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

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.

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.

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.