公开(公告)号：US20230298851A1

公开(公告)日：2023-09-21

申请号：US18018578

申请日：2021-07-26

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Chih-Yu JEN ,  Chien-Hung CHEN ,  Long MA ,  Bruno LA FONTAINE ,  Datong ZHANG

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24475 ,  H01J2237/2815 ,  H01J2237/24495 ,  H01J2237/2611

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus for inspecting a sample is provided. The apparatus includes a pixelized electron detector to receive signal electrons generated in response to an incidence of an emitted charged particle beam onto the sample. The pixelized electron detector includes multiple pixels arranged in a grid pattern. The multiple pixels may be configured to generate multiple detection signals, wherein each detection signal corresponds to the signal electrons received by a corresponding pixel of the pixelized electron detector. The apparatus further includes a controller includes circuitry configured to determine a topographical characteristic of a structure within the sample based on the detection signals generated by the multiple pixels, and identifying a defect within the sample based on the topographical characteristic of the structure of the sample.

公开(公告)号：US20230335374A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-19

申请号：US18019088

申请日：2021-07-27

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Benoit Herve GAURY ,  Jun JIANG ,  Bruno LA FONTAINE ,  Shakeeb Bin HASAN ,  Kenichi KANAI ,  Jasper Frans Mathijs VAN RENS ,  Cyrus Emil TABERY ,  Long MA ,  Oliver Desmond PATTERSON ,  Jian ZHANG ,  Chih-Yu JEN ,  Yixiang WANG

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/22

CPC classification number: H01J37/265 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/228 ,  H01J2237/2482

Abstract: Systems and methods of observing a sample using a charged-particle beam apparatus in voltage contrast mode are disclosed. The charged-particle beam apparatus comprises a charged-particle source, an optical source, a charged-particle detector configured to detect charged particles, and a controller having circuitry configured to apply a first signal to cause the optical source to generate the optical pulse, apply a second signal to the charged-particle detector to detect the second plurality of charged particles, and adjust a time delay between the first and the second signals. In some embodiments, the controller having circuitry may be further configured to acquire a plurality of images of a structure, to determine an electrical characteristic of the structure based on the rate of gray level variation of the plurality of images of the structure, and to simulate, using a model, a physical characteristic of the structure based on the determined electrical characteristic.

公开(公告)号：US20210134556A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-06

申请号：US17251770

申请日：2019-05-23

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Long MA

IPC: H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: A wafer inspection system is disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the system includes an electron detector that includes circuitry to detect secondary electrons or backscattered electrons (SE/B SE) emitted from a wafer. The electron beam system also includes a current detector that includes circuitry to detect an electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) from the wafer. The electron beam system further includes a controller having one or more processors and a memory, the controller including circuitry to: acquire data regarding the SE/BSE; acquire data regarding the EBIC; and determine structural information of the wafer based on an evaluation of the SE/BSE data and the EBIC data.

公开(公告)号：US20230116381A1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-13

申请号：US17911121

申请日：2021-03-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Long MA ,  Zhonghua DONG ,  Te-Yu CHEN

IPC: H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for generating a beam for inspecting a wafer positioned on a stage in a charged particle beam system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a controller may include circuitry configured to classify a plurality of regions along a stripe of the wafer by type of region, the stripe being larger than a field of view of the beam, wherein the classification of the plurality of regions includes a first type of region and a second type of region; and scan the wafer by controlling a speed of the stage based on the type of region, wherein the first type of region is scanned at a first speed and the second type of region is scanned at a second speed.

公开(公告)号：US20230274906A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-31

申请号：US17901767

申请日：2022-09-01

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Martinus Gerardus, Maria, Johannes MAASSEN ,  Joost Jeroen OTTENS ,  Long MA ,  Youfei JIANG ,  Weihua YIN ,  Wei-Te LI ,  Xuedong LIU

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/265 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/222 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/1505 ,  H01J2237/24592 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: An improved system and method for inspection of a sample using a particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, to systems and methods of scanning a sample with a plurality of charged particle beams. An improved method of scanning an area of a sample using N charged particle beams, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to two, and wherein the area of the sample comprises a plurality of scan sections of N consecutive scan lines, includes moving the sample in a first direction. The method also includes scanning, with a first charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, first scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the first charged particle beam. The method further includes scanning, with a second charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, second scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the second charged particle beam.

公开(公告)号：US20210217582A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-15

申请号：US17251724

申请日：2019-06-07

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Martinus Gerardus, Maria, Johannes MAASSEN ,  Joost Jeroen OTTENS ,  Long MA ,  Youfei JIANG ,  Weihua YIN ,  Wei-Te LI ,  Xuedong LIU

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: An improved system and method for inspection of a sample using a particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, to systems and methods of scanning a sample with a plurality of charged particle beams. An improved method of scanning an area of a sample using N charged particle beams, wherein Nis an integer greater than or equal to two, and wherein the area of the sample comprises a plurality of scan sections of N consecutive scan lines, includes moving the sample in a first direction. The method also includes scanning, with a first charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, first scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the first charged particle beam. The method further includes scanning, with a second charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, second scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the second charged particle beam.

公开(公告)号：US20200088659A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-19

申请号：US16574970

申请日：2019-09-18

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Long MA ,  Chih-Yu JEN ,  Zhonghua DONG ,  Peilei ZHANG ,  Wei FANG ,  Chuan LI

IPC: G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam apparatus for inspecting a wafer including an improved scanning mechanism for detecting fast-charging defects is disclosed. An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus may include a charged particle beam source that delivers charged particles to an area of the wafer and scans the area. The improved charged particle beam apparatus may further include a controller including a circuitry to produce multiple images of the area over a time sequence, which are compared to detect fast-charging defects.