METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR EXPOSING A TARGET
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method of exposing a target by means of a plurality of beamlets. First, a plurality of beamlets is provided. The beamlets are arranged in an array. Furthermore, a target to be exposed is provided. Subsequently, relative movement in a first direction between the plurality of beamlets and the target is created. Finally, the plurality of beamlets is moved in a second direction, such that each beamlet exposes a plurality of scan lines on the target. The relative movement in the first direction and the movement of the plurality of beamlets in the second direction are such that the distance between adjacent scan lines exposed by the plurality of beamlets is smaller than a projection pitch Pproj,X in the first direction between beamlets of the plurality of beamlets in the array.
22 Citations
46 Claims
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1-26. -26. (canceled)
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27. A method of exposing a field on a target by means of a plurality of charged particle beamlets, the method comprising:
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providing a target to be exposed, the target comprising the field; generating a plurality of charged particle beamlets, the beamlets being generated by one or more aperture arrays having apertures arranged in a plurality of groups, each group generating a plurality of the beamlets; blanking selected ones of the plurality of beamlets to define positions of exposing or not exposing the target by respective beamlets; creating relative movement in a first direction between the plurality of beamlets and the target; deflecting the groups of beamlets in a second direction simultaneously with the relative movement in the first direction such that each unblanked beamlet exposes a plurality of parallel scan lines on the target; wherein the relative movement in the first direction, the deflection of the plurality of beamlets in the second direction, and the arrangement of the apertures in the one or more apertures arrays, are such that the distance between adjacent parallel scan lines exposed by the unblanked beamlets of each group of beamlets is smaller than a pitch between adjacent apertures of the aperture array which generated the group of beamlets. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A charged particle multi-beamlet system for exposing a field on a target using a plurality of charged particle beamlets, the system comprising:
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one or more aperture arrays for generating the plurality of charged particle beamlets, the apertures arranged in a plurality of groups, each group of apertures generating a plurality of the beamlets; a moveable substrate support member for supporting the target to be exposed and moving the substrate in a first direction; a deflector array for deflecting the groups of beamlets in a second direction, the deflector array comprising a plurality of deflectors, each deflector arranged to deflect a corresponding group of the beamlets; a control unit for controlling movement of the substrate support member in the first direction and deflection of the groups of beamlets in the second direction to scan the beamlets on the surface of the target; wherein the movement of the substrate support member and deflection of the groups of beamlets is such that, in combination with the arrangement of the apertures in the one or more apertures arrays, the distance between adjacent parallel scan lines exposed by the beamlets of each group of beamlets is smaller than a pitch between adjacent apertures of the aperture array which generated the group of beamlets. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification