Abstract:
A multi-charged beam lens formed by stacking, via insulators, at least three substrates each having a plurality of apertures which pass charged beams. The lens includes a voltage application portion arranged on at least one of the at least three substrates. The voltage application portion and the insulators are connected via an insulating portion consisting of an oxide material in order to achieve electrical isolation between the voltage application portion and the insulators.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-287487 filed on Aug. 6, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a charged beam exposure apparatus such as an electron beam exposure apparatus or an ion beam exposure apparatus used to expose a microdevice such as a semiconductor integrated circuit and, more particularly, to a charged beam exposure apparatus which performs exposure to a pattern using a plurality of charged particle beams and a multi-charged beam lens for use in the apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the production of a microdevice such as a semiconductor device, a multi-charged beam exposure system for performing exposure to a pattern simultaneously with a plurality of charged beams without using any mask has been proposed. 
     In a multi-charged beam exposure apparatus using this system, the number of charged beams depends on the number of lenses in a multi-charged beam lens, and the number of lenses is a main factor which determines the throughput. Accordingly, how to improve the lens performance while downsizing the lens and increasing the density is one of the important factors for improving the performance of the multi-charged beam exposure apparatus. 
     Electron lenses are classified into electromagnetic and electrostatic types. The electrostatic electron lens does not require any coil core, or the like, and is simpler in structure and more advantageous to downsizing than the electromagnetic electron lens. Typical prior art concerning the electrostatic electron lens (electrostatic lens) will be described below. 
     A. D. Feinerman, et al. (J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A10(4), p. 611, 1992) disloses a method of anodically bonding a fiber and a V-groove formed by Si crystal anisotropic etching of an electrode fabricated by a micromechanical technique, thereby forming a three-dimensional structure from three electrodes serving as single electrostatic lenses. The Si film has a membrane frame, a membrane, and an aperture which is formed in the membrane and transmits and electron beam. 
     K. Y. Lee, et al. (J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B12(6), p. 3,245, 1994) discloses a structure obtained by bonding Si layers and Pyrex glass layers by using anodic bonding. This technique fabricates aligned microcolumn electron lenses. 
     Sasaki (J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 19, p. 963, 1981) discloses an arrangement in which three electrodes having lens aperture arrays are arranged into an Einzel lens. In an electrostatic lens having this arrangement, a voltage is generally applied to the central one of three electrodes, and the remaining two lenses are grounded, obtaining lens action. 
     However, a conventional electrostatic electron lens, which is formed by alternately stacking insulators and electrodes, has the following problems. More specifically, the electrodes serve as back electrodes for the insulators. Also, field electron emission at the triple point of the boundary between each insulator, vacuum region, and electrode may cause generation of electrons, or a secondary electron avalanche phenomenon may occur on the surface of any insulator. If this occurs, surface discharge is likely to occur on the surface of the insulator. This surface discharge may decrease the operating voltage or operational reliability of the electron lens. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned background, and has as its object to provide a multi-charged beam lens which is more resistant to surface discharge and has high performance and reliability. 
     To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a multi-charged beam lens formed by stacking via insulators at least three substrates each having a plurality of apertures which pass charged beams, characterized in that at least one of the at least three substrates comprises a voltage application portion and an insulating portion, and the insulating portion is arranged between the voltage application portion and a portion of the substrate that is in contact with the insulator. The insulating portion may extend to the portion that is in contact with the insulator. 
     According to the present invention, an insulating portion is arranged between the voltage application portion of the substrate and a portion of the substrate that is in contact with an inter-substance insulator. With this arrangement, the voltage application portion and insulator can electrically be separated (insulated) from each other, and the above-mentioned triple point can be reduced or eliminated. Also, the present invention does not have a back electrode arrangement. This makes it possible to reduce surface discharge which may occur on the surface of each insulator and provide a multi-charged beam lens with a high breakdown voltage, high performance, and high reliability. Use of this multi-charged beam lens in a charged beam exposure apparatus makes it possible to provide a reliable exposure apparatus. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a view for explaining the structure of a multi-charged beam lens according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A to 2H  are views for explaining a method of fabricating each of electrode substrates which constitute the multi-charged beam lens in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are views schematically showing the main part of an electron beam exposure apparatus which uses the lens in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view for explaining the electron optical system of each column of the apparatus in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ; 
         FIG. 5  is a view for explaining the function of each of multi-source modules of the apparatus in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the electron beam exposure apparatus shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ; 
         FIG. 7  is a view for explaining the structure of a multi-charged beam lens according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 8A to 8H  are views for explaining a method of fabricating each of electrode substrates which constitute the multi-charged beam lens in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the manufacturing process of a device; and 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart for explaining the wafer process in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a sectional view schematically showing the structure of a multi-charged beam lens according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A multi-charged beam lens  100  has a structure in which three electrode substrates  110   a ,  110   b , and  110   c  are arranged via insulators (spacers)  160 . The three electrode substrates  110   a ,  110   b , and  10   c  have lens apertures  130   a ,  130   b , and  130   c , voltage application portions (electrode portions)  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c , which control a trajectory of charged beams passing through the lens apertures  130   a ,  130   b , and  130   c , insulating portions  150   a ,  150   b , and  150   c , and assembly grooves  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c . The insulators  160  are interposed between the grooves  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c , positioning the three electrode substrates  110   a ,  110   b , and  10   c.    
     The electrode substrates  110   a  to  110   c  may be made of a conductor or semiconductor. Use of silicon as the material for the electrode substrates  110   a  to  110   c  makes it possible to perform reactive ion etching or wet etching using a strong alkali and to facilitate the processing. The grooves  120   a  to  120   c  do not always extend through the substrates, and their surfaces may partially be recessed. The voltage application portions  140   a  to  140   c  can be formed by various methods such as CVD and sputtering and can be formed with ease. It is preferable to use a noble metal as the material for the voltage application portions  140   a  to  140   c . This is because the noble metal resists oxidation and can last for a long time. The insulating portions  150   a  to  150   c  are formed on the surfaces of the electrode substrates  110   a  to  110   c . It is preferable to use silicon dioxide as the material for the insulating portions  150   a  to  150   c . This is because the silicon dioxide can easily be formed on the surfaces of the electrode substrates  110   a  to  110   c  by various film formation means such as CVD and sputtering. The shape of each insulator  160  is not limited to any specific one. To easily assemble the multi-charged beam lens while positioning it at high precision, the shape is preferably cylindrical. In this embodiment, out of the voltage application portion  140   a  of the upper electrode substrate, the voltage application portion  140   b  of the intermediate electrode substrate, and the voltage application portion  140   c  of the lower electrode substrate, the upper electrode substrate voltage application portion  140   a  and the lower substrate voltage application portion  140   c  receive the same potential and are typically grounded. 
     At this time, portions (in this case, the edge portions of the grooves  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c ) where the electrode substrates are in contact with the insulators  160  between the electrode substrates and the voltage application portions  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c , serving as electrodes, are separated from each other via the insulating portions  150   a ,  150   b , and  150   c  formed on the surfaces of the electrode substrates. Accordingly, surface discharge, which may occur on the surface of each insulator  160 , can be reduced. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the voltage application portion  140   b  of the intermediate electrode substrate typically receives a negative potential with respect to the potential of the voltage application portion  140   a  of the upper electrode substrate and the voltage application portion  140   c  of the lower electrode substrate. However, the voltage application portion  140   b  may receive a positive potential. 
     In this embodiment, the multi-charged beam lens  100  comprises three electrode substrates. However, the number of electrode substrates is not limited to three and can arbitrarily be set. 
     An example of a method of fabricating the electrode substrates  110   a ,  110   b , and  110   c  shown in  FIG. 1  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2A to 2H . In the step shown in  FIG. 2A , a silicon wafer  201  is prepared, and a resist is applied to the surface of the silicon wafer  201  by spin coating or the like. After that, the wafer is patterned in the exposure and developing steps, forming a mask  202 . In the step shown in  FIG. 2B , lens apertures  230  and an assembly groove  220  are formed by dry etching (anisotropic etching) using etching gas such as SF 6  gas. Thereafter, the mask  202  is removed in the step shown in  FIG. 2C . In the step shown in  FIG. 2D , an insulating layer  250  of silicon dioxide is formed on the surface of the silicon wafer  201  by thermal oxidation. 
     In the step shown in  FIG. 2E , a conductive material is sputtered to at least the inner wall of each lens aperture  230  of the silicon wafer  201  and its periphery, and preferably the entire surface (including the inner wall of the lens aperture  230 ) of the silicon wafer  201 , forming a conductive film  203 . As the conductive material for the conductive film  203 , a metal is preferably used. A noble metal which resists oxidation is more preferable, and gold is most preferable. In the step shown in  FIG. 2F , resist is applied to the upper and lower surfaces of the silicon wafer by spin coating or the like. After that, the resist is patterned in the exposure and developing steps, forming a mask  204 . In the step shown in  FIG. 2G , the conductive film  203  is etched by reactive ion etching using chlorine, argon, or the like. Thereafter, in the step shown in  FIG. 2H , the mask  204  is removed. An electrode substrate  110 , which has the voltage application portion  140 , lens apertures  130 , assembly grooves  120 , and insulating portion  150 , is obtained. 
     The insulator  160  ( FIG. 1 ) is arranged in the assembly groove  120  of the electrode substrate  110  obtained in the above-mentioned steps. Another electrode substrate  110  is stacked thereon. In this manner, the multi-charged beam lens  100  shown in  FIG. 1  can be obtained. 
     If the multi-charged beam lens is constituted by four or more electrode substrates as well, the multi-charged beam lens can be fabricated using the same method as described above. 
     In the schematic sectional view shown in  FIG. 1 , four electron lenses each comprising the four lens apertures  130   a ,  130   b , or  130   c  are illustrated. Electron lenses can be arranged in accordance with a one- or two-dimensional design specification. In a typical multi-charged beam lens, several hundred or several thousand electron lenses can be two-dimensionally arranged. 
     An electron beam exposure apparatus (drawing apparatus) using a multi-charged beam lens, which can be manufactured by the above-mentioned method, will be described. The following example will describe an exposure apparatus which adopts an electron beam as a charged beam. The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus using another type of beam, such as an ion beam, as a charged beam. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are views schematically showing the main part of an electron beam exposure apparatus using a multi-charged beam lens which can be manufactured by the present invention. In  FIG. 3A , reference numeral  1  denotes multi-source modules each of which forms a plurality of electron images and emits electron beams from the electron images. As shown in  FIG. 3B , 3×3 multi-source modules  1  are arrayed. The multi-source module  1  will be described later in detail. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3A , reference numerals  21 ,  22 ,  23  and  24  denote magnetic lens arrays. In each magnetic lens array, magnetic disks MD each have 3×3 openings having the same shape and are vertically arranged with a spacing between them. The magnetic lens arrays are excited by common coils CC. As a consequence, each aperture functions as the magnetic pole of one of magnetic field lenses ML, and a lens magnetic field is generated. 
     A plurality of electron source images of each multi-source module  1  are projected onto a wafer  4  by four magnetic lenses (ML 1 , ML 2 , ML 3 , and ML 4 ) corresponding to the magnetic lens arrays  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and  24 , respectively. An optical system which acts on electron beams emitted from one multi-source module before the wafer is irradiated with the electron beams is defined as a column hereinafter. That is, in this embodiment, the optical system of the electron beam exposure apparatus has nine columns (col.  1  to col.  9 ), as shown in  FIG. 3B . 
     An image is once formed by the two corresponding magnetic lenses of the magnetic lens arrays  21  and  22 , and then projected onto the wafer  4  by the two corresponding magnetic lenses of the magnetic lens arrays  23  and  24 . By individually controlling the excitation conditions of the magnetic lens arrays  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and  24  by the common coils, the optical characteristics (focal position, image rotation, and magnification) of each column can be adjusted to be substantially uniform (i.e., by the same amount). 
     Reference numeral  3  denotes main deflectors. The main deflectors  3  deflect a plurality of electron beams from the corresponding multi-source module  1  to displace a plurality of electron source images in the X and Y directions on the wafer  4 . 
     Reference numeral  5  denotes a stage which can move the wafer  4  placed thereon in the X and Y directions perpendicular to an optical axis AX (Z-axis) and in the rotation direction about the Z-axis. A stage reference plate  6  is fixed on the stage  5 . 
     Reference numeral  7  denotes reflected electron detectors. The reflected electron detectors  7  detect reflected electrons generated when a mark on the stage reference plate  6  is irradiated with an electron beam. 
       FIG. 4  is a view showing a detailed structure of one of the columns. The multi-source module  1  and a function of adjusting the optical characteristics of an electron beam, which comes incident from the multi-source module  1  to the wafer  4 , will be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
     Reference numeral  101  denotes an electron source (crossover image) formed by an electron gun. An electron beam emitted from the electron source  101  becomes an almost parallel electron beam via a condenser lens  102 . The condenser lens  102  of this embodiment is an electrostatic lens having three opening electrodes. 
     Reference numeral  103  denotes an aperture array having a plurality of openings two-dimensionally arrayed;  104 , a lens array in which electrostatic lenses having the same optical power are two-dimensionally arrayed;  105  and  106 , deflector arrays each formed by two-dimensionally arraying electrostatic eight-pole deflectors that can individually be driven; and  107 , a blanker array formed by two-dimensionally arraying electrostatic blankers that are drivable individually. The multi-charged beam lens  100  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention constitutes the lens array  104 . 
     The functions will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . The almost parallel electron beam from the condenser lens  102  ( FIG. 4 ) is divided into a plurality of electron beams by the aperture array  103 . Each obtained electron beam forms an electron source intermediate image on a corresponding blanker of the blanker array  107  via a corresponding electrostatic lens of the lens array  104 . 
     In this state, the deflector arrays  105  and  106  individually adjust the positions (in the plane perpendicular to the optical axis) of the electron source intermediate images formed on the blanker array  107 . An electron beam deflected by each blanker of the blanker array  107  is shielded by a blanking aperture AP in  FIG. 4 , so the wafer  4  is not irradiated with the electron beam. On the other hand, an electron beam which is not deflected by the blanker array  107  is not shielded by the blanking aperture AP, so the wafer  4  is irradiated with the electron beam. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 4 , the plurality of intermediate images of the electron sources formed in each multi-source module  1  are projected onto the wafer  4  via two corresponding magnetic lenses of the magnetic lens arrays  21  and  22 . 
     Of the optical characteristics of each column when the plurality of intermediate images are projected onto the wafer  4 , image rotation and magnification factor can be adjusted by the deflector arrays  105  and  106  which can adjust each intermediate image position on the blanker array. The focal position of each column can be adjusted by dynamic focus lenses (electrostatic or magnetic lenses)  108  and  109  arranged for each column. 
       FIG. 6  shows the system arrangement of this embodiment. In  FIG. 6 , a blanker array control circuit  41  individually controls the plurality of blankers that constitute the blanker array  107 . A deflector arrays control circuit  42  individually controls the plurality of deflectors that constituted the deflector arrays  105  and  106 . A D_FOCUS control circuit  43  individually controls the dynamic focus lenses  108  and  109 . A main deflector control circuit  44  controls the main deflector  3 . A reflected electron detection circuit  45  processes a signal from the reflected electron detector  7 . The blanker array control circuits  41 , deflector array control circuits  42 , D_FOCUS control circuits  43 , main deflector control circuits  44 , and reflected electron detection circuits  45  are arranged equal in number to the column (col.  1  to col.  9 ). 
     A magnetic lens array control circuit  46  controls the common coils of the magnetic lens arrays  21 ,  22 ,  23  and  24 . A stage drive control circuit  47  drive-controls the stage  5  in cooperation with a laser interferometer (not shown) which detects the position of the stage  5 . A main control system  48  controls the plurality of control circuits and manages the entire electron beam exposure apparatus. 
     Second Embodiment 
     This embodiment provides a concrete example in which a semiconductor portion coated with an insulating layer is in contact with an insulator.  FIG. 7  is a sectional view schematically showing the structure of a multi-charged beam lens according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     A multi-charged beam lens  700  has a structure in which three electrode substrates  701   a ,  701   b , and  701   c  are arranged via insulators  780 . The three electrode substrates  710   a ,  710   b , and  710   c  have lens apertures  730   a ,  730   b , and  730   c , voltage application portions  740   a ,  740   b , and  740   c , insulating portions  750   a ,  750   b , and  750 , assembly grooves  720   a ,  720   b , and  720   c , semiconductor portions  760   a ,  760   b , and  760   c , and insulating layers  770   a ,  770   b , and  770   c . The insulators  780  are interposed between the grooves  720   a ,  720   b , and  720   c , positioning the three electrode substrates  710   a ,  710   b , and  710   c.    
     As the material for the electrode substrates  710   a  to  710   c , an SOI substrate is typically used. The grooves  720   a  to  720   c  do not always extend through the substrates, and their surfaces may partially be recessed. The voltage application portions  740   a  to  740   c  can be formed by various methods such as CVD and sputtering and can be formed with ease. It is preferable to use a noble metal as the material for the voltage application portions  740   a  to  740   c . This is because the noble metal resists oxidation and can last for a long time. The insulating portions  750   a  to  750   c  can be formed as buried insulating films for the electrode substrates  710   a  to  710   c . The shape of each insulator  760  is not limited to any specific one. To easily assemble the multi-charged beam lens while positioning it at high precision, the shape is preferably cylindrical. 
     In this embodiment, out of the voltage application portion  740   a  of the upper electrode substrate, the voltage application portion  740   b  of the intermediate electrode substrate, and the voltage application portion  740   c  of the lower electrode substrate, the upper electrode substrate voltage application portion  740   a  and the lower electrodes substrate voltage application portion  740   c  receive the same potential and are typically grounded. 
     At this time, portions (in this case, the edge portions of the grooves  720   a ,  720   b , and  720   c ) where the electrode substrates are in contact with the insulators  780  between the electrode substrates and the voltage application portions  740   a ,  740   b , and  740   c  serving as electrodes are separated from each other via the insulating portions  750   a ,  750   b , and  750   c , semiconductor portions  760   a ,  760   b , and  760   c , and insulating layers  770   a ,  770   b , and  770   c . Accordingly surface discharge, which may occur on the surface of each insulator  80 , can be reduced. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the voltage application portion  740   b  of the intermediate electrode substrate typically receives a negative potential with respect to the potential of the voltage application portion  740   a  of the upper electrode substrate and the voltage application portion  740   c  of the lower electrode substrate. However, the voltage application portion  740   b  may receive a positive potential. 
     In this embodiment, the multi-charged beam lens  700  comprises three electrode substrates. However, the number of electrode substrates is not limited to three and can arbitrarily be set. 
     An example of a method of fabricating the electrode substrates  710   a ,  701   b , and  701   c  shown in  FIG. 7  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 8A to 8H . In the step shown in  FIG. 8A , an SOI wafer  800  including silicon wafers  801  and  803 , and a silicon dioxide layer  802  is prepared. In the step shown in  FIG. 8B , a resist is applied by spin coating or the like. After that, the resist is patterned in the exposure and developing steps, forming a mask  804 . In the step shown in  FIG. 8C , lens apertures  830  and an assembly groove  821  are formed in the silicon layer  801  by dry etching (anisotropic etching) using etching gas such as SF 6  gas. Thereafter, the mask  804  is removed. In the step shown in  FIG. 8D , a resist is applied to the lower side of the silicon layer  803  by spin coating or the like. In the exposure and developing steps, the resist is patterned while being aligned with the pattern on the upper side, forming a mask  805 . 
     In the step shown in  FIG. 8E , an assembly groove  822  is formed in the silicon layer  803  by dry etching (anisotropic etching) using etching gas such as SF 6  gas. The mask  805  is removed. Thereafter, in the step shown in  FIG. 8F , exposed portions of the silicon dioxide layer  802  are removed by wet etching using hydrofluoric acid or the like, and the silicon surface is oxidized by thermal oxidation. With this operation, an insulating layer  870 , which covers a semiconductor portion  860 , is formed. In the step shown in  FIG. 8G , a resist is applied by spin coating or the like. The resist is patterned in the exposure and developing steps, forming a sacrificial layer  806 . After that, a conductive material is sputtered onto the upper and lower surfaces, forming a conductive film  807 . As the conductive material for the conductive film, a metal is preferably used. A noble metal which resists oxidation is more preferable, and gold is most preferable. In the step shown in  FIG. 8H , ultrasonic cleaning is performed in an organic solvent to remove the sacrificial layer  806  and conductive film  807  thereon. A voltage application portion  740  is formed, and an electrode substrate  710  can be obtained. 
     The insulator  780  ( FIG. 7 ) is arranged in an assembly groove  720  of the electrode substrate  710  obtained in the above-mentioned steps. Another electrode substrate  710  is stacked thereon. In this manner, the multi-charged beam lens  700  shown in  FIG. 7  can be obtained. 
     If the multi-charged beam lens is constituted by three or more electrode substrates as well, the multi-charged beam lens can be fabricated by using the same method as described above. 
     In the schematic sectional view shown in  FIG. 7 , four electron lenses each comprising the four lens apertures  730   a ,  730   b , or  730   c  are illustrated. Electron lenses can be arranged in accordance with a one- or two-dimensional design specification. In a typical multi-charged beam lens, several hundred or several thousand electron lenses can be two-dimensionally arranged. 
     In this embodiment, the thickness of the voltage application portions  740   a ,  740   b , and  740   c  can be reduced while keeping their structural strength to some extent. Since the aspect ratio of the apertures  730   a ,  730   b , and  730   c  can be reduced, a multi-charged beam lens, which is easier to manufacture, can obtained. 
     The multi-charged beam lens described can also be applied to a charged beam exposure apparatus such as an electron beam exposure apparatus illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . A charged beam exposure apparatus of this type is preferably used to manufacture a device such as a semiconductor device. 
     According to the above-mentioned embodiments, voltage application portions and portions of electrode substrates that are in contact with insulators interposed between the electrode substrates are separated from each other via insulating portions. The triple point of the boundary between each insulator, vacuum region, and electrode is reduced or eliminated. Surface discharge which may occur on the surface of each insulator can be reduced without any back electrode arrangement. According to the above-mentioned embodiments, there can be provided a multi-charged beam lens with a high breakdown voltage, high performance, and high reliability. Use of the multi-charged beam lens in a charged beam exposure apparatus makes it possible to provide a reliable exposure apparatus. 
     (Device Manufacturing Method) 
     An application example of a device manufacturing method using the above-mentioned electron beam exposure apparatus will be described next. 
       FIG. 9  shows the manufacturing flow of a microdevice (e.g., a semiconductor chip such as an IC or LSI, a liquid crystal panel, a CCD, a thin-film magnetic head, a micromachine, or the like). In step  1  (circuit design), a semiconductor device circuit is designed. In step  2  (EB data conversion), the exposure control data for an exposure apparatus is created on the basis of the designed circuit pattern. In step  3  (wafer manufacture), a wafer is manufactured by using a material such as silicon. In step  4  (wafer process), called a preprocess, an actual circuit is formed on the wafer by lithography using the wafer and the exposure apparatus into which the prepared exposure control data is input. Step  5  (assembly), called a post-process, is the step of forming a semiconductor chip by using the wafer formed in step  4 , and includes an assembly process (dicing and bonding) and a packaging process (chip encapsulation). In step  6  (inspection), the semiconductor device manufactured in step  5  undergoes inspections such as an operation confirmation test and a durability test of the semiconductor device manufactured in step  5 . After these steps, the semiconductor device is completed and shipped (step  7 ). 
       FIG. 10  shows the detailed flow of the above-mentioned wafer process. In step  11  (oxidation), the wafer surface is oxidized. In step  12  (CVD), an insulating film is formed on the wafer surface. In step  13  (electrode formation), an electrode is formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step  14  (ion implantation), ions are implanted in the wafer. In step  15  (resist processing), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. In step  16  (exposure), the circuit pattern is transferred onto the wafer using the above-mentioned exposure apparatus. In step  17  (development), the exposed wafer is developed. In step  18  (etching), the resist is etched except for the developed resist image. In step  19  (resist removal), an unnecessary resist after etching is removed. These steps are repeated to form multiple circuit patterns on the wafer. 
     The manufacturing method of the application example makes it possible to manufacture, at low cost, a highly-integrated microdevice which has conventionally been hard to manufacture. 
     As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.