Multi-Charged Particle Beam Blanking Plate Error Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transfer errors during the processing of blanking control data in multi-charged particle beam writing apparatuses can lead to incorrect ON/OFF control of the beam, resulting in reduced writing precision and pattern errors.
Innovation Solution
A multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus with a configuration that includes a stage, an aperture member, a blanking plate with multiple blankers, and a control processing circuitry that generates and transfers blanking control data through buffers for error detection and retransmission, ensuring accurate beam control by detecting and correcting data errors in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If blanking control data is transferred through control circuit unit without error detection, then data transfer speed is maintained, but transfer errors occur causing beam control inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
An error detection circuit is introduced as an intermediary component between the control circuit unit and the blanking plate. This circuit monitors the blanking control data during transfer, detecting errors without disrupting the main data flow, thereby improving reliability while maintaining relatively simple system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The error detection circuit provides feedback about data transfer integrity to the control system. When errors are detected in the blanking control data, the system can respond by retransmitting corrected data, ensuring accurate beam control while maintaining a manageable level of system complexity through intelligent feedback mechanisms
2Manufacturing precision
If transfer errors are detected and corrected, then writing precision is maintained, but processing time increases due to retransmission
Solution Approach 1:
Error detection is performed preliminarily during the data transfer process itself, rather than after completion. This allows for immediate detection and correction of errors in blanking control data, maintaining writing precision while minimizing time loss by addressing issues before they affect the writing operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system rapidly detects and handles errors through streamlined retransmission protocols. By implementing efficient error correction mechanisms that can quickly identify and fix issues without extensive processing, the system maintains high writing precision while reducing the time penalty associated with error correction
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 solution effectively suppresses pattern errors by ensuring precise control of the beam ON/OFF states, maintaining high writing precision and preventing transfer errors from affecting the writing process.
Implementation Method 1
an electron beam emitted from an electron gun passes through an aperture member having multiple holes, whereby the multibeams are formed
Implementation Method 2
a blanker formed around each hole and deflecting a beam, and a control circuit unit to apply a voltage to the blanker
Implementation Method 3
A beam that has not been shielded is reduced by an optical system, and the reduced beam is radiated onto a desired position on a mask
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, in a multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus, a blanking plate includes a plurality of first buffers connected in series, second buffers in a plurality of stages connected in series between the first buffer and a blanker, and an error detection processing circuitry performing error detection on data stored in the first buffer and the second buffers. The blanking control data transfers to the corresponding blanker via the first buffer and the second buffers. In a case where the error detection processing circuitry detects an error, the control processing circuitry retransmits the blanking control data to the blanking plate with regard to a shot having the error detected therein and a shot which comes, in a shot order, after the shot having the error detected therein.