# US 11,610,758 B2 · Charged particle beam lithography system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,610,758 B2 - Document ID: US11610758B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/743,249 - Filed: 2020-01-15 - Published: 2020-07-16 - Granted: 2023-03-21 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-15 - Assignees: Kkt Holdings Syndicate - Applicants: KKT Holdings Syndicate - Inventors: Tzu-Yi Kuo; Yu-Kuang Tseng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11610758B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/3175: {Projection methods, i.e. transfer substantially complete pattern to substrate} - G03F 1/20: Masks or mask blanks for imaging by charged particle beam [CPB] radiation, e.g. by electron beam; Preparation thereof - H01J 37/141: Electromagnetic lenses - H01J 37/3007: {Electron or ion-optical systems} - H01J 2237/032: Mounting or supporting - H01J 2237/04928: Telecentric systems - H01J 2237/31788: through mask - H01J 2237/31794: affecting masks - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract A collimated electron beam is illuminated to a grounded metal mask such that patterns on the mask can be transferred to a substrate identically. In a preferred embodiment, a linear electron source can be provided for enhancing lithographic throughput. The metal mask is adjacent to the substrate, but does not contact with substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lithography apparatus for lithographying a photoresist layer on a substrate, comprising: a charged particle source for providing a charged particle beam; a charged particle optical element for collimating the charged particle beam into a collimated unfocused charged particle beam, wherein said collimated unfocused charged particle beam is to applied onto said photoresist layer on said substrate; a grounded metallic mask positioned above said photoresist layer on the substrate without contacting said photoresist layer; and a first stage for mounting the sample and a second stage for mounting the grounded metallic mask, wherein said first stage and said second stage move along a first direction, such that the unfocused charged particle beam scans on the sample; wherein said metallic mask includes at least a pattern for blocking a portion of said collimated unfocused charged particle beam before said collimated charged particle beam arrived at said photoresist layer on said substrate; and wherein the sample is mounted on a transparent substrate for mounting the sample, the transparent substrate is coated with a phosphor layer, a sensor array is provided for receiving excited light from the phosphor layer, and an optical element is provided for projecting said excited light to said sensor array. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first stage is a first maglev stage and said second stage is a second maglev stage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The lithography apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the metallic mask includes gold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The lithography apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pattern of said metallic mask has an upper opening and a lower opening larger than the upper opening, and is coated with a film to enhance rigidity of the metallic mask. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The lithography apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said charged particle source provides electrons. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The lithography apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the charged particle optical element is telecentric. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The lithography apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a booster below a condenser lens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The lithography apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the charged particle optical element includes an upper condenser lens and a lower condenser lens adjacent to the metallic mask. ### Claim 9 A lithography apparatus for lithographying a photoresist layer on a substrate, comprising: a charged particle source for providing a charged particle beam; a charged particle optical element for collimating the charged particle beam into a collimated charged particle beam, wherein said collimated charged particle beam is to applied onto said photoresist layer on said substrate, wherein the charged particle optical element includes a linear condenser lens to focus the charged particle beam in a first direction and collimate the charged particle beam in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a grounded metallic mask positioned above said photoresist layer on the substrate without contacting said photoresist layer; wherein said metallic mask includes at least a pattern for blocking a portion of said collimated charged particle beam before said collimated charged particle beam arrived at said photoresist layer on said substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The lithography apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the linear condenser lens includes a Wien filter condenser lens. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The lithography apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the linear condenser lens includes a first Wien filter condenser lens and a second Wien filter condenser lens. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) A system for in-situ inspecting the mask in the lithography apparatus according to claim 4-9, comprising: a transparent substrate for mounting the sample; a phosphor layer coated on said transparent substrate; a sensor array for receiving excited light from the phosphor layer; and an optical element for projecting said excited light to said sensor array. ### Claim 13 An electron beam lithography apparatus, comprising: an electron source providing an electron beam; a condenser lens for condensing the electron beam; a linear condensing lens, below said condenser lens, for focusing the electron beam in a first direction and collimating the electron beam in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are linear collimating the electron beam along a first direction parallel to a sample; a grounded metallic mask between said linear condensing lens and the sample, close to a photoresist layer on the sample without contacting the photoresist layer, wherein said metallic mask includes at least a pattern such that a portion of the electron beam is blocked by said metallic mask; and a maglev stage for mounting the sample and moving in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electron beam lithography apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said linear condensing lens is telecentric along the first direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electron beam lithography apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said linear condensing lens includes a Wien filter condenser lens. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The electron beam lithography apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said linear condensing lens includes a first Wien filter condenser lens and a second Wien filter condenser lens. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The electron beam lithography apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the metallic mask includes gold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electron beam lithography apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the pattern of said metallic mask has an upper opening and a lower opening larger than the upper opening, and is coated with a film to enhance rigidity of the metallic mask.