Electrooptic system array, charged-particle beam exposure apparatus using the same, and device manufacturing method

An electrooptic system array having a plurality of electron lenses, comprising:

• upper, middle, and lower electrodes arranged along paths of a plurality of charged-particle beams, said upper, middle, and lower electrodes having pluralities of apertures on the paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams;
• an upper shield electrode which is interposed between said upper and middle electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams;
• and
• a lower shield electrode which is interposed between said lower and middle electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams.

A charged-particle beam exposure apparatus comprising:

• a charged-particle beam source for emitting a charged-particle beam;
• an electrooptic system array which has a plurality of electron lenses and forms a plurality of intermediate images of said charged-particle beam source by the plurality of electron lenses;
• and
• a projection electrooptic system for projecting on a substrate the plurality of intermediate images formed by said electrooptic system array,
• said electrooptic system array including:
• at least two electrodes arranged along paths of a plurality of charged-particle beams, each of said at least two electrodes having a plurality of apertures on the paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams;
• and
• a shield electrode which is interposed between said at least two electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams.

A charged-particle beam exposure apparatus comprising:

• a charged-particle beam source for emitting a charged-particle beam;
• an electrooptic system array which has a plurality of electron lenses and forms a plurality of intermediate images of said charged-particle beam source by the plurality of electron lenses;
• and
• a projection electrooptic system for projecting on a substrate the plurality of intermediate images formed by said electrooptic system array,
• said electrooptic system array including:
• upper, middle, and lower electrodes arranged along paths of a plurality of charged-particle beams, said upper, middle, and lower electrodes having pluralities of apertures on the paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams;
• an upper shield electrode which is interposed between said upper and middle electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams;
• and
• a lower shield electrode which is interposed between said lower and middle electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams.

A device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

• installing a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses including a charged-particle beam exposure apparatus in a factory;
• and
• manufacturing a semiconductor device by using the plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses,
• the charged-particle beam exposure apparatus having:
• a charged-particle beam source for emitting a charged-particle beam;
• an electrooptic system array which has a plurality of electron lenses and forms a plurality of intermediate images of the charged-particle beam source by the plurality of electron lenses;
• and
• a projection electrooptic system for projecting on a substrate the plurality of intermediate images formed by the electrooptic system array,
• the electrooptic system array including:
• at least two electrodes arranged along paths of a plurality of charged-particle beams, each of the at least two electrodes having a plurality of apertures on the paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams;
• and
• a shield electrode which is interposed between the at least two electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams.

A semiconductor manufacturing factory comprising:

• a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses including a charged-particle beam exposure apparatus;
• a local area network for connecting said plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses;
• and
• a gateway for connecting the local area network to an external network of said semiconductor manufacturing factory,
• said charged-particle beam exposure apparatus having:
• a charged-particle beam source for emitting a charged-particle beam;
• an electrooptic system array which has a plurality of electron lenses and forms a plurality of intermediate images of said charged-particle beam source by the plurality of electron lenses;
• and
• a projection electrooptic system for projecting on a substrate the plurality of intermediate images formed by said electrooptic system array,
• said electrooptic system array including:
• at least two electrodes arranged along paths of a plurality of charged-particle beams, each of said at least two electrodes having a plurality of apertures on the paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams;
• and
• a shield electrode which is interposed between said at least two electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams.

A maintenance method for a charged-particle beam exposure apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a database for storing information about maintenance of the charged-particle beam exposure apparatus on an external network of a factory where the charged-particle beam exposure apparatus is installed;
• connecting the charged-particle beam exposure apparatus to a local area network in the factory;
• and
• maintaining the charged-particle beam exposure apparatus on the basis of the information stored in the database by using the external network and the local area network,
• the charged-particle beam exposure apparatus having:
• a charged-particle beam source for emitting a charged-particle beam;
• an electrooptic system array which has a plurality of electron lenses and forms a plurality of intermediate images of the charged-particle beam source by the plurality of electron lenses;
• and
• a projection electrooptic system for projecting on a substrate the plurality of intermediate images formed by the electrooptic system array,
• the electrooptic system array including:
• at least two electrodes arranged along paths of a plurality of charged-particle beams, each of the at least two electrodes having a plurality of apertures on the paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams;
• and
• a shield electrode which is interposed between the at least two electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams.