In one embodiment, a charged particle beam writing method includes virtually dividing a writing region of the substrate into a plurality of first mesh regions in a first mesh size, calculating an area density of the pattern for each of the plurality of first mesh regions to generate first mesh data, converting a mesh size of the first mesh data into a second mesh size greater than the first mesh size to generate second mesh data, performing a convolution operation between the second mesh data and a proximity effect correction kernel to generate third mesh data, converting a mesh size of the third mesh data into the first mesh size to generate fourth mesh data, performing a convolution operation between the first mesh data and a middle range effect correction kernel to generate fifth mesh data, and adding the fourth mesh data and the fifth mesh data together to calculate an irradiation amount of the charged particle beam for each of the plurality of first mesh regions.

The present application relates to an apparatus for determining a position of at least one element on a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one scanning particle microscope comprising a first reference object, wherein the first reference object is disposed on the scanning particle microscope in such a way that the scanning particle microscope can be used to determine a relative position of the at least one element on the photolithographic mask relative to the first reference object; and (b) at least one distance measuring device, which is embodied to determine a distance between the first reference object and a second reference object, wherein there is a relationship between the second reference object and the photolithographic mask.

The present application relates to an apparatus for determining a position of at least one element on a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one scanning particle microscope comprising a first reference object, wherein the first reference object is disposed on the scanning particle microscope in such a way that the scanning particle microscope can be used to determine a relative position of the at least one element on the photolithographic mask relative to the first reference object; and (b) at least one distance measuring device, which is embodied to determine a distance between the first reference object and a second reference object, wherein there is a relationship between the second reference object and the photolithographic mask.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an inspection method that includes determining, as a reference blur component, the magnitude of the blur component of a predetermined range, the predetermined range being a range where a number of first inspection images among the plurality of inspection images falling within the predetermined range is the largest among a plurality of ranges. The inspection method includes correcting, based on the reference blur component, a second inspection image among the plurality of inspection images having the magnitude of the blur component falling outside the predetermined range. The inspection method includes comparing the first inspection image and the corrected second inspection image with a reference image, the first inspection image having the magnitude of the blur component falling within the predetermined range, the reference image being generated in advance for the measurement object.

An EUV mask inspection system includes a mask receiving unit configured to receive a manufactured EUV mask, a main chamber configured to perform an inspection on the EUV mask, and a load-lock chamber disposed between the mask receiving unit and the main chamber. The load-lock chamber includes a mask table for loading the EUV mask, an UV lamp disposed adjacent the mask table in a first direction, a cold trap disposed adjacent the mask table in a second direction, and a vacuum pump. The first direction is a direction perpendicular to a sidewall of the mask table, and the second direction is a direction perpendicular to a top surface of the mask table. The UV lamp is configured to evaporate water molecules on the EUV mask by irradiating UV light onto the EUV mask. The cold trap is configured to trap the water molecules evaporated from the EUV mask.

An EUV mask inspection system includes a mask receiving unit configured to receive a manufactured EUV mask, a main chamber configured to perform an inspection on the EUV mask, and a load-lock chamber disposed between the mask receiving unit and the main chamber. The load-lock chamber includes a mask table for loading the EUV mask, an UV lamp disposed adjacent the mask table in a first direction, a cold trap disposed adjacent the mask table in a second direction, and a vacuum pump. The first direction is a direction perpendicular to a sidewall of the mask table, and the second direction is a direction perpendicular to a top surface of the mask table. The UV lamp is configured to evaporate water molecules on the EUV mask by irradiating UV light onto the EUV mask. The cold trap is configured to trap the water molecules evaporated from the EUV mask.

Provided is an inspection apparatus including: an irradiation source irradiating an electron beam to a pattern of an inspection target object, the inspection target object having a first surface and a second surface having the pattern; a first voltage application circuit applying a first voltage to the first surface; a second voltage application circuit applying a second voltage to the second surface; and a detector for acquiring an inspection image generated from the pattern by irradiating the electron beam, wherein |V.sub.acc−V.sub.L|=|V.sub.2|<|V.sub.1| is satisfied, when an acceleration voltage of an electron included in the electron beam is V.sub.acc, an incident voltage of the electron reaching the second surface is denoted by V.sub.L, the first voltage is denoted by V.sub.1, and the second voltage is denoted by V.sub.2.

Provided is an inspection apparatus including: an irradiation source irradiating an electron beam to a pattern of an inspection target object, the inspection target object having a first surface and a second surface having the pattern; a first voltage application circuit applying a first voltage to the first surface; a second voltage application circuit applying a second voltage to the second surface; and a detector for acquiring an inspection image generated from the pattern by irradiating the electron beam, wherein |V.sub.acc−V.sub.L|=|V.sub.2|<|V.sub.1| is satisfied, when an acceleration voltage of an electron included in the electron beam is V.sub.acc, an incident voltage of the electron reaching the second surface is denoted by V.sub.L, the first voltage is denoted by V.sub.1, and the second voltage is denoted by V.sub.2.

Disclosed is a method of, and associated apparatus for, determining an edge position relating to an edge of a feature comprised within an image, such as a scanning electron microscope image, which comprises noise. The method comprises determining a reference signal from said image; and determining said edge position with respect to said reference signal. The reference signal may be determined from the image by applying a 1-dimensional low-pass filter to the image in a direction parallel to an initial contour estimating the edge position.

Disclosed is a method of, and associated apparatus for, determining an edge position relating to an edge of a feature comprised within an image, such as a scanning electron microscope image, which comprises noise. The method comprises determining a reference signal from said image; and determining said edge position with respect to said reference signal. The reference signal may be determined from the image by applying a 1-dimensional low-pass filter to the image in a direction parallel to an initial contour estimating the edge position.