# US 7,202,488 B2 · Correction system, method of correcting deflection distortion, program and method for manufacturing a semiconductor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,202,488 B2 - Document ID: US7202488B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/948,555 - Filed: 2004-09-24 - Published: 2005-04-28 - Granted: 2007-04-10 - Earliest claimed: 2003-09-30 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Takumi Ota; Tetsuro Nakasugi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7202488B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/304: Controlling tubes by information coming from the objects {or from the beam}, e.g. correction signals - H01J 37/153: Electron-optical or ion-optical arrangements for the correction of image defects, e.g. stigmators - H01J 2237/31754: using electron beams - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A method of correcting deflection distortion includes dividing a deflection area to which a charged-particle beam is deflected into equal initial blocks as an initial setting, calculating an initial aberration amount for each of the initial blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected, dividing the deflection area into main blocks in accordance with a change rate of the initial aberration amount; calculating a main aberration amount for each of the main blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected, and calculating a correction value correcting a deflection distortion based on the main aberration amount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of correcting deflection distortion comprising: dividing a deflection area to which a charged-particle beam is deflected into equal initial blocks as an initial setting; calculating an initial aberration amount for each of the initial blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected: dividing the deflection area into main blocks in accordance with a change rate of the initial aberration amount; calculating a main aberration amount for each of the main blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected; and calculating a correction value correcting a deflection distortion based on the main aberration amount. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein calculation of the initial aberration amount comprises: setting an initial target position defined inside the initial blocks for each of the initial blocks; obtaining an initial illumination position to which the charged-particle beam is deflected to the initial target positions; and calculating the initial aberration amount between the initial illumination position and the initial target position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein obtainment of the initial illumination position comprises obtaining the initial illumination positions by actually deflecting the charged-particle beam to the initial target position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein obtainment of the initial illumination position comprises obtaining the initial illumination positions by virtually deflecting the charged-particle beam to the initial target position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein division of the deflection area comprising dividing the deflection area into the main blocks in order to change the size of the main blocks nonlinearly with respect to a distance from an optical axis when the initial aberration amount does not change proportional to the distance from the optical axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein division of the deflection area comprising dividing the deflection area into the main blocks in order to change the size of the main blocks linearly with respect to a distance from an optical axis when the initial aberration amount changes proportional to the distance from the optical axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein division of the deflection area comprising dividing first and second regions defined inside the deflection area having different change rates of the initial aberration amount into the main blocks, respectively, in accordance with a change rate of the initial aberration amount of the first and second regions respectively, when the deflection area includes the first and second regions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein calculation of the main aberration amount comprises: setting a main target position defined inside the main blocks for each of the main blocks; obtaining a main illumination position to which the charged-particle beam is deflected to the main target positions; and calculating the main aberration amount between the main illumination position and the main target position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein obtainment of the main illumination position comprises: placing marks on the main target positions respectively; and deflecting the charged-particle beam to the main target positions at which marks are placed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein obtainment of the main illumination positions comprises placing a mark on the main target positions; and deflecting the charged-particle beam to the main target position at which the mark is placed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein calculation of the correction value comprises: calculating correction coefficients of a correction equation for calculating the correction value based on the main aberration amount; and calculating the correction value using the correction coefficients. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein calculation of the correction coefficients comprised calculating a set of the correction coefficients for the deflection area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein calculation of the correction coefficients comprises calculating sets of the correction coefficients for each of the main blocks. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein calculation of the correction value comprises calculating the correction value using the correction coefficients corresponding to the main block having the main illumination position. ### Claim 15 A correction system comprising: an initial division unit configured to divide a deflection area to which a charged-particle beam is deflected into equal initial blocks as an initial setting; an initial aberration calculation unit configured to calculate an initial aberration amount for each of the initial blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected; a main division unit configured to divide the deflection area into main blocks in accordance with a change rate of the initial aberration amount; a main aberration calculation unit configured to calculate a main aberration amount for each of the main blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected; and a correction unit configured to calculate a correction value correcting a deflection distortion based on the main aberration amount. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The correction system of claim 15, wherein the main division unit divides the deflection area into the main blocks in order to change the size of the main blocks nonlinearly with respect to a distance from an optical axis when the initial aberration amount does not change proportional to the distance from the optical axis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The correction system of claim 15, wherein the main division unit divides the deflection area into the main blocks in order to change the size of the main blocks linearly with respect to a distance from an optical axis when the initial aberration amount changes proportional to the distance from the optical axis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The correction system of claim 15, wherein the main division unit divides first and second regions defined inside the deflection area having different change rates of the initial aberration amount into the main blocks, respectively, in accordance with a change rate of the initial aberration amount of the first and second regions respectively, when the deflection area includes the first and second regions. ### Claim 19 A program for executing an application on a correction system, the program comprising: instructions for dividing a deflection area to which a charged-particle beam is deflected into initial blocks as an initial setting; instructions for calculating an initial aberration amount for each of the initial blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected; instructions for dividing the deflection area into main blocks in accordance with a change rate of the initial aberration amount; instructions for calculating a main aberration amount for each of the main blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected; and instructions for calculating a correction value correcting a deflection distortion based on the main aberration amount. ### Claim 20 A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: generating layout data of a device pattern for each layer of the semiconductor device corresponding to stages in a manufacturing process; preparing a set of masks for each layers of the semiconductor device, each of masks dividing a deflection area to which a charged-particle beam is deflected into initial blocks as an initial setting, calculating an initial aberration amount for each of the initial blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected, dividing the deflection area into main blocks in accordance with a change rate of the initial aberration amount, calculating a main aberration amount for each of the main blocks generated when the charged-particle beam is deflected, calculating a correction value correcting a deflection distortion based on the main aberration amount, and delineating masks corresponding to the stages, respectively, by deflecting the charged-particle beam using the correction value based on the layout data in a charged-particle beam drawing tool; coating a resist film on a semiconductor wafer; delineating an etching mask by exposing a device pattern of one of a mask in the set of masks to the resist film; and processing the semiconductor wafer using the etching mask.