In one embodiment, a method is for generating write data for resizing a write pattern to be written with an energy beam. The method includes connecting vertices of the write pattern with a plurality of vectors, extracting a pair of collinear vectors pointing in opposite directions from the vectors, dividing the write pattern into a plurality of figures with a line passing between two adjacent ends of the extracted pair of vectors and extending in a direction orthogonal to the pair of vectors, and generating write data for each of the figures, the write data containing figure data and resizing information, the figure data indicating a shape, a size, and a position of the figure, the resizing information indicating resizing or non-resizing, resizing directions in the resizing, and an amount of resizing in each of the resizing directions.

The present application discloses methods, systems and devices for using charged particle beam tools to inspect and perform lithography on a substrate using a combination of vectoring to move a beam to features to be imaged, and raster scanning to obtain an image of the feature(s). The inventors have discovered that it is highly advantageous to use an extra step, a fast raster scan to image the substrate at a lower resolution, to determine which features receive priority for inspection; this extra step can reduce total inspection time, enhance inspection results, and improve beam alignment and manufacturing yield. Using multiple beam-producing columns, with multiple control computers local to the columns, provides various synergies. Preferably, miniature, non-magnetic, electrostatically-driven columns are used.

There is provided a charged particle beam exposure apparatus which turns an array beam including a plurality of charged particle beams, being arranged side by side in a line in a direction intersecting line patterns, on and off at predetermined blanking timing, and thus performs irradiation when irradiated positions of the charged particle beams arrive at pattern positions. The charged particle beam exposure apparatus improves data processing control by segmenting a sample provided with line patterns into a plurality of exposure ranges each at a predetermined length in a direction of movement, and performing on-off control of the beams based on a point of time when the array beam passes on a reference position set in the exposure region.

A multiple charged particle beam lithography apparatus includes a weighting coefficient operation unit to operate a plurality of weighting coefficients that assign weights to doses of a plurality of different beams used for multiple pattern writing for each pixel of pixels, the each pixel being used as an irradiation unit region per beam of multiple charged particle beams; a dose operation processing circuitry to operate doses of the plurality of different beams weighted by using a corresponding weighting coefficient among the plurality of weighting coefficients for each of the pixels; and a writing mechanism that writes a pattern on a target object using the multiple charged particle beams such that corresponding pixels are irradiated with the plurality of different beams of the doses weighted respectively.

Methods and systems 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 may be 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.

Systems and methods for the selective processing of a particular portion of a workpiece are disclosed. For example, the outer portion may be processed by directing an ion beam toward a first position on the workpiece, where the ion beam extends beyond the outer edge of the workpiece at two first locations. The workpiece is then rotated relative to the ion beam about its center so that certain regions of the outer portion are exposed to the ion beam. The workpiece is then moved relative to the ion beam to a second position and rotated in the opposite direction so that all regions of the outer portion are exposed to the ion beam. This process may be repeated a plurality of times. The ion beam may perform any process, such as ion implantation, etching or deposition.

The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an IC method. First pattern densities (PDs) of a plurality of templates of an IC design layout are received. Then a high PD outlier template and a low PD outlier template from the plurality of templates are identified. The high PD outlier template is split into multiple subsets of template and each subset of template carries a portion of PD of the high PD outlier template. A PD uniformity (PDU) optimization is performed to the low PD outlier template and multiple individual exposure processes are applied by using respective subset of templates.

Methods for calculating a pattern to be manufactured on a substrate include inputting a physical design pattern, determining a plurality of possible neighborhoods for the physical design pattern, generating a plurality of possible mask designs for the physical design pattern, calculating a plurality of possible patterns on the substrate, calculating a variation band from the plurality of possible patterns, and modifying the physical design pattern to reduce the variation band. Embodiments also include inputting a set of parameters for a neural network to calculate a pattern to be manufactured on a substrate, calculating a plurality of patterns to be manufactured on the substrate for the physical design in each possible neighborhood of the plurality of possible neighborhoods, training the neural network with the calculated plurality of patterns, and adjusting the set of parameters to reduce the manufacturing variation for the calculated plurality of patterns to be manufactured on a substrate.

A process for area selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) at the near atomic scale (sub 10 nm) is disclosed. A substrate surface is cleaned and terminated with hydrogen and a pattern written in the hydrogen terminated surface by selectively depassivating the surface using scanning tunneling microscope lithography. The depassivated regions are subjected to a halogen flux with the thus passivated regions further subjected to a functionalization process creating functionalized regions. The role of hydrogen and halogen can be inverted to invert the tone of the pattern. The substrate is then subjected to the ALD process, with growth occurring only in the non-functionalized regions. The substrate may then optionally be subjected to selective etching to remove the functionalized regions and the portions of the substrate under the functionalized regions.

A multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a beam forming mechanism to form multi-charged-particle-beams, a block region forming circuit to form plural block regions from an irradiation region of the multi-charged-particle-beams formed by combining plural sub-regions each surrounded by a beam, being different from each other, and plural other beams adjacent to the beam in the multi-charged-particle-beams, and a writing mechanism to perform, using the multi-charged-particle-beams, multiple writing such that irradiation of each block region of the plural block regions is at least performed by any one of writing processing of the multiple writing, and such that each writing processing of the multiple writing is performed to write a writing region of a target object in a manner of covering the writing region without overlapping by, using one of the plural block regions, irradiation of the one of the plural block regions.