IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,609,278
Granted Patent B2
US 12,609,278 · App. 17/812,815 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

Multi charged particle beam writing method and multi charged particle beam writing apparatus

Inventors: Tsubasa Nanao (Yokohama, JP); Osamu Iizuka (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
H01J37/3045G03F7/7045H01J37/1472H01J37/3177H01J2237/3045
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,609,278
App. No.
17/812,815
Granted
Apr 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The mark position is measured with a multi-beam with high accuracy. A multi charged particle beam writing method includes forming a multi-beam in which charged particle beams are arranged with a predetermined pitch, irradiating a mark with beams in an on-beam region while shifting irradiation positions of the charged particle beams by sequentially changing the on-beam region in which beams in a partial region of the multi-beam are set to ON, the mark being provided at a predetermined position and having a width greater than the predetermined pitch, detecting a reflected charged particle signal from the mark, and calculating a position of the mark, and adjusting the irradiation positions of the multi-beam based on the calculated position of the mark, and writing a pattern.

Claims (68)

1 . A multi charged particle beam writing method comprising:

forming a multi-beam in which N charged particle beams are arranged in a beam region having a plurality of irradiating positions with a predetermined pitch;

irradiating a mark with M beams (M<N) set to ON in an on-beam region of M irradiating positions of the beam region, while switching irradiation positions of the M beams within the beam region by sequentially shifting the on-beam region in a predetermined direction in the beam region, the mark being provided at a predetermined position and having a width greater than the predetermined pitch, detecting a reflected charged particle signal from the mark, and calculating a position of the mark; and

adjusting the irradiation positions of the multi-beam based on the calculated position of the mark, and writing a pattern,

wherein irradiating the mark with M beams (M<N) set to ON in the on-beam region of M irradiating positions of the beam region, while switching irradiation positions of the M beams within the beam region by sequentially shifting the on-beam region in the predetermined direction in the beam region comprises:

positioning the beam region on the mark,

irradiating the M beams set to ON in M of the irradiating positions in the beam region, and

sequentially shifting the M irradiating positions in the predetermined direction to M shifted irradiating positions within the beam region and irradiating the M beams at the M shifted irradiating positions, without moving the beam region.

2 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , wherein when irradiation is performed with the beams in the on-beam region, the beams in the on-beam region are deflected in a direction of the shift by a predetermined amount.

3 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 2 , wherein a position of the mark is detected by irradiating with beams in a different on-beam region at two edges of the mark in the direction of the shift.

4 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , wherein the direction of the shift is a perpendicular direction to an edge of the mark in a width direction.

5 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , wherein

positions of a plurality of individual beams in the on-beam region are measured,

a centroid position of the on-beam region is calculated based on the positions of the plurality of individual beams, and

a position of the mark is calculated using the centroid position of the on-beam region.

6 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , wherein a first on-beam region and a second on-beam region before and after change of the on-beam region are partially overlapped with each other.

7 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , wherein the mark is provided on a stage on which a writing target substrate is placed.

8 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , wherein the mark is formed in a half tone film and a light shielding film sequentially laminated on a glass substrate, and the glass substrate is placed on a stage.

9 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , wherein the on-beam region includes a plurality of beams which are arranged along a direction perpendicular and a direction parallel to an edge of the mark in the width direction.

10 . A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus comprising:

an aperture array substrate forming a multi-beam in which N charged particle beams are arranged in a beam region having a plurality of irradiating positions with a predetermined pitch;

a stage on which a writing target substrate is placed, the writing target substrate being to be irradiated with the multi-beam;

a controller configured to switch irradiation positions of a portion of the charged particle beams set to ON irradiating an on-beam region, the portion being less than all of the charged particle beams by sequentially moving the on-beam region within the beam region in a predetermined direction;

a mark being provided on the stage or on the writing target substrate and having a width greater than the predetermined pitch; and

a mark position calculator calculating a position of the mark based on a reflected charged particle signal detected by irradiating the mark with beams in the on-beam region,

wherein

the portion of the charged particle beams set to ON irradiating the on-beam region is M beams, and

the controller is further configured to

irradiate the mark with M beams (M<N) set to ON in the on-beam region of M irradiating positions of the beam region, while switching irradiation positions of the M beams within the beam region by sequentially shifting the on-beam region in the predetermined direction in the beam region;

position the beam region on the mark,

irradiate the M beams set to ON in M of the irradiating positions in the beam region, and

sequentially shift the M irradiating positions in the predetermined direction to M shifted irradiating positions within the beam region and irradiating the M beams at the M shifted irradiating positions, without moving the beam region.

11 . The multi charged particle beam writing apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a deflector deflecting the beams in the on-beam region in a direction of the shift by a predetermined amount when irradiation is performed with the beams in the on-beam region.

12 . The multi charged particle beam writing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the direction of the shift is a perpendicular direction to an edge of the mark in a width direction.

13 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , comprising

halting a writing process using the charged particle beams, and

irradiating the mark while the writing process is halted.

14 . A multi charged particle beam writing method comprising:

forming a multi-beam in which N charged particle writing beams are arranged with a predetermined pitch at respective positions in a beam region;

irradiating a mark with selected writing beams set to ON of the multi-beam corresponding to positions in a partial on-beam region of the beam region while sequentially changing the positions in the beam region of the on-beam region in which the writing beams are set to ON, the mark being provided at a predetermined position and having a width greater than the predetermined pitch, detecting a reflected charged particle signal from the mark, and calculating a position of the mark; and

adjusting the irradiation positions of the multi-beam based on the calculated position of the mark, and writing a pattern,

wherein irradiating with selected writing beam comprises

irradiating the mark with M beams (M<N) set to ON in the on-beam region of M irradiating positions of the beam region, while switching irradiation positions of the M beams within the beam region by sequentially shifting the on-beam region in the predetermined direction in the beam region comprises:

positioning the beam region on the mark, and

irradiating the M beams set to ON in M of the irradiating positions in the beam region, and

sequentially changing the positions in the beam region of the on-beam region in which the writing beams are set to ON comprises sequentially changing the M irradiating positions in the predetermined direction to M shifted irradiating positions within the beam region and irradiating the M beams at the M shifted irradiating positions, without moving the beam region.

15 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , wherein irradiating the mark with M beams (M<N) set to ON in the on-beam region of M irradiating positions of the beam region, while switching irradiation positions of the M beams within the beam region by sequentially shifting the on-beam region in the predetermined direction in the beam region comprises:

positioning the beam region on the mark,

irradiating the M beams set to ON in M of the irradiating positions in the beam region, and

sequentially shifting the M irradiating positions in the predetermined direction to M shifted irradiating positions within the beam region and irradiating the M beams at the M shifted irradiating positions, without moving the beam region.

16 . A multi charged particle beam writing method comprising

forming a multi-beam in which N charged particle beams are arranged in a beam region having a plurality of irradiating positions with a predetermined pitch;

irradiating a mark with M beams (M<N) set to ON in an on-beam region of M irradiating positions of the beam region, while switching irradiation positions of the M beams within the beam region by sequentially shifting the on-beam region in a predetermined direction in the beam region, the mark being provided at a predetermined position and having a width greater than the predetermined pitch, detecting a reflected charged particle signal from the mark, and calculating a position of the mark; and

adjusting the irradiation positions of the multi-beam based on the calculated position of the mark, and writing a pattern,

wherein irradiating the mark with M beams (M<N) set to ON in the on-beam region of M irradiating positions of the beam region, while switching irradiation positions of the M beams within the beam region by sequentially shifting the on-beam region in the predetermined direction in the beam region comprises:

positioning the beam region on the mark,

setting M of the irradiating positions in the beam region to ON,

irradiating only the M beams in M of the irradiating positions in the beam region set to ON, then

switching to OFF a predetermined number of the M irradiating positions in the beam region set to ON,

switching to ON the predetermined number of irradiating positions adjacent in the predetermined direction to ones of the M irradiating positions remaining ON, and

irradiating M beams only at the ones of the M irradiating positions remaining ON and the predetermined number of adjacent irradiating positions switched to ON.

17 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 16 , wherein

the M irradiating positions comprise a plurality of columns,

the predetermined number of irradiating positions switched to OFF is one of the columns, and

the predetermined number of irradiating positions switched to ON is one column of irradiating positions adjacent to the columns of radiating positions remaining ON.

18 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 1 , comprising

moving the multi-beam from the mark to a position on a writing target after calculating the mark position.

19 . The multi charged particle beam writing method according to claim 7 , wherein the mark is a metal mark.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2022
From: NANAO, TSUBASA; IIZUKA, OSAMU
To: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 060912/0787 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-027319 · Feb 20, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2021003213 · Jan 29, 2021
Related Publication 20220359156A1 · Nov 10, 2022
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