In corner sections of first to fourth quadrants whose origin point is a center of an upper surface of a stage, three each of two-dimensional heads are provided. The three each of two-dimensional heads include one first head and two second heads. The stage is driven, while measuring a position of the stage using three first heads that face a two-dimensional grating of a scale plate provided above the stage from the four first heads, and during the driving, difference data of measurement values of the two second heads with respect to the first head in a measurement direction are taken in for head groups to which the three first heads belong, respectively, and using the difference data, grid errors are calibrated.

According to example embodiments, there is provided a photoresist inspection method. The photoresist inspection method includes: providing a photoresist on a substrate; irradiating the photoresist with an electron beam and an excitation beam; detecting fluorescent light generated by the photoresist in response to the excitation beam; and evaluating the photoresist based on the fluorescent light.

The disclosed embodiments relate to a charged particle source module for generating and emitting a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, comprising: a frame including a first frame part, a second frame part, and one or more rigid support members which are arranged between said first frame part and said second frame part; a charged particle source arrangement for generating a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, wherein said charged particle source arrangement, such as an electron source, is arranged at said second frame part; and a power connecting assembly arranged at said first frame part, wherein said charged particle source arrangement is electrically connected to said connecting assembly via electrical wiring.

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.

A multiple charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a margined block region generation circuit to generate plural margined block regions each formed by adding a margin region to the periphery of each block region of plural block regions obtained by dividing the writing region of the target object, a detection circuit to detect a defective beam in multiple charged particle beams, a specifying circuit to specify, for each defective beam detected, a position irradiated with the defective beam, and an affiliation determination circuit to determine a margined block region, in the plural margined block regions, to which the position irradiated with the defective beam belongs, based on conditions set according to a sub-block region, in plural sub-block regions acquired by dividing the margined block region, in which the position irradiated with the defective beam in the multiple charged particle beams is located.

An apparatus for analyzing and/or processing a sample with a particle beam, comprising: a sample stage for holding the sample; a providing unit for providing the particle beam comprising: an opening for guiding the particle beam to a processing position on the sample; and a shielding element for shielding an electric field generated by charges accumulated on the sample; wherein the shielding element covers the opening, is embodied in sheetlike fashion and comprises an electrically conductive material; wherein the shielding element comprises a convex section, this section being convex in relation to the sample stage; and wherein the convex section has a through opening for the particle beam to pass through to the sample.

A light modulated electron source utilizes a photon-beam source to modulate the emission current of an electron beam emitted from a silicon-based field emitter. The field emitter's cathode includes a protrusion fabricated on a silicon substrate and having an emission tip covered by a coating layer. An extractor generates an electric field that attracts free electrons toward the emission tip for emission as part of the electron beam. The photon-beam source generates a photon beam including photons having an energy greater than the bandgap of silicon, and includes optics that direct the photon beam onto the emission tip, whereby each absorbed photon creates a photo-electron that combines with the free electrons to enhance the electron beam's emission current. A controller modulates the emission current by controlling the intensity of the photon beam applied to the emission tip. A monitor measures the electron beam and provides feedback to the controller.

A method for detecting a discharge site for a charged particle beam emitting apparatus includes switchable first and second modes. The first mode enables a beam of charged particles to be deflected by applying voltages to electrodes. The second mode enables acquisition of data items indicative of potential of each of the electrodes while the beam is being emitted without applying the voltages. The method includes, in the second mode, detecting an occurrence of a discharge when a fluctuation in potential indicated by data items relating to one of the electrodes exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and detecting a site corresponding to the electrode, as a site having an occurrence of the discharge.

It is provided a charged particle beam manipulation device for a plurality of charged particle beamlets, the charged particle beam manipulation device including a lens having a main optical axis, the lens including at least a first array of multipoles, each multipole of the first array of multipoles configured to compensate for a lens deflection force on a respective charged particle beamlet of the plurality of charged particle beamlets, the lens deflection force being a deflection force produced by the lens on the respective charged particle beamlet towards the main optical axis of the lens.

A drawing apparatus according to the embodiment includes a chamber configured to house a processing target; a drawing part configured to draw a predetermined pattern on the processing target with a charged particle beam; a resistance measuring part configured to measure a resistance value of the processing target via a grounding member grounding the processing target in the chamber; a receiver configured to receive earthquake information; a controller configured to stop a drawing process in the chamber when the receiver receives the earthquake information; and an arithmetic processor configured to determine whether the processing target is grounded on a basis of the resistance value from the resistance measuring part, wherein the controller resumes the drawing process when the arithmetic processor determines that the processing target is grounded after the drawing process is stopped.