A method of generating a layout pattern includes determining a first energy density indirectly exposed to a first feature of one or more features of a layout pattern on an energy-sensitive material when the one or more features of the layout pattern on the energy-sensitive material are directly exposed by a charged particle beam. The method also includes adjusting a second energy density exposed the first feature when the first feature is directly exposed by the charged particle beam. A total energy density of the first feature that comprises a sum of the first energy density from the indirect exposure and the second energy density from the direct exposure is maintained at about a threshold energy level to fully expose the first feature in the energy-sensitive material.

In one embodiment, A charged particle beam drawing apparatus includes an irradiation amount resetting processing circuitry changing the irradiation amount in the shot data to the irradiation amount lower limit value when the irradiation amount defined in the shot data is less than the irradiation amount lower limit value, a shot size adjustment processing circuitry changing the shot size defined in the shot data, based on an amount of the change in the irradiation amount, a shot position adjustment processing circuitry changing the shot position defined in the shot data, based on an amount of the change in the shot size, and a drawing device drawing a pattern by irradiating the substrate with the charged particle beam, using the shot data in which the irradiation amount, the shot size, and the shot position have been changed.

In one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes processing circuitry that is programmed to perform the function of a data region determination part determining a data region based on boundaries of pixels obtained by dividing a writing area of a substrate into mesh-shaped regions, an irradiation range of multiple charged particle beams, and boundaries of stripe segments obtained by dividing the writing area into segments having a predetermined width such that the segments are arranged in a predetermined direction, a deflection coordinate adjustment part adjusting deflection coordinates of the multiple charged particle beams such that the boundaries of the pixels are mapped to a boundary of the irradiation range, and a correction part calculating a corrected dose of each beam of the multiple charged particle beams by distributing, based on a positional relationship between the beam and pixels in the data region, a dose of the beam corresponding to a pixel in the data region calculated based on write data to one or more beams, and adding doses distributed to the beam, and a writing mechanism, including a charged particle beam source, a deflector, and a stage on which a target object is placed, and the writing mechanism deflecting the multiple charged particle beams based on the adjusted deflection coordinates and applying the beams each having the corrected dose to write a pattern.

In one embodiment, a charged particle beam writing method includes dividing a figure pattern defined in writing data into a plurality of shot figures, virtually dividing a writing target substrate into a plurality of mesh regions, and calculating a correction irradiation amount to correct proximity effect and middle range effect for each of the mesh regions based on a position of the figure pattern, calculating an irradiation amount for each of the plurality of shot figures using the correction irradiation amount, calculating an insufficient irradiation amount at an edge portion of the shot figure based on the irradiation amount, resizing the shot figure based on the insufficient irradiation amount, and writing the resized shot figure on the writing target substrate using a charged particle beam in the irradiation amount.

A charged particle beam writing method includes acquiring a pair of a reference dose and a backscatter coefficient for proximity effect correction using a first settling time, acquiring a first relation between a temperature rise amount and a critical dimension variation amount using a second settling time shorter than the first settling time, the backscatter coefficient and the reference dose acquired, calculating a temperature correction parameter depending on a temperature rise amount, for correcting a dose, by using the first relation, and a second relation on a dose and a pattern critical dimension in a case of using the first settling time, calculating a beam irradiation dose by the reference dose and a dose coefficient obtained from the backscatter coefficient of the pair acquired, and the temperature correction parameter, and writing a pattern with a beam based on the dose calculated using the second settling time.

Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool includes a first column of openings along a first direction, each of the openings of the first column of openings having dog-eared corners. The BAA also includes a second column of openings along the first direction and staggered from the first column of openings, each of the openings of the second column of openings having dog-eared corners. The first and second columns of openings together form an array having a pitch in the first direction. A scan direction of the BAA is along a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction. The pitch of the array corresponds to half of a minimal pitch layout of a target pattern of lines for orientation parallel with the second direction.

Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a column for an e-beam direct write lithography tool includes a first blanker aperture array (BAA) including a staggered array of openings having a pitch along an array direction. The array direction is orthogonal to a scan direction. Each opening has a first dimension in the array direction. The column also includes a second BAA including a staggered array of openings having the pitch along the array direction. Each opening has a second dimension in the array direction, the second dimension greater than the first dimension.

According to one embodiment, a proximity effect correcting method includes acquiring drawing information for drawing a pattern on a substrate with irradiation of an electron beam. The method further includes acquiring surface profile information related to a surface profile of the substrate. The method further includes calculating an energy distribution of a backscattered beam to be produced by backscattering of the electron beam in the substrate on a basis of the acquired drawing information and surface profile information. The method further includes calculating a required energy amount of the electron beam on a basis of the calculated energy distribution.

According to one embodiment, a proximity effect correcting method includes acquiring drawing information for drawing a pattern on a substrate with irradiation of an electron beam. The method further includes acquiring surface profile information related to a surface profile of the substrate. The method further includes calculating an energy distribution of a backscattered beam to be produced by backscattering of the electron beam in the substrate on a basis of the acquired drawing information and surface profile information. The method further includes calculating a required energy amount of the electron beam on a basis of the calculated energy distribution.

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.