Quasi-annular reflective electron patterning device

• US 8,373,144 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
• Original Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
• Inventors: McCord, Mark A., Petric, Paul F., Carroll, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): LOGIE, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/873,158
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 250/396.R, 250/398, 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 250/492.22, 250/492.23, 250/492.3
• US Class Current: 250/492.22
• 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: G21K 1/087 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/04 Means for controlling the discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3026 Patterning strategy
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3175 Projection methods, i.e. transfer substantially complete pattern to substrate

Abstract

One embodiment relates to an electron-beam apparatus for writing a pattern on a target substrate. The apparatus includes a plurality of arrays of actively-controlled pixel elements at a surface of a reflective electron patterning device. The plurality of arrays of actively-controlled pixel elements are arranged so that there is an area without any actively-controlled pixel elements in a region surrounding an optical axis of the objective lens. The plurality of arrays may be arranged to each lie on a circle centered on the optical axis. Other features, aspects and embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An electron-beam apparatus for writing a pattern on a target substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of arrays of actively-controlled pixel elements at a surface of a reflective electron patterning device;

an electron source for generating an incident electron beam;

an objective lens for focusing the incident electron beam onto the surface of the reflective electron patterning device;

circuitry to control the actively-controlled pixel elements of each said array to selectively reflect pixel portions of the incident beam to form a patterned beam; and

a projector for projecting the patterned beam onto a surface of the target substrate,

wherein the plurality of arrays of actively-controlled pixel elements are arranged so that there is an area without any actively-controlled pixel elements in a region surrounding an optical axis of the objective lens.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arrays are arranged to each lie on a circle centered on the optical axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a movable stage for moving the target substrate under the patterned beam; and

circuitry to shift pattern data over the plurality of arrays in a pattern-shifting direction in synchronization with the movement of the target substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said array is rectangular in shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein plurality of arrays span a width which is perpendicular to the pattern-shifting direction, the width being equal to a width of the pattern being written.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein adjacent arrays lying on the circle do not overlap in a dimension which is perpendicular to the pattern-shifting direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each array writes a slice of the pattern being written.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each said array is of a same length in a dimension which is parallel to the pattern-shifting direction.

9. A method of writing a pattern on a target substrate using a patterning device, the method comprising:

generating an incident electron beam by a source;

using an objective lens to focus the incident electron beam onto a plurality of arrays of active pixel elements on a surface of the patterning device; and

controlling the active pixel elements to selectively reflect pixel portions of the incident beam to form a reflected patterned beam,

wherein said arrays are arranged so that there is an area on the surface of the patterning device without any active pixel elements in a region which surrounds a center of the incident beam.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of arrays are arranged to each lie on a circle centered on the optical axis.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

moving the target substrate under the patterned beam; and

shifting pattern data over the plurality of arrays in synchronization with the movement of the target substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each said array is rectangular in shape.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein plurality of arrays span a width which is perpendicular to the pattern-shifting direction, the width being equal to a width of the pattern being written.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein adjacent arrays lying on the circle do not overlap in a dimension which is perpendicular to the pattern-shifting direction.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

each array writing a slice of the pattern being written.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each said array is of a same length in a dimension which is parallel to the pattern-shifting direction.