公开(公告)号：US11705304B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-18

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 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/0492 ,  H01J2237/04924 ,  H01J2237/04926 ,  H01J2237/04928 ,  H01J2237/1205 ,  H01J2237/1501 ,  H01J2237/1502 ,  H01J2237/2446 ,  H01J2237/2448 ,  H01J2237/2806 ,  H01J2237/2817

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：US11587758B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-21

申请号：US17135969

申请日：2020-12-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/10

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.

公开(公告)号：US11043354B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-22

申请号：US16799773

申请日：2020-02-24

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuedong Liu ,  Weiming Ren ,  Shuai Li ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/153

Abstract: One modified source-conversion unit and one method to reduce the Coulomb Effect in a multi-beam apparatus are proposed. In the modified source-conversion unit, the aberration-compensation function is carried out after the image-forming function has changed each beamlet to be on-axis locally, and therefore avoids undesired aberrations due to the beamlet tilting/shifting. A Coulomb-effect-reduction means with plural Coulomb-effect-reduction openings is placed close to the single electron source of the apparatus and therefore the electrons not in use can be cut off as early as possible.

公开(公告)号：US12087541B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-10

申请号：US17460381

申请日：2021-08-30

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Shuai Li ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/147

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/1472 ,  H01J37/1477 ,  H01J2237/04924 ,  H01J2237/083 ,  H01J2237/1205 ,  H01J2237/1516 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit changes a single electron source into a virtual multi-source array, a primary projection imaging system projects the array to form plural probe spots on the sample, and a condenser lens adjusts the currents of the plural probe spots. In the source-conversion unit, the image-forming means is on the upstream of the beamlet-limit means, and thereby generating less scattered electrons. The image-forming means not only forms the virtual multi-source array, but also compensates the off-axis aberrations of the plurality of probe spots.

公开(公告)号：US11887807B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-30

申请号：US18158444

申请日：2023-01-23

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming Ren ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xuerang Hu ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/1477 ,  H01J37/1478 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/024 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/0492 ,  H01J2237/103 ,  H01J2237/1205 ,  H01J2237/1516 ,  H01J2237/1534 ,  H01J2237/1536

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.

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：US11443915B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-13

申请号：US16649975

申请日：2018-09-21

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Joe Wang ,  Chia Wen Lin ,  Zhongwei Chen ,  Chang-Chun Yeh

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

Abstract: Disclosed herein an apparatus and a method for detecting buried features using backscattered particles. In an example, the apparatus comprises a source of charged particles; a stage; optics configured to direct a beam of the charged particles to a sample supported on the stage; a signal detector configured to detect backscattered particles of the charged particles in the beam from the sample; wherein the signal detector has angular resolution. In an example, the methods comprises obtaining an image of backscattered particles from a region of a sample; determining existence or location of a buried feature based on the image.

公开(公告)号：US10586681B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-10

申请号：US14830062

申请日：2015-08-19

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Zhongwei Chen ,  Jack Jau ,  Weiming Ren

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/285 ,  H01J37/29

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatuses to inspect small particles on the surface of a sample such as wafer and mask. The apparatuses provide both high detection efficiency and high throughput by forming Dark-field BSE images. The apparatuses can additionally inspect physical and electrical defects on the sample surface by form SE images and Bright-field BSE images simultaneously. The apparatuses can be designed to do single-beam or even multiple single-beam inspection for achieving a high throughput.

公开(公告)号：US20240145209A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-02

申请号：US18498984

申请日：2023-10-31

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Shuai LI ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/147

CPC classification number: H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/1472 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/1477

Abstract: The device includes a beam source for generating an electron beam, a beam guiding tube passed through an objective lens, an objective lens for generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of the specimen to focus the particles of the particle beam on the specimen, a control electrode having a potential for providing a retarding field to the particle beam near the specimen to reduce the energy of the particle beam when the beam collides with the specimen, a deflection system including a plurality of deflection units situated along the optical axis for deflecting the particle beam to allow scanning on the specimen with large area, at least one of the deflection units located in the retarding field of the beam, the remainder of the deflection units located within the central bore of the objective lens, and a detection unit to capture secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electrons (BSE).

公开(公告)号：US11798777B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US16824499

申请日：2020-03-19

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Martinus Gerardus Maria Johannes Maassen ,  Peter Paul Hempenius ,  Weiming Ren ,  Zhongwei Chen

IPC: H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes a beamlet forming unit configured to form and scan an array of beamlets on a sample. A first portion of the array of beamlets is focused onto a focus plane, and a second portion of the array of beamlets has at least one beamlet with a defocusing level with respect to the focus plane. The charged particle beam apparatus also includes a detector configured to detect an image of the sample formed by the array of beamlets, and a processor configured to estimate a level of separation between the focus plane and the sample based on the detected image and then reduce the level of separation based on the estimated level.