Charged particle beam exposure method and apparatus

摘要

A charged particle beam exposure method includes the steps of (a) selectively irradiating a charged particle beam on at least one selected opening forming a selected pattern of a mask which includes a plurality of openings related to a plurality of kinds of patterns so as to shape a cross section of the charged particle beam which is transmitted through the selected opening, where the area of the mask is divided into a plurality of blocks each including at least one opening which is related to one pattern, and (b) irradiating the charged particle beam which is transmitted through the selected opening of the mask onto an object surface so as to expose a desired pattern corresponding to at least a part of the pattern of the selected opening on the object surface, where the step (a) carries out first and second deflections independently of each other with respect to the charged particle beam. The first deflection deflects the charged particle beam within a first deflection range which corresponds to the size of one block and the second deflection deflects the charged particle beam within a second irradiating range which covers a plurality of blocks of the mask, so that the second deflection deflects the charged particle beam to irradiate the selected opening out of the plurality of openings of the mask and the first deflection sets the first deflection range of the charged particle beam with respect to the selected opening.