U.S. patent application number 09/886789 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-21 for electrostatic deflector for electron beam exposure apparatus.
Invention is credited to Abe, Tomohiko, Ashiwara, Kazuto, Haraguchi, Takeshi, Kato, Ryoji, Ooae, Yoshihisa, Tanaka, Hitoshi.
Application Number | 20020020354 09/886789 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26362540 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020020354 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ooae, Yoshihisa ; et
al. |
February 21, 2002 |
Electrostatic deflector for electron beam exposure apparatus
Abstract
An electron beam radiation apparatus having an electrostatic
deflector capable of deflecting the electron beam with high
accuracy and with a reduced displacement of the deflection
position, is disclosed. The electrostatic deflector comprises a
cylindrical holding member made of an insulating material and a
plurality of electrodes separately fixed from each other inside of
the holding member with at least a part of the surface thereof
covered with a metal film. The holding member has a plurality of
wedge-shaped fixing holes corresponding to the portions of the
electrodes where they are fixed, respectively, the holes having a
larger diameter on the outer peripheral surface than on the inner
peripheral surface of the holding member. The electrodes are fixed
on the holding member in such a manner that a molten joining metal
is injected in the fixing holes with the electrodes arranged on the
holding member and the joining metal is hardened in close contact
with the metal film of the electrodes. The electrodes fixed on the
holding member are so shaped that the inner wall of the holding
member is invisible from the cylinder axis of the holding member.
The electrodes have a metal thin film formed, by vapor deposition,
on the inner wall surface of the electrodes after being fixed on
the holding member.
Inventors: |
Ooae, Yoshihisa; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Tanaka, Hitoshi; (Tokyo, JP) ;
Haraguchi, Takeshi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Ashiwara,
Kazuto; (Tokyo, JP) ; Abe, Tomohiko; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Kato, Ryoji; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHRISTIE, PARKER & HALE, LLP
350 WEST COLORADO BOULEVARD
SUITE 500
PASADENA
CA
91105
US
|
Family ID: |
26362540 |
Appl. No.: |
09/886789 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09886789 |
Jun 21, 2001 |
|
|
|
09431441 |
Nov 1, 1999 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
118/715 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01J 2237/151 20130101;
H01J 37/1477 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
118/715 |
International
Class: |
C23C 016/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 2, 1998 |
JP |
10-311945 |
Feb 2, 1999 |
JP |
11-024947 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrostatic deflector for an electron beam radiation
apparatus, comprising a cylindrical holding member made of an
insulating material and a plurality of electrodes fixed, separately
from each other, inside of said holding member and having at least
a part of the surface thereof covered with a metal film; wherein
said holding member has a plurality of wedge-shaped fixing holes of
a larger diameter on the outer peripheral surface than on the inner
peripheral surface of said holding member, which holes are arranged
in positions corresponding to the portions of said holding member
where said electrodes are fixed respectively, and a molten joining
metal is injected into said fixing holes with said electrodes on
said holding member and hardened in close contact with the metal
film of said electrodes, thereby fixing said holding member;
wherein said electrodes fixed on said holding member have such a
shape that the inner wall surface of said holding member is
invisible from the cylinder axis of said holding member; and
wherein said plurality of electrodes, after being fixed on said
holding member, are covered with a metal thin film, by vapor
deposition, on the inner wall surface thereof.
2. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material of said metal
thin film is platinum.
3. A method of fabricating an electrostatic deflector of an
electron beam radiation apparatus including a cylindrical holding
member made of an insulating material and a plurality of electrodes
fixed, separately from each other, inside of said holding member
and having at least a part of the surface thereof covered with a
metal film, comprising the steps of: fixing said plurality of said
electrodes on said holding member; holding said holding member in
vacuum; and rotating said holding member while heating the material
of said metal thin film providing a vapor source and at the same
time moving said material in said holding member, thereby forming
said metal thin film on the inner wall surface of said
electrodes.
4. A vapor deposition apparatus for fabricating an electrostatic
deflector of an electron beam radiation apparatus according to
claim 1, further comprising: a vacuum chamber; a rotary table
arranged in said vacuum chamber for rotatably holding said holding
member about the center axis of said holding member with a
plurality of electrodes fixed thereon; a vapor deposit source
holding mechanism for holding a linear vapor deposit source along
the center axis of said holding member; and a heating mechanism for
heating said linear vapor deposit source.
5. A vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said
vapor deposit source holding mechanism includes a moving mechanism
for moving said linear vapor deposit source along the center axis
of said holding member.
6. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus, comprising a cylindrical holding member made of a
non-conductive material and a plurality of electrodes having at
least a partially conductive surface separated fixedly from each
other along the inner peripheral direction of said holding member,
wherein said holding member has a plurality of openings extending
in the direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder in the
portions thereof facing the space between adjoining ones of said
electrodes.
7. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of said
electrodes extend in the direction of electron beam emission from
said holding member.
8. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the length of extension of
a plurality of said electrodes in the direction of electron beam
emission from said holding member is longer than one third of the
length of said electrode.
9. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus, comprising a cylindrical holding member made of a
non-conductive material and a plurality of electrodes having at a
least partially conductive surface separated fixedly from each
other along the inner peripheral direction of said holding member,
wherein a plurality of said electrodes extend in the direction of
electron beam emission from said holding member.
10. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the length of extension of
a plurality of said electrodes in the direction of electron beam
emission from said holding member is longer than one third of the
length of said electrode.
11. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus, comprising a cylindrical holding member made of a
non-conductive material and a plurality of electrodes having at
least a partially conductive surface separated fixedly from each
other along the inner peripheral direction of said holding member,
wherein said holding member has a plurality of independent holding
units; and wherein the total length of said holding units is
sufficiently shorter than the length of said electrode.
12. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the distance from the end
of the holding unit nearest to the sample along the direction of
electron beam emission to the end of the electrodes along the
direction of electron beam emission is longer than one third of the
length of said electrodes.
13. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said holding member
includes a plurality of wedge-shaped fixing holes having a larger
diameter on the outer peripheral surface of said holding member
than on the inner peripheral surface thereof and arranged at
positions corresponding to a plurality of said electrodes fixed,
respectively, said electrodes being fixed on said holding member by
injecting a molten joining metal into said fixing holes with the
electrodes appropriately arranged on said holding member and
setting said joining metal in close contact with the metal films of
said electrodes; wherein said electrodes, as fixed on said holding
member, are so shaped that the inner wall surface of said holding
member is invisible from the cylinder axis of said holding member;
and wherein said electrodes have a metal thin film formed by vapor
deposition on the inner wall surface thereof after being fixed on
said holding member.
14. An electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation
apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said holding member
includes a plurality of wedge-shaped fixing holes having a larger
diameter on the outer peripheral surface of said holding member
than on the inner peripheral surface thereof and arranged at
positions corresponding to a plurality of said electrodes fixed,
respectively, said electrodes being fixed on said holding member by
injecting a molten joining metal into said fixing holes with the
electrodes appropriately arranged on said holding member and
setting said joining metal in close contact with the metal films of
said electrodes; wherein said electrodes, as fixed on said holding
member, are so shaped that the inner wall surface of said holding
member is invisible from the cylinder axis of said holding member;
and wherein said electrodes have a metal thin film formed by vapor
deposition on the inner wall surface thereof after being fixed on
said holding member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an electrostatic deflector
used for deflecting an electron beam in an electron beam radiation
apparatus such as an electron beam exposure apparatus or an
electron microscope.
[0002] An electron beam can be reduced to several tens of nm in
diameter, and apparatuses for radiating an electron beam such as an
electron microscope or an electron beam exposure apparatus are
used. These electron beam radiation apparatuses use a deflector for
changing the exposure position of the electron beam converged on a
sample. The deflector used for this purpose includes an
electromagnetic deflector having a large deflection range but a
comparatively low response rate or an electrostatic deflector
having a narrow deflection range but a high response rate or a
combination thereof. The present invention relates to an
electrostatic deflector. Although the description that follows
refers to the electrostatic deflector of the electron beam exposure
apparatus, as an example, the present invention is not limited to
such an deflector but is applicable to any electrostatic deflector
used with an electron beam radiation apparatus.
[0003] In recent years, the ever-increasing miniaturization and
density of integrated circuits has developed to such an extent that
a further miniaturization is difficult to achieve by the
photolithography which has long been a main stay of techniques for
forming a fine pattern. In view of this, an exposure method using a
charged particle beam such as an electron beam or an ion beam or a
new exposure method using X rays have been studied and realized as
a technique replacing the photolithography. Of all these methods,
electron beam exposure, which can form a pattern as fine as not
more than 0.1 .mu.m using an electron beam is in the spotlight. At
the same time, the electron beam exposure apparatus is required to
have an operating stability, a high throughput and a finer
micromachinability as a part of a semiconductor mass production
system.
[0004] A typical conventional electron beam exposure apparatus
employs deflection means configured with a combination of an
electromagnetic deflector and an electrostatic deflector. The
electromagnetic deflector is called a main deflector, and the
electrostatic deflector an auxiliary deflector. Generally, the
deflection range (main deflection range) of the electromagnetic
deflector is divided into several areas (subdeflection range) each
smaller than the deflection range of the electrostatic deflector,
the deflection position of the electromagnetic deflector is located
at the center of each subdeflection range, and each subdeflection
range is deflected by the electrostatic deflector. A projection
lens for radiating an electron beam of an appropriate section on a
wafer is built into the column of the electron beam exposure
apparatus. The electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic
deflector are arranged substantially integrally with the projection
lens, or specifically, the electrostatic deflector is housed in the
electromagnetic deflector.
[0005] The use of a metal of a superior machinability and high
precision but of a high conductivity for the electrostatic
deflector (auxiliary deflector) or the surrounding parts leads to
the inconvenience of a lower response rate of the electromagnetic
deflector (main deflector) due to an eddy current. This poses a
serious problem for the electron beam exposure apparatus requiring
a high throughput.
[0006] In an attempt to reduce the eddy current, an electrostatic
deflector has been formed by plating (for example, with Ni and Au
as a base and a surface, respectively) the interior of a
cylindrical insulating material (such as alumina). To avoid the
problems of the machining precision and the difficulty of the
plating process, however, the current practice is to make an
electrostatic deflection electrode by grinding an AlTiC (compound
of alumina and titanium carbide) ceramic having an almost ideal
resistivity and plating it with platinum, which electrode is fixed
in a hollow cylinder of an insulative alumina ceramic to make an
electrostatic deflector.
[0007] FIGS. 1A to 1C show a conventional electrostatic deflector
of an electron beam exposure apparatus. FIG. 1A shows an outer
configuration of the electrostatic deflector, FIG. 1B a top plan
view as taken in line A-A' in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C a sectional view
taken in line B-B' in FIG. 1A.
[0008] The electrostatic deflector 10 shown in the diagrams is
arranged in an electromagnetic deflector constituting a main
deflector (not shown) and used as an auxiliary deflector of an
electron beam exposure apparatus. As shown, the electrostatic
deflector 10 includes a group of electrodes 11, and a hollow
cylindrical holding member 12 with the electrodes 11 fixed
therein.
[0009] The electrodes 11 are composed of eight AlTiC ceramic
electrode members E.sub.1 to E, The electrode members E.sub.1 (i: 1
to 8) are fixedly arranged symmetrically about an axis in the
holding member 12 (FIG. 1B). Each electrode members E.sub.1 is
ground into the same shape with the surface formed of a metal film.
This metal film is made of a metal of platinum group such as
ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), osmium (Os), iridium
(Ir) or platinum (Pt) and formed directly on each surface of the
conductive ceramics by electroplating.
[0010] The electron beam is a flow of electrons, which when
impinged on an insulating material, accumulates the electric charge
on the surface of the insulating material. The electric charge thus
accumulated has an effect on the surrounding electric field. The
electrostatic deflector is for generating an electric field in the
electrodes 11 by applying a voltage to each electrode member
E.sub.1 and deflecting the incident electron beam with the force of
the electric field. The problem is that in the case where the
electric field is disturbed by the charge accumulated on the
surface of the surrounding holding member 12, the desired
deflection amount cannot be obtained. In view of this, the
conventional electrostatic deflector shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C has a
structure in which each electrode member Ei has a crank-shaped
section so that the inner surface of the holding member 12 is not
directly visible from the center axis of the cylinder. With this
shape, even when the electron beam is disturbed as it passes
through the cylinder, the electrons disturbed impinge on one of the
electrode members Ei and are prevented from reaching the inner
surface of the holding member 12.
[0011] On the other hand, the holding member 12 is required to
insulate the electrode members E.sub.1 from each other and is made
of a ceramic insulating material such as alumina. This holding
member 12 is formed with wedge-shaped fixing holes 31 having a
larger diameter on the outer peripheral surface than on the inner
peripheral surface of the holding member 12. These fixing holes are
used for fixing the electrodes 11 (eight electrode members E.sub.1
to E.sub.8) inside, and two fixing holes (for a total of 16) are
formed for each electrode member E.sub.1. The inner wall portion of
each fixing hole 31 is formed with joining metal pads 16, 17 made
of Ti or molybdenum-manganese (Mo--Mn), as a main component, by
metallization.
[0012] FIG. 2A shows an electrode member E.sub.i making up the
electrodes, and FIG. 2B a sectional view of the electrode member
E.sub.i and the holding member on which the electrode member
E.sub.1 is fixed.
[0013] Eight electrode members E.sub.i of the same shape are used
for constituting the electrodes 11 of the electrostatic deflector
and are made by grinding the AlTiC ceramics and plating the surface
with platinum. For fabricating the electrode members E.sub.i, the
first step is to grind them into the same shape. Each electrode
member E.sub.1, after the surface thereof is cleaned, is formed
with a conductive metal pad 13 by metallization with titanium (Ti),
as a main component, constituting a part impressed with a voltage
from the driver. Further, joining metal pads 14, 15 of Ti, as a
main component, are formed by metallization at two arbitrary points
for fixing the electrode member E.sub.1 to the holding member 12.
The size of each of the metal pads 13 to 15 is kept to a minimum.
Then, platinum (Pt) is directly formed on the surface of each
electrode member E.sub.1 by electroplating to the thickness of not
more than 2 .mu.m.
[0014] Each electrode member E.sub.1, to be fixedly arranged in the
holding member 12, is inserted into the holding member 12 while
being fixedly set in position with high accuracy by an assembly
jig, and a small amount of the molten metal solder material 18 is
injected and hardened in the fixing holes 31 formed in the holding
member 12 (FIG. 2B). As a result, the joining metal pads 14, 15
formed on the electrode member E.sub.1 and the joining metal pads
16, 17 formed on the holding member 12 are fixed through a joining
metal 18. In other words, each electrode member E.sub.i is firmly
fixed in a predetermined relative position. Instead of injecting
the joining metal 18 in the fixing hole 31, an adhesive may be
used.
[0015] The electrostatic deflector of the conventional electron
beam exposure apparatus has the configuration described above. In
actual practice, however, the deflection position is displaced,
though to a small degree, by about several tens of nm. Even this
slight displacement has appeared as a problem in recent years as a
finer and finer resolution has been required of the electron beam
exposure apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The object of the present invention is to realize an
electrostatic deflector higher in accuracy than the electron beam
radiation apparatus described above by reducing the displacement of
the deflection position thereof.
[0017] In order to achieve the object described above, according to
the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
electrostatic deflector of an electron beam radiation apparatus,
wherein a plurality of electrodes are fixed separately from each
other on the inside of a cylindrical holding member made of an
insulating material, and a metal thin film is deposited by
evaporation on the inner wall surface of the electrodes, as shown
in FIGS. 1A to 1C.
[0018] Specifically, an electrostatic deflector of an electron beam
radiation apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention
comprises a cylindrical holding member made of an insulating
material and a plurality of electrodes fixed in spaced relation
with each other on the inside of the holding member and having at
least a part of the surface thereof grown with a metal film,
wherein the holding member has a plurality of wedge-shaped fixing
holes formed in positions corresponding to the positions where the
electrodes are fixed, the fixing holes have a larger diameter on
the outer peripheral side than on the inner peripheral side of the
holding member, the electrodes are arranged and fixed on the
holding member by injecting a molten joining metal into the fixing
holes, the joining metal is hardened in close contact with the
metal film, the inner wall surface of the holding member is
invisible from the cylinder axis of the holding member with the
electrodes fixed on the holding member, and the electrodes have a
metal thin film formed by evaporation on the inner wall surface of
the electrodes after fixing the electrodes on the holding
member.
[0019] After the assembly, the metal thin film is formed on the
inner wall surface of the electrodes by vapor deposition in such a
manner that the holding member is held in vacuum and while being
rotated, the vapor source constituting the material of the metal
thin film is heated while moving it in the holding member.
[0020] FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams showing basic structures of
electrostatic deflectors for an electron beam radiation apparatus
according to a second aspect of the invention, in which FIG. 3A
shows a first basic structure, FIG. 3B a second basic structure and
FIG. 3C a third basic structure.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the electrostatic deflectors for
an electron beam radiation apparatus according to the second aspect
of the invention comprises a cylindrical holding member 52 made of
a non-conductive material and a plurality of electrodes 11 having
at least a partially conductive surface and fixedly separate from
each other along the inner peripheral direction. In the first basic
structure of the electrostatic deflector according to the
invention, as shown in FIG. 3A, the holding member 52 has, in the
portions thereof facing the space between each adjacent electrodes,
openings 60 in the direction parallel to the axis of the cylinder.
In the second basic structure according to the invention, as shown
in FIG. 3B, on the other hand, a plurality of the electrodes 11
extend in the direction of emission of the electron beam from the
holding member 52. In the third basic structure according the
invention, as shown in FIG. 3C, the holding member has a plurality
of independent holding units 52a, 52b the total length of which is
sufficiently smaller than the length of the electrode 11.
[0022] Various analyses show that the displacement of the
deflection position is probably caused by the charge-up of the
electrostatic deflector. Before assembly of the electrostatic
deflection shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the electrode members and the
holding member are cleaned into a state apparently completely free
of fouling and the assembly work is conducted in the clean
environment. In fact, a check of the state of the inner wall
surface of the electrode members after assembly has not revealed
any fouling according to the state-of-the-art detection method.
Nevertheless, the present inventor has estimated that a fouling
that cannot be detected may have caused the charge-up. As described
above, the electrostatic deflector shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C is
fabricated by forming a metal (platinum) film on the surface of the
electrode members by plating or by vapor deposition, followed by
fixing the electrode members on the holding member with a joining
metal. In the case where a metal solder is used as the joining
metal, the flux contained in the metal solder attaches, taking a
circuitous route, to the inner wall surface of the electrode at the
time of heating. Also, when an adhesive is used in place of the
joining metal, an organic material may attach or the adhesive may
ooze out on the inner wall surface of the electrodes at the time of
heating. Further, the surface of the metal film formed by plating
comes into contact with a liquid with many chemical substances
dissolved therein during the plating process. Even after the
post-plating cleaning, therefore, some residue is expected to
remain on the surface. According to the state of the art, such
fouling cannot be detected but may have caused a small charge-up
leading to the displacement of the deflection position.
[0023] The present inventor thought that this fouling was
unavoidably caused during the assembly process and that the
charge-up can be avoided by forming a new metal thin film covering
the fouling. The structure of the electrostatic deflector in which,
as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the electrodes are fixed on the inner
wall surface of an elongate cylinder, however, precludes the use of
the sputtering for forming a metal thin film on the inner wall
surface of the electrodes. In view of this, the holding member with
the electrodes fixed thereon is held in vacuum, a wire member
constituting the material of the metal thin film is held on the
cylinder axis of the holding member, and rotating the holding
member, the wire member is moved while being heated in the holding
member. In this way, a metal thin film is formed on the inner wall
surface of the electrodes by vacuum deposition with the wire member
as a vapor source. In vacuum deposition, the temperature of the
holding member with the electrode members fixed thereon increases,
and the electrode members are required to be fixed with a metal. In
this case, therefore, a bonding method having a low heat resistance
cannot be used. The metal thin film formed on the inner wall
surface of the electrodes is not exposed to the mechanical force
and therefore is not required to be a mechanically strong film.
Further, the electrode members are a crank-shaped as shown in FIGS.
1A, 1B. Therefore, the material evaporated from the wire member
arranged on the cylinder axis proceeds straight ahead and attaches
to the inner wall surface of the electrode members but not to the
inner wall surface of the holding member. As a consequence, the
insulation between the electrodes is not adversely affected.
[0024] In fact, the displacement of the deflection position can be
avoided by forming a metal thin film on the inner wall surface of
the electrode after assembly.
[0025] The present inventors have discovered that another cause of
the charge up is the reflected electrons, the secondary electrons
and the evaporated components of the sample attaching to the
surface of the holding member. The charge up from this viewpoint
will be explained with reference to FIG. 4.
[0026] In the electron beam exposure apparatus, the electrostatic
deflector 10 is arranged at a position nearest to a sample (wafer)
1 in the electromagnetic deflector 9. The surface of the sample 1
is formed with a resist layer 2 and irradiated with an electron
beam 3. The electron beam radiated on the resist layer 2 is
absorbed into the resist layer 2 and sensitizes it, although part
of the electron beam is reflected by the surface of the resist
layer 2 and returns to the electrostatic deflector 10. Also, part
of the secondary electrons scattered in the resistor layer 2 or
absorbed into and released from the resist layer 2 also returns to
the electrostatic deflector 10. These reflected electrons and the
secondary electrons are accumulated at a position near the end of
the holding member 12. Also, the electron beam 3 enters the sample
1 by being deflected while passing through the electrostatic
deflector 10 and the electromagnetic deflector 9. In the case where
the deflection amount is large, the electron beam 3 enters the
sample at a position near to the surface of the extension of the
electrode members E.sub.1. The reflected electrons or the secondary
electrons from this position, even though the electrode members
E.sub.i are in the shape of crank as described above, are more
liable to arrive at the surface of the holding member 12. The
problem resulting from the fact mentioned above is that the charge
is liable to be accumulated (charged up) especially at a portion of
the holding member 12 nearer to the sample 1, thereby leading to an
error of the exposure position of the electron beam.
[0027] The charge-up occurs also due to another cause. In the
electron beam exposure apparatus, the interior of the column and
the interior of the chamber coupled to the column for the exposure
processing are normally kept in high vacuum state. Actually,
however, due to the evaporation of the resist or the like, a
compound (fouling) having burnt carbon as a main component is
generated by the radiation of the electron beam. This fouling is
not a good conductor, and therefore the charge-up occurs on the
electrode surface, disturbs the electric field, and thus poses the
problem of an error occurring at the exposure position of the
electron beam. This problem is especially conspicuous on the
electrostatic deflector (subdeflector) located in the neighborhood
of the wafer coated with the resist.
[0028] In the prior art, the electrostatic deflector itself is
replaced with a new one when the charge-up reaches a certain
amount. The work of replacing the electrostatic deflector, however,
requires the temporary loss of the high vacuum state (i.e.
temporary exposure to the atmosphere) in the column and the
chamber. During the restart-up of the exposure apparatus after the
replacing work (during the initialization of the deflection data
applied to each deflector, for example), the apparatus is
stationary, thereby leading to a lower throughput. To cope with
this problem, a method called the "in-situ" cleaning for removing
the fouling without exposing the interior of the column and the
chamber to the atmosphere has been used. In this method, a very
small amount of a gas having oxygen as a main component is
introduced into the apparatus, and in this thin gas atmosphere, a
high-frequency power is applied to the electrostatic deflection
electrode and thus an oxygen plasma is generated to remove the
fouling by ashing. This "in-situ" cleaning, however, sputters the
conductive substances forming a metal film on the electrode surface
or a substance contaminating the electrode surface. These
substances attach to the non-conductive surface of the holding
member 12 and reduce the insulation resistance between the
electrodes or otherwise cause the charge-up unexpectedly, resulting
in a lower positional accuracy of exposure.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, a plurality of electrodes 11 are
fixed on the interior of the holding member, and the interior of
the cylinder directly faces the space between each adjoining
electrodes. The charge is accumulated in these space between the
electrodes, which affects the internal electric field of the
cylinder. Also, the insulation resistance between the electrodes is
affected by the surface resistance of the portion of the holding
member corresponding to each space between the electrodes. As shown
in FIG. 3A, with the first basic structure of the invention, a
plurality of openings 60 extending in the direction parallel to the
axis of the cylinder are formed in the portions of the holding
member 52 corresponding to the space between the electrodes, and
therefore the portion of the holding member 52 corresponding to the
space between the electrodes is reduced. Thus, as compared with the
prior art, the amount of the charge accumulated is reduced for a
reduced effect on the electric field. Further, the area (width) of
the portions of the holding member 52 corresponding to the space
between the electrodes is reduced for an increased surface
resistance. As a result, the insulation resistance between the
electrodes increases to such an extent that even when a conductive
substance or a contaminated substance attaches to the particular
portion, the effect thereof can be reduced.
[0030] As described above, the problem is posed mainly in the case
where a charge-up of the holding member occurs or a conductive
substance or a contaminated substance attaches to the portion of
the holding member nearer to the sample. As shown in FIG. 3B, with
the second basic structure according to the invention, a plurality
of the electrodes 11 extend in the direction of electron beam
emission from the holding member 52, which is located at a distance
from the sample. Therefore, the charge-up or the attachment of the
conductive or contaminated substance is difficult to occur.
Incidentally, the holding member is desirably one third or more of
the length of the electrode away from the sample.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 3C, the third basic structure according to
the invention, like the first basic structure, is intended to
reduce the area of the holding member 52 corresponding to the space
between each adjoining electrodes. In the first and second basic
structures, the holding member 52 has a predetermined shape, and a
plurality of the electrodes 11 are arranged in predetermined
relative positions by being fixed on the holding member 52. With
the third basic structure, in contrast, the holding member is
divided into a plurality of independent holding units 52a, 52b,
which initially have no predetermined relative positions. In view
of this, in the third basic structure, a plurality of the
electrodes and a plurality of the holding units are fixed in
position for determining the relative positions of a plurality of
the electrodes. In other words, a plurality of the electrodes also
function as a structural member to determine relative
positions.
[0032] It is also possible to employ a combination of the first to
third basic structures described above. Further, the first aspect
of the invention can be applied to the second aspect, so that after
assembling the electrostatic deflector having the third basic
structure from the first structure, the deposition by evaporation
is desirably effected on the electrode surface as in the first
aspect.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] The features and advantages of the electron beam exposure
apparatus according to the present invention will be more clearly
understood from the following description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0034] FIGS. 1A to 1C are model diagrams showing the appearance and
an internal configuration of the electrostatic deflector of the
conventional electron beam exposure apparatus;
[0035] FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing the conventional
electrode member and the state in which the electrode member is
fixed on the holding member; and
[0036] FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams showing basic structures of an
electrostatic deflector according to this invention.
[0037] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the charge-up and the
attachment of contaminated substances at the portion nearer to the
sample.
[0038] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a vacuum vapor deposition
apparatus used for vacuum vapor deposition of a metal thin film on
the inner wall surface of the electrostatic deflector according to
an embodiment.
[0039] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an
electrostatic deflector according to a second embodiment of the
invention.
[0040] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an
electrostatic deflector according to a third embodiment of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0041] The electrostatic deflector according to this embodiment has
the structure shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C and FIGS. 2A, 2B, and is
different from the prior art only in that platinum is deposited by
evaporation in vacuum on the inner wall surface of the electrode
members E.sub.l after assembly. The assembled state of FIGS. 1A to
1C is obtained by the same steps as in the prior art. The only
difference is the step of depositing platinum by evaporation in
vacuum on the inner wall surface of the electrode members Ei.
[0042] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus
for depositing platinum by evaporation in vacuum on the inner wall
surface of the electrode members E.sub.1 of an electrostatic
deflector according to an embodiment.
[0043] In FIG. 5, reference numeral 21 designates a base of the
vapor deposition apparatus, on which a cylindrical side wall 22 is
fixed through a packing 25. A path 23 connecting to a vacuum pump
(not shown) is formed in the side wall 22. An upper plate 24 is
mounted on the side wall 22 through another packing 25. Once the
upper plate 24 is mounted and the vacuum pump is activated, the
interior of the chamber partitioned by the base 21, the side wall
22 and the upper plate 24 is evaculated. The base 21 has a rotary
base 26 thereon, on which a rotary table 27 is arranged through a
bearing 28. The rotary table 27 is formed of gear teeth in mesh
with a gear 44 rotated by a rotational motor 46. The rotary table
27 is rotated in accordance with the operation of the rotational
motor. The forward end of the rotary table 27 is adapted to hold
the electrostatic deflector 10. A rotation control member 29, which
is mounted above the electrostatic deflector 10 thus held, is fixed
on the side wall 22 through a mounting member 30. A platinum wire
member 41 constituting a vapor deposition material is passed along
the center axis of the electrostatic deflector 10 thus held. The
lower portion of the wire member 41 is attached on a Z stage 42
constituting a vertical travel mechanism on the one hand and the
upper portion thereof is attached to a Z stage 43. The Z stages 42,
43 are connected to a power supply not shown and can heat the wire
member 41 by supplying a current thereto while at the same time
moving the wire member 41 vertically.
[0044] The electrostatic deflector 10, assembled in the same manner
as in the prior art, is held on the rotary table 27 with the upper
plate 24 and the rotation control member 29 removed therefrom.
After that, the rotation control member 29 is mounted, and the wire
member 41 is inserted into the electrostatic deflector 10 and
mounted on the Z stages 42, 43. Further, the upper plate 24 is
fixed and the interior of the chamber is vacuumerized. While
rotating the electrostatic deflector 10 by rotating the rotary
table 27, the wire member 41 is heated by supplying a current
thereto while moving it vertically. The platinum evaporated from
the wire member 41 is deposited on the inner wall surface of the
electrode members E.sub.i thereby to form a thin film. In the
process, since the electrode members E.sub.1 are crank-shaped, the
platinum is not deposited on the inner wall surface of the holding
member 12. Thus, the insulation between the electrode members
E.sub.1 is not adversely affected.
[0045] As described above, a platinum thin film is formed on the
inner wall surface of the electrode members E.sub.1. Even in the
case where an undetectable fouling exists on the inner wall surface
of the electrode members E.sub.1, therefore, the platinum thin film
formed on it prevents the inner wall surface of the electrode
members E.sub.i from being charged up. Fouling may remain in
portions not directly visible from the cylinder axis of the
electrode members E.sub.1, and the holding member 12 is insulative.
Therefore, these portions may be charged up. However, because they
are not in directly opposed relation to the interior of the
cylinder, the electric field in the cylinder is not affected
adversely.
[0046] It will thus be understood from the foregoing description
that according to this invention, there is provided an
electrostatic deflector in which the surface of the electrode
member is not even slightly charged up by the fouling caused during
assembly. Therefore, disturbance of the electric field of the
electrostatic deflector is reduced and the accuracy of the exposure
position is improved.
[0047] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an
electrostatic deflector according to the second embodiment of the
invention. The electrostatic deflector according to the second
embodiment has a' configuration of the first and second basic
structures combined. In the electrostatic deflector according to
the second embodiment, only the holding member 52 is different from
the conventional one shown in FIG. 1, and the electrode group 11
configured of eight electrodes is the same as the conventional
electrode group shown in FIG. 1. An assembling method will be
explained with reference to FIG. 2.
[0048] At the time of assembly, each electrode member E.sub.i,
while being held in position accurately by an assembly jig, is
inserted into the holding member 52. A small amount of soldering or
brazing material 18 is injected into the holes 61 formed in the
holding member 52 (FIG. 2B) and heated. As a result, the joining
metal pads 14, 15 formed on the electrode members E.sub.1 and the
joining metal pads 16, 17 formed on the holding member are fixed to
each other. In other words, the electrode members E.sub.1 are
firmly fixed in predetermined relative positions with the holding
member 52.
[0049] In the same way as described above, the electrostatic
deflector according to the second embodiment is realized.
[0050] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an
electrostatic deflector according to a third embodiment of the
invention. As shown, in the electrostatic deflector according to
the third embodiment, the holding member 52 is divided into two
short holding units 52a, 52b. The holding units 52a, 52b each are a
cylinder one tenth or less as long as the electrode member E.sub.i,
for example, and have eight holes 61 formed therein. The remaining
structure of the holding members 52a, 52b is the same as the
corresponding structure of the second embodiment. In other words,
those portions of the holding member 52 of the electrostatic
deflector according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6 which
correspond to the length of the slots 60 are all removed, and the
holding member 52 is divided into two portions. Thus, the lower
holding unit 52b is located at a distance at least one third of the
electrode length away from the lower end of the electrode group
11.
[0051] The electrostatic deflector according to the third
embodiment has the holding member thereof divided into the two
holding units 52a, 52b, and therefore are not assembled in the same
manner as that of the second embodiment. This electrostatic
deflector is assembled into a fixed state by injecting the
soldering or brazing material into the holes 61 with the eight
electrode members E.sub.1 and the two holding units 52a, 52b fixed
exactly in position using an assembly jig.
[0052] As described above, with the electrostatic deflector
according to this invention, the charge-up of and the attachment of
contaminated substances to the holding member for holding the
electrodes are reduced and so is the disturbance of the electric
field of the electrostatic deflector, thereby improving the
accuracy of the exposure position.
* * * * *