Energy beam exposure method and exposure apparatus

An energy beam exposure method using an energy beam exposure apparatus capable of controlling the magnitude relation between a blur of an energy beam in a first direction and a blur of the energy beam in a second direction different from the first direction, for exposing a pattern comprising a plurality of shot patterns on a sample in the energy beam exposure apparatus comprising:

• adjusting the magnitude relation of the blurs of the energy beam in the first and second directions so that the blur of the energy beam in one of the first and second directions is set smaller than the blur of the energy beam in the other of the first and second directions;
• determining an overlap quantity of the adjacent two shot patterns depending on the blur of energy beam in a direction of linking the plurality of shot patterns;
• and
• projecting the pattern onto the sample by exposing the sample to the energy beam according to the overlap quantity.

An energy beam exposure method for exposing a plurality of patterns, each of which comprises a plurality of sub-patterns, on a sample, comprising:

• deciding presence or absence of a pattern corresponding to a shot pattern which is not formed in a predetermined dimension, when forming the plurality of shot patterns corresponding to the plurality of patterns on the sample in a predetermined dimension, by projecting the plurality of patterns onto the sample by exposing the sample to the beam with a predetermined exposure amount;
• detecting a sub-pattern which is not formed in a predetermined dimension on the sample, out of the plurality of sub-patterns configuring the pattern, when there is a pattern corresponding to the shot pattern which is not formed in a predetermined dimension;
• and
• exposing those capable of forming the shot pattern in the predetermined dimension out of the plurality of patterns by the predetermined exposure amount, exposing others not capable of forming the shot pattern in the predetermined dimension by an exposure amount smaller than the predetermined exposure amount, and exposing the sub-pattern detected as not being formed in a predetermined dimension selectively by a correction exposure amount.

An energy beam exposure method using an aperture mask including a plurality of character projection patterns, each of which comprises a plurality of patterns comprising:

• deciding presence or absence of a character projection pattern corresponding to a shot pattern which is not formed in a predetermined dimension, when forming the plurality of shot patterns corresponding to the plurality of character projection patterns on the sample in a predetermined dimension, by exposing the plurality of character projection patterns by a predetermined exposure amount;
• detecting a pattern which is not formed in the predetermined dimension on the sample, out of the plurality of character projection patterns, when there is a character generation pattern corresponding to the shot pattern which is not formed in a predetermined dimension;
• and
• exposing those capable of forming the shot pattern in the predetermined dimension out of the plurality of patterns by the predetermined exposure amount, exposing others not capable of forming the shot pattern in the predetermined dimension by an exposure amount smaller than the predetermined exposure amount, and exposing the pattern detected as not being formed in a predetermined dimension selectively by a correction exposure amount.

An energy beam exposure apparatus comprising:

• a first aperture mask comprising a first pattern opening portion, the first pattern opening portion including a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings being disposed periodically;
• a second aperture mask including a plurality of pattern opening portions;
• an irradiation unit including a blanking deflector for selectively irradiating a desired position of the plurality of pattern opening portions on the second aperture mask with an energy beam which is passed through the first pattern opening portion of the first aperture;
• and
• a transfer unit reducibly transferring the energy beam which is passed through the desired position of the plurality of pattern opening portions of the second aperture mask on a sample.

An energy beam exposure method using an energy beam exposure apparatus comprising:

• preparing an energy beam exposure apparatus, the energy beam exposure apparatus comprising the energy beam exposure apparatus including a first aperture mask comprising a first pattern opening portion, the first pattern opening portion including a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings being disposed periodically;
• a second aperture mask including a plurality of pattern opening portions;
• an irradiation unit selectively irradiating a desired position of the plurality of pattern opening portions on the second aperture mask with the energy beam which is passed through the first pattern opening portion of the first aperture;
• and a transfer unit reducibly transferring a energy beam which is passed through the desired position of the plurality of pattern opening portions of the second aperture mask on a sample;
• configuring a pattern opening portion corresponding to a desired graphic pattern with opening including linear opening, the linear opening having a width smaller than that of the smallest part of the pattern opening portion corresponding to the desired graphic pattern when a shot pattern of a predetermined dimension can be formed on the sample by exposing the pattern opening portion corresponding to the desired graphic pattern in the plurality of openings on the second aperture mask by a predetermined exposure amount;
• and
• forming the shot pattern of the predetermined dimension on the sample by exposing the pattern opening portion with the opening including the linear opening by an exposure amount larger than the predetermined exposure amount.