Electron beam apparatus having traversing circuit boards

Details Electron beam apparatus having traversing circuit boards Electron beam apparatus having traversing circuit boards

2001-03-21

2003-05-13

Sugarman, Scott J. (Department: 2873)

Radiant energy

Irradiation of objects or material

Irradiation of semiconductor devices

C250S398000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06563124

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to an electron beam apparatus for projecting electron beams on a substrate.
An electron beam apparatus
100
may be used to project electron beams
135
on a substrate
130
, as for example shown in
FIG. 1
, to generate an image comprising an electron pattern on a resist coated substrate
130
. A multiple electron beam apparatus
100
comprises a chamber
110
, a support
120
capable of supporting a substrate
130
in the chamber
110
, electron beam source, modulating and scanning components
150
mounted on boards
140
in the chamber
110
, and a vacuum pump
115
to evacuate and maintain a vacuum environment in the chamber
110
. The electron beam source, modulating and scanning components
150
generate, modulate and scan an array of electron beams across the substrate
130
.
An apparatus
100
that generates and modulates a few tens of individual electron beams
135
may require hundreds or even thousands of separate electrical wires
170
to electrically connect the components
150
to circuitry outside the chamber
110
. Conventional apparatus
100
uses individual electrical wires
170
passing through vacuum feedthroughs
160
in a chamber wall
112
to connect to the components
150
. However, the large number of electrical wires
170
passing through the vacuum feedthroughs
160
often renders the vacuum feedthroughs
160
susceptible to leakage. In addition, the complexity of the vacuum feedthroughs
160
and electrical wires
170
may make it difficult to change or modify the components
150
, for example, when redesigning or adapting the electron beams for different tasks, without extensive modification of the wiring assemblies and feedthroughs
160
. Also, the closely packed individual wires
170
in the feedthrough
160
may result in electromagnetic interference that causes unacceptable modulation of the electron beams
135
.
Thus, it is desirable to have an electron beam apparatus having low leakage connections to the external environment. It may also be desirable to have an electron beam apparatus with an electrical connection system that is readily adapted to accommodate new circuitry without extensive modification. It is also desirable to reduce the electromagnetic interference that occurs in the electrical connection system.
SUMMARY
An electron beam apparatus that is capable of registering an electron beam pattern on a substrate comprises a vacuum chamber having a wall, a substrate support in the vacuum chamber, electron beam source components to generate an array of electron beams in the vacuum chamber, electron beam modulator components to modulate the electron beams in the vacuum chamber, electron beam detector components to detect the electron beams in the vacuum chamber, one or more circuit boards passing through the wall of the vacuum chamber, each circuit board comprising (i) an internal portion to support one or more of the electron beam source, modulator or detector components, (ii) an external portion outside the vacuum chamber to support one or more external components, and (iii) a plurality of electrical traces that extend from the internal portion to the external portion to electrically connect the electron beam source, modulator or detector components to the external components, and one or more of the external components mounted on the external portions of the circuit boards.
In another aspect, the electron beam apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber having a wall with a first feature, a substrate support in the vacuum chamber, electron beam source components to generate an array of electron beams in the vacuum chamber, electron beam modulator components to modulate the electron beams in the vacuum chamber, electron beam detector components to detect the electron beams in the vacuum chamber, one or more circuit boards passing through the wall of the vacuum chamber, each circuit board comprising (i) an internal portion to support one or more of the electron beam source, modulator or detector components, (ii) an external portion outside the vacuum chamber to support one or more external components, (iii) a plurality of electrical traces that extend from the internal portion to the external portion to electrically connect the electron beam source, modulator or detector components to the external components, and (iv) a second feature that may be fitted to the first feature in the chamber wall to align the circuit board in the vacuum chamber, and one or more of the external components mounted on the external portions of the circuit boards.
In another aspect, the electron beam apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber having a wall, a substrate support in the vacuum chamber, electron beam source components to generate an array of electron beams in the vacuum chamber, electron beam modulator components to modulate the electron beams in the vacuum chamber, the electron beam modulator components comprising an array of beam blanking components, electron beam detector components to detect the electron beams in the vacuum chamber, and a circuit board passing through the wall of the vacuum chamber, the circuit board comprising (i) an internal portion to support the array of beam blanking components, (ii) an external portion outside the vacuum chamber, and (iii) a plurality of electrical traces that extend from the internal portion to the external portion.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5025114 (1991-06-01), Braden
patent: 5393931 (1995-02-01), Guenther
patent: 5412211 (1995-05-01), Knowles
Winograd, G.I., L.Han, M.A. McCord, and R.F.W. Please, “Multiplexed blanker array for parallel electron beam lithography”, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 16(6), Nov./Dec. 1998.

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