公开(公告)号：US20220005665A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-06

申请号：US17373766

申请日：2021-07-12

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/145

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes an anti-rotation lens and using it as an anti-rotation condenser lens in a multi-beam apparatus with a pre-beamlet-forming mechanism. The anti-rotation condenser lens keeps rotation angles of beamlets unchanged when changing currents thereof, and thereby enabling the pre-beamlet-forming mechanism to cut off electrons not in use as much as possible. In this way, the multi-beam apparatus can observe a sample with high resolution and high throughput, and is competent as a yield management tool to inspect and/or review defects on wafers/masks in semiconductor manufacturing industry.

公开(公告)号：US20210391139A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-16

申请号：US17344446

申请日：2021-06-10

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Christiaan OTTEN ,  Peter-Paul CRANS ,  Marc SMITS ,  Laura DEL TIN ,  Christan TEUNISSEN ,  Yang-Shan HUANG ,  Stijn Wilem, Herman, Karel STEENBRINK ,  Xuerang HU ,  Qingpo XI ,  Xinan LUO ,  Xuedong LIU

IPC: H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/18 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/244

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a module for supporting a device configured to manipulate charged particle paths in a charged particle apparatus, the module comprising: a support arrangement configured to support the device, wherein the device is configured to manipulate a charged particle path within the charged particle apparatus; and a support positioning system configured to move the support arrangement within the module; wherein the module is arranged to be field replaceable in the charged particle apparatus.

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.

公开(公告)号：US20200266023A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-20

申请号：US16652025

申请日：2018-09-25

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuedong LIU ,  Qingpo XI ,  Youfei JIANG ,  Weiming REN ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhongwei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a source of charged particles configured to emit a beam of charged particles along a primary beam axis of the apparatus; a condenser lens configured to cause the beam to concentrate around the primary beam axis; an aperture; a first multi-pole lens; a second multi-pole lens; wherein the first multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the condenser lens and upstream with respect to the second multi-pole lens; wherein the second multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the first multi-pole lens and upstream with respect to the aperture.

公开(公告)号：US20230317402A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-05

申请号：US18118701

申请日：2023-03-07

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Derk Ferdinand WALVOORT ,  Dmitry MUDRETSOV ,  Xuerang HU ,  Qingpo XI ,  Jurgen VAN SOEST ,  Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND

IPC: H01J37/09

CPC classification number: H01J37/09 ,  H01J2237/0266 ,  H01J2237/024

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electron-optical assembly for an electron-optical column for projecting a charged particle beam along a beam path towards a target, the electron-optical assembly comprising: electromagnetic shielding surrounding the charged particle beam path and configured to shield the charged particle beam from an electromagnetic field external to the electromagnetic shielding; wherein the electromagnetic shielding comprises a plurality of sections extending along different positions along the beam path, each section surrounding the charged particle beam, wherein the sections are separable.

公开(公告)号：US20230020194A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-19

申请号：US17944157

申请日：2022-09-13

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuerang HU ,  Qingpo XI ,  Xuedong LIU

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

Abstract: Systems and methods of enhancing imaging resolution by reducing crosstalk between detection elements of a secondary charged-particle detector in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multi-beam apparatus may comprise an electro-optical system for projecting a plurality of secondary charged-particle beams from a sample onto a charged-particle detector. The electro-optical system may include a first pre-limit aperture plate comprising a first aperture configured to block peripheral charged-particles of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams, and a beam-limit aperture array comprising a second aperture configured to trim the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams. The charged-particle detector may include a plurality of detection elements, wherein a detection element of the plurality of detection elements is associated with a corresponding trimmed beam of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams.

公开(公告)号：US20220189726A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-16

申请号：US17598841

申请日：2020-03-06

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Qingpo XI ,  Xuerang HU ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Weiming REN ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/05

Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an adjustable beam separator is disclosed. The adjustable beam separator is configured to change a path of a secondary particle beam. The adjustable beam separator comprises a first Wien filter and a second Wien filter. Both Wien filters are aligned with a primary optical axis. The first Wien filter and the second Wien filter are independently controllable via a first excitation input and a second excitation input, respectively. The adjustable beam separator is configured move the effective bending point of the adjustable beam separator along the primary optical axis based on the first excitation input and the second excitation input.

公开(公告)号：US20210384008A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-09

申请号：US17373716

申请日：2021-07-12

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Shuai LI ,  Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Juying DOU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhongwei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/10

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput and in flexibly varying observing conditions is proposed. The apparatus uses a movable collimating lens to flexibly vary the currents of the plural probe spots without influencing the intervals thereof, a new source-conversion unit to form the plural images of the single electron source and compensate off-axis aberrations of the plural probe spots with respect to observing conditions, and a pre-beamlet-forming means to reduce the strong Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam.

公开(公告)号：US20210151280A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-20

申请号：US17135915

申请日：2020-12-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuerang HU ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Zhong-Wei CHEN ,  Weiming REN

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: An improved source conversion unit of a charged particle beam apparatus is disclosed. The source conversion unit comprises a first micro-structure array including a plurality of micro-structures. The plurality of micro-structures is grouped into one or more groups. Corresponding electrodes of micro-structures in one group are electrically connected and driven by a driver to influence a corresponding group of beamlets. The micro-structures in one group may be single-pole structures or multi-pole structures. The micro-structures in one group have same or substantially same radial shifts from an optical axis of the apparatus. The micro-structures in one group have same or substantially same orientation angles with respect to their radial shift directions.

公开(公告)号：US20200321191A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-08

申请号：US16834778

申请日：2020-03-30

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus supporting a plurality of operation modes is disclosed. The charged particle beam apparatus for inspecting a sample supporting a plurality of operation modes comprises a charged particle beam source configured to emit a charged particle beam along a primary optical axis, a movable aperture plate, movable between a first position and a second position, and a controller having circuitry and configured to change the configuration of the apparatus to switch between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the movable aperture plate is positioned in the first position and is configured to allow a first charged particle beamlet derived from the charged particle beam to pass through. In the second mode, the movable aperture plate is positioned in the second position and is configured to allow the first charged particle beamlet and a second charged particle beamlet to pass through.