公开(公告)号：US20250027990A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-23

申请号：US18713108

申请日：2022-10-26

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Datong ZHANG ,  Xiaoyu JI ,  Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Chia Wen LIN

IPC: G01R31/307 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Systems and methods of inspecting a sample using a charged-particle beam apparatus with enhanced probe current and high current density of the primary charged-particle beam are disclosed. The apparatus includes a charged-particle source, a first condenser lens configured to condense the primary charged-particle beam and operable in a first mode and a second mode, wherein: in the first mode, the first condenser lens is configured to condense the primary charged-particle beam, and in the second mode, the first condenser lens is configured to condense the primary charged-particle beam sufficiently to form a crossover along the primary optical axis. The apparatus further includes a second condenser lens configured to adjust a first beam current of the primary charged-particle beam in the first mode and adjust a second beam current of the primary charged-particle beam in the second mode, the second beam current being larger than the first beam current.

公开(公告)号：US20250037967A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-30

申请号：US18911806

申请日：2024-10-10

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuedong LIU ,  Weimin ZHOU ,  Xiaoxue CHEN ,  Xiaoyu JI ,  Heng LI ,  Shahedul HOQUE ,  Zongyao LI ,  Shuhao LIU ,  Weiming REN

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/244

Abstract: Systems and methods of imaging a sample using a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The charged-particle beam apparatus may include a compound objective lens comprising a magnetic lens and an electrostatic lens, the magnetic lens comprising a cavity, and an electron detector located immediately upstream from a polepiece of the magnetic lens and inside the cavity of the magnetic lens. In some embodiments, deflectors may be located between the electron detector and the opening of the polepiece adjacent to the sample to achieve a large field of view. Electron distributions among the detectors can be manipulated without changing the landing energy by changing the potential of the control electrode(s) in the electrostatic objective lens. The electron source can be operated with several discrete potentials to cover different landing energies, while the potential difference between electron source and the extractor is fixed.

公开(公告)号：US20220375712A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-24

申请号：US17769690

申请日：2020-09-30

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN ,  Xiaoyu JI ,  Xiaoxue CHEN ,  Weimin ZHOU ,  Frank Nan ZHANG

IPC: H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/244

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.

公开(公告)号：US20210319977A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-14

申请号：US17226017

申请日：2021-04-08

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuedong LIU ,  Weimin ZHOU ,  Xiaoxue CHEN ,  Xiaoyu JI ,  Heng LI ,  Shahedul HOQUE ,  Zongyao LI ,  Shuhao LIU ,  Weiming REN

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: Systems and methods of imaging a sample using a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The charged-particle beam apparatus may include a compound objective lens comprising a magnetic lens and an electrostatic lens, the magnetic lens comprising a cavity, and an electron detector located immediately upstream from a polepiece of the magnetic lens and inside the cavity of the magnetic lens. In some embodiments, deflectors may be located between the electron detector and the opening of the polepiece adjacent to the sample to achieve a large field of view. Electron distributions among the detectors can be manipulated without changing the landing energy by changing the potential of the control electrode(s) in the electrostatic objective lens. The electron source can be operated with several discrete potentials to cover different landing energies, while the potential difference between electron source and the extractor is fixed.

公开(公告)号：US20210116398A1

公开(公告)日：2021-04-22

申请号：US17073271

申请日：2020-10-16

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN ,  Xiaoyu JI ,  Xiaoxue CHEN ,  Weimin ZHOU ,  Frank Nan ZHANG

IPC: G01N23/2202 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  G01N1/44

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.

公开(公告)号：US20230178328A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-08

申请号：US17913141

申请日：2021-03-18

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin WANG ,  Zhonghua DONG ,  Xiaoyu JI ,  Shahedul HOQUE ,  Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Guofan YE ,  Kuo-Chin CHIEN

IPC: H01J37/147

CPC classification number: H01J37/1474 ,  H01J2237/1504

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first charged particle beam manipulator positioned in a first layer configured to influence a charged particle beam and a second charged particle beam manipulator positioned in a second layer configured to influence the charged particle beam. The first and second charged particle beam manipulators may each include a plurality of electrodes having a first set of opposing electrodes and a second set of opposing electrodes. A first driver system electrically connected to the first set may be configured to provide a plurality of discrete output states to the first set. A second driver system electrically connected to the second set may be configured to provide a plurality of discrete output states to the second set. The first and second charged-particle beam manipulators may each comprise a plurality of segments; and a controller having circuitry configured to individually control operation of each of the plurality of segments.

公开(公告)号：US20240420916A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-19

申请号：US18706592

申请日：2022-10-05

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xiaoyu JI ,  Zizhou GONG ,  Weiming REN

IPC: H01J37/20

Abstract: An improved method of wafer inspection is disclosed. The improved method includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions that are executable by at least one processor of a device to cause the device to perform a method comprising: placing the wafer at a location on a stage; moving one or more movable segments of a conductive ring inward in a radial direction to enable the conductive ring to be within a predetermined distance from an edge of the wafer; and adjusting a voltage applied to the conductive ring or to a voltage applied to the wafer so that to enable the voltage applied to the conductive ring to be substantially equal to the voltage applied to the wafer to provide a substantially consistent electric field across an inner portion of the conductive ring and an outer portion of the wafer.

公开(公告)号：US20240021404A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-18

申请号：US18256865

申请日：2021-11-17

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Shahedul HOQUE ,  Xiaoyu JI ,  Hermanus Adrianus DILLEN

IPC: H01J37/147

CPC classification number: H01J37/1478 ,  H01J37/1477 ,  H01J2237/1507 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Systems and methods of imaging a sample using a tilted charged-particle beam. The apparatus may comprise a first deflector located between the charged-particle source and an objective lens and configured to deflect the charged-particle beam away from the primary optical axis; a second deflector located substantially at a focal plane of the objective lens and configured to deflect the charged-particle beam back towards the primary optical axis; and a third deflector located substantially at a principal plane of the objective lens, wherein the third deflector is configured to shift a wobbling center of the objective lens to an off-axis wobbling location, and wherein the first and the second deflectors are configured to deflect the charged-particle beam to pass through the off-axis wobbling location to land on a surface of a sample at a first landing location and having a beam-tilt angle.