Method of charged particle beam lithography and equipment for charged particle beam lithography

Abstract

Disclosed is equipment for charged-particle beam lithography capable of executing exposure even when an electron beam with a bad property is produced due to a failure in some multibeam forming element, without replacing the failing multibeam forming element and without reducing the exposure accuracy. The equipment includes means for forming a plurality of charged-particle beams arranged at predetermined intervals; a plurality of blankers which act on the plurality of charged-particle beams individually; a common blanker which acts on all of the plurality of charged-particle beams; and a blanking restriction for causing those charged-particle beams which are given predetermined deflection by the plurality of blankers to reach onto a sample, with a signal applied to the common blanker, and blocking those charged-particle beams which are not given the predetermined deflection by the plurality of blankers to the sample. The equipment blocks beams with bad properties to the sample and executes exposure using only those beams which have bad properties.