A substrate processing system includes a substrate processing apparatus and a switching timing creation support device, wherein the switching timing creation support device includes: an acquisition part configured to acquire, for each of a plurality of properties of particles contained in a gas in the substrate processing apparatus during a processing for a substrate, a measured value of an amount of the particles from a measuring device; a selection part configured to select properties of a predetermined number of the particles in descending order of temporal variations in the amount of the particles; a determination part configured to determine an operation expression and a switching condition for determining a switching timing based on a temporal change in the amount of the particles for each of the selected properties of the particles; and an output part configured to output the operation expression and the switching condition to the substrate processing apparatus.

The purpose of the present invention is to correct a beam irradiation position shift caused by charging phenomena with high accuracy. A charged particle beam writing method includes virtually dividing a writing region of the substrate so as to have a predetermined mesh size and calculating a pattern density distribution representing an arrangement ratio of the pattern for each mesh region, calculating a dose distribution using the pattern density distribution, calculating an irradiation amount distribution using the pattern density distribution and the dose distribution, calculating a fogging charged particle amount distribution, calculating a charge amount distribution due to direct charge and a charge amount distribution due to fogging charge, calculating a position shift of a writing position based on the charge amount distribution due to direct charge and the charge amount distribution due to fogging charge, correcting an irradiation position using the position shift, and irradiating the corrected irradiation position with the charged particle beam with which a potential of a surface of the substrate becomes higher than a potential of a bottom surface of ae potential regulation member.

An amount of charge of a substrate is promptly and accurately calculated. A charged particle beam writing method includes a step (S100) for virtually dividing a writing region of the writing target substrate in a mesh-like manner and calculating a pattern density representing an arrangement ratio of the pattern for each mesh region, a step (S102) for calculating a dose for each mesh region using the pattern density, a step (S104) for calculating a charge amount based on a film thickness of the resist film formed on the substrate and the calculated dose by using a predetermined function for charge amount calculation, the function using, as variables, the film thickness of the resist film and the dose, a step (S106) for calculating a position shift amount of a writing position from the calculated charge amount, and a step (S108) for correcting an irradiation position of the charged particle beam using the position shift amount.

Methods for reticle enhancement technology (RET) for use with variable shaped beam (VSB) lithography include inputting a desired pattern to be formed on a substrate; determining an initial mask pattern from the desired pattern for the substrate; optimizing the initial mask pattern for wafer quality using a VSB exposure system; and outputting the optimized mask pattern. Methods for fracturing a pattern to be exposed on a surface using VSB lithography include inputting an initial pattern; overlaying the initial pattern with a two-dimensional grid, wherein an initial set of VSB shots are formed by the union of the initial pattern with locations on the grid; merging two or more adjacent shots in the initial set of VSB shots to create a larger shot in a modified set of VSB shots; and outputting the modified set of VSB shots.

Methods for reticle enhancement technology (RET) for use with variable shaped beam (VSB) lithography include inputting a desired pattern to be formed on a substrate; determining an initial mask pattern from the desired pattern for the substrate; optimizing the initial mask pattern for wafer quality using a VSB exposure system; and outputting the optimized mask pattern. Methods for fracturing a pattern to be exposed on a surface using VSB lithography include inputting an initial pattern; overlaying the initial pattern with a two-dimensional grid, wherein an initial set of VSB shots are formed by the union of the initial pattern with locations on the grid; merging two or more adjacent shots in the initial set of VSB shots to create a larger shot in a modified set of VSB shots; and outputting the modified set of VSB shots.

According to one embodiment, a pattern forming method includes forming an organic film on a processing target material, the organic film comprising a convex part and a remaining film part adjacent to the convex part and thinner than the convex part. The method further includes irradiating the organic film with an electron beam to decrease a dry etching rate of the organic film. The method further includes removing the remaining film part by dry etching of the organic film. The method further includes forming a pattern on the processing target material by dry etching using the organic film from which the remaining film part has been removed as a mask.

Provided is a charged particle beam drawing apparatus including a measurement unit that scans a reference mark disposed on a stage with a charged particle beam to detect a position of the reference mark, and measures a positional deviation amount of the charged particle beam, based on the detected position; and a positional correction unit that corrects a drawing position based on the measured positional deviation amount. A plurality of the reference marks is disposed on the stage, and the measurement unit switches from one of the reference marks used for the measurement of the positional deviation amount to another one of the reference marks that is not used yet, when a predetermined condition has been satisfied.

A stage apparatus for an e-beam inspection apparatus comprising: an object table (3) comprising an supporting surface, the object table configured to support a substrate (190) on the supporting surface; a positioning device (180) configured to a position the object table; a position measurement system (5) comprising a position sensor (8-10) configured to measure a height position of the object table parallel to a first axis, the first axis being substantially perpendicular to the supporting surface, the position sensor comprising an interferometer measurement system having an interferometer sensor (9, 10, 22), wherein a measurement beam (11, 15) of the interferometer sensor is configured to irradiate a reflective surface (13, 17) of the object table in a measurement direction, the measurement direction having a first component parallel to the first axis and a second component parallel to a second axis, the second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

Methods for exposing a desired shape in an area on a surface using a charged particle beam system include determining a local pattern density for the area, based on an original set of exposure information. A pre-proximity effect correction (PEC) maximum dose for the local pattern density is determined, based on a pre-determined target post-PEC maximum dose. The pre-PEC maximum dose is calculated near an edge of the desired shape. Methods also include modifying the original set of exposure information with the pre-PEC maximum dose to create a modified set of exposure information.

A method includes: providing a photomask, wherein the photomask includes a multilayer stack, a light-absorption layer, an anti-reflection coating and a light-absorption layer. The method further includes: receiving information on the photomask; determining a bias voltage according to the information; determining a scan recipe of an electron beam writer system based on the bias voltage; and performing a repairing operation on at least one of the anti-reflection coating and the light-absorption layer by the electron beam writer system with the scan recipe.