Patent · US Expired

Charged-particle multi-beam exposure apparatus

US7214951B2 · kind B2 · utility

35Cited by
7References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 20, 2004
Grant dateMay 8, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 10, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/3177
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A charged-particle multi-beam exposure apparatus (1) for exposure of a target (41) uses a plurality of beams of electrically charged particles, which propagate along parallel beam paths towards the target (41). For each particle beam an illumination system (10), a pattern definition means (20) and a projection optics system (30) are provided. The illuminating system (10) and/or the projection optics system (30) comprise particle-optical lenses having lens elements (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5) common to more than one particle beam. The pattern definition means (20) defines a multitude of beamlets in the respective particle beam, forming its shape into a desired pattern which is projected onto the target (41), by allowing it to pass only through a plurality of apertures defining the shape of beamlets permeating said apertures, and further comprises a blanking means to switch off the passage of selected beamlets from the respective paths of the beamlets.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.