公开(公告)号：US12080513B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US17633176

申请日：2020-08-08

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Wei Fang ,  Lingling Pu ,  Bo Wang ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Yongxin Wang

IPC: H01J37/22 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T5/77 ,  G06T5/80 ,  H01J37/24 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/222 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T5/77 ,  G06T5/80 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  G01N2223/07 ,  G01N2223/401 ,  G01N2223/418 ,  G01N2223/507 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/20081 ,  H01J2237/2448 ,  H01J2237/2806 ,  H01J2237/2809 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for enhancing an image, and more particularly an apparatus and method for enhancing an image through cross-talk cancellation in a multiple charged-particle beam inspection are disclosed. An improved method for enhancing an image includes acquiring a first image signal of a plurality of image signals from a detector of a multi-beam inspection system. The first image signal corresponds to a detected signal from a first region of the detector on which electrons of a first secondary electron beam and of a second secondary electron beam are incident. The method includes reducing, from the first image signal, cross-talk contamination originating from the second secondary electron beam using a relationship between the first image signal and beam intensities associated with the first secondary electron beam and the second secondary electron beam. The method further includes generating a first image corresponding to first secondary electron beam after reduction.

公开(公告)号：US11942304B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-26

申请号：US17856848

申请日：2022-07-01

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Rui-Ling Lai

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01L27/146

CPC classification number: H01J37/244 ,  H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14609 ,  H01J2237/2446

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element, and a switching region therebetween configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.

公开(公告)号：US11715619B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-01

申请号：US17713189

申请日：2022-04-04

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Weiming Ren ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  G01N23/2251

CPC classification number: H01J37/244 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24465 ,  H01J2237/24495 ,  H01J2237/24507 ,  H01J2237/24578 ,  H01J2237/24592 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charged particle detection. The detection system can comprise a signal processing circuit configured to generate a set of intensity gradients based on electron intensity data received from a plurality of electron sensing elements. The detection system can further comprise a beam spot processing module configured to determine, based on the set of intensity gradients, at least one boundary of a beam spot; and determine, based on the at least one boundary, that a first set of electron sensing elements of the plurality of electron sensing elements is within the beam spot. The beam spot processing module can further be configured to determine an intensity value of the beam spot based on the electron intensity data received from the first set of electron sensing elements and also generate an image of a wafer based on the intensity value.

公开(公告)号：US11594395B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-28

申请号：US17049329

申请日：2019-03-21

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Zhonghua Dong

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: Detectors and detection systems are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a detector comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of sensing elements including a first sensing element and a second sensing element, wherein at least the first sensing element is formed in a triangular shape. The detector may include a switching region configured to connect the first sensing 5 element and the second sensing element. There may also be provided a plurality of sections including a first section connecting a first plurality of sensing elements to a first output and a second section connecting a second plurality of sensing elements to a second output. The section may be provided in a hexagonal shape.

公开(公告)号：US11508547B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-22

申请号：US16435145

申请日：2019-06-07

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Rui-Ling Lai ,  Kenichi Kanai

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  G01T1/24 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/285 ,  H01L31/08

Abstract: A detector may be provided with an array of sensing elements. The detector may include a semiconductor substrate including the array, and a circuit configured to count a number of charged particles incident on the detector. The circuit of the detector may be configured to process outputs from the plurality of sensing elements and increment a counter in response to a charged particle arrival event on a sensing element of the array. Various counting modes may be used. Counting may be based on energy ranges. Numbers of charged particles may be counted at a certain energy range and an overflow flag may be set when overflow is encountered in a sensing element. The circuit may be configured to determine a time stamp of respective charged particle arrival events occurring at each sensing element. Size of the sensing element may be determined based on criteria for enabling charged particle counting.

公开(公告)号：US11295930B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-05

申请号：US16484106

申请日：2018-02-01

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Weiming Ren ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  G01N23/2251

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charged particle detection. The detection system can comprise a signal processing circuit configured to generate a set of intensity gradients based on electron intensity data received from a plurality of electron sensing elements. The detection system can further comprise a beam spot processing module configured to determine, based on the set of intensity gradients, at least one boundary of a beam spot; and determine, based on the at least one boundary, that a first set of electron sensing elements of the plurality of electron sensing elements is within the beam spot. The beam spot processing module can further be configured to determine an intensity value of the beam spot based on the electron intensity data received from the first set of electron sensing elements and also generate an image of a wafer based on the intensity value.

公开(公告)号：US11862427B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-02

申请号：US17944121

申请日：2022-09-13

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Rui-Ling Lai

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01L27/146

CPC classification number: H01J37/244 ,  H01L27/14609

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element. The detector comprises a switching element configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.

公开(公告)号：US11430629B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-30

申请号：US16648288

申请日：2018-09-14

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Rui-Ling Lai

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element. The detector comprises a switching element configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.

公开(公告)号：US12205792B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-21

申请号：US17970469

申请日：2022-10-20

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Rui-Ling Lai ,  Kenichi Kanai

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  G01T1/24 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/285 ,  H01L31/08

Abstract: A detector may be provided with an array of sensing elements. The detector may include a semiconductor substrate including the array, and a circuit configured to count a number of charged particles incident on the detector. The circuit of the detector may be configured to process outputs from the plurality of sensing elements and increment a counter in response to a charged particle arrival event on a sensing element of the array. Various counting modes may be used. Counting may be based on energy ranges. Numbers of charged particles may be counted at a certain energy range and an overflow flag may be set when overflow is encountered in a sensing element. The circuit may be configured to determine a time stamp of respective charged particle arrival events occurring at each sensing element. Size of the sensing element may be determined based on criteria for enabling charged particle counting.

公开(公告)号：US11815473B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-14

申请号：US16812109

申请日：2020-03-06

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Kuo-Feng Tseng ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Yixiang Wang ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: G01N23/203 ,  G01N23/2252 ,  G01N23/2254 ,  G01N23/2276

CPC classification number: G01N23/203 ,  G01N23/2252 ,  G01N23/2254 ,  G01N23/2276 ,  G01N2223/309 ,  G01N2223/33

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a source configured to emit charged particles, an optical system and a stage; wherein the stage is configured to support a sample thereon and configured to move the sample by a first distance in a first direction; wherein the optical system is configured to form probe spots on the sample with the charged particles; wherein the optical system is configured to move the probe spots by the first distance in the first direction and by a second distance in a second direction, simultaneously, while the stage moves the sample by the first distance in the first direction; wherein the optical system is configured to move the probe spots by the first distance less a width of one of the probe spots in an opposite direction of the first direction, after the stage moves the sample by the first distance in the first direction.