公开(公告)号：US20230040558A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-09

申请号：US17392758

申请日：2021-08-03

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Yuchen Deng ,  Alexander Henstra ,  Peter Tiemeijer

IPC: H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/04

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the buildup of charge during the investigation of samples using charged particle beams, according to the present disclosure include irradiating a first portion of a sample during a first time period, wherein the irradiating the first portion of the sample causes a gradual accumulation of net charge in the first portion of the sample, generating imaging data based on emissions resultant from irradiating the first portion of the sample, and then irradiating a second portion of a sample holder for a second time period. The methods may further includes iteratively repeating the irradiation of the first portion and the second portion during imaging of the sample region. When more than one region of interest on the sample is to be investigated, the method may also include continuing to image additional portions of the sample by iteratively irradiating a region of interest on the sample and a corresponding portion of the sample holder.

公开(公告)号：US20230003672A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-05

申请号：US17900863

申请日：2022-08-31

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander Henstra ,  Yuchen Deng ,  Holger Kohr

IPC: G01N23/207 ,  G01N33/38 ,  G03H5/00 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/04

Abstract: Methods for using electron diffraction holography to investigate a sample, according to the present disclosure include the initial steps of emitting a plurality of electrons toward the sample, forming the plurality of electrons into a first electron beam and a second electron beam, and modifying the focal properties of at least one of the two beams such that the two beams have different focal planes. Once the two beams have different focal planes, the methods include focusing the first electron beam such that it has a focal plane at or near the sample, and focusing the second electron beam so that it is incident on the sample, and has a focal plane in the diffraction plane. An interference pattern of the first electron beam and the diffracted second electron beam is then detected in the diffraction plane, and then used to generate a diffraction holograph.

公开(公告)号：US11114271B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-07

申请号：US16692851

申请日：2019-11-22

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander Henstra ,  Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer ,  Marcel Niestadt

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/26

Abstract: Correctors for correcting axial aberrations of a particle-optical lens in a charged particle microscope system, according to the present disclosure include a first primary multipole that generates a first primary multipole field when a first excitation is applied to the first primary multipole, and a second primary multipole that generates a second primary multipole field when a second excitation is applied to the second primary multipole. The first primary multipole is not imaged onto the second primary multipole such that a combination fourth-order aberration is created. The correctors further include a secondary multipole for correcting the fourth-order aberration and the sixth-order aberration. Such correctors may further include a tertiary multipole for correcting an eighth-order aberration.

公开(公告)号：US10559448B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-11

申请号：US16210531

申请日：2018-12-05

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander Henstra ,  Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer

IPC: H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J49/06 ,  H01J49/44

Abstract: A method of using a Transmission Charged Particle Microscope comprising: A specimen holder, for holding a specimen; A source, for producing a beam of charged particles; An illuminator, for directing said beam so as to irradiate the specimen; An imaging system, for receiving a flux of charged particles transmitted through the specimen and directing it onto a sensing device; A controller, for controlling at least some operational aspects of the microscope, in which method the sensing device is chosen to be an EELS/EFTEM module comprising: An entrance plane; An image plane, where in EELS mode an EELS spectrum is formed and in EFTEM mode an EFTEM image is formed; A slit plane between said entrance plane and image plane, where in EFTEM mode an energy dispersed focus is formed; A dispersing device, between said entrance plane and slit plane, for dispersing an incoming beam into an energy-dispersed beam with an associated dispersion direction; A first series of quadrupoles between said dispersing device and slit plane; A second series of quadrupoles between said slit plane and image plane, which dispersing device and quadrupoles are arranged along an optical axis, whereby, for a Cartesian coordinate system (X,Y,Z) in which said optical axis is disposed along Z, said dispersion direction is defined as being parallel to X, comprising the following steps: In said first quadrupole series, exciting one or more quadrupoles so as to deflect an off-axis non-dispersive YZ ray leaving said dispersing device onto a path paraxial to said optical axis from said slit plane to said image plane; In said second quadrupole series, exciting either: (a) A single quadrupole; or (b) A pair of adjacent quadrupoles, so as to focus said energy-dispersed beam onto said image plane.

公开(公告)号：US10157727B2

公开(公告)日：2018-12-18

申请号：US15448445

申请日：2017-03-02

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander Henstra ,  Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/08

Abstract: A method of operating a charged particle microscope comprising the following steps: Providing a specimen on a specimen holder; Using a source to produce a beam of charged particles; Passing said beam through an illuminator comprising: A source lens, with an associated particle-optical axis; A condenser aperture, which is disposed between the source lens and specimen and is configured to define a footprint of said beam upon the specimen; Irradiating the specimen with the beam emerging from said illuminator; Using a detector to detect radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation, and producing an associated image, specifically comprising the following steps: Choosing a set of emission angles from said source; For each emission angle in said set, selecting a corresponding sub-beam that emits from the source at that emission angle, and storing a test image formed by that sub-beam, thereby compiling a set of test images corresponding to said set of emission angles; Analyzing said set of test images to evaluate illuminator aberrations generated prior to said condenser aperture.

公开(公告)号：US20180254168A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-06

申请号：US15448445

申请日：2017-03-02

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander Henstra ,  Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/08

CPC classification number: H01J37/265 ,  H01J37/08 ,  H01J37/1472 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J2237/1534

Abstract: A method of operating a charged particle microscope comprising the following steps: Providing a specimen on a specimen holder; Using a source to produce a beam of charged particles; Passing said beam through an illuminator comprising: A source lens, with an associated particle-optical axis; A condenser aperture, which is disposed between the source lens and specimen and is configured to define a footprint of said beam upon the specimen; Irradiating the specimen with the beam emerging from said illuminator; Using a detector to detect radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation, and producing an associated image, specifically comprising the following steps: Choosing a set of emission angles from said source; For each emission angle in said set, selecting a corresponding sub-beam that emits from the source at that emission angle, and storing a test image formed by that sub-beam, thereby compiling a set of test images corresponding to said set of emission angles; Analyzing said set of test images to evaluate illuminator aberrations generated prior to said condenser aperture.

公开(公告)号：US09048060B2

公开(公告)日：2015-06-02

申请号：US14056710

申请日：2013-10-17

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Erik René Kieft ,  Fredericus Bernardus Kiewiet ,  Adam Christopher Lassise ,  Otger Jan Luiten ,  Petrus Henricus Antonius Mutsaers ,  Edgar Jan Dirk Vredenbregt ,  Alexander Henstra

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/045 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/0432

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged-particle microscope comprising a charged-particle source; a sample holder; a charged-particle lens system; a detector; and a beam pulsing device, for causing the beam to repeatedly switch on and off so as to produce a pulsed beam. The beam pulsing device comprises a unitary resonant cavity disposed about a particle-optical axis and has an entrance aperture and an exit aperture for the beam. The resonant cavity is configured to simultaneously produce a first oscillatory deflection of the beam at a first frequency in a first direction and a second oscillatory deflection of the beam at a second, different frequency in a second, different direction. The resonant cavity may have an elongated (e.g. rectangular or elliptical) cross-section, with a long axis parallel to said first direction and a short axis parallel to said second direction.

Abstract translation: 本发明涉及包含带电粒子源的带电粒子显微镜; 样品架 带电粒子透镜系统; 检测器 以及光束脉冲装置，用于使光束重复打开和关闭以产生脉冲光束。 束脉冲装置包括围绕粒子 - 光轴设置的整体谐振腔，并具有用于束的入射孔和出射孔。 谐振腔被配置成同时在第一方向上以第一频率和第二不同频率处的第二不同方向上产生第一振荡偏转波束的第二振荡偏转。 谐振腔可以具有细长（例如矩形或椭圆形）横截面，其中长轴平行于所述第一方向和短轴平行于所述第二方向。

公开(公告)号：US20250155387A1

公开(公告)日：2025-05-15

申请号：US19026036

申请日：2025-01-16

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander Henstra ,  Yuchen Deng ,  Holger Kohr

IPC: G01N23/207 ,  G01N33/00 ,  G03H5/00 ,  H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/26

Abstract: Methods for using a single electron microscope system for investigating a sample with twin electron beams having different focal lengths include the steps of emitting electrons toward the sample, forming the electrons into a two beams, and then modifying the focal properties of at least one of the two beams such that they have different focal planes. Once the two beams have different focal planes, the first electron beam is focused at the sample, and the second electron beam is focused so that it acts as a TEM beam that is parallel beam when incident on the sample. Emissions resultant from the first electron beam and the TEM beam being incident on the sample can then be detected by a single detector or detector array and used to generate a TEM image.

公开(公告)号：US20250112016A1

公开(公告)日：2025-04-03

申请号：US18478971

申请日：2023-09-29

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander Henstra ,  Galen Gledhill ,  Ali Gheidari

IPC: H01J37/10

Abstract: Aberration correction systems and charged particle microscope systems including the same. An apparatus can include a charged particle source and an optical column. The optical column can include a multipole condenser with one or more condenser quadrupole-generating elements and/or a multipole objective with a plurality of objective multipole elements. The plurality of objective multipole elements can include at least three quadrupole-generating elements and at least three octupole-generating elements configured to at least partially correct a spherical aberration of a charged particle beam. The optical column can be configured such that the charged particle beam enters the multipole objective with a non-circular beam profile and/or such that the charged particle beam is characterized by a non-circular beam profile through at least a portion of the multipole objective.

公开(公告)号：US11715618B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-01

申请号：US17392758

申请日：2021-08-03

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Yuchen Deng ,  Alexander Henstra ,  Peter Tiemeijer

IPC: H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/04

CPC classification number: H01J37/026 ,  H01J37/045 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/0045 ,  H01J2237/2448

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the buildup of charge during the investigation of samples using charged particle beams, according to the present disclosure include irradiating a first portion of a sample during a first time period, wherein the irradiating the first portion of the sample causes a gradual accumulation of net charge in the first portion of the sample, generating imaging data based on emissions resultant from irradiating the first portion of the sample, and then irradiating a second portion of a sample holder for a second time period. The methods may further includes iteratively repeating the irradiation of the first portion and the second portion during imaging of the sample region. When more than one region of interest on the sample is to be investigated, the method may also include continuing to image additional portions of the sample by iteratively irradiating a region of interest on the sample and a corresponding portion of the sample holder.