JPH0475319A - Charged particle beam lithography - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the total sum of the blanking time and, thereby, to shorten the drawing time by a method wherein a drawing operation for a next line is executed immediately before it in a direction opposite to the drawing operation and a blanking operation to start the drawing operation for the next line is executed according to the distance between a final pattern position of an immediately previous line and an initial pattern position in the next line. CONSTITUTION:A position designation signal (X0+3px) is sent to a subtracter 46 from a pattern position register 31. An X-direction pitch signal px is sent to the subtracter 46 from an X-direction pitch register 33. Consequently, after the subtracter 46 has subtracted the pitch signal px from the position designation signal (X0+3px), its subtracted value (X0+2px) is reset to a pattern position register 31. Patterns A, B are drawn in the same manner on the basis of a reference point (X0+2px, Y0+py), and a counter 34 counts one. In addition, the position designation signal (X0+2px) from the pattern position register 31 is sent to the subtracter 46 via a changeover circuit 45. A subtracted value in which the pitch signal px has been subtracted from the position designation signal (X0+2px) by using the subtracter 46 is reset at the pattern position register 31; the patterns A, B are drawn.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a charged particle beam drawing method that reduces drawing time.

(Prior art) When drawing the same pattern repeatedly at fixed pitches in each of the X and Y directions, for example, a pattern A as shown in FIG.
When B is repeatedly drawn on a material, an electron beam drawing apparatus as shown in FIG. 3 is used, for example. In addition, the portion surrounded by each grid-like broken line in FIG. 4 is a virtual minute area. In FIG. 3, 1 is an electron beam lithography apparatus main body;
2 is an electron gun, 3 is a blanking deflector, 3- is a blanking aperture, 4 and 6 are focusing lenses, 5 is a first mask plate,
7X is a deflector for shaping in the X direction, 7Y is a deflector for shaping in the Y direction, 8 is a second mask plate, 9 is a projection lens, 10X is a deflector for positioning in the X direction, 10Y is a deflector for positioning in the X direction,
11 is a material, 12 is a magnetic disk, 13 is a control device, 1
4 is a drawing data memory, 15 is a blanking signal generation circuit, 16° 19 is a pattern size register, 17, 20
, 24.28 are DA converters, 18, 21.25.29 are amplifiers, 22, 26.31.38 are pattern position registers, 23, 27, 32.39 are adders, 30 is X-direction electron beam position specification circuit, 33.40 is the X direction and Y direction pitch register, 34.41° is the counter, 35.42 is the coincidence circuit, 36.43 is the repetition number register, 37 is the X direction
The directional electron beam position specifying circuit 44 is a termination signal generator.

In the electron beam drawing apparatus configured in this manner, before pattern drawing, the starting point positions ( Xo, Yo
) position data (XA, YA), (X
B, YB), and dimension data (HA, WA),
(HB, WB) are stored in the drawing data memory 14.

When drawing a pattern, position data XA is first stored in the pattern position register 22, position data YA is stored in the pattern position register 26, and dimension data HA is stored in the pattern size register 16 from the memory 14 according to a command from the control device 13.
Then, the dimension data WA is sent to the pattern size register 19 and set therein. Further, from the control device 13, a starting point position signal in the X direction (X in FIG. 4) is sent to the pattern position register 31, a pitch signal (pX in FIG. 4) is sent to the X direction pitch register 33, and a repetition number signal ( In FIG. 4, "4") is sent to the repetition number register 36 and set. Similarly, the starting point position signal in the X direction (
In Figure 4, it is Y. ), vinci signal (py in Figure 4),
The repetition number signal (“6” in FIG. 4) is transmitted to the pattern position register 38 of the electron beam position designation circuit 37 in the X direction,
Directional pitch register 40. The data are sent to the repetition number register 43 and set.

Then, a starting point position signal X is sent from the pattern position register 31. is sent to the adder 23. The adder 23 receives the X-direction position signal XA of the pattern A from the pattern position register 22. The adder 23 receives the starting point position signal X. and the X-direction position signal XA,
The added signal (XO+XA) is sent to the X-direction positioning deflector 10X via the DA converter 24 and amplifier 25.

Further, the adder 27 receives the starting point position signal Y from the pattern position register 38. and the pattern position register 2゛6
Add the Y-direction position signal Y9 of pattern A from
The added signal (Yo + YA) is sent to the X-direction positioning deflector 10Y via the DA converter 28 and amplifier 29.

On the other hand, the X direction dimension signal HA from the pattern size register 16 is transmitted through the DA converter 17 and the amplifier 18.
The Y-direction dimension signal WA from the pattern size register 19 is sent to the X-direction shaping deflector 7Y via the DA converter 20 and amplifier 21.

Furthermore, the blanking signal generation circuit 15 is connected to the control device 1.
3, a blanking signal (see FIG. 5) is created and sent to the blanking deflector 3.

By the above operations, (Xo) is formed on the material 11.

Since beams with cross-sectional dimensions HA and WA are shot at the position (XA, YA) with yo) as the base point, pattern A is drawn at the predetermined position.

When the drawing of the pattern A is completed, the drawing data (position data and dimension data) of the pattern B is transferred from the drawing data memory 14 to the pattern position registers 22, 26 and pattern size registers 16, 19 according to a command from the control device 13. are sent and set respectively. Then, in the same manner as pattern A was drawn, pattern B is drawn at a predetermined position on the material 11.

When drawing of pattern B is completed, only the counter 34 of the X-direction electron beam position specifying circuit 30 counts by 1, and the output Xo of the pattern position register 31 is further sent to the adder 32. Since the X-direction pitch register 33 always sends the X-direction pitch x to the adder 32, the adder 32
2, the pitch x in the X direction and the output X from the pattern position register 31; After adding, the added value (Xo+px
) in the pattern position register 31. Then, according to the command from the control device 13, the drawing data of patterns A and B are sent from the drawing data memory 14 to the pattern position registers 22.26 and pattern size registers 916 and 19, respectively. (Xo
+pX+ Yo) to (XA,YA), (Xs
, Ya) in the same manner as above.
, B are drawn.

When the drawing of patterns A and H is completed in this way, the counter 34 of the X-direction electron beam position designation circuit 30 is further increased by 1.
The output of the pattern position register 31 (X
o+px) is sent to adder 32. In the adder 32,
After adding the direction pitch x and the output from the pattern position register 31 (Xo + 2px), the added value (Xo + 2
px) in the pattern position register 31. Then, according to a command from the control device 13, the pattern position register 22.26 and the pattern size register 16.1
9, patterns A and H are sequentially written from the drawing data memory 14.
Since the drawing data of
+2 p x, Y(1) to (XA.

Patterns A and B are drawn at positions YA) and (Xs, YB), respectively, in the same manner as described above.

When such an operation is repeated four times, the count value of the counter 34 becomes "4". Furthermore, since the repetition number "4" is initially set in the X-direction pitch register 36, the matching circuit 35 can match.

This match signal clears the counter 34. Further, the pattern position register 31 is also cleared, and the X direction starting point position signal X is sent again from the control device 13. is sent and set in the pattern position register 31.

The coincidence signal from the coincidence circuit 35 is sent to the counter 41 of the Y-direction electron beam position designating circuit 37, so the counter 41 counts by one. Further, the output of the pattern position register 38 of the Y-direction electron beam position designating circuit 37 is sent to an adder 39.

Since the Y-direction pitch y is always sent to the adder 39 from the Y-direction pitch register 40, the adder 39 adds the Y-direction pitch y and the output from the pattern position register 38, and then adds the Y-direction pitch y to the output from the pattern position register 38. Added value (Yo + p y)
is reset in the pattern position register 38.

Then, according to the command from the control device 13, the drawing data of patterns A and B are sent sequentially, so that from the base point (Yo+py) to (XA, YA) in terms of the material.

At the positions (XB, YB), pattern A,
B is drawn. When drawing patterns A and B like this, the Y coordinate is Y. Fix 10 py and set only the X coordinate as xo +
This is done from each coordinate changed to px, Xo +2px, and Xo +3px. Then, the Y coordinate is changed by 1 pitch y and fixed, and only the X coordinate is set to X. ,Xo+px,X,+
2px, Xo +3pX, and each time draw patterns A and B sequentially from each base point as described above. In this way, patterns A and H are drawn repeatedly from each base point, and the Y coordinate becomes Y. When drawing patterns A and B from a base point with +5py and an X coordinate of X0+3px, the count value of the counter 41 is "5". Also, since the number of edges in the Y direction is initially set to "6" in the repetition number register 43, the base point (Xo +3 p x).

When the drawing of the patterns A and H from Yo+5py) is completed, the matching circuit 42 makes a match. Then, the coincidence signal is supplied from the coincidence circuit 42 to the end signal generator 44, and the coincidence circuit 3 of the X-direction electron beam position designating circuit 30 is supplied with a coincidence signal.
5 also supplies the match signal to the end signal generator 44, so that the end signal generator 44 generates the end signal.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) Now, the deflection of the electron beam to a predetermined position is performed by the adder 2.
The addition signals from 3.27 are sent to DA converters 24.28 and 24.28, respectively.
Each deflector 10X, 1 via an amplifier 25.29
This is done by sending data to the DA converter 24.0Y.
28 is the deflector 10X.

It takes time to output an analog deflection signal based on the addition signal in 10Y. The time is D.

The time required for the converter to perform various digital operations internally after the addition signal enters the A converter (digital operation processing time), and the subsequent settling time (response time) of the DA converter itself. It is Japanese.

Although the digital calculation processing time is a fixed time and cannot be ignored, it is omitted from the explanation for the sake of convenience.

The blanking signal is created based on the shot time of each pattern A and B and the settling time. At this time, since the settling time is a time corresponding to the distance traveled by the electron beam, the blanking signal when drawing the pattern shown in FIG. 4 is as shown in FIG. 5. In the figure, iA+iB is the shot time of patterns A and H, respectively, iAB+iBA is the blanking time from the end of drawing on the pattern to the start of drawing of pattern B, and the blanking time from the end of drawing of pattern B to the drawing of adjacent pattern A. The blanking time until the start, tL, is the blanking time from the rightmost pattern B to the leftmost pattern A of the next stage until the start of drawing.

By the way, recently, IC using charged particle beam method has been developed.
In manufacturing devices, there is a strong desire to improve throughput in practical terms. However, if a long period of time is included in the entire blanking time as described above, this has been a hindrance to its realization. Furthermore, there are cases where there are tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of repeating patterns on one material, and in that case, this tendency becomes even stronger.

In view of these problems, the present invention aims to reduce the total blanking time, thereby shortening the drawing time.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) For this purpose, the present invention provides a charged particle beam that moves over a material in the X direction or Y direction, respectively, by giving a charged particle beam shot position designation signal to a deflection system including a DA conversion system. In a charged particle beam lithography method that sequentially draws patterns line by line at the same pitch, the next line is drawn in the opposite direction to the previous line, and the blanking when starting to write the next line is performed in the same direction as the immediately preceding line. This is done according to the distance between the final pattern position and the first pattern position of the next row.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an electron beam lithography apparatus shown as an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same numbers. In the figure, 45
is a switching circuit, and 46 is a subtracter.

In the apparatus having such a configuration, the pattern shown in FIG. 4 is drawn in the following manner.

First, as described above, the adder 23 receives the starting point position signal X from the pattern position register 31. , pattern position register 22
An X-direction position signal XA of pattern A is sent from. or,
At the same time, the adder 27 also receives the starting point position signal Y from the pattern position register 38. .

A Y-direction position signal YA of pattern A is sent from the pattern position register 26. and each adder 23.27
Addition signal (X, +XA) from.

(YO+YA) are respectively DA converters 24. amplifier 25,
DA converter 28. The signal is sent via the amplifier 29 to the X-direction positioning deflector 10X and the Y-direction positioning deflector 10Y. Also, as above, the data from the pattern size register 16 to D
A converter 17. The X-direction dimension signal HA of the pattern A is sent to the X-direction shaping deflector 7X via the amplifier 18, and
At the same time, from the pattern size register 19 to the DA converter 2
Y-direction dimension signal W of pattern A via 0° amplifier 21
A is sent to the Y-direction shaping deflector 7Y.

Furthermore, the blanking signal generation circuit 15 is connected to the control device 1.
A blanking signal (see FIG. 2) is created based on the command No. 3 and sent to the blanking deflector 3. Therefore, (XA,
Pattern A is drawn at the position YA). After that, drawing the pattern B, the base point (Xo +pX, Yo)
, (Xo + 2pX, Yo) (Xo + 3
Patterns A and B are drawn from each of the patterns (px, Yo) in the same manner as in the conventional method shown in FIG.

At this time, the count value of the counter 34 becomes 4'', and a coincidence signal is generated from the coincidence circuit 35. The coincidence signal clears the counter 34, and a switching signal is sent from the counter 34 to the switching circuit 45. During this time, The position signal (xo +3px) that had been set up to that point in the pattern position register 31 is sent to the adder 23.

The coincidence signal from the coincidence circuit 35 is sent to the Y-direction electron beam position designation circuit 37 and the counter 41, so the counter 41 counts by one. Further, the output of the pattern position register 38 of the Y-direction electron beam position designating circuit 37 is sent to an adder 39.

Since the Y-direction pitch y is always sent to the adder 39 from the Y-direction pitch register 40, the adder 39 adds the Y-direction pitch y and the output from the pattern position register 38, and then adds the Y-direction pitch y to the output from the pattern position register 38. The added value (Yo+pV) is reset to the pattern position register 38. Then, in the same manner as above, pattern A is placed at the positions (xA, y^) and (XB, YB) from the base point (Xo +3px, Yo 10py), respectively.

B is drawn. When such drawing is completed, the counter 34 counts by one.

Next, a position designation signal (Xo+3px) is sent from the pattern position register 31 to the subtracter 46.

Since the X-direction pitch signal px is sent from the X-direction pitch register 33 to the subtracter 46, the subtracter 46 subtracts the pitch signal px from the position designation signal (Xo+3px) and then calculates the subtracted value (XO+2px). is reset/sorted to the pattern position register 31.

Then, based on the base point (Xo +2px, Yo +pY), patterns A and B are drawn in the same manner as described above, the counter 34 counts 1, and a position designation signal (XO+21)X is sent from the pattern position register 31. ) is sent to the subtracter 46 via the switching circuit 45. The subtracted value obtained by subtracting the pitch signal px from the position designation signal (Xo+2px) by the subtracter 46 is reset to the pattern position register 31, and patterns A and B are drawn as described above.

Then, such an operation is repeated, and the counter 34
When the count value becomes "4", the match circuit 35 generates a match signal and the counter 34 is cleared. Then, a switching signal is sent from the counter 34 to the switching circuit 45. During this time, the position signal X, which had been set up until then, is sent from the pattern position register 31. is the adder 23
sent to. Further, the coincidence signal from the coincidence circuit 35 is sent to the counter 41 of the Y-direction electron beam position specifying circuit 37, and the counter 41 counts by one.

And this time, (Xo, Y0+2px).

(Xo +px, Yo +2py), (Xo +2
px.

Yo +2py), (Xo +3px, YO+2pV)
Patterns A and B are drawn from each base point whose pitch is changed in the X direction from left to right, and then, in the same way as above, (X
o +3px, yO+3py), (Xo +2px
, Yo +3py), (Xo +px, Yo+3pV)
, (Xo , Yo +3py), patterns A and B are drawn from each base point that changes by the pitch in the X direction from right to left. Such pattern drawing is repeated, and when the drawing of patterns A and B from the last base point (Xo, Yo +5 pV) is completed, the count value of the counter 41 becomes "6", and a match is achieved by the matching circuit 42. A signal is supplied from the coincidence circuit 42 to the termination signal generator 44, and a coincidence signal is also supplied from the coincidence circuit 35 of the X-direction electron beam signal designating circuit 30 to the termination signal generator 44. A termination signal generator 44 generates a termination signal.

As mentioned above, FIG. 2 shows the blanking signal waveform used in one embodiment of the drawing method of the present invention. In the figure, portions with the same symbols as those shown in FIG. 5 indicate the same shot time or the same blanking time. In the figure, tt' is the blanking time from the last pattern B in the upper stage to the start of drawing the first pattern A in the next stage, and this time is extremely short, like the blanking time between adjacent patterns in the previous stage.

Note that the present invention can also be applied to an ion beam writing method.

(Effects) The present invention sequentially draws a pattern line by line on a material at the same pitch in the X direction or Y direction with a charged particle beam by applying a charged particle beam shot position designation signal to a deflection system including a DA conversion system. In a charged particle beam drawing method, the drawing of the next line is performed in the opposite direction to the drawing of the immediately previous line, and the blanking when starting the drawing of the next line is performed at the same time as the final pattern position of the immediately preceding line and that of the next line. Since the blanking is performed according to the distance from the initial pattern position, there is no longer a long period of time during the entire blanking process, unlike in the past.
Therefore, drawing time is shortened.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an electron beam lithography system using the charged particle beam lithography method of the present invention, Figures 2 and 5.
The figure shows a blanking state, the figure S3 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional electron beam lithography system, and the figure 4 shows a pattern.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a charged particle beam drawing method in which a charged particle beam sequentially draws a pattern line by line at the same pitch on a material in the X direction or Y direction by applying a charged particle beam shot position designation signal to a deflection system including a DA conversion system. , the next line is drawn in the opposite direction to the previous line's drawing, and the blanking when entering the next line's drawing is determined by the distance between the final pattern position of the immediately preceding line and the first pattern position of the next line. A charged particle beam drawing method that is adapted to the following.