# US 12,009,175 B2 · Charged particle beam writing apparatus

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- Number: US 12,009,175 B2
- Document ID: US12009175B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/655,876
- Filed: 2022-03-22
- Published: 2022-10-13
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-13
- Assignees: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Hirofumi Morita; Takanao Touya
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009175B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/147: Arrangements for directing or deflecting the discharge along a desired path ({H01J37/045 take precedence;} lenses H01J37/10)
- H01J 37/12: electrostatic
- H01J 37/1471: {for centering, aligning or positioning of ray or beam}
- H01J 37/3007: {Electron or ion-optical systems}
- H01J 37/3174: {Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography}
- H01J 2237/022: Avoiding or removing foreign or contaminating particles, debris or deposits on sample or tube
- H01J 2237/151: Electrostatic means
- H01J 2237/21: Focus adjustment
- H01J 2237/31776: Shaped beam
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

In one embodiment, a charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a positioning deflector adjusting an irradiation position of a charged particle beam radiated to a substrate which is a writing target, a fixed deflector which is disposed downstream of the positioning deflector in a traveling direction of the charged particle beam, and in which an amount of deflection is fixed, a focus correction lens performing focus correction on the charged particle beam according to a surface height of the substrate, and an object lens focusing the charged particle beam.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A charged particle beam writing apparatus comprising:
a positioning deflector adjusting an irradiation position of a charged particle beam radiated to a substrate which is a writing target;
a fixed deflector which is disposed downstream of the positioning deflector in a traveling direction of the charged particle beam, and in which an amount of deflection is fixed;
a focus correction lens performing focus correction on the charged particle beam according to a surface height of the substrate; and
an object lens focusing the charged particle beam.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the focus correction lens is an electrostatic lens, and is operated in a positive voltage range with respect to a surface of the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the fixed deflector includes an electrostatic deflector, and a common positive voltage with respect to the surface of the substrate is added to a voltage applied to each of a plurality of electrodes included in the electrostatic deflector.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the focus correction lens is an electrostatic lens, and the common positive voltage is higher than or equal to a voltage applied to the focus correction lens.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein a voltage twice as high as the common voltage is applied to one of a pair of opposed electrodes among the plurality of electrodes, and a voltage applied to an other electrode is zero.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the focus correction lens is disposed downstream of the positioning deflector in the traveling direction of the charged particle beam.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6,
wherein the fixed deflector is disposed downstream of the focus correction lens in the traveling direction of the charged particle beam.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6,
wherein the fixed deflector is disposed upstream of the focus correction lens in the traveling direction of the charged particle beam.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the fixed deflector is composed of deflectors in multiple stages.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus according to claim 9,
wherein the fixed deflector includes an electrostatic deflector and a magnetic field deflector.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the fixed deflector includes an electrostatic deflector, and a recess is provided in a surface of at least one of a plurality of electrodes included in the electrostatic deflector, the surface facing a beam passing region.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
an aperture plate provided between the positioning deflector and the fixed deflector.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein a recess is provided in a surface of the aperture plate, the surface being downstream in the traveling direction of the charged particle beam.