# US 2025/0157789 A1 · E-beam exposure method and mask manufacturing method comprising the same

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- Number: US 2025/0157789 A1
- Document ID: US20250157789A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/667,209
- Filed: 2024-05-17
- Published: 2025-05-15
- Earliest claimed: 2023-11-13
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Jungwook SHON
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250157789A1

## CPC

- H01J 37/3177: {Multi-beam, e.g. fly's eye, comb probe}
- H01J 37/244: Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor
- H01J 37/304: Controlling tubes by information coming from the objects {or from the beam}, e.g. correction signals
- H01J 2237/0451: with fixed aperture
- H01J 2237/24564: Measurements of electric or magnetic variables, e.g. voltage, current, frequency
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

An E-beam exposure method may include receiving exposure information on a pattern subject to exposure, determining on beams and off beams of an E-beam exposure apparatus, determining an exposure time in an exposure process, performing the exposure process using the E-beam exposure apparatus, measuring a current of the off beams on an aperture plate of the E-beam exposure apparatus, and a first determination of determining whether the current is within a reference range. If the current is not within the reference range in the first determination, the determining the exposure time may be performed and the exposure time may be changed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An E-beam exposure method comprising:
receiving exposure information on a pattern subject to exposure;
determining on beams and off beams of an E-beam exposure apparatus;
determining an exposure time in an exposure process;
performing the exposure process using the E-beam exposure apparatus;
measuring a current of the off beams on an aperture plate of the E-beam exposure apparatus; and
a first determination of determining whether the current is within a reference range, wherein
in response to the current not being within the reference range in the first determination, the determining the exposure time is performed and the exposure time is changed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 1, wherein
the on beams are beams that pass through an aperture of the aperture plate and reach a mask,
the off beams are beams that are blocked by the aperture plate and do not reach the mask, and
in the measuring the current of the off beams, the current of the off beams is measured using a sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 2, wherein the sensor is on an upper surface of the aperture plate adjacent to the aperture.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 2, wherein
the E-beam exposure apparatus is a multi-beam mask writer (MBWM),
the performing the exposure process includes generating and emitting an E-beam from an E-beam source and dividing the E-beam into multiple beamlets using an aperture plate system (APS) such that the multiple beamlets passing through the APS move to the aperture plate, and
according to a voltage applied from the APS, the multiple beamlets are tilted to divide the multiple beamlets between the on beams and the off beams.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 1, wherein the measuring the current of the off beams comprises:
measuring a first current of the off beams using a sensor on the aperture plate,
calculating a second current by normalizing the first current, and
calculating a third current by sampling the second current.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 5, wherein
in the calculating the second current, the first current is normalized by dividing the first current by a number of the off beams.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 5, wherein
in the calculating the third current, the first current in microseconds is averaged and sampled in seconds, and
the third current is used in the first determination.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 1, wherein
if current is lower than the reference range in the first determination, the exposure time is increased, and
if the current is higher than the reference range in the in first determination, the exposure time is reduced.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 1, wherein
in response to the current not being within the reference range in the first determination, the exposure time is changed in real time during the exposure process.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 1, wherein
in the measuring of the current of the off beams, the current of the off beams is measured by detecting electrons reflected or scattered from a marker on the aperture plate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 1, further comprising:
before the first determination, a second determination of determining whether the exposure process for a set area is completed, wherein
if the exposure process is not completed in the second determination, the first determination is performed, and
if the current is within the reference range in the first determination, the exposure process is performed.

### Claim 12

An E-beam exposure method comprising:
receiving information on a pattern subject to exposure;
determining on beams and off beams of an E-beam exposure apparatus;
determining an exposure time in an exposure process;
performing the exposure process using the E-beam exposure apparatus;
measuring a first current of the off beams using a sensor on an aperture plate of the E-beam exposure apparatus;
calculating a second current by normalizing the first current;
calculating a third current by sampling the second current;
a first determination of determining whether the exposure process for a set area is completed; and
in response to determining the exposure process is not completed in the first determination, performing a second determination of determining whether the third current is within a reference range, wherein
in response to the third current not being within the reference range in the second determination, the determining the exposure time is performed and the exposure time is changed, and
in response to the third current being within the reference range in the second determination, the exposure process is performed without changing the exposure time.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 12, wherein
in the calculating the second current, the first current is normalized by dividing the first current by a number of the off beams, and
in the calculating the third current, the second current in microseconds is averaged and sampled in seconds.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 12, wherein
if the third current is lower than the reference range in the second determination, the exposure time is increased, and
if the third current is higher than the reference range in the second determination, the exposure time is reduced.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The E-beam exposure method of claim 12, wherein
in response to the third current not being within the reference range in the second determination, the exposure time is changed in real time during the exposure process.

### Claim 16

A mask manufacturing method comprising:
preparing a blank mask;
applying an E-beam resist layer onto the blank mask;
performing an E-beam exposure process on the E-beam resist layer;
developing the E-beam resist layer to form an E-beam resist pattern; and
etching a lower layer by using the E-beam resist pattern as an etch mask, wherein
the performing of the E-beam exposure process includes receiving exposure information on a pattern subject to exposure, determining on beams and off beams of an E-beam exposure apparatus, determining an exposure time in an exposure process, performing the exposure process using the E-beam exposure apparatus, measuring a current of the off beams on an aperture plate of the E-beam exposure apparatus, and a first determination of determining whether the current is within a reference range, and
in response to the current not being within the reference range in the first determination, the determining the exposure time is performed and the exposure time is changed.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The mask manufacturing method of claim 16, wherein
the on beams are beams that pass through an aperture of the aperture plate and reach a mask,
the off beams are beams that are blocked by the aperture plate and do not reach the mask, and
a sensor on an upper surface of the aperture plate adjacent to the aperture is used in the measuring the current of the off beams.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The mask manufacturing method of claim 16, wherein the measuring the current of the off beams comprises:
measuring a first current of the off beams by using a sensor on the aperture plate;
normalizing the first current to calculate a second current; and
sampling the second current to calculate a third current.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The mask manufacturing method of claim 18, wherein
in the calculating of the second current, the first current is normalized by dividing the first current by a number of the off beams,
in the calculating of the third current, the second current in microseconds is averaged and sampled in seconds, and
in response to the current not being within the reference range in the first determination the exposure time is changed in real time during the exposure process.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The mask manufacturing method of claim 16, further comprising:
before the first determination, a second determination of determining whether the exposure process for a set area is completed, wherein
if the exposure process is not completed in the second determination, the first determination is performed, and
if the current is within the reference range in the first determination, the exposure process is performed.