performing serial entry and addition of the expanded correction codes each for the plurality of bits of the digital data, and outputting a correction code for all bits of the digital data;

(4) inputting the correction code for all bits of the digital data to a second D/A conversion circuit, and outputting a corresponding electric correction signal; and

(5) correcting the electric output signal by the electric correction signal.

9. The D/A conversion method according to claim 8 , wherein when serial data corresponding to the number of bits of the digital data, with bits sequentially set to “1,” is inputted to the first D/A conversion circuit, the expanded correction code is set as the sum (expressed as Σ (k=i˜j) Δk) of digital data Δk corresponding to a deviation ΔV k from an ideal output line (where k represents bit and i˜j represents all bits belonging to a unit of plural bits).