WO2006126872A1 - Apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets - Google Patents

Apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2006126872A1
WO2006126872A1 PCT/NL2006/000260 NL2006000260W WO2006126872A1 WO 2006126872 A1 WO2006126872 A1 WO 2006126872A1 NL 2006000260 W NL2006000260 W NL 2006000260W WO 2006126872 A1 WO2006126872 A1 WO 2006126872A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
beam splitter
source
macrolens
collimator
beamlets
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2006/000260
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Pieter Kruit
Matheus Johannes Van Druggen
Original Assignee
Technische Universiteit Delft
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Technische Universiteit Delft filed Critical Technische Universiteit Delft
Publication of WO2006126872A1 publication Critical patent/WO2006126872A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/30—Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects
    • H01J37/3002—Details
    • H01J37/3007—Electron or ion-optical systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/02—Details
    • H01J37/04—Arrangements of electrodes and associated parts for generating or controlling the discharge, e.g. electron-optical arrangement, ion-optical arrangement
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/26—Electron or ion microscopes; Electron or ion diffraction tubes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2237/00—Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging
    • H01J2237/30—Electron or ion beam tubes for processing objects
    • H01J2237/317—Processing objects on a microscale
    • H01J2237/3175—Lithography
    • H01J2237/31774—Multi-beam

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets, comprising a source for particles or radiation, a collimator and, placed between the source and the collimator, a beam splitter for dividing the beam from the source into beamlets.
  • Such an apparatus is known from WO 2004/081910.
  • the beam splitter is formed by a lens array positioned between the source of the principal beam and the collimator.
  • the lens array is preceded by an aperture array.
  • the lens array focuses the beamlets in or near the collimator lens, with the intention of avoiding the chromatic aberration of the collimator influencing the position of the source images.
  • a problem of the known apparatus is that the beam- lets do not pass perpendicularly through the lenses of the lens array; especially the outermost beamlets have a considerable angle of incidence in relation to the axis of the lenses, resulting in lens faults such as coma.
  • the object of the invention is to improve the prior art apparatus so as to prevent the occurrence of the aforementioned lens faults.
  • the apparatus according to the invention is characterised, in that a first macrolens is provided between the source and the beam splitter for forming a substantially parallel beam of rays or beam of particles, and in that between the beam splitter and the collimator, immediately after the beam splitter, a second macrolens is pro- vided.
  • the apparatus according to the invention has the advantage that the beam of rays or beam of particles from the source reaches the beam splitter in parallel formation and that the beamlets formed there are formed under the same con- ditions.
  • said first macrolens produces a chromatic effect, this can be compensated by a corresponding opposite effect of the second macrolens, which causes the beamlets to diverge again.
  • the potential of the second macrolens be positive with respect to the beam splitter.
  • a first suitable embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is characterised in that the beam splitter is a lens array.
  • the beam splitter is an aperture array.
  • the beam splitter is an aperture array.
  • This latter embodiment can be realised easily and is nevertheless accurate, since in that case one single plate with openings suffices.
  • the electric field created by the second macrolens on the aperture array forms in each opening a lens for the local beamlet .
  • the apparatus is preferably characterised in that directly before the beam splitter, at the side facing the first macrolens, a diaphragm plate is placed.
  • a diaphragm plate which desirably is embodied such that the size of its openings is smaller than that of the beam splitter positioned thereafter, peripheral effects at the beam splitter can be effectively suppressed.
  • the apparatus according to the invention is very useful in various applications. These include, for example, the application as electron microscope or as high-resolution electron lithographic machine.
  • - Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention
  • - Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.
  • Carrying reference numeral 1 in Figure 1 is a source for the generation of a beam, which at a beam splitter 3 is divided into a plurality of beamlets that together pass a collimator 2, whereafter they run parallel to each other.
  • Figures 2 and 3 show a first and a second embodiment of an apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets according to the invention.
  • the beam splitter of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 is a lens array 3.
  • the lens array .3 produces a plurality of source images in the principal plane of the collimator lens 2.
  • the beam splitter of the apparatus shown in Figure 3 is embodied as aperture array 3' .
  • FIGS. 2 and Figure 3 show that between the source 1 and the beam splitter 3, 3' a first macrolens 4 is provided for forming a substantially parallel beam of rays or particles, and that between the beam splitter 3, 3' and the collimator 2 a second macrolens 5 is provided directly after the beam splitter 3, 3' .
  • the potential of the second macrolens 5 in relation to the beam splitter 3, 3' needs to be positive, which is symbolised by the voltage source 7 creat- ing a potential difference between the beam splitter 3, 3' and the second macrolens 5.
  • a possible option is to place a diaphragm plate 6 directly before the beam splitter 3, 3' at the side facing the first macrolens 4.
  • the diameter of the openings of this diaphragm plate 6 is smaller than the effective width of each individual lens of the lens array 3 or of each opening of the aperture array 3' , so as to avoid peripheral effects when the beam passes through the lens array 3 or the aperture array 3' .
  • the manner in which this is to be realised is fully known to those skilled in the art so that a further explanatory description of the figures is unnecessary.
  • the beam splitter 3, 3' described above with deflectors. It is also possible to embody the apparatus with more than one source for particles or radiation so that the diametrical dimensions of the beam may be increased as desired. Such an apparatus provided with several sources has useful applications both as electron microscope and as electron lithographic machine.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electron Beam Exposure (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets, comprising a source for particles or radiation, a collimator and, placed between the source and the collimator, a beam splitter for dividing the beam from the source into beamlets, wherein a first macrolens is provided between the source and the beam splitter for forming a substantially parallel beam of rays or beam of particles, and in that between the beam splitter and the collimator, immediately after the beam splitter, a second macro- lens is provided.

Description

Apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets
The invention relates to an apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets, comprising a source for particles or radiation, a collimator and, placed between the source and the collimator, a beam splitter for dividing the beam from the source into beamlets.
Such an apparatus is known from WO 2004/081910. In a first embodiment of this publication an apparatus is described wherein the beam splitter is formed by a lens array positioned between the source of the principal beam and the collimator. In another embodiment, the lens array is preceded by an aperture array.
The lens array focuses the beamlets in or near the collimator lens, with the intention of avoiding the chromatic aberration of the collimator influencing the position of the source images.
A problem of the known apparatus is that the beam- lets do not pass perpendicularly through the lenses of the lens array; especially the outermost beamlets have a considerable angle of incidence in relation to the axis of the lenses, resulting in lens faults such as coma.
The object of the invention is to improve the prior art apparatus so as to prevent the occurrence of the aforementioned lens faults.
To this end the apparatus according to the invention is characterised, in that a first macrolens is provided between the source and the beam splitter for forming a substantially parallel beam of rays or beam of particles, and in that between the beam splitter and the collimator, immediately after the beam splitter, a second macrolens is pro- vided.
The apparatus according to the invention has the advantage that the beam of rays or beam of particles from the source reaches the beam splitter in parallel formation and that the beamlets formed there are formed under the same con- ditions. Although said first macrolens produces a chromatic effect, this can be compensated by a corresponding opposite effect of the second macrolens, which causes the beamlets to diverge again.
In this context it is desirable that during operation, the potential of the second macrolens be positive with respect to the beam splitter.
A first suitable embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is characterised in that the beam splitter is a lens array.
It is, however, equally possible to embody the appa- ratus according to the invention in a second embodiment such that the beam splitter is an aperture array. Especially this latter embodiment can be realised easily and is nevertheless accurate, since in that case one single plate with openings suffices. The electric field created by the second macrolens on the aperture array forms in each opening a lens for the local beamlet .
In both said embodiments it is advantageous if after the lens array or the aperture array only the second macrolens needs to be provided for the diverging irradiation of the collimator, which second macrolens, owing to its nature, is free from alignment problems.
In a further aspect of the invention, the apparatus is preferably characterised in that directly before the beam splitter, at the side facing the first macrolens, a diaphragm plate is placed. With such a diaphragm plate, which desirably is embodied such that the size of its openings is smaller than that of the beam splitter positioned thereafter, peripheral effects at the beam splitter can be effectively suppressed. The apparatus according to the invention is very useful in various applications. These include, for example, the application as electron microscope or as high-resolution electron lithographic machine.
Hereinafter the invention will be further elucidated by way of some non-limiting exemplary embodiments and with reference tσ the drawing. In the drawing: - Figure 1 shows an apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets according to the prior art;
- Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention, and - Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.
Identical reference numerals used in the figures refer to similar components.
With reference to Figure 1, a short explanation will first be given regarding the apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets as known from the prior art formed by WO 2004/081910.
Carrying reference numeral 1 in Figure 1 is a source for the generation of a beam, which at a beam splitter 3 is divided into a plurality of beamlets that together pass a collimator 2, whereafter they run parallel to each other.
Figures 2 and 3 show a first and a second embodiment of an apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets according to the invention. The beam splitter of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 is a lens array 3. The lens array .3 produces a plurality of source images in the principal plane of the collimator lens 2.
The beam splitter of the apparatus shown in Figure 3 is embodied as aperture array 3' .
Both Figure 2 and Figure 3 show that between the source 1 and the beam splitter 3, 3' a first macrolens 4 is provided for forming a substantially parallel beam of rays or particles, and that between the beam splitter 3, 3' and the collimator 2 a second macrolens 5 is provided directly after the beam splitter 3, 3' .
During operation, the potential of the second macrolens 5 in relation to the beam splitter 3, 3' needs to be positive, which is symbolised by the voltage source 7 creat- ing a potential difference between the beam splitter 3, 3' and the second macrolens 5.
A possible option is to place a diaphragm plate 6 directly before the beam splitter 3, 3' at the side facing the first macrolens 4. The diameter of the openings of this diaphragm plate 6 is smaller than the effective width of each individual lens of the lens array 3 or of each opening of the aperture array 3' , so as to avoid peripheral effects when the beam passes through the lens array 3 or the aperture array 3' . The manner in which this is to be realised is fully known to those skilled in the art so that a further explanatory description of the figures is unnecessary.
Still other variations on the theme of the invention are also possible, without departing from the spirit of the invention and thus also without departing from the protective scope due the invention and embodied in the appended claims.
For example, it is possible to combine the beam splitter 3, 3' described above with deflectors. It is also possible to embody the apparatus with more than one source for particles or radiation so that the diametrical dimensions of the beam may be increased as desired. Such an apparatus provided with several sources has useful applications both as electron microscope and as electron lithographic machine.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the generation of parallel beam- lets, comprising a source (1) for particles or radiation, a collimator (2) and, placed between the source (1) and the collimator (2), a beam splitter (3, 3') for dividing the beam from the source (1) into beamlets, characterised in that a first macrolens (4) is provided between the source (1) and the beam splitter (3, 3') for forming a substantially parallel beam of rays or beam of particles, and in that between the beam splitter (3, 3') and the collimator (2), immediately after the beam splitter (3, 31) a second macrolens (5) is provided.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that during operation, the potential of the second macrolens (5) is positive with respect to the beam splitter (3, 3') ■
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the beam splitter (3, 3') is a lens array (3).
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, σharac- terised in that the beam splitter (3, 3') is an aperture array ( 3 ' ) -
5. An apparatus according to claim 1-4, characterised in that directly before the beam splitter (3, 3'), at the side facing the first macrolens (4), a diaphragm plate (6) is placed.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that the size of the diaphragm plate's openings is smaller than that of the beam splitter (3, 3') positioned thereafter.
7. An apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the same is embodied as electron lithographic apparatus.
8. An apparatus according to one of the claims 1-6, characterised in that the same is embodied as electron microscope .
PCT/NL2006/000260 2005-05-26 2006-05-24 Apparatus for the generation of parallel beamlets WO2006126872A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1029132 2005-05-26
NL1029132A NL1029132C2 (en) 2005-05-26 2005-05-26 Device for generating parallel ray-beam parts.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2006126872A1 true WO2006126872A1 (en) 2006-11-30

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WO (1) WO2006126872A1 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009141428A1 (en) * 2008-05-23 2009-11-26 Mapper Lithography Ip B.V. Imaging system
US9566587B2 (en) 2012-10-12 2017-02-14 Blue Sky Mines Ltd. Methods of and systems for treating incinerated waste
WO2019068666A1 (en) * 2017-10-02 2019-04-11 Asml Netherlands B.V. An apparatus using charged particle beams
WO2021071357A1 (en) * 2019-10-08 2021-04-15 Technische Universiteit Delft Device for generating a plurality of charged particle beamlets, and an inspection imaging or processing apparatus and method for using the same.

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004081910A2 (en) * 2003-03-10 2004-09-23 Mapper Lithography Ip B.V. Apparatus for generating a plurality of beamlets
WO2004107050A2 (en) * 2003-05-28 2004-12-09 Mapper Lithography Ip B.V. Charged particle beamlet exposure system

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004081910A2 (en) * 2003-03-10 2004-09-23 Mapper Lithography Ip B.V. Apparatus for generating a plurality of beamlets
WO2004107050A2 (en) * 2003-05-28 2004-12-09 Mapper Lithography Ip B.V. Charged particle beamlet exposure system
US20050161621A1 (en) * 2003-05-28 2005-07-28 Wieland Marco J. Charged particle beamlet exposure system

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009141428A1 (en) * 2008-05-23 2009-11-26 Mapper Lithography Ip B.V. Imaging system
US20110079730A1 (en) * 2008-05-23 2011-04-07 Mapper Lithography Ip B.V. Imaging system
US8502176B2 (en) 2008-05-23 2013-08-06 Mapper Lithography Ip B.V. Imaging system
US9566587B2 (en) 2012-10-12 2017-02-14 Blue Sky Mines Ltd. Methods of and systems for treating incinerated waste
WO2019068666A1 (en) * 2017-10-02 2019-04-11 Asml Netherlands B.V. An apparatus using charged particle beams
CN111527582A (en) * 2017-10-02 2020-08-11 Asml荷兰有限公司 Apparatus using charged particle beam
TWI737937B (en) * 2017-10-02 2021-09-01 荷蘭商Ａｓｍｌ荷蘭公司 An apparatus using charged particle beams
US11670477B2 (en) 2017-10-02 2023-06-06 Asml Netherlands B.V. Apparatus using charged particle beams
CN111527582B (en) * 2017-10-02 2023-12-29 Asml荷兰有限公司 Apparatus using charged particle beam
US11961697B2 (en) 2017-10-02 2024-04-16 Asml Netherlands B.V. Apparatus using charged particle beams
WO2021071357A1 (en) * 2019-10-08 2021-04-15 Technische Universiteit Delft Device for generating a plurality of charged particle beamlets, and an inspection imaging or processing apparatus and method for using the same.

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Publication number Publication date
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