Patent ID: 6399954
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: B82Y,H01J

Abstract:
A charged-particle beam lithography apparatus, comprising:a charged-particle beam generator for generating a charged-particle beam; a charged-particle beam reshaping means for reshaping the charged-particle beam; a charged-particle beam converging means for converging the charged-particle beam on the surface of a sample; a charged-particle beam deflecting means for deflecting the charged-particle beam; a blanking means for controlling the on-off operation of the charged-particle beam, said blanking means including a blanking signal generating circuit for generating a blanking signal used to control the on-off operation of the charged-particle beam according to exposure pattern data, a driver for producing a driving signal from the blanking signal, and a blanking deflector for deflecting the charged-particle beam according to the driving signal so as to bring the charged-particle beam into a state in which the charged-particle beam is intercepted by an intercepting means or a state in which the charged-particle beam is not intercepted thereby; a digital converting circuit for producing a blanking data signal, which is a digital signal indicating a variation of the blanking signal, from the blanking signal; and a comparing circuit for comparing the blanking data signal with the exposure pattern data to determine whether the on-off operation of the charged-particle beam is controlled according to the exposure pattern data.