# US 8,772,734 B2 · Charged particle beam lithography apparatus and method, and article manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,734 B2 - Document ID: US8772734B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/727,710 - Filed: 2012-12-27 - Published: 2013-06-27 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-27 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Toshiro Yamanaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772734B2 ## CPC - G21K 5/04: with beam-forming means - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - H01J 37/09: Diaphragms; Shields associated with electron or ion-optical arrangements; Compensation of disturbing fields - H01J 37/3177: {Multi-beam, e.g. fly's eye, comb probe} - H01J 2237/026: Shields - H01J 2237/0435: Multi-aperture - H01J 2237/31794: affecting masks - G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A lithograph apparatus that performs writing on a substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams. A blanking deflector array blanks the plurality of charged particle beams. An aperture array blocks n charged particle beam deflected by the blanking deflector array. A sealing mechanism seals an opening or at least one of the blanking deflector array and the aperture array with a shielding material that shields a charged particle beam. A moving mechanism moves the substrate so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of an unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lithography apparatus that performs writing on a substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the apparatus comprising: a blanking deflector array for blanking the plurality of charged particle beams; an aperture array configured to block a charged particle beam deflected by the blanking deflector array; a sealing mechanism configured to seal an opening of at least one of the blanking deflector array and the aperture array with a shielding material that shield is a charged particle beam; and a moving mechanism for moving the substrate so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of an unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lithography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising; a movable substrate holder configured to hold the substrate; and a controller configured to control an operation of the sealing mechanism so that the sealing mechanism seals the opening corresponding to the unblankable charged particle beam with the shielding material, and to control a drive of the substrate holder so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of the unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding material is a spherical object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The lithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding material is an adhesive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sealing mechanism comprises a manipulator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The lithography apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the manipulator includes an end effector configured to hold the shielding material by at least one of a frictional force, an electrostatic force, and a capillary force. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The lithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sealing mechanism is configured to seal the opening vial adhering of the shielding material with an adhesive. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The lithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sealing mechanism is configured to seal the opening via melting of the shielding material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The lithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening is configured so that a charged particle beam passes through in a vertically downward direction, and an upper inner diameter thereof is greater than a lower inner diameter thereof, and wherein the sealing mechanism is configured to place the shielding material at the opening from above the opening. ### Claim 10 A writing method of performing writing on a substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the method comprising: sealing an opening, corresponding to an unblankable charged particle beam, of at least one of a blanking deflector array for blanking the plurality of charged particle beams and an aperture array configured to block a charged particle beam deflected by the blanking deflector array with a shielding material that shields a charged particle beam; and moving the substrate so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of the unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising: (a) performing writing on a substrate with a lithography apparatus; and (b) developing the substrate, on which the writing has been performed, to manufacture the article, wherein the lithography apparatus performs writing on the substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the apparatus including: (i) a blanking deflector array for blanking the plurality of charged particle beams; (ii) an aperture array configured to block a charged particle beam deflected by the blanking deflector array; (iii) a sealing mechanism configured to seal an opening of at least one of the blanking deflector array and the aperture array with a shielding material that shields a charged particle beam; and (iv) a moving mechanism for moving the substrate so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of an unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ### Claim 12 A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising: (a) performing writing on a substrate with a writing method; and (b) developing the substrate, on which the writing has been performed, to manufacture the article, wherein the writing method performs writing on the substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the writing method including: (i) sealing an opening, corresponding to an unblankable charged particle beam, of at least one of a blanking deflector array for blanking the plurality of charged particle beams and an aperture array configured to block a charged particle beams deflected by the blanking deflector array with a shielding material that shields a charged particle beam; and (ii) moving the substrate so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of the unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ### Claim 13 A lithography apparatus that performs writing on a substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the apparatus comprising: a blanking array for blanking the plurality of charged particle beam; a sealing mechanism configured to seal an opening of the blanking array with a shielding material that shields a charged particle beam; and a moving mechanism for moving the substrate so that the writing as performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of an unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ### Claim 14 A writing method of performing writing on a substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the method comprising: sealing an opening, corresponding to an unblankable charged particle beam, of a blanking array for blanking the plurality of charged particle beams with a shielding material that shields a charged particle beam; and moving the substrate so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of the unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ### Claim 15 A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising: (a) performing writing on a substrate with a lithography apparatus; and (b) developing the substrate, on which the writing has been performed, to manufacture the article, wherein the lithography apparatus performs writing on the substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the apparatus including: (i) a blanking array for blanking the plurality of charged particle beams; (ii) a sealing mechanism configured to seal an opening of the blanking array with a shielding material that shields a charged particle beam; and (iii) a moving mechanism for moving the substrate so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of an unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material. ### Claim 16 A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising: (a) performing writing on a substrate with a writing method; and (b) developing the substrate, on which the writing has been performed, to manufacture the article, wherein the writing method performs writing on the substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the writing method including: (i) sealing an opening, corresponding to an unblankable charged particle beam, of a blanking array for blanking the plurality of charged particle beams with a shielding material that shields a charged particle beam; and (ii) moving the substrate so that the writing is performed with a blankable charged particle beam instead of the unblankable charged particle beam shielded by the shielding material.