公开(公告)号：US11705304B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-18

申请号：US17373716

申请日：2021-07-12

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Shuai Li ,  Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Juying Dou ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/0492 ,  H01J2237/04924 ,  H01J2237/04926 ,  H01J2237/04928 ,  H01J2237/1205 ,  H01J2237/1501 ,  H01J2237/1502 ,  H01J2237/2446 ,  H01J2237/2448 ,  H01J2237/2806 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput and in flexibly varying observing conditions is proposed. The apparatus uses a movable collimating lens to flexibly vary the currents of the plural probe spots without influencing the intervals thereof, a new source-conversion unit to form the plural images of the single electron source and compensate off-axis aberrations of the plural probe spots with respect to observing conditions, and a pre-beamlet-forming means to reduce the strong Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam.

公开(公告)号：US11670477B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-06

申请号：US16753285

申请日：2018-10-02

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuerang Hu ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Weiming Ren ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/1472 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/1205 ,  H01J2237/1534 ,  H01J2237/24592 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for multi-beam inspection with an improved source conversion unit providing more beamlets with high electric safety, mechanical availability and mechanical stabilization has been disclosed. The source-conversion unit comprises an image-forming element array having a plurality of image-forming elements, an aberration compensator array having a plurality of micro-compensators, and a pre-bending element array with a plurality of pre-bending micro-deflectors. In each of the arrays, adjacent elements are placed in different layers, and one element may comprise two or more sub-elements placed in different layers. The sub-elements of a micro-compensator may have different functions such as micro-lens and micro-stigmators.

公开(公告)号：US11594396B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-28

申请号：US16834778

申请日：2020-03-30

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhong-Wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/244

Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus supporting a plurality of operation modes is disclosed. The charged particle beam apparatus for inspecting a sample supporting a plurality of operation modes comprises a charged particle beam source configured to emit a charged particle beam along a primary optical axis, a movable aperture plate, movable between a first position and a second position, and a controller having circuitry and configured to change the configuration of the apparatus to switch between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the movable aperture plate is positioned in the first position and is configured to allow a first charged particle beamlet derived from the charged particle beam to pass through. In the second mode, the movable aperture plate is positioned in the second position and is configured to allow the first charged particle beamlet and a second charged particle beamlet to pass through.

公开(公告)号：US11587758B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-21

申请号：US17135969

申请日：2020-12-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/10

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.

公开(公告)号：US11538655B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-27

申请号：US17135915

申请日：2020-12-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuerang Hu ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Zhong-wei Chen ,  Weiming Ren

IPC: H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/15 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: An improved source conversion unit of a charged particle beam apparatus is disclosed. The source conversion unit comprises a first micro-structure array including a plurality of micro-structures. The plurality of micro-structures is grouped into one or more groups. Corresponding electrodes of micro-structures in one group are electrically connected and driven by a driver to influence a corresponding group of beamlets. The micro-structures in one group may be single-pole structures or multi-pole structures. The micro-structures in one group have same or substantially same radial shifts from an optical axis of the apparatus. The micro-structures in one group have same or substantially same orientation angles with respect to their radial shift directions.

公开(公告)号：US11469074B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-11

申请号：US16886461

申请日：2020-05-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Qingpo Xi ,  Xuedong Liu

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Systems and methods of enhancing imaging resolution by reducing crosstalk between detection elements of a secondary charged-particle detector in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multi-beam apparatus may comprise an electro-optical system for projecting a plurality of secondary charged-particle beams from a sample onto a charged-particle detector. The electro-optical system may include a first pre-limit aperture plate comprising a first aperture configured to block peripheral charged-particles of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams, and a beam-limit aperture array comprising a second aperture configured to trim the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams. The charged-particle detector may include a plurality of detection elements, wherein a detection element of the plurality of detection elements is associated with a corresponding trimmed beam of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams.

公开(公告)号：US11232928B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-25

申请号：US16729190

申请日：2019-12-27

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Qian Zhang ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Xuedong Liu

IPC: H01J37/00 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/317

Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an improved source conversion unit is disclosed. The improved source conversion unit may comprise a micro-structure deflector array including a plurality of multipole structures. The micro-deflector deflector array may comprise a first multipole structure having a first radial shift from a central axis of the array and a second multipole structure having a second radial shift from the central axis of the array. The first radial shift is larger than the second radial shift, and the first multipole structure comprises a greater number of pole electrodes than the second multipole structure to reduce deflection aberrations when the plurality of multipole structures deflects a plurality of charged particle beams.

公开(公告)号：US11222766B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-11

申请号：US16652398

申请日：2018-09-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Joe Wang ,  Yongxin Wang ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuerang Hu

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: A multi-cell detector may include a first layer having a region of a first conductivity type and a second layer including a plurality of regions of a second conductivity type. The second layer may also include one or more regions of the first conductivity type. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be partitioned from one another by the one or more regions of the first conductivity type of the second layer. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be spaced apart from one or more regions of the first conductivity type in the second layer. The detector may further include an intrinsic layer between the first and second layers.

公开(公告)号：US11062874B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-13

申请号：US16474027

申请日：2017-12-22

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/145

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes an anti-rotation lens and using it as an anti-rotation condenser lens in a multi-beam apparatus with a pre-beamlet-forming mechanism. The anti-rotation condenser lens keeps rotation angles of beamlets unchanged when changing currents thereof, and thereby enabling the pre-beamlet-forming mechanism to cut off electrons not in use as much as possible. In this way, the multi-beam apparatus can observe a sample with high resolution and high throughput, and is competent as a yield management tool to inspect and/or review defects on wafers/masks in semiconductor manufacturing industry.

公开(公告)号：US12142453B2

公开(公告)日：2024-11-12

申请号：US17583176

申请日：2022-01-24

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Qian Zhang ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Xuedong Liu

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/317

Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an improved source conversion unit is disclosed. The improved source conversion unit may comprise a micro-structure deflector array including a plurality of multipole structures. The micro-deflector deflector array may comprise a first multipole structure having a first radial shift from a central axis of the array and a second multipole structure having a second radial shift from the central axis of the array. The first radial shift is larger than the second radial shift, and the first multipole structure comprises a greater number of pole electrodes than the second multipole structure to reduce deflection aberrations when the plurality of multipole structures deflects a plurality of charged particle beams.