公开(公告)号：US12196692B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-14

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: G01N23/2202 ,  G01N1/44 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

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：US10892138B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-12

申请号：US16295971

申请日：2019-03-07

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/30 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a crossover-forming deflector array of an electro-optical system for directing a plurality of electron beams onto an electron detection device. The crossover-forming deflector array includes a plurality of crossover-forming deflectors positioned at or at least near an image plane of a set of one or more electro-optical lenses of the electro-optical system, wherein each crossover-forming deflector is aligned with a corresponding electron beam of the plurality of electron beams.

公开(公告)号：US12237144B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-25

申请号：US18477213

申请日：2023-09-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuerang Hu ,  Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/26

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a first electrically conductive layer, a second electrically conductive layer; a plurality of optics element s between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer, wherein the plurality of optics elements are configured to influence a plurality of beams of charged particles; a third electrically conductive layer between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer; and an electrically insulating layer physically connected to the optics elements, wherein the eclectically insulating layer is configured to electrically insulate the optics elements from the first electrically conductive layer, and the second electrically conductive layer.

公开(公告)号：USRE49784E1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-02

申请号：US17005212

申请日：2020-08-27

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/22 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/05 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: H01J37/06 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/05 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/226 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  G01N2223/418 ,  G01N2223/6116 ,  H01J2237/057 ,  H01J2237/2448 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: A new multi-beam apparatus with a total FOV variable in size, orientation and incident angle, is proposed. The new apparatus provides more flexibility to speed the sample observation and enable more samples observable. More specifically, as a yield management tool to inspect and/or review defects on wafers/masks in semiconductor manufacturing industry, the new apparatus provide more possibilities to achieve a high throughput and detect more kinds of defects.

公开(公告)号：US11282675B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-22

申请号：US17146409

申请日：2021-01-11

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/31 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/30 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/147 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y40/00

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a crossover-forming deflector array of an electro-optical system for directing a plurality of electron beams onto an electron detection device. The crossover-forming deflector array includes a plurality of crossover-forming deflectors positioned at or at least near an image plane of a set of one or more electro-optical lenses of the electro-optical system, wherein each crossover-forming deflector is aligned with a corresponding electron beam of the plurality of electron beams.

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.

公开(公告)号：US11721521B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-08

申请号：US17697842

申请日：2022-03-17

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/31 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/30 ,  H01J37/28 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/147

CPC classification number: H01J37/3177 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  H01J37/1471 ,  H01J37/1472 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/3007 ,  H01J2237/151 ,  H01J2237/1501 ,  H01J2237/1508 ,  H01J2237/2446 ,  H01J2237/2448 ,  H01J2237/24475 ,  H01J2237/2804 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a crossover-forming deflector array of an electro-optical system for directing a plurality of electron beams onto an electron detection device. The crossover-forming deflector array includes a plurality of crossover-forming deflectors positioned at or at least near an image plane of a set of one or more electro-optical lenses of the electro-optical system, wherein each crossover-forming deflector is aligned with a corresponding electron beam of the plurality of electron beams.

公开(公告)号：US11289304B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-29

申请号：US16608741

申请日：2018-04-04

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuerang Hu ,  Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/26

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a first electrically conductive layer; a second electrically conductive layer; a plurality of optics element s between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer, wherein the plurality of optics elements are configured to influence a plurality of beams of charged particles; a third electrically conductive layer between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer; and an electrically insulating layer physically connected to the optics elements, wherein the electrically insulating layer is configured to electrically insulate the optics elements from the first electrically conductive layer, and the second electrically conductive layer.

公开(公告)号：US12211669B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-28

申请号：US17127956

申请日：2020-12-18

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Zizhou Gong ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Zhong-wei Chen

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Systems and methods of forming images of a sample using a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may include generating a plurality of secondary electron beams from a plurality of probe spots on the sample upon interaction with a plurality of primary electron beams. The method may further include adjusting an orientation of the plurality of primary electron beams interacting with the sample, directing the plurality of secondary electron beams away from the plurality of primary electron beams, compensating astigmatism aberrations of the plurality of directed secondary electron beams, focusing the plurality of directed secondary electron beams onto a focus plane, detecting the plurality of focused secondary electron beams by a charged-particle detector, and positioning a detection plane of the charged-particle detector at or close to the focus plane.

公开(公告)号：US11854765B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-26

申请号：US16885872

申请日：2020-05-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhong-wei Chen ,  Martinus Gerardus Johannes Maria Maassen

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/3177 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/0453

Abstract: Systems and methods of mitigating Coulomb effect in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multi-beam apparatus may include a charged-particle source configured to generate a primary charged-particle beam along a primary optical axis, a first aperture array comprising a first plurality of apertures having shapes and configured to generate a plurality of primary beamlets derived from the primary charged-particle beam, a condenser lens comprising a plane adjustable along the primary optical axis, and a second aperture array comprising a second plurality of apertures configured to generate probing beamlets corresponding to the plurality of beamlets, wherein each of the plurality of probing beamlets comprises a portion of charged particles of a corresponding primary beamlet based on at least a position of the plane of the condenser lens and a characteristic of the second aperture array.