# US 2021/0241995 A1 · Charged particle beam writing apparatus, charged particle beam writing method, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

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- Number: US 2021/0241995 A1
- Document ID: US20210241995A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/236,007
- Filed: 2021-04-21
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-09
- Assignees: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Haruyuki NOMURA; Noriaki NAKAYAMADA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210241995A1

## CPC

- H01J 37/3174: {Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography}
- G03F 7/20: Exposure; Apparatus therefor (photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00)
- G03F 7/70008: {Production of exposure light, i.e. light sources}
- G03F 7/70558: {Dose control, i.e. achievement of a desired dose}
- H01J 37/12: electrostatic
- H01J 37/1472: {Deflecting along given lines}
- H01J 37/153: Electron-optical or ion-optical arrangements for the correction of image defects, e.g. stigmators
- H01J 37/3026: {Patterning strategy}
- H10P 76/2041: {Photolithographic processes}
- H01J 2237/20228: Mechanical X-Y scanning
- H01J 2237/31761: Patterning strategy
- H01J 2237/31769: Proximity effect correction
- H10P 76/2045: {Electron beam lithography processes}
- 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)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Position shifts caused by charging phenomena can be corrected with high accuracy. A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an exposure-amount distribution calculator calculating an exposure amount distribution of a charged particle beam using a pattern density distribution and a dose distribution, a fogging charged particle amount distribution calculator calculating a plurality of fogging charged particle amount distributions by convoluting each of a plurality of distribution functions for fogging charged particles with the exposure amount distribution, a charge-amount distribution calculator calculating a charge amount distribution due to direct charge using the pattern density distribution, the dose distribution, and the exposure amount distribution, and calculating a plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge using the plurality of fogging charged particle amount distributions, a position shift amount calculator calculating a position shift amount of a writing position based on the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge, a corrector correcting an exposure position using the position shift amount, and a writer exposing the corrected exposure position to a charged particle beam.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A charged particle beam writing apparatus that writes a pattern on a substrate on a stage by causing a deflector to deflect a charged particle beam, the charged particle beam writing apparatus comprising:
a pattern-density distribution calculator virtually dividing a writing region of the substrate in a mesh-like manner and calculating a pattern density distribution indicating an arrangement ratio of the pattern for each mesh region;
a dose distribution calculator calculating a dose distribution indicating a dose for each mesh region using the pattern density distribution;
an exposure-amount distribution calculator calculating an exposure amount distribution of the charged particle beam, which is emitted from an emitter and to which the substrate is exposed, using the pattern density distribution and the dose distribution;
a fogging charged particle amount distribution calculator calculating a plurality of fogging charged particle amount distributions by convoluting each of a plurality of distribution functions for fogging charged particles with the exposure amount distribution, the plurality of distribution functions having different distribution centers and radius of influence of a fogging effect from each other;
a charge-amount distribution calculator calculating a charge amount distribution due to direct charge using the pattern density distribution, the dose distribution, and the exposure amount distribution, and calculating a plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge using the plurality of fogging charged particle amount distributions;
a position shift amount calculator calculating a position shift amount of a writing position based on the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge;
a corrector correcting an exposure position using the position shift amount; and
a writer exposing the corrected exposure position to a charged particle beam.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The charged particle beam writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charge-amount distribution calculator calculates the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge using a charge decay amount and a charge decay time constant, the charge decay amount being a charge amount immediately after writing with reference to a charge amount obtained after a sufficient time has elapsed after writing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The charged particle beam writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of distribution functions for fogging charged particles include a first distribution function and a second distribution function, a distribution center position of the first distribution function is a center of a distribution by design for a fogging charged particle, and a distribution center position of the second distribution function is shifted from the center of the distribution by design for the fogging charged particle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The charged particle beam writing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, for the second distribution function, the distribution center position and the radius affected by the fogging effect are updated on a basis of the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The charged particle beam writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an electrostatic lens to which a negative potential is applied is arranged above the substrate.

### Claim 6

A charged particle beam writing method that writes a pattern on a substrate on a stage by causing a deflector to deflect a charged particle beam, the charged particle beam writing method comprising:
virtually dividing a writing region of the substrate in a mesh-like manner and calculating a pattern density distribution indicating an arrangement ratio of the pattern for each mesh region;
calculating a dose distribution indicating a dose for each mesh region using the pattern density distribution;
calculating an exposure amount distribution of the charged particle beam, to which the substrate is exposed, using the pattern density distribution and the dose distribution;
calculating a plurality of fogging charged particle amount distributions by convoluting each of a plurality of distribution functions for fogging charged particles with the exposure amount distribution, the plurality of distribution functions having different distribution centers and radius of influence of a fogging effect from each other;
calculating a charge amount distribution due to direct charge using the pattern density distribution, the dose distribution, and the exposure amount distribution, and calculating a plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge using the plurality of fogging charged particle amount distributions;
calculating a position shift amount of a writing position based on the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge;
correcting an exposure position using the position shift amount; and
exposing the corrected exposure position to a charged particle beam.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The charged particle beam writing method according to claim 6, wherein, for calculation of the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge, a charge decay amount and a charge decay time constant are used, the charge decay amount being a charge amount immediately after writing with reference to a charge amount obtained after a sufficient time has elapsed after writing.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The charged particle beam writing method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of distribution functions for fogging charged particles include a first distribution function and a second distribution function, a distribution center position of the first distribution function is a center of a distribution by design for a fogging charged particle, and a distribution center position of the second distribution function is shifted from the center of the distribution by design for the fogging charged particle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The charged particle beam writing method according to claim 8, wherein the distribution center position and the radius affected by the fogging effect of the second distribution function are updated on a basis of the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The charged particle beam writing method according to claim 6, wherein a negative potential is applied to an electrostatic lens arranged above the substrate.

### Claim 11

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program causes a computer to execute:
processing in which a writing region of a substrate on which a pattern is to be written by causing a deflector to deflect a charged particle beam is virtually divided in a mesh-like manner and a pattern density distribution indicating an arrangement ratio of the pattern is calculated for each mesh region;
processing in which a dose distribution indicating a dose for each mesh region is calculated using the pattern density distribution;
processing in which an exposure amount distribution of the charged particle beam, to which the substrate is exposed, is calculated using the pattern density distribution and the dose distribution;
processing in which a plurality of fogging charged particle amount distributions are calculated by convoluting each of a plurality of distribution functions for fogging charged particles with the exposure amount distribution, the plurality of distribution functions having different distribution centers and radius of influence of a fogging effect from each other;
processing in which a charge amount distribution due to direct charge is calculated using the pattern density distribution, the dose distribution, and the exposure amount distribution, and a plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge are calculated using the plurality of fogging charged particle amount distributions;
processing in which a position shift amount of a writing position is calculated that is based on the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge;
processing in which an exposure position is corrected using the position shift amount; and
processing in which the corrected exposure position is exposed to a charged particle beam.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein, for calculation of the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge, a charge decay amount and a charge decay time constant are used, the charge decay amount being a charge amount immediately after writing with reference to a charge amount obtained after a sufficient time has elapsed after writing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of distribution functions for fogging charged particles include a first distribution function and a second distribution function, a distribution center position of the first distribution function is a center of a distribution by design for a fogging charged particle, and a distribution center position of the second distribution function is shifted from the center of the distribution by design for the fogging charged particle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the distribution center position and the radius affected by the fogging effect of the second distribution function are updated on a basis of the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the plurality of charge amount distributions due to fogging charge.