公开(公告)号：US20210210309A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-08

申请号：US17133821

申请日：2020-12-24

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: A charged particle assessment tool includes: an objective lens configured to project a plurality of charged particle beams onto a sample, the objective lens having a sample-facing surface defining a plurality of beam apertures through which respective ones of the charged particle beams are emitted toward the sample; and a plurality of capture electrodes adjacent respective ones of the beam apertures and configured to capture charged particles emitted from the sample.

公开(公告)号：US20240210336A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-27

申请号：US18596467

申请日：2024-03-05

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marie-Claire VAN LARE ,  Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: G01N23/2251 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G01N23/2251 ,  G03F7/70325 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/7065 ,  G03F7/70655 ,  G01N2223/6116 ,  G01N2223/646

Abstract: Since a mask check wafer can utilize a different process than a production wafer, a high-contrast illumination setting with lower pupil fill ratio (PFR) that leads to a reduction of the productivity of the scanner can be utilized. By selecting a high-contrast illumination setting, which is different than that used on a production wafer, an improved ratio of particle printability to stochastic defects can be achieved. In combination, or instead higher dose resist can be utilized. This allows longer exposure of the wafer, such that the impact of photon shot noise is reduced, also resulting in an improved ratio of particle printability to stochastic defects. As a result, the particle printability can be enhanced further without leading to an excessive amount of stochastic defects. Because of this, the number of sites, and therefore the throughput, of a charged particle inspection and analysis can be significantly improved.

公开(公告)号：US20240105416A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-28

申请号：US18534455

申请日：2023-12-08

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/1534

Abstract: Assessment systems and methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, an effect of electrode distortion in an objective lens array is compensated. An electrode distortion is adjusted by varying an electrostatic field in the objective lens array. The adjustment is such as to compensate for an effect of electrode distortion on sub-beams of a multi-beam impinging on a sample. A sub-beam is refocused in response to the variation in electrostatic field in the objective lens array. The adjusting and the refocusing comprises changing potentials applied to at least two electrodes of the objective lens array.

公开(公告)号：US20240079205A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-07

申请号：US18506923

申请日：2023-11-10

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/265 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/1205 ,  H01J2237/1207 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: Assessment systems and methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, charged particles are directed in sub-beams arranged in a multi-beam towards a sample. A plurality of control electrodes define a control lens array. Each control lens in the control lens array is aligned with a sub-beam path of a respective sub-beam of the multi-beam and configured to operate on the respective sub-beam. A plurality of objective electrodes define an objective lens array that directs the sub-beams onto a sample. Objective lenses are aligned with a sub-beam path aligned with a respective control lens. Selectable landing energies are implemented for a sub-beam of the multi-beam by applying corresponding potentials to the control electrodes and the objective electrodes. A controller is configured to select corresponding potentials so a spatial relationship between an image plane of the system and all control electrodes and objective electrodes is the same for each selectable landing energy.

公开(公告)号：US20240044824A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-08

申请号：US18487946

申请日：2023-10-16

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND ,  Albertus Victor Gerardus MANGNUS

IPC: G01N23/2251 ,  G01N23/203 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: G01N23/2251 ,  G01N23/203 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/244

Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide various techniques for detecting backscatter charged particles, including accelerating charged particle sub-beams along sub-beam paths to a sample, repelling secondary charged particles from detector arrays, and providing devices and detectors which can switch between modes for primarily detecting charged particles and modes for primarily detecting secondary particles.

公开(公告)号：US20230352266A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-02

申请号：US18213765

申请日：2023-06-23

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Stijn Wilem Herman Karel STEENBRINK ,  Johan Joost KONING ,  Jurgen VAN SOEST ,  Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/12

CPC classification number: H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electron-optical device, a lens assembly and an electron-optical column. The electron-optical device comprises an array substrate and an adjoining substrate and is configured to provide a potential difference between the substrates. An array of apertures is defined in each of the substrates for the path of electron beamlets. The array substrate has a thickness which is stepped so that the array substrate is thinner in the region corresponding to the array of apertures than another region of the array substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20230326706A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-12

申请号：US18331866

申请日：2023-06-08

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/21

CPC classification number: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J2237/2448 ,  H01J2237/1534 ,  H01J2237/20278 ,  H01J2237/20221 ,  H01J2237/1532

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus for directing a charged particle beam to preselected locations of a sample surface is provided. The charged particle beam has a field of view of the sample surface. A charged-particle-optical arrangement is configured to direct a charged particle beam along a beam path towards the sample surface and to detect charged particles generated in the sample in response to the charged particle beam. A stage is configured to support and move the sample relative to the beam path. A controller is configured to control the charged particle beam apparatus so that the charged particle beam scans over a preselected location of the sample simultaneously with the stage moving the sample relative to the charged-particle-optical column along a route, the scan over the preselected location of the sample covering a part of an area of the field of view.

公开(公告)号：US20230290609A1

公开(公告)日：2023-09-14

申请号：US18316169

申请日：2023-05-11

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/317

CPC classification number: H01J37/3177 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/1534 ,  H01J2237/04926

Abstract: Objective lens array assemblies and associated methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, the objective lens array assembly focuses a multi-beam of sub-beams on a sample. Planar elements define a plurality of apertures aligned along sub-beam paths. An objective lens array projects the multi-beam towards a sample. Apertures of one or more of the planar elements compensate for off-axis aberrations in the multi-beam.

公开(公告)号：US20230238215A1

公开(公告)日：2023-07-27

申请号：US18150745

申请日：2023-01-05

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: H01J37/3177 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/1534 ,  H01J2237/0453

Abstract: The disclosure relates to charged-particle multi-beam columns and multi-beam column arrays. In one arrangement, a sub-beam defining aperture array forms sub-beams from a beam of charged particles. A collimator array collimates the sub-beams An objective lens array projects the collimated sub-beams onto a sample. A detector detects charged particles emitted from the sample. Each collimator is directly adjacent to one of the objective lenses. The detector is provided in a plane down-beam from the sub-beam defining aperture array.

公开(公告)号：US20230230795A1

公开(公告)日：2023-07-20

申请号：US18123216

申请日：2023-03-17

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/04756

Abstract: A multi-beam electron-optical system for a charged-particle assessment tool, the system comprising: a plurality of control lenses, a plurality of objective lenses and a controller. The plurality of control lenses are configured to control a parameter of a respective sub-beam. The plurality of objective lenses are configured to project one of the plurality of charged-particle beams onto a sample. The controller controls the control lenses and the objective lenses so that the charged particles are incident on the sample with a desired landing energy, demagnification and/or beam opening angle.