Ion beam processing apparatus and method of correcting mask defects

An ion beam processing apparatus provided within a vacuum container with a specimen chamber with a table for mounting a work piece or specimen provided therein comprising:

• a high intensity ion source confronting said specimen chamber, an extraction electrode for extracting an ion beam out of said ion source, a grid electrode for controlling energy and stability of the ion beam, an aperture member with an aperture of variable dimensions for controlling the focused spot diameter and the spot current, at least a set of electrostatic lenses for focusing the ion beam which is outputted through said aperture to form a spot in the image of said aperture on the surface of the specimen, a beam blanking electrode, X-axis and Y-axis deflection electrodes which cause the beam spot to scan over the specimen, a secondary charged-particle detector which detects the intensity of secondary charged-particles emitted from the specimen as it is exposed to a low-power ion beam transduces the intensity of emission into an electrical signal, a TV monitor which receives the output of said detector and deflection signals applied to said deflection electrodes and performs the scanning of a spot having an intensity in proportion to the output of said secondary charged-particle detector in synchronization with the ion beam which scans the specimen so as to allow the observation of the surface of the specimen, a setting means for setting the range of processing to said TV monitor, and setting means producing signals for setting the dimensions and position of said aperture, and switching means for switching the power supplies for detecting a defect on the specimen by said detector and for processing said defect on the specimen by sputtering.

An ion beam processing apparatus comprising;

• a vacuum container installed on a bed,
• a table for mounting a specimen disposed on the bed within a specimen chamber of said vacuum container,
• a drive controller means for controlling the movement of said table,
• a high intensity ion source provided within said vacuum container,
• an ion beam extraction electrode for extracting an ion beam out of said ion source,
• a grid electrode for controlling energy and stability of the ion beam,
• an aperture for controlling the focused spot diameter and the spot current,
• electrostatic lenses for focusing the ion beam which is outputted through said aperture to form a spot,
• a beam blanking electrode,
• X-axis and Y-axis deflection electrodes which cause the beam spot to scan over the specimen,
• a secondary charged-particle detector for detecting the intensity of secondary charged-particles emitted from the specimen as it is exposed to a low-power ion beam and transduces the intensity of emission into an electrical signal,
• a defect detecting means for detecting a defect by comparing the output binary signal of said secondary charged-particle detector with binary signal information on the original pattern read out of a memory means, and
• a switching means for switching the power supplies for detecting a defect on the specimen and for correcting said defect on the specimen by sputtering.

A method of correcting defects on a mask comprising the steps of:

• extracting an ion beam out of a high intensity ion source;
• controlling energy and stability of the extracted ion beam by a grid electrode;
• focusing the ion beam into a fine spot by an optical system for charged-particles;
• detecting the intensity of secondary charge particles emitted from the mask as it is exposed to a low-power ion beam and transduced into an electrical signal by a secondary charged-particle detector;
• detecting a defect on the mask by comparing the output binary signal of the secondary charged-particle detector with binary signal information on the original pattern read out of a memory means;
• electrically neutralizing an electric charge charged on the mask by an electron shower;
• switching the power supplies for detecting a defect on the mask and for removing the defect on the mask by sputtering;
• and
• removing an existing defect on the mask by projecting and sputtering the ion beam to the existing defect.