公开(公告)号：US20230137186A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-04

申请号：US17918100

申请日：2021-04-01

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Zhong-wei CHEN ,  Yongxin WANG

IPC: G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01L31/118 ,  H01L31/18

Abstract: Some disclosed embodiments include an electron detector comprising: a first semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion; a second semiconductor layer; a third semiconductor layer; a PIN region formed by the first, second, and third semiconductor layers; a power supply configured to apply a reverse bias between the first and the third semiconductor layers; and a depletion region formed within the PIN region by the reverse bias and configured to generate a detector signal based on a first subset of the plurality of signal electrons captured within the depletion region, wherein the second portion of the first semiconductor layer is not depleted and is configured to provide an energy barrier to block a second subset of the plurality of signal electrons and to allow the first subset of the plurality of signal electrons to pass through to reach the depletion region.

公开(公告)号：US20220254599A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-11

申请号：US17630455

申请日：2020-07-18

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Wei FANG ,  Weiming REN ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/04

Abstract: Inspection systems and methods are disclosed. An inspection system may include a first energy source configured to provide a first landing energy beam and a second energy source configured to provide a second landing energy beam. The inspection system may also include a beam controller configured to selectively deliver one of the first and second landing energy beams towards a same field of view, and to switch between delivery of the first and second landing energy beams according to a mode of operation of the inspection system.

公开(公告)号：US20220189725A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-16

申请号：US17549854

申请日：2021-12-13

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Juying DOU ,  Zheng FAN ,  Tzu-Yi KUO ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/073 ,  H01J37/065 ,  H01J1/304 ,  H01J1/14 ,  H01J9/02 ,  H01J9/04

Abstract: Electron emitters and methods of fabricating the electron emitters are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, an electron emitter includes a tip with a planar region having a diameter in a range of approximately (0.05-10) micrometers. The electron emitter tip is configured to release field emission electrons. The electron emitter further includes a work-function-lowering material coated on the tip.

公开(公告)号：US20210193437A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-24

申请号：US17127956

申请日：2020-12-18

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Zizhou GONG ,  Xuerang HU ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: Systems and methods of forming images of a sample using a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may include generating a plurality of secondary electron beams from a plurality of probe spots on the sample upon interaction with a plurality of primary electron beams. The method may further include adjusting an orientation of the plurality of primary electron beams interacting with the sample, directing the plurality of secondary electron beams away from the plurality of primary electron beams, compensating astigmatism aberrations of the plurality of directed secondary electron beams, focusing the plurality of directed secondary electron beams onto a focus plane, detecting the plurality of focused secondary electron beams by a charged-particle detector, and positioning a detection plane of the charged-particle detector at or close to the focus plane.

公开(公告)号：US20210151291A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-20

申请号：US17146409

申请日：2021-01-11

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/30 ,  H01J37/28 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y40/00

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a crossover-forming deflector array of an electro-optical system for directing a plurality of electron beams onto an electron detection device. The crossover-forming deflector array includes a plurality of crossover-forming deflectors positioned at or at least near an image plane of a set of one or more electro-optical lenses of the electro-optical system, wherein each crossover-forming deflector is aligned with a corresponding electron beam of the plurality of electron beams.

公开(公告)号：US20200381212A1

公开(公告)日：2020-12-03

申请号：US16888424

申请日：2020-05-29

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: Systems and methods of reducing the Coulomb interaction effects in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The charged particle beam apparatus may comprise a charged particle source and a source conversion unit comprising an aperture-lens forming electrode plate configured to be at a first voltage, an aperture lens plate configured to be at a second voltage that is different from the first voltage for generating a first electric field, which enables the aperture-lens forming electrode plate and the aperture lens plate to form aperture lenses of an aperture lens array to respectively focus a plurality of beamlets of the charged particle beam, and an imaging lens configured to focus the plurality of beamlets on an image plane. The charged particle beam apparatus may comprise an objective lens configured to focus the plurality of beamlets onto a surface of the sample and form a plurality of probe spots thereon.

公开(公告)号：US20200381211A1

公开(公告)日：2020-12-03

申请号：US16885872

申请日：2020-05-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN ,  Martinus Gerardus Johannes Maria MAASSEN

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Systems and methods of mitigating Coulomb effect in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multi-beam apparatus may include a charged-particle source configured to generate a primary charged-particle beam along a primary optical axis, a first aperture array comprising a first plurality of apertures having shapes and configured to generate a plurality of primary beamlets derived from the primary charged-particle beam, a condenser lens comprising a plane adjustable along the primary optical axis, and a second aperture array comprising a second plurality of apertures configured to generate probing beamlets corresponding to the plurality of beamlets, wherein each of the plurality of probing beamlets comprises a portion of charged particles of a corresponding primary beamlet based on at least a position of the plane of the condenser lens and a characteristic of the second aperture array.

公开(公告)号：US20200161079A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-21

申请号：US16679023

申请日：2019-11-08

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/285

Abstract: An electromagnetic compound lens may be configured to focus a charged particle beam. The compound lens may include an electrostatic lens provided on a secondary optical axis and a magnetic lens also provided on the secondary optical axis. The magnetic lens may include a permanent magnet. A charged particle optical system may include a beam separator configured to separate a plurality of beamlets of a primary charged particle beam generated by a source along a primary optical axis from secondary beams of secondary charged particles. The system may include a secondary imaging system configured to focus the secondary beams onto a detector along the secondary optical axis. The secondary imaging system may include the compound lens.

公开(公告)号：US20190333732A1

公开(公告)日：2019-10-31

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：US20190279844A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-12

申请号：US16295971

申请日：2019-03-07

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/30 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  B82Y10/00

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a crossover-forming deflector array of an electro-optical system for directing a plurality of electron beams onto an electron detection device. The crossover-forming deflector array includes a plurality of crossover-forming deflectors positioned at or at least near an image plane of a set of one or more electro-optical lenses of the electro-optical system, wherein each crossover-forming deflector is aligned with a corresponding electron beam of the plurality of electron beams.