Electron beam lithography system and method therefor

• US 20040065848A1
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Onishi, Takashi, Mizuochi, Masaki
• Application Number:
  US10/674,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20040065848A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/492.1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/30461 pre-calculated
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/304 Controlling tubes by information coming from the objects or from the beam, e.g. correction signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3174 Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam lithography system and an electron beam lithography method that reduce drawing discrepancy caused by thermal expansion of a target wafer, and that thereby easily achieve drawing with a high degree of accuracy.

There is provided an electron beam lithography system that draws circuit patterns on a target wafer by use of an electron beam, said electron beam lithography system including an electro-optic system and a target chamber. A computer used for calculating thermal deformation is provided outside a control computer. When the application of the electron beam increases a temperature of the target wafer, the amount of discrepancy caused by thermal deformation is calculated from a dose of the electron beam. Then, by handling the amount of discrepancy as compensation data used for a drawing program to be supplied to an electron beam deflector, the effect of the thermal deformation is compensated.

Claims

1. An electron beam lithography system of a type in which an electron beam is scanned according to a predetermined drawing program to draw circuit patterns on a target wafer, said system comprising:

a calculating means that calculates beforehand thermal deformation occurring in the target wafer, said thermal deformation being caused by applying the electron beam, calculates from the result of the calculation compensation data required to compensate the amount of discrepancy in electron-beam applying position, and then stores the compensation data; and

a control means that compensates at the time of electron beam lithography, according to the compensation data read out from the calculating means, at least one of a dose and an applying position of the electron beam applied according to the drawing program.

3. An electron beam lithography system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

said calculating means calculates the compensation data by means of computer simulation.

2. An electron beam lithography system of a type in which an electron beam is scanned according to a drawing program that is predetermined but can also be changed to draw circuit patterns on a target wafer, said system comprising:

a calculating means that calculates thermal deformation occurring in the target wafer, said thermal deformation being caused by the electron beam applied according to the drawing program, and calculates from the result of the calculation compensation data required to compensate the amount of discrepancy in electron-beam applying position; and

a control means that compensates, according to the compensation data read out from the calculating means, at least one of a dose and an applying position of the electron beam applied according to the drawing program;

wherein said calculating means calculates the compensation data in real time at the time of electron beam lithography.

4. An electron beam lithography method of a type in which an electron beam is scanned according to a predetermined drawing program to draw circuit patterns on a target wafer, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating beforehand thermal deformation occurring in the target wafer, said thermal deformation being caused by the application of the electron beam;

calculating from the result of the calculation compensation data required to compensate the amount of discrepancy in electron-beam applying position, and then storing the compensation data; and

compensating at the time of electron beam lithography, according to the compensation data, at least one of a dose and an applying position of the electron beam applied according to the drawing program.

6. An electron beam lithography method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein:

said step for calculating the compensation data is a step for calculating the compensation data by means of computer simulation.

5. An electron beam lithography system of a type in which an electron beam is scanned according to a drawing program that is predetermined but can also be changed to draw circuit patterns on a target wafer, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating thermal deformation occurring in the target wafer, said thermal deformation being caused by the electron beam applied according to the drawing program;

calculating from the result of the calculation compensation data required to compensate the amount of discrepancy in electron-beam applying position; and

compensating, according to the compensation data read out from the calculating means, at least one of a dose and an applying position of the electron beam applied according to the drawing program;

wherein the compensation data is calculated in real time at the time of electron beam lithography.