In one embodiment, a writing data generating method is for generating writing data used in a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus. The method includes calculating, for a figure containing a curve and a straight line included in design data, a plurality of control points representing the curve and a plurality of vertices of the curve and straight line, and expressing a position of each of the control points and vertices as a displacement from an adjacent control point or vertex to generate the writing data.

A method of creating electronic devices such as semiconductor chips using a maskless lithographic exposure system such as a charged particle multi-beamlet lithography system (301A-301D). The maskless lithographic exposure system comprises a lithography subsystem (316) including a maskless pattern writer such as a charged particle multi-beamlet lithography machine (1) or ebeam machine. The method comprises introducing unique chip design data (430) or information related thereto into pattern data comprising common chip design data before streaming the pattern data to the maskless pattern writer.

In one embodiment, a multi-beam writing method includes forming a beam array of a multi-beam, assigning sub-beam arrays to each of a plurality of sub-stripe regions, the sub-stripe regions being obtained by dividing a region on the substrate, and the sub-beam arrays being obtained by dividing the beam array, calculating an irradiation time modulation rate being used for each beam belonging to each of the sub-beam arrays, calculating a weight for each of the sub-beam arrays based on the irradiation time modulation rate for each of the beams belonging to a group of the sub-beam arrays, and assigning the calculated weight to the sub-beam array, and performing multiple writing on each of the sub-stripe regions by performing writing on each of the sub-stripe regions with the sub-beam arrays, based on the weight assigned to the sub-beam array and the irradiation time modulation rate of the beam belonging to the sub-beam array.

In one embodiment, a multi-beam writing method includes acquiring a plurality of pieces of position deviation data corresponding to a plurality of parameter values of a parameter that change position deviation amount of each beam of multi-beam irradiated on a substrate, calculating a plurality of pieces of reference coefficient data corresponding to each of the plurality of pieces of position deviation data, calculating coefficient data corresponding to a parameter value at an irradiation position of the multi-beam on the substrate using the plurality of pieces of reference coefficient data corresponding to the plurality of parameter values, modulating an irradiation amount of each beam of the multi-beam for each shot using the coefficient data, and writing a pattern by irradiating the substrate with each beam of at least a part of the multi-beam having the modulated irradiation amounts.

Charged particle systems and methods for processing a sample using a multi-beam of charged particles are disclosed. In one arrangement, a column directs a multi-beam of sub-beams of charged particles onto a sample surface of a sample. A sample is moved in a direction parallel to a first direction while the column is used to repeatedly scan the multi-beam over the sample surface in a direction parallel to a second direction. An elongate region on the sample surface is thus processed with each sub-beam. The sample is displaced in a direction oblique or perpendicular to the first direction. The process is repeated to process further elongate regions with each sub-beam. The resulting plurality of processed elongate regions define a sub-beam processed area for each sub-beam.

In a charged particle beam writing method according to an embodiment, a charged particle beam is deflected by a deflector, and a pattern is written by irradiating, with the charged particle beam, a substrate having a resist film formed thereon. The method includes irradiating a pattern region, in which a pattern is to be formed, with a beam at a first dose, irradiating at least part of a non-pattern region, in which a pattern is not to be formed, with the charged particle beam at a second dose, at which the resist film is not dissolved away, and determining the second dose based on the first dose and a charge amount of the resist film corresponding to a pattern density of the pattern region, wherein a charge amount difference between the pattern region and a non-dissolution irradiation region, which is irradiated at the second dose, is smaller than that obtained when the second dose is zero.

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 of the desired shape based on an original set of exposure information. A backscatter for a sub area is calculated, based on the original set of exposure information. Dosage for at least one pixel in a plurality of pixels in the sub area is increased, in a location where the backscatter of the sub area is below a pre-determined threshold, thereby increasing the backscatter of the sub area. A pre-PEC maximum dose is determined for the local pattern density, based on a pre-determined target post-PEC maximum dose. The original set of exposure information is modified with the pre-PEC maximum dose and the increased dosage of the at least one pixel in the sub area to create a modified set of exposure information.

In one embodiment, a data generation method is for calculating a coverage of a polygon in each of a plurality of pixels obtained by dividing a target to be irradiated with a charged particle beam into predetermined sizes. The method includes dividing a parametric curve that defines a pattern shape into a plurality of parametric curves, calculating, for each of the plurality of parametric curves, an area of a region surrounded by a segment connecting end points among control points of the parametric curve and the parametric curve, calculating positions of vertexes of a figure having an area equivalent to the calculated area and having, as one side thereof, the segment connecting the end points, and generating the polygon by using the vertexes.

In one embodiment, a coverage calculating method is for calculating a coverage of a pattern in each of pixel regions obtained by dividing a writing region onto which the pattern is to be written by irradiation with a charged particle beam. Each of the pixel regions has a predetermined size. The method includes generating a plurality of first pixel regions by virtually dividing the writing region, the first pixel regions each having a first size, calculating a coverage of a pattern in the first pixel region, generating a plurality of second pixel regions by virtually dividing the first pixel region, the second pixel regions each having a second size smaller than the first size, selecting a second pixel region approximating a pattern shape in the first pixel region, and calculating a coverage in the selected second pixel region.

In a charged particle beam writing method according to one embodiment, a deflector is caused to deflect a charged particle beam and a pattern is written by irradiating a substrate with the charged particle beam. The charged particle beam writing method includes calculating a charge amount distribution based on a charge amount of a beam irradiation region on the substrate immediately after irradiation with the charged particle beam and a diffusion coefficient for electric charge of the substrate, calculating a position shift distribution of the charged particle beam on the substrate based on the charge amount distribution, and correcting an irradiation position of the charged particle beam based on the position shift distribution.