JPS5923102B2 - Electron beam exposure equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention provides an electron beam system that stores group pattern information to be repeatedly exposed (drawn) and matrix information for repetition in a register group, and uses this to control the shape and position of the exposed pattern. This relates to an exposure device.

Conventional electron beam exposure equipment controls exposure (drawing) patterns by storing coordinates, i.e., x and y positions and I size data of all individual patterns to be exposed, in a memory. central processing unit (CPU)
Two methods are used: a method of specifying by a command, and a method of specifying by calculating by a CPU from the coordinates of a matrix and the size of a pattern.

In the former case, the amount of pattern data becomes enormous and data transfer/transfer is difficult.
The disadvantages are that the transmission time increases, and the latter requires a large calculation time. Generally, the exposure pattern of a sample such as a wafer or mask is often shifted and the same group pattern is repeatedly exposed.

The inventors of the present invention have focused on this point and have attempted to reduce pattern data and processing time by storing only matrix information and repeating group patterns. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam exposure apparatus that can reduce pattern data and control processing time for repeated exposure patterns.

In order to achieve the above object, the electron beam exposure apparatus of the present invention deflects the electron beam to control the beam shape, and
In an electron beam exposure apparatus that deflects the electron beam with a controlled shape and controls the exposure position, the base point of each area is used as a reference for multiple patterns in one area that is repeatedly exposed in area units consisting of multiple patterns. and a storage device that stores matrix information including the base point, pitch, and number of repetitions using the area as a unit, and automatically sets the exposure start point of the group pattern according to the matrix information. This method is characterized by sequentially and repeatedly exposing group patterns by performing calculations.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, an electron beam from an electron gun 1 is focused by a focusing lens 2 onto a beam limiting aperture 4 through a beam blanking plate 3 to limit the electron beam intensity to a constant value. Next, it passes through a reduction lens 5 and enters a distribution control type deflector 6. Here, high-speed vibration deflection is applied as shown by arrow 21 in the left figure. Deflector 6 deflects the high-speed oscillating electron beam.
The beam is irradiated near a predetermined intersection angle of the rectangular aperture 24 of the first aperture plate 7 arranged below. In this state, as shown in the figure on the left, the electron beam distributions 22 and 23 at rest are regulated by edges in the X and Y directions sandwiching one intersection angle of the aperture 24 due to high-speed vibration. The electron beam that has passed through the aperture 24 passes through the focusing lens 8 and the rectangular limiting deflector 9, and is regulated by the rectangular aperture 26 of the second aperture plate 10 at the edges in the X and Y directions that sandwich the intersection angle opposite to the intersection angle of the aperture 24, and is exposed. Beam shape is limited. That is,
Rectangular dimension control D for the rectangular limit deflector 9 as described later.
Control signals corresponding to the exposure pattern sizes X2 and Y2 are applied from A converters (DACs) 28x and 28y to perform deflection. As for the state of the electron beam in the second aperture plate 10, as shown in the left figure, the exposure electron beam is regulated by the apertures 24 and 26, and the intensity of the electron beam is shown by a distribution 25. The exposure beam thus formed is deflected through a positioning deflector 11,
Exposure pattern 1 on sample 13 by reduction focusing lens 12
4 exposure positions. The main part of the present invention is the control circuit of this positioning deflector 11, and when the group pattern to be repeatedly exposed is exposed with a shifted position, the group pattern information to be repeatedly exposed, the base point for repetition, the pitch, The control signal calculated based on the matrix information including the number of times is sent to the positioning DA converter (DAC).
It is applied to the positioning deflector 11 via 29x and 29y. The beam distribution shape 27 in the left figure shows the final exposure beam distribution. FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams explaining the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a pattern data group 30 included in a storage device of a computer used in the control circuit of the present invention. In other words, the matrix code 30 indicates that the following data is matrix information, and the contents of the next matrix information 302 are the X and Y coordinates indicating the base point of the matrix and the repetition rate, as shown in FIG. 3a. Pituchi DX
, DY and the number of repetitions NX, NY. In other words, from the first base point X, Y in the X direction with pitch DX (
Arrange NX pieces like
), (X, Y+2DY)...Next, in the pattern data group 30 in FIG. 2, the number of group data 303 and the group data 304
is memorized. The number of group data 303 indicates the number of rectangular patterns making up the group data 304. The group data 304 is as shown in FIG. 3a,
Rectangular patterns 321 and 32 within one region 31 of the matrix
2 shows a rectangular pattern within a group that should be drawn four times. One rectangular pattern, as shown by the rectangular pattern 32 in FIG. 3b, is composed of X1, Y1 representing the position of the rectangle and X2, Y2 representing the size of the rectangle.

Here, Xl and Yl are expressed as relative coordinates with the lower left point of the group area (ie, the base point of the matrix) as zero. Next, what is displayed in Figure 2 is random data 3.
05, and there is no repetition in this case.

The contents are the number of rectangular patterns, the rectangular position coordinates Xl,
Y, and the sizes X2 and Y2. As shown in FIG. 3a, this is represented by random rectangular patterns 341, 342 in the region 33 of the matrix or a random rectangular pattern 361 in the region 35, etc. Such data is set in a register, and the starting point position of the rectangular pattern 32 within the group is automatically determined using a logic circuit or the like according to the matrix information X and Y including the base point, pitch, and number of times of the matrix described above. calculate.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

Of the above-mentioned data, matrix information is set in the base point X, Yl pitch DX, DYl repetition number NX, NY registers in the matrix information register 41. The rectangular pattern data in the group and the rectangular pattern data X, Yl, X2, Y2 of random data are set in the pattern data register 43. The number of rectangular pattern data and random data in the group is set in the final address register 42. Note that the rectangular pattern data X2, Y2 controls the rectangular limiting deflector 9 via the DACs 28x, 28y shown in FIG. In the case of matrix exposure of a repeating rectangular pattern within a group, first,
"1" from line L1 from central processing unit (CPU) 40
The multiplexer (MPX) 4
4x, 44y and the accumulators 45x, 45y are initialized, and the contents of the base point X, Y registers of the matrix information register 41 are set in the accumulators 45x, 45y via the MPXs 44x, 44y.

Next, Xl and Yl of the pattern data register group 43 are added to the outputs of the accumulators 45x and 45y by full adders 46x and 46y, respectively, and sent to the positioning DACs 29x and 29y shown in FIG. Exposure of a rectangular pattern of dimensions X2 and Y2 is started. In this way, the address counter 49 receives the blanking signal given to the blanking plate shown in FIG.
The comparator 52 compares the counted value with the contents of the final address counter 42 set in advance, and when they match, the exposure of the rectangular pattern in the group is completed, and the output of the comparator 52 is sent to the AND circuit. The NX counters 50x, 50y are incremented by one count via ADl, and the accumulators 45x, 45y are cleared.

Next, to explain how to calculate the group exposure start point in the x direction, the content of the pitch DX register of the matrix information register 41 is added to the base point A pattern is exposed.

This is repeated and the preset number of groups in the NX register of the matrix information register 41 is compared with the count value of the aforementioned NX counter 50x by the NX comparator 51x. When they match, the NY counter 50y in the y direction is incremented by one count. At the same time, Accumulator 4
The value of the base point X register of the matrix information register 41 is set to 5x. Next, to explain how to calculate the group exposure start point in the y direction, the content of the pitch DY register of the matrix information register 41 is added to the base point Y by the accumulator 45y via the MPX 44y, and then sent to the full adder 46y to perform exposure of the rectangular pattern within the group. It will be done.

Similarly to the X direction, the NY comparator 51 compares the preset group number of the repeat NY register of the matrix information register 41 and the count value of the NY counter 50y.
Compare in y and when they match, set the NX counter 50x in the X direction to 1
At the same time as the count advances, the value of the base point Y register of the matrix information register 41 is set in the accumulator 45y. The combination and order of group exposure using the matrix method in the X and y directions are controlled by a matrix designation signal, matrix exposure completion and pattern data register group processing completion signals based on the program of the CPU 4O.

The above has described control for exposing rectangular patterns within groups that are repeatedly exposed using the matrix method, but it is also possible to expose random rectangular patterns with this configuration. In the case of random exposure, the signal “O” is sent from the CPU.
” is sent through line L1, and NX, NY counter 5
0x, 50y, NX, NY comparator 51x, 51y
etc., to an inoperable state.

Also, the data X, , Yl of the pattern data register group 43
MPX47x, 47 operated by direct strobe pulse
y to the DACs 29x and 29y shown in FIG. 1 to control the positioning deflector 11. When the count value of the address counter 49 and the contents of the final address register 42 are compared by the comparator 52 and they match, a signal is sent to the AND circuit AD2, a random exposure completion signal is sent to the CPU via the line L2, and the next data is set as pattern data. Register group 43
Enter. As explained above, according to the present invention, a storage device is provided in which group pattern information to be repeatedly exposed and matrix information for repetition are stored, and the exposure starting point of the group pattern is automatically determined according to the matrix information. By performing calculations, group patterns are sequentially exposed.

In this way, since the group pattern information and matrix information are processed in combination, the amount of pattern data can be reduced.Furthermore, the exposure start point of the group pattern can be automatically calculated at high speed by the circuit using the matrix/scum information, so the pattern data processing This can shorten the time required. Furthermore, using this configuration, when a matrix code is given, a group rectangular pattern based on the matrix information is exposed, and when no matrix code is given, a random rectangular pattern is exposed, so that it can be applied to both types of rectangular patterns. The practical benefits are great.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an electron beam exposure apparatus to which the present invention is applied, FIGS. 2 and 3 are explanatory diagrams of the principle of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is an electron gun, 2 and 8 are focusing lenses, 5 is a reduction lens, 6 is a distribution control type deflector, 7 is a first aperture plate, 9 is a rectangular limiting deflector, and 10 is a second aperture. 11 is a positioning deflector, 12 is a reduction focusing lens, 13 is a sample,
14 is an exposure pattern, 24 and 26 are apertures, 28x
, 28y are rectangular size limit DACs 29x, 29y are positioning DACs 4O is a central processing unit (CPU), 41 is a matrix information register, 42 is a final address register, 43 is a pattern data register group, 44x, 44y,
47, x, 47y are multiplexers (MPX), 46x
, 46y is a full adder, 49 is an address counter, 50
x, 50y are counters, and 51x, 51y, 52 are comparators.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an electron beam exposure apparatus that deflects an electron beam to control the beam shape, and also deflects the electron beam with the controlled shape to control the exposure position, repeating the process in units of regions consisting of a plurality of patterns. A memory that stores group pattern information based on the base point of each area for a plurality of patterns in one area to be exposed, and matrix information including the base point, pitch, and number of times for repetition using the area as a unit. What is claimed is: 1. An electron beam exposure apparatus comprising: an apparatus for repeatedly and sequentially exposing group patterns by automatically calculating an exposure starting point of the group patterns according to the matrix information. 2. In an electron beam exposure apparatus that deflects an electron beam to control the beam shape, and also deflects the electron beam with the controlled shape to control the exposure position, within one area that is repeatedly exposed area by area from multiple patterns. A storage device that stores group pattern information based on the base point of each area for a plurality of patterns, matrix information including the base point, pitch, and number of times for repetition using the area as a unit, and random pattern information. The group pattern is repeatedly exposed in a predetermined order by automatically calculating the exposure start point of the group pattern according to the matrix information, and repeated exposure of the random pattern information is prohibited by control from the central processing unit. An electron beam exposure apparatus characterized in that exposure is directly controlled using information stored in a storage device.