Charged Particle Beam Deflection Shape Error Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of semiconductor patterns has made it challenging to accurately determine the deflection shape error in charged particle beam writing, as the reduced deflection region limits the number of evaluation patterns that can be arranged, making it difficult to specify a high-precision deflection shape.
Innovation Solution
A method involving writing multiple smaller figure patterns at different pitches within deflection regions, synthesizing their positions to create a virtual deflection region, calculating shape errors, and correcting writing positions using position-dependent errors to achieve precise pattern writing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the deflection region is reduced to perform writing at a more highly accurate writing position, then the writing position accuracy is improved, but the number of evaluation patterns that can be arranged in one deflection region is reduced, making it difficult to specify a deflection shape of high precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the deflection region into multiple subfields, and further divides each subfield into multiple smaller regions. Evaluation patterns are arranged in these divided regions, allowing sufficient measurement points to be obtained even when the overall deflection region is reduced. This segmentation enables accurate deflection shape specification while maintaining small deflection region sizes for high writing position accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If multiple evaluation patterns are arranged in one deflection region to specify deflection shape of high precision, then the deflection shape specification accuracy is improved, but the deflection region size must be increased, reducing writing position accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hierarchical spatial structure by dividing the deflection region into multiple subfields, and each subfield into multiple regions. This creates additional spatial dimensions for arranging evaluation patterns, allowing sufficient measurement points without increasing the overall deflection region size. The multi-level division enables accurate deflection shape measurement while maintaining compact deflection regions for high writing precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the accurate acquisition and correction of deflection shape errors, enabling more precise pattern writing even in reduced deflection regions, thereby improving the accuracy of semiconductor pattern formation.
Implementation Method 1
a deflector that deflects a charged particle beam
Data Source
AI summary
An acquisition method of a charged particle beam deflection shape error includes writing a plurality of figure patterns, each smaller than a deflection region of a plurality of deflection regions, with charged particle beams, at a pitch different from an arrangement pitch of the plurality of deflection regions to be deflected by a deflector that deflects the charged particle beams, synthesizing writing positions of the plurality of figure patterns into one virtual deflection region of the same size as the deflection region, based on a positional relationship between the deflection region including a position where a figure pattern concerned of the plurality of figure patterns has been written and the position where the figure pattern concerned has been written, and calculating, to output, a shape error in the case of writing a pattern in the deflection region, using a synthesized writing position of each of the plurality of figure patterns.