International Business Machines Corporation

George J Giuffre

Maris A Sturans

James F White

Robert R Wilbarg

Werner Stickel

Timothy R Groves

Douglas G Cullum

An improved structure for electron beam lithography grids and a method of fabricating such grids yields calibration grids having grid lines coplanar with the surface of the grid body and laterally supported by grooves formed in the grid body and which can also be cleaned after contamination by outgassing resist during use by virtue of the provision of such lateral support for the grid lines. The grid exhibits improved accuracy due to the technique of fabrication of the grooves. The invention thus allows the electron beam lithography process to be conducted with less expense and at greater speed. The improved accuracy of the calibration grid also permits integrated circuits and masks used in the fabrication of such devices to be designed more flexibly and fabricated at reduced cost and improved integration densities and manufacturing yields.

Method of forming planarized, reusable calibration grids

An improved structure for electron beam lithography grids and a method of fabricating such grids yields calibration grids having grid lines coplanar with the surface of a the grid body and laterally supported by grooves formed in the grid body and which can also be cleaned after contamination by outgassing resist during use by virtue of the provision of such lateral support for the grid lines. The grid exhibits improved accuracy due to the technique of fabrication of the grooves. The invention thus allows the electron beam lithography process to be conducted with less expense and at a greater speed. The improved accuracy of the calibration grid also permits integrated circuits and masks used in the fabrication of such devices to be designed more flexibly and fabricated at reduced cost and improved integration densities and manufacturing yields.

Planarized, reusable calibration grids

An electrostatic deflection plate for charged particle beam systems is formed of a planar semiconductive substrate having a conductive region at the substrate surface. The conductive region is diffused or implanted into the body of the substrate, or one or more conductive layers are deposited upon the substrate surface. The substrate material is preferably silicon and the diffused or implanted region is formed of a nonmagnetic, nonoxidizable metal such as gold or platinum. The deposited conductive region may be formed of a single layer of these or similar metals, one or more conductive underlayers with a nonmagnetic, nonoxidizable overlayer, a single or multilayer structure with a conductive oxide on the outermost layer, or a metallo-organic compound which forms a conductive layer during following heat treatment. The deflection plates are fabricated using conventional semiconductor processes and form durable structures which minimize eddy current effects.

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Wappingers Falls, NY, United States of America

George J Giuffre