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：US20210233738A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-29

申请号：US17230650

申请日：2021-04-14

Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation

Inventor： Yuta Kawamoto ,  Akira IKEGAMI ,  Yasushi EBIZUKA ,  Nobuo FUJINAGA

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that can quickly find a correction condition for a new aberration that is generated in association with beam adjustment. In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure proposes a charged particle beam apparatus configured to include an objective lens (7) configured to focus a beam emitted from a charged particle source and irradiate a specimen, a visual field movement deflector (5 and 6) configured to deflect an arrival position of the beam with respect to the specimen, and an aberration correction unit (3 and 4) disposed between the visual field movement deflector and the charged particle source, in which the aberration correction unit is configured to suppress a change in the arrival position of the beam irradiated under different beam irradiation conditions.

公开(公告)号：US20210233737A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-29

申请号：US15734845

申请日：2018-06-04

Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

Inventor： Yu YAMAZAWA

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/153

Abstract: In an electron beam apparatus performing angular scanning that changes an incident angle of an electron beam incident at a predetermined incident position on a sample, when a correction coil is provided in a gap portion of a yoke (magnetic path) of an objective lens, spherical aberration can be corrected by following a deflection signal even if a deflection frequency increases. Therefore, a main control unit that controls an electron optical system sets predetermined phase change amounts a, b with respect to control of a scanning coil in control of the correction coil, and the predetermined phase change amounts a, b are made different depending on a plurality of scanning modes having different scanning speeds.

公开(公告)号：US11056311B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-06

申请号：US16552991

申请日：2019-08-27

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Chih-Yu Jen ,  Long Ma ,  Yongjun Wang ,  Jun Jiang

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/30 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/88 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/18

Abstract: An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus for detecting a thin device structure defect is disclosed. An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus may include a charged particle beam source to direct charged particles to a location of a wafer under inspection over a time sequence. The improved charged particle beam apparatus may further include a controller configured to sample multiple images of the area of the wafer at difference times over the time sequence. The multiple images may be compared to detect a voltage contrast difference or changes to identify a thin device structure defect.

公开(公告)号：US11004650B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-11

申请号：US16638855

申请日：2017-08-28

Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

Inventor： Tomonori Nakano

IPC: H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/26

Abstract: Stability of a power source required to operate an aberration corrector is lowered in a wire aberration corrector. Accordingly, a power source that is more inexpensive than a power source in the related art may be used and apparatus cost may be reduced. A multipole lens that is provided in an aberration corrector includes a plurality of pairs of current lines 101 to 112 that are each provided on the same plane in an axisymmetric manner around an optical-axis 100. The current lines each include a main line section 103 that is parallel to the optical-axis and a return line section 116 that faces the main line section. A current in the return line section flows in a direction opposite to a current in the main line section in components parallel to the optical-axis. A distance R2 between the optical-axis and the return line section is larger than a distance R1 between the optical-axis and the main line section. Noise caused by stability of a power source that supplies a current to the current lines in an excited multipole field is equal to or less than a predetermined level.

公开(公告)号：US10971326B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-06

申请号：US16572114

申请日：2019-09-16

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Ali Mohammadi-Gheidari ,  Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer ,  Erik Rene Kieft ,  Gerard Nicolaas Anne van Veen

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/20

Abstract: A multi-electron beam imaging apparatus is disclosed herein. An example apparatus at least includes an electron source for producing a precursor electron beam, an aperture plate comprising an array of apertures for producing an array of electron beams from said precursor electron beam, an electron beam column for directing said array of electron beams onto a specimen, where the electron beam column is configured to have a length less than 300 mm, and where the electron beam column comprises a single individual beam crossover plane in which each of said electron beams forms an intermediate image of said electron source, and a single common beam crossover plane in which the electron beams in the array cross each other.

公开(公告)号：US20210027984A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-28

申请号：US17069712

申请日：2020-10-13

Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Chung-Pin CHOU ,  Sheng-Wen HUANG ,  Jun-Xiu LIU

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/22 ,  G06N20/00 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/153

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to solutions of detecting and classifying wafer defects using machine learning techniques. The solutions take only one coarse resolution digital microscope image of a target wafer, and use machine learning techniques to process the coarse SEM image to review and classify a defect on the target wafer. Because only one coarse SEM image of the wafer is needed, the defect review and classification throughput and efficiency are improved. Further, the techniques are not distractive and may be integrated with other defect detecting and classification techniques.

公开(公告)号：US10861671B2

公开(公告)日：2020-12-08

申请号：US16253106

申请日：2019-01-21

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Doug K. Masnaghetti ,  Richard R. Simmons ,  Scott A. Young ,  Mark A. McCord ,  Rainer Knippelmeyer

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/28 ,  G02B21/20

Abstract: A scanning electron microscopy system is disclosed. The system includes a multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sub-system. The SEM sub-system includes a multi-beam electron source configured to form a plurality of electron beams, a sample stage configured to secure a sample, an electron-optical assembly to direct the electron beams onto a portion of the sample, and a detector assembly configured to simultaneously acquire multiple images of the surface of the sample. The system includes a controller configured to receive the images from the detector assembly, identify a best focus image of images by analyzing one or more image quality parameters of the images, and direct the multi-lens array to adjust a focus of one or more electron beams based on a focus of an electron beam corresponding with the identified best focus image.

公开(公告)号：US20200381206A1

公开(公告)日：2020-12-03

申请号：US16998781

申请日：2020-08-20

Applicant: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH

Inventor： Dirk Preikszas ,  Bernd Hafner

IPC: H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/153

Abstract: A beam deflector includes a magnetic-flux-guiding structure which has an opening through which a beam axis extends, and at least two coils arranged at the magnetic-flux-guiding structure so that they produce a magnetic field B1 having lines passing through the two coils in succession, leave the magnetic-flux-guiding structure at a first location on a first side in relation to the beam axis, cross the beam axis at a second location which is arranged at a distance along the beam axis from the magnetic-flux-guiding structure, re-enter into the magnetic flux-guiding structure at a third location on a second side lying opposite the first side, and extend around the opening from the third location to the first location within the magnetic-flux-guiding structure.

公开(公告)号：US20200303155A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-24

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 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/12

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.