公开(公告)号：US09869696B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-16

申请号：US15015067

申请日：2016-02-03

申请人： DCG Systems, Inc.

发明人： Andrew Norman Erickson ,  Stephen Bradley Ippolito ,  Sean Zumwalt

IPC分类号： G01Q60/30

CPC分类号： G01Q60/30

摘要： Using a local-potential-driving probe drives a conductor to a known potential while adjacent lines are grounded through the sample body reduces electrostatic scanning microscope signal from adjacent lines, allows imaging of metal lines deeper in the sample. Providing different potentials locally on different conductive lines using multiple local-potential-driving probes allows different conductors to be highlighted in the same image, for example, by changing the phase of the signal being applied to the different local-potential-driving probes.

公开(公告)号：US09837246B1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-05

申请号：US15217968

申请日：2016-07-22

申请人： FEI Company

发明人： Remco Theodorus Johannes Petrus Geurts ,  Tomas Vystavel

IPC分类号： G03F1/26 ,  G03F1/62 ,  C09K13/00 ,  H01J37/302 ,  H01J37/31

CPC分类号： H01J37/3023 ,  H01J37/31 ,  H01J2237/3174

摘要： A lamella for observation on a transmission electron microscope and other analytical instruments includes multiple thin regions separated by thicker regions or ribs. In some embodiments, the lamella can be wider than 50 μm with more than 10 multiple thin regions, with each thin region may being as thin as 10 nm or even thinner. The process for making such lamellae lends itself to automation. The process is fault tolerant in that not all of the multiple thin regions need to be useable as long as one region provides a useful image. Redeposition is reduced because ion beam imaging is reduced in the automated process and because the ribs reduce redeposition between regions.

公开(公告)号：US09761408B2

公开(公告)日：2017-09-12

申请号：US14630416

申请日：2015-02-24

申请人： FEI Company

发明人： Paul Plachinda ,  Liang Zhang ,  Justin Roller

IPC分类号： G01N1/28 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/20

CPC分类号： H01J37/222 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/223 ,  H01J2237/24578 ,  H01J2237/24592 ,  H01J2237/2801 ,  H01J2237/2802

摘要： A method for automatically imaging in an electron microscope (SEM, TEM or STEM) features in a region of interest in a lamella without prior knowledge of the features to be imaged, thereby enabling multiple electron microscope images to be obtained by stepping from the first image location without requiring the use of image recognition of individual image features. By eliminating the need for image recognition, substantial increases in image acquisition rates may be obtained.

公开(公告)号：US09741525B1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-22

申请号：US15218643

申请日：2016-07-25

申请人： FEI Company

发明人： Bohuslav Sed'a ,  Lubomir Tuma ,  Alexander Henstra

IPC分类号： H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/09

CPC分类号： H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/05 ,  H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/0451 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/1532 ,  H01J2237/2826

摘要： A method of producing a corrected beam of charged particles for use in a charged-particle microscope, comprising the following steps: Providing a non-monoenergetic input beam of charged particles; Passing said input beam through an optical module comprising a series arrangement of: A stigmator, thereby producing an astigmatism-compensated, energy-dispersed intermediate beam with a particular monoenergetic line focus direction; A beam selector, comprising a slit that is rotationally oriented so as to match a direction of the slit to said line focus direction, thereby producing an output beam comprising an energy-discriminated portion of said intermediate beam.

公开(公告)号：US09714908B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-25

申请号：US14073523

申请日：2013-11-06

申请人： FEI Company

发明人： Michael James Owen ,  Garth Howell ,  Ashley Donaldson

IPC分类号： G21K7/00 ,  G01N23/225

CPC分类号： G01N23/225 ,  G01N2223/402 ,  G01N2223/616 ,  H01J2237/225 ,  H01J2237/2442

摘要： Method and apparatus for analysis and display of fine grained mineral samples. A portion of the sample is illuminated with a charged particle beam. Emitted radiation is detected, and a sample emission spectrum is generated and fit with a plurality of standard emission spectra of minerals in a candidate mineral composition. A mineral composition whose emission spectrum best fits the sample emission spectrum is selected from a plurality of candidate mineral compositions. An assigned color is received for each mineral in the selected mineral composition, and the assigned colors are blended according to the proportion of each mineral in the selected mineral composition. An image pixel corresponding to the portion of the sample is rendered for display.

公开(公告)号：US09711325B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-18

申请号：US14257742

申请日：2014-04-21

申请人： FEI Company

发明人： Faysal Boughorbel ,  Eric Gerardus Theodoor Bosch ,  Pavel Potocek ,  Xiaodong Zhuge ,  Berend Helmerus Lich

IPC分类号： H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/22 ,  G01N1/06 ,  G01N1/36 ,  G01N23/225

CPC分类号： H01J37/222 ,  G01N1/06 ,  G01N1/36 ,  G01N23/225 ,  G01N2223/401 ,  G01N2223/418 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/261 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/206 ,  H01J2237/208 ,  H01J2237/221 ,  H01J2237/226 ,  H01J2237/31745

摘要： A method of examining a sample using a charged-particle microscope, comprising mounting the sample on a sample holder; using a particle-optical column to direct at least one beam of particulate radiation onto a surface S of the sample, thereby producing an interaction that causes emitted radiation to emanate from the sample; using a detector arrangement to detect at least a portion of said emitted radiation, the method of which comprises embodying the detector arrangement to detect electrons in the emitted radiation; recording an output On of said detector arrangement as a function of kinetic energy En of said electrons, thus compiling a measurement set M={(On, En)} for a plurality of values of En; using computer processing apparatus to automatically deconvolve the measurement set M and spatially resolve it into a result set R={(Vk, Lk)}, in which a spatial variable V demonstrates a value Vk at an associated discrete depth level Lk referenced to the surface S, whereby n and k are members of an integer sequence, and spatial variable V represents a physical property of the sample as a function of position in its bulk.

公开(公告)号：US09696372B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-04

申请号：US14432712

申请日：2013-10-04

申请人： FEI Company

发明人： Jeffrey Blackwood ,  Sang Hoon Lee ,  Michael Schmidt ,  Stacey Stone ,  Karey Holland

IPC分类号： G01R31/305 ,  G01R31/265 ,  G01N1/28 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/30 ,  H01J37/153 ,  G01R31/307 ,  G01R31/28 ,  G01R31/312

CPC分类号： G01R31/2653 ,  G01N1/286 ,  G01N1/32 ,  G01R31/2808 ,  G01R31/2898 ,  G01R31/307 ,  G01R31/312 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/3005 ,  H01J2237/208 ,  H01J2237/24564 ,  H01J2237/2817 ,  H01J2237/31749 ,  H01L22/14 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

摘要： Multiple planes within the sample are exposed from a single perspective for contact by an electrical probe. The sample can be milled at a non-orthogonal angle to expose different layers as sloped surfaces. The sloped edges of multiple, parallel conductor planes provide access to the multiple levels from above. The planes can be accessed, for example, for contacting with an electrical probe for applying or sensing a voltage. The level of an exposed layer to be contacted can be identified, for example, by counting down the exposed layers from the sample surface, since the non-orthogonal mill makes all layers visible from above. Alternatively, the sample can be milled orthogonally to the surface, and then tilted and/or rotated to provide access to multiple levels of the device. The milling is preferably performed away from the region of interest, to provide electrical access to the region while minimizing damage to the region.

公开(公告)号：US09664296B2

公开(公告)日：2017-05-30

申请号：US14146713

申请日：2014-01-02

申请人： Curtis Roys

发明人： Curtis Roys

IPC分类号： F16T1/34 ,  F16K5/00 ,  F16K15/04 ,  F04B53/10 ,  F04B53/18 ,  F16K27/02

CPC分类号： F16K15/044 ,  F04B53/10 ,  F04B53/18 ,  F16K27/0245

摘要： A check valve includes an internal liquid trap that prevents the backflow of gas and debris from degrading the valve. The internal liquid trap can be formed by internal passages within a valve housing. One embodiment includes three internal passages, an inlet passage, an intermediate passage, and an outlet passage, with connecting passages between each of the inlet passage and outlet package, and the intermediate package. In some embodiments, an internal trap is provided between the intermediate passage and the inlet passage.

公开(公告)号：US09653260B2

公开(公告)日：2017-05-16

申请号：US13691270

申请日：2012-11-30

申请人： FEI Company

发明人： Paul Keady ,  Brennan Peterson ,  Guus Das ,  Craig Henry ,  Larry Dworkin ,  Jeff Blackwood ,  Stacey Stone ,  Michael Schmidt

IPC分类号： G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/305 ,  C23C14/58 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/30

CPC分类号： H01J37/3056 ,  C23C14/5833 ,  G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/3005 ,  H01J2237/024 ,  H01J2237/20207 ,  H01J2237/31745 ,  H01J2237/31749

摘要： A method for TEM sample preparation and analysis that can be used in a FIB-SEM system without re-welds, unloads, user handling of the lamella, or a motorized flip stage. The method allows a dual beam FIB-SEM system with a typical tilt stage to be used to extract a sample to from a substrate, mount the sample onto a TEM sample holder capable of tilting, thin the sample using FIB milling, and rotate the sample so that the sample face is perpendicular to an electron column for STEM imaging.

公开(公告)号：US09583303B2

公开(公告)日：2017-02-28

申请号：US14878513

申请日：2015-10-08

申请人： FEI Company

发明人： Bart Buijsse ,  Gijs van Duinen

IPC分类号： H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/153

CPC分类号： H01J37/023 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/261 ,  H01J2237/024 ,  H01J2237/1532 ,  H01J2237/1534 ,  H01J2237/2602 ,  H01J2237/2614

摘要： When preparing a Hole-Free Phase Plates (HFPP) a preferably featureless thin film should be placed with high accuracy in the diffraction plane of the TEM, or a plane conjugate to it. Two methods for accurately placing the thin film in said plane are described. One method uses a Ronchigram of the thin film while the TEM is in imaging mode, and the magnification of the Ronchigram is tuned so that the magnification in the middle of the Ronchigram is infinite. The second method uses electrons scattered by the thin film while the TEM is in diffraction mode. When the thin film does not coincide with the diffraction plane, electrons scattered by the thin film seem to originate from another location than the cross-over of the zero beam. This is observed as a halo. The absence of the halo is proof that the thin film coincides with the diffraction plane.

摘要翻译： 当准备无孔相板（HFPP）时，应该在TEM的衍射平面或与其共轭的平面上以高精度放置优选无特征薄膜。 描述了将薄膜准确地放置在所述平面中的两种方法。 当TEM处于成像模式时，一种方法使用薄膜的Ronchigram，并且调整Ronchigram的放大倍率，使得Ronchigram中间的放大倍率是无穷大的。 第二种方法是在TEM处于衍射模式时使用由薄膜散射的电子。 当薄膜与衍射平面不一致时，由薄膜散射的电子似乎源自与零光束交叉的另一位置。 这被观察为光环。 光晕的不存在证明薄膜与衍射平面重合。