This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-116388 filed on Apr. 26, 2007 in Japan, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charged particle beam writing apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a writing apparatus and method for correcting positional displacement of a charged particle beam caused by a magnetic field resulting from an eddy current.
2. Related Art
Lithography technique that advances microminiaturization of semiconductor devices is extremely important in that only this process forms a pattern in Semiconductor manufacturing processes. In recent years, with an increase in high integration and large capacity of large-scale integrated circuits (LSI), a circuit line width required for the semiconductor devices is becoming narrower year by year. To form desired circuit patterns on these semiconductor devices, a master pattern (also called a mask or a reticle) with high precision is required. Then, the electron beam writing or “drawing” technique that has excellent resolution inherently is used for manufacturing such high precision master patterns.
Then, at the time of irradiating the target workpiece 340 placed on the stage with electron beams, the focus is adjusted by an objective lens. If apart of a magnetic field of this objective lens leaks to the stage, an eddy current arises in the conductive part on the stage. Since a magnetic field is generated on the stage by the eddy current, an error occurs at a writing position. There is disclosed in the reference an electrodynamics with respect to the eddy current (e.g., refer to “Numerical Electrodynamics, Fundamentals and Applications” by Toshihisa Honma, et al. Hokkaido University, edited by Japan Society for Simulation Technology, June, 2002, pp. 7-8, 12, 126-128).
As mentioned above, when the magnetic field of the objective lens reaches the conductive part on the stage, an eddy current arises. Then, there is a problem that writing position accuracy is deteriorated by a magnetic field generated by the eddy current. It may be possible to reduce the eddy current to some extent by taking the shape and material of parts on the stage into consideration, but however, there is a limit in modifying the design of the shape and material in manufacturing or in precision aspect. Moreover, reducing the eddy current by lowering the speed of the stage may be considered, but however, the writing time is increased in that case. Thus, there is a problem that a throughput falls.
An object of the present invention is to provide a writing apparatus and method capable of reducing writing positional displacement of beams.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an irradiation unit configured to irradiate a charged particle beam, a deflector configured to deflect the charged particle beam, a stage, on which a target workpiece is placed, configured to perform moving continuously, an objective lens configured to focus the charged particle beam onto the target workpiece, a correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a correction amount for correcting positional displacement of the charged particle beam on a surface of the target workpiece resulting from a first magnetic field caused by the objective lens and a second magnetic field caused by an eddy current generated by the first magnetic field and the moving of the stage, a correction position calculation unit configured to calculate a correction position where the positional displacement on the surface of the target workpiece has been corrected using the correction amount, and a deflection control unit configured to control the deflector so that the charged particle beam may be deflected onto the correction position.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a charged particle beam writing method includes virtually dividing a writing space above a stage into a plurality of mesh-like small spaces, calculating an eddy current generated by a first magnetic field caused by an objective lens for focusing a charged particle beam onto a target workpiece and movement of the stage on which the target workpiece is placed, for each of the plurality of mesh-like small spaces, calculating a second magnetic field generated by the eddy current, for each of the plurality of mesh-like small spaces, synthesizing the first and the second magnetic fields, calculating a displacement amount of a charged particle, based on a third magnetic field obtained by synthesizing the first and the second magnetic fields, for each of the plurality of mesh-like small spaces, calculating a correction amount for correcting positional displacement on a surface of the target workpiece, based on the displacement amount of the charged particle of each of the plurality of mesh-like small spaces, and writing a predetermined pattern on the surface of the target workpiece by irradiating the charged particle beam onto a position where the positional displacement on the surface of the target workpiece is corrected using the correction amount.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a charged particle beam writing method includes calculating a correction amount for correcting positional displacement of a charged particle beam on a surface of a target workpiece resulting from a first magnetic field caused by an objective lens for focusing the charged particle beam onto the target workpiece, and a second magnetic field caused by an eddy current generated by the first magnetic field and a movement of a stage on which the target workpiece is placed, calculating a correction position where the positional displacement on the surface of the target workpiece has been corrected using the correction amount, and writing a predetermined pattern on the surface of the target workpiece by irradiating the charged particle beam onto the correction position.
In the following Embodiments, a structure utilizing an electron beam, as an example of a charged particle beam, will be described. The charged particle beam is not limited to the electron beam, but may be a beam using other charged particle, such as an ion beam.
Moreover, in the magnetic disk drive 118, a correlation map 134 is stored. In the control calculator 120, processing of functions, such as a map coefficient acquiring unit 122, a speed calculation unit 124, a correction amount calculation unit 126, an offset unit 128, and a writing data processing unit 130, is performed. While structure elements necessary for explaining Embodiment 1 are shown in
In
An electron beam 200 emitted from an electron gun assembly 201, being an example of an irradiation unit, irradiates the whole of a first aperture plate 203 having a rectangular opening or “hole” by an illumination lens 202, for example. This shape of the rectangular opening may also be a square, rhombus, a rhomboid, etc. At this point, the electron beam 200 is shaped to be a rectangle. Then, after having passed through the first aperture plate 203, the electron beam 200 of a first aperture image is projected onto a second aperture plate 206 by a projection lens 204. The position of the first aperture image on the second aperture plate 206 is controlled by a deflector 205, and thereby the shape and size of the beam can be changed. After having passed through the second aperture plate 206, the electron beam 200 of a second aperture image is focused by an objective lens 207 and deflected by a main deflector 214 and a sub-deflector 212 which are controlled by the deflection control circuit 110, to reach a desired position on a target workpiece 101 placed on an XY stage 105 continuously moving. The writing data is processed by the writing data processing unit 130, and converted into shot data. A predetermined pattern is written at a desired position based on the shot data.
In the step S102, as a mesh space dividing step, the writing space above the XY stage 105 is virtually divided into a plurality of mesh-like mesh spaces (small spaces). For example, it is preferable to virtually divide a space from near the installation position of the objective lens 207 to the writing surface of the target workpiece 101 into mesh spaces.
In the step S104, as an eddy current calculation step, the eddy current 20 generated by the magnetic field 10 (first magnetic field) caused by the objective lens 207 and the movement of the XY stage 105 is calculated for each mesh space. An electric field E in each mesh space, specified by boundary conditions, such as a shape of the conductive part 210, can be expressed by the Maxwell equation (1) shown below by using a vector of the magnetic flux density B1 of the magnetic field 10, a vector of rotation ∇, and a time t.
Then, a current J of the eddy current 20 can be expressed by the equation (2) shown below, by using the calculated electric field E and an electrical conductivity σ specified by material etc. of the conductive part 210 that generates the eddy current 20.
=σ (2)
Thus, the current J of the eddy current 20 generated in the conductive part 210 can be calculated by using the shape, material, position, etc. of the conductive part 210, as a parameter.
In the step S106, as a magnetic field calculation step, the magnetic field 30 (second magnetic field) generated by the eddy current 20 is calculated for each mesh space. The magnetic flux density B2 of the magnetic field 30 in each mesh space can be expressed by the equation (3) based on the Bio-Savart law shown below, by using the current J of the eddy current 20, a vector of a direction s of the current, a vector of the position r, and permeability mu0 in vacuum.
In the step S108, as a synthesis step, the magnetic field 10 and the magnetic field 30 are synthesized. The magnetic flux density B0 of the synthetic magnetic field (third magnetic field), which has been synthesized, can be expressed by the following equation (4), wherein the magnetic flux density B2 of the magnetic field 30 is added to the magnetic flux density B1 of the magnetic field 10.
{right arrow over (B)}
0
={right arrow over (B)}
1
+{right arrow over (B)}
2 (4)
In the step S110, as a displacement amount calculation step of an electron, a displacement amount of the electron based on the synthetic magnetic field is calculated for each mesh space. The position r of an electron at a certain time t can be expressed by the equation (5) shown below, by using a vector of the magnetic flux density B0 of the synthetic magnetic field, a vector of the speed v of the electron, a quantity m of the electron, and an electric charge e. A displacement amount of the electron beam 200 in writing each position on the surface of the target workpiece 101 is calculated by obtaining the position of the electron in order for each mesh space.
In the step S112, as a correction amount calculation step, a correction amount (ΔX, ΔY) for correcting the calculated displacement amount of the electron beam 200 in writing each position on the surface of the target workpiece 101 is calculated.
In the step S114, as a map generation step, a correlation map 134 is generated in which each coefficient (Ai, j, Bi, j, Ci, j, Di, j) of the following approximate expressions (6-1) and (6-2) for approximating correction amounts calculated at a plurality of positions on the surface of the target workpiece 101, wherein the correction amount is obtained from the approximate expressions (6-1) and (6-2) by using the stage speed V as a factor, is related and defined with respect to each position on the surface of the target workpiece 101. Since the current J of the eddy current 20 is in proportion to the stage speed V, the magnetic flux density B2 of the magnetic field 30 is also proportional to the stage speed V. As a result, the correction amount (ΔX, ΔY) of the electron beam 200 can be approximated using the stage speed V as a factor. A stage speed in the x direction is defined to be Vx and a stage speed in the y direction is defined to be Vy. Coordinates of each position on the surface of the target workpiece 101 are expressed by (i, i).
ΔX=Ai,j·Vx+Ci,j·Vy (6-1)
ΔY=Bi,j·Vx+Di,j·Vy (6-2)
The correlation map 134 generated as described above is stored in the magnetic disk drive 118. Then, next, it goes to the actual writing step.
In the step S204, as a coefficient acquiring step, the map coefficient acquiring unit 122 first calculates the coordinates (i, j) on the writing surface, from the laser coordinates (X, Y) of the XY stage 105 in real time during writing. Then, the map coefficient acquiring unit 122 reads the correlation map 134 from the magnetic disk drive 118 in real time, and acquires each coefficient (Ai, j, Bi, j, Ci, j, Di, j) of the coordinates (i, j)
In the step S206, as a stage speed calculation step, the speed calculation unit 124, during writing, differentiates the laser coordinates (X, Y) of the XY stage 105 in real time in accordance with the advance of writing, to obtain the stage speed Vx in the x direction and the stage speed Vy in the y direction.
In the step S208, as a correction amount calculation step, the correction amount calculation unit 126 calculates a correction amount (ΔX, ΔY) for correcting positional displacement of the electron beam 200 at the coordinates (i, j) on the surface of the target workpiece 101. During writing, the correction amount calculation unit 126 inputs the stage speed (Vx, Vy) and each coefficient (Ai, j, Bi, j, Ci, j, Di, j) in real time in accordance with the advance of the writing. The correction amount (ΔX, ΔY) can be calculated according to the equations (6-1) and (6-2).
In the step S210, as an offset step, the offset unit 128 offsets the position for deflecting the electron beam 200 by adding the correction amount ΔX to the laser coordinate X in the x direction and adding the correction amount ΔY to the laser coordinate Y in the y direction. In this way, the position (X+ΔX, Y+ΔY) obtained by correcting the displacement amount on the surface of the target workpiece is calculated. The offset unit 128 serves as an example of the correction position calculation unit.
In the step S212, as a writing step, the writing unit 150 irradiates the electron beam 200 onto the correction position (X+ΔX, Y+ΔY) obtained by correcting the displacement amount on the surface of the target workpiece 101, to write a predetermined pattern on the surface of the target workpiece 101. Specifically, during writing, the correction position (X+ΔX, Y+ΔY) which has been offset is set in the deflection control circuit 110 in real time in accordance with the advance of writing. The deflection control circuit 110 outputs a digital control signal to the DAC 114. The digital control signal is converted into an analog voltage signal in the DAC 114. The analog voltage signal is amplified by the amplifier 116, and applied to the main deflector 214. As a result, the position (position of the main deflection) deflected by the main deflector 214 is corrected to be the correction position (X+ΔX, Y+ΔY). Thus, the deflection control circuit 110 can control the main deflector 214 so that the electron beam 200 bent by the magnetic field 30, etc. resulting from the eddy current 20 is deflected to be the correction position.
According to Embodiment 1, as mentioned above, since the position affected by the magnetic field caused by the eddy current can be corrected, displacement of the beam writing position can be reduced without decreasing the speed of the stage. Therefore, it becomes possible to write without reducing the stage speed. Thus, reduction of throughput can be suppressed. Moreover, since positional displacement caused by an eddy current can be estimated beforehand, the quality of material of parts can be selected depending upon required precision, thereby resulting in cost reduction.
In the above description, contents of processing or operation of what is represented by the word “unit” or “step” may be configured by software programs executed by the computer system, or may be configured by hardware. Alternatively, they may be configured by any combination of software, hardware and/or firmware. When constituted by a program, the program is stored in a computer-readable recording medium, such as the magnetic disk drive 118, a magnetic tape unit (not shown), FD, DVD, CD, or ROM (Read Only Memory).
In
While the embodiments have been described above with reference to specific examples, the present invention is not restricted to these specific examples.
While description of the apparatus structure, control method, etc. not directly required for explaining the present invention is omitted, it is possible to suitably select and use some or all of them when needed. For example, although the structure of a control unit for controlling the pattern writing apparatus 100 is not described, it should be understood that a necessary control unit structure can be selected and used appropriately.
In addition, any other method for writing with a charged particle beam and apparatus thereof that include elements of the present invention and that can be appropriately modified by those skilled in the art are included within the scope of the present invention.
Additional advantages and modification will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2007-116388 | Apr 2007 | JP | national |