公开(公告)号：US10707137B2

公开(公告)日：2020-07-07

申请号：US16405506

申请日：2019-05-07

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Konstantin Balashov ,  Thomas G. Miller

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  G01N9/24 ,  G01N1/28 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01N23/20025 ,  G01N23/2204 ,  G01N1/32

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for the automated transfer and storage of transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning/transmission electron microscope (STEM) lamella samples throughout a semiconductor manufacturing facility using existing automation infrastructure such as a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP). Also provided are wafer facsimiles corresponding to outer dimensions of semiconductor, data storage or solar cell wafers, wherein the facsimiles adapted to store, carry and/or provide a testing platform for testing of samples taken from semiconductor, data storage or solar cell wafers.

公开(公告)号：US20200095688A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-26

申请号：US16566647

申请日：2019-09-10

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Thomas G. Miller ,  Jason Arjavac ,  Michael Moriarty

IPC: C23F1/04 ,  H01J37/302 ,  G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/305

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for forming transmission electron microscopy sample lamellae using a focused ion beam including directing a high energy focused ion beam toward a bulk volume of material; milling away the unwanted volume of material to produce an unfinished sample lamella with one or more exposed faces having a damage layer; characterizing the removal rate of the focused ion beam; subsequent to characterizing the removal rate, directing a low energy focused ion beam toward the unfinished sample lamella for a predetermined milling time to deliver a specified dose of ions per area from the low energy focused ion beam; and milling the unfinished sample lamella with the low energy focused ion beam to remove at least a portion of the damage layer to produce the finished sample lamella including at least a portion of the feature of interest.

公开(公告)号：US09978586B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-22

申请号：US15087968

申请日：2016-03-31

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Brian Roberts Routh, Jr. ,  Thomas G. Miller ,  Chad Rue ,  Noel Thomas Franco

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C14/22 ,  G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/305 ,  C23C14/30

CPC classification number: H01L21/02266 ,  C23C14/221 ,  C23C14/30 ,  G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/3056 ,  H01J2237/3174 ,  H01J2237/31744 ,  H01J2237/31745 ,  H01J2237/31749 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/02214 ,  H01L21/02362

Abstract: A method and apparatus for material deposition onto a sample to form a protective layer composed of at least two materials that have been formulated and arranged according to the material properties of the sample.

公开(公告)号：US08884247B2

公开(公告)日：2014-11-11

申请号：US13626193

申请日：2012-09-25

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Thomas G. Miller ,  Jason Arjavac ,  Damon Heer ,  Michael Strauss ,  Gerardus Nicolaas Anne van Veen

IPC: G01N1/28 ,  H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/305 ,  H01J37/20 ,  G01N1/32

CPC classification number: G01N1/28 ,  G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/3023 ,  H01J37/3056 ,  H01J2237/31745

Abstract: A method and system for creating an asymmetrical lamella for use in an ex situ TEM, SEM, or STEM procedure is disclosed. The shape of the lamella provides for easy orientation such that a region of interest in the lamella can be placed over a hole in a carbon film providing minimal optical and spectral interference from the carbon film during TEM, SEM, or STEM procedure of chemical analysis.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种用于创建用于非原位TEM，SEM或STEM程序的不对称薄片的方法和系统。 薄片的形状提供容易的取向，使得薄片中的感兴趣区域可以放置在碳膜上的孔上，从而在化学分析的TEM，SEM或STEM过程期间从碳膜提供最小的光学和光谱干扰。

公开(公告)号：US11798804B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US17116504

申请日：2020-12-09

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Brian Roberts Routh ,  Thomas G. Miller ,  Chad Rue ,  Noel Thomas Franco

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/02 ,  G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/305 ,  C23C14/22 ,  C23C14/30

CPC classification number: H01L21/02266 ,  C23C14/221 ,  G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/3056 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/02362 ,  C23C14/30 ,  H01J2237/3174 ,  H01J2237/31744 ,  H01J2237/31745 ,  H01J2237/31749 ,  H01L21/02214

Abstract: A method and apparatus for material deposition onto a sample to form a protective layer composed of at least two materials that have been formulated and arranged according to the material properties of the sample.

公开(公告)号：US10825651B2

公开(公告)日：2020-11-03

申请号：US16410774

申请日：2019-05-13

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Valerie Brogden ,  Jeffrey Blackwood ,  Michael Schmidt ,  Dhruti Trivedi ,  Richard J. Young ,  Thomas G. Miller ,  Brian Roberts Routh, Jr. ,  Stacey Stone ,  Todd Templeton

IPC: H01J37/302 ,  H01J37/31 ,  H01J37/304 ,  G01N1/28 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/285

Abstract: Techniques are described that facilitate automated extraction of lamellae and attaching the lamellae to sample grids for viewing on transmission electron microscopes. Some embodiments of the invention involve the use of machine vision to determine the positions of the lamella, the probe, and/or the TEM grid to guide the attachment of the probe to the lamella and the attachment of the lamella to the TEM grid. Techniques that facilitate the use of machine vision include shaping a probe tip so that its position can be readily recognized by image recognition software. Image subtraction techniques can be used to determine the position of the lamellae attached to the probe for moving the lamella to the TEM grid for attachment. In some embodiments, reference structures are milled on the probe or on the lamella to facilitate image recognition.

公开(公告)号：US20190272975A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-05

申请号：US16410774

申请日：2019-05-13

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Valerie Brogden ,  Jeffrey Blackwood ,  Michael Schmidt ,  Dhruti Trivedi ,  Richard J. Young ,  Thomas G. Miller ,  Brian Roberts Routh, JR. ,  Stacey Stone ,  Todd Templeton

IPC: H01J37/302 ,  H01J37/285 ,  H01J37/31 ,  G01N1/28 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/304

Abstract: Techniques are described that facilitate automated extraction of lamellae and attaching the lamellae to sample grids for viewing on transmission electron microscopes. Some embodiments of the invention involve the use of machine vision to determine the positions of the lamella, the probe, and/or the TEM grid to guide the attachment of the probe to the lamella and the attachment of the lamella to the TEM grid. Techniques that facilitate the use of machine vision include shaping a probe tip so that its position can be readily recognized by image recognition software. Image subtraction techniques can be used to determine the position of the lamellae attached to the probe for moving the lamella to the TEM grid for attachment. In some embodiments, reference structures are milled on the probe or on the lamella to facilitate image recognition.

公开(公告)号：US10373881B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-06

申请号：US15851357

申请日：2017-12-21

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Thomas G. Miller

IPC: G01R31/28 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01R31/307

Abstract: A system for analyzing defects comprises determining coordinates of a defect using a wafer inspection tool; identifying a structure of interest near the defect coordinates; directing a focused ion beam toward the wafer to expose the structure of interest; and forming an image of the exposed structure of interest, wherein the focused ion beam is directed to the mill at a location corresponding to the identified structure of interest rather than at the coordinates of the defect.

公开(公告)号：US10340119B2

公开(公告)日：2019-07-02

申请号：US15464307

申请日：2017-03-20

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Valerie Brogden ,  Jeffrey Blackwood ,  Michael Schmidt ,  Dhruti Trivedi ,  Richard J. Young ,  Thomas G. Miller ,  Brian Roberts Routh, Jr. ,  Stacey Stone ,  Todd Templeton

IPC: H01J37/302 ,  H01J37/31 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/304 ,  H01J37/285 ,  G01N1/28

Abstract: Techniques are described that facilitate automated extraction of lamellae and attaching the lamellae to sample grids for viewing on transmission electron microscopes. Some embodiments of the invention involve the use of machine vision to determine the positions of the lamella, the probe, and/or the TEM grid to guide the attachment of the probe to the lamella and the attachment of the lamella to the TEM grid. Techniques that facilitate the use of machine vision include shaping a probe tip so that its position can be readily recognized by image recognition software. Image subtraction techniques can be used to determine the position of the lamellae attached to the probe for moving the lamella to the TEM grid for attachment. In some embodiments, reference structures are milled on the probe or on the lamella to facilitate image recognition.

公开(公告)号：US20160141147A1

公开(公告)日：2016-05-19

申请号：US14934837

申请日：2015-11-06

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Valerie Brogden ,  Jeffrey Blackwood ,  Michael Schmidt ,  Dhruti Trivedi ,  Richard J. Young ,  Thomas G. Miller ,  Brian Roberts Routh, JR. ,  Stacey Stone ,  Todd Templeton

IPC: H01J37/302 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/31 ,  H01J37/285

CPC classification number: H01J37/3023 ,  G01N1/286 ,  G01N2001/2873 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/285 ,  H01J37/3045 ,  H01J37/31 ,  H01J2237/208 ,  H01J2237/31745

Abstract: Techniques are described that facilitate automated extraction of lamellae and attaching the lamellae to sample grids for viewing on transmission electron microscopes. Some embodiments of the invention involve the use of machine vision to determine the positions of the lamella, the probe, and/or the TEM grid to guide the attachment of the probe to the lamella and the attachment of the lamella to the TEM grid. Techniques that facilitate the use of machine vision include shaping a probe tip so that its position can be readily recognized by image recognition software. Image subtraction techniques can be used to determine the position of the lamellae attached to the probe for moving the lamella to the TEM grid for attachment. In some embodiments, reference structures are milled on the probe or on the lamella to facilitate image recognition.

Abstract translation: 描述了促进薄片的自动提取并将薄片附着到样品网格以便在透射电子显微镜上观察的技术。 本发明的一些实施例涉及使用机器视觉来确定薄片，探针和/或TEM网格的位置，以将探针附着到薄片并将薄片附接到TEM网格。 便于使用机器视觉的技术包括成形探针尖端，使得其位置可以被图像识别软件容易地识别。 图像减法技术可用于确定附着到探针上的薄片的位置，以将薄片移动到TEM网格以进行附着。 在一些实施例中，参考结构在探针上或在薄片上研磨以便于图像识别。