Alignment fiducial for improving patterning placement accuracy in e-beam masks for x-ray lithography

A fiducial electron beam detector, comprising

• a first semiconductor layer adapted for electron collection;
• a first diode layer contacting a bottom surface of said first semiconductor layer;
• and
• a first responsive layer comprising essentially parallel lines of conductive material oriented in an x direction, said conductive lines separated by nonconductive material, wherein each of said lines is adapted for producing a current responsive to said electron beam, said first responsive layer contacting a bottom surface of said first diode layer.

A method for monitoring the travel of an electron beam on a substrate, in an area wherein said beam can create a useful image on said substrate with submicron precision, said electron beam generated by an electron beam source, comprising:

• positioning a fiducial electron beam detector comprising a fiducial pattern relative to said substrate, so that said fiducial pattern is adjacent and parallel to an area on said substrate where said beam can create useful image with submicron precision, opposing said electron beam source, wherein said fiducial electron beam detector comprises means for directly detecting primary electrons from said electron beam;
• exposing said substrate to said beam, wherein the dose delivered by said electron beam is sufficiently high to generate a detected signal in said means for directly detecting primary electrons from said electron beam, said signal being representative of the relative fiducial pattern and said travel, and wherein the dose delivered by said electron beam is less than a dose required to create a useful image on said substrate, and is thereby sufficiently low to prevent fogging in said substrate;
• and
• comparing said detected signal with a predetermined signal to provide a position signal representative of the beam travel with submicron precision.

A method for monitoring the travel of an electron beam on a substrate, in an area wherein said beam can create a useful image on said substrate with submicron precision, said electron beam generated by an electron beam source, comprising:

• positioning a fiducial electron beam detector comprising a fiducial pattern relative to said substrate, so that said fiducial pattern is adjacent and parallel to an area on said substrate where said beam can create useful image with submicron precision, opposing said electron beam source, wherein said fiducial electron beam detector comprises means for directly detecting primary electrons from said electron beam;
• exposing said substrate to said beam, wherein the dose delivered by said electron beam is sufficiently high to generate a detected signal in said means for directly detecting primary electrons from said electron beam, said signal being representative of the relative fiducial pattern and said travel;
• and
• comparing said detected signal with a predetermined signal to provide a position signal representative of the beam travel with submicron precision;
• wherein said step of exposing said substrate to said beam comprising moving said beam across said film;
• wherein said step of moving said beam across said film comprises moving said beam across said film at a selected rate;
• wherein said selected rate is a selected constant rate;
• and
• further comprising the step of performing a Fourier transform on said detected signal to generate a frequency domain detected signal.