Blanking Device Pad Arrangement for Multi-Beam Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-beam writing systems, the increasing number of beams and shift registers leads to challenges in arranging pads and shift registers efficiently, resulting in signal delay and reduced throughput due to the limitations of chip size and wiring length.
Innovation Solution
A blanking device with a substrate having openings for multiple beams, shift registers connected in series, and serial parallel conversion units arranged along the sides, allowing for more pads to be placed along the edges, reducing signal delay by equalizing wiring lengths and increasing the number of sets that can be accommodated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of beams increases to increase throughput, then productivity is improved, but the number of pads required increases making it difficult to arrange them on the chip
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the pad arrangement into multiple groups arranged along the four sides of the quadrangular region. Instead of requiring all pads to be arranged along one side, the pads are segmented into multiple groups distributed along all four sides, allowing the system to accommodate a much larger number of beams without increasing chip complexity beyond manageable limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a one-dimensional pad arrangement (along one side) to a two-dimensional arrangement (along all four sides of the quadrangular region). This dimensional expansion allows significantly more pads to be accommodated within the same chip area, enabling support for increased beam counts while maintaining manageable wiring lengths.
2Device complexity
If shift registers are connected in series to reduce the number of pads, then device complexity is reduced, but signal transmission time increases causing delay
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a partial series connection approach where shift registers are connected in series within groups along each side, but parallel connections are established between groups through the four-side arrangement. This partial series connection reduces the number of pads required compared to fully parallel connections, while the distributed group structure limits the maximum signal transmission path length, preventing excessive delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The shift registers are segmented into multiple groups distributed along the four sides. Each group has internal series connections to reduce pad count, while the overall distributed architecture ensures that no single signal path becomes excessively long. This segmentation balances pad reduction with signal transmission speed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pads are arranged at beam pitch to accommodate increasing beams, then adaptability is improved, but wiring length increases causing signal delay
Solution Approach 1:
The invention arranges pads along all four sides of the quadrangular region rather than concentrating them along one side. This two-dimensional distribution allows pads to be positioned closer to their corresponding shift register groups, significantly reducing wiring lengths while maintaining the ability to accommodate increasing beam counts through the distributed architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the local arrangement of pads and shift registers by placing pads along all four sides, ensuring that each pad is positioned as close as possible to its corresponding shift register group. This local optimization reduces wiring lengths for individual connections, even as the overall system scales to accommodate more beams.
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 configuration enables high-speed blanking control and increased throughput by allowing more pads and serial parallel conversion units to be arranged, reducing signal delay and accommodating a larger number of beams without increasing signal transmission time.
Implementation Method 1
a blanking device for blanking multiple charged particle beams... each unblocked beam is reduced by an optical system and deflected by a deflector so as to irradiate a desired position on a target object or 'sample'... a deflection voltage is directly applied to the electrode of each blanker from the pad
Data Source
AI summary
A blanking device for multiple charged particle beams includes plural shift registers, arranged in two dimensions, to form plural groups each including shift registers, connected in series, of the plural shift registers, plural blankers to respectively provide a blanking deflection to a corresponding beam of multiple beams each controlled through a corresponding shift register in the plural shift registers, plural serial parallel conversion units, arranged along the four sides of a quadrangular region which surrounds the whole of the plural shift registers, to be respectively connected by parallel wiring to at least one of the plural groups, and plural pads, arranged along the four sides of the quadrangular region, to be respectively in combination with a corresponding serial parallel conversion unit of the plural serial parallel conversion units such that each of the plural pads is connected by single wiring to the corresponding serial parallel conversion unit.