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公开(公告)号:US11543732B2
公开(公告)日:2023-01-03
申请号:US17553705
申请日:2021-12-16
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Yung-Ho Alex Chuang , Yinying Xiao-Li , Elena Loginova , John Fielden , Baigang Zhang
Abstract: An optical element includes Strontium tetraborate SrB4O7 (SBO) crystal plates that are cooperatively configured to create a periodic structure for quasi-phase-matching (QPM) is used in the final frequency converting stage of a laser assembly to generate laser output light having a wavelength in the range of 125 nm to 183 nm. One or more fundamental light beams having fundamental wavelengths between 1 and 1.1 μm are doubled and/or summed using multiple intermediate frequency conversion stages to generate one or more intermediate light beam frequencies (e.g., second through eighth harmonics, or sums thereof), and then the final frequency converting stage utilizes the optical element to either double a single intermediate light beam frequency or to sum two intermediate light beam frequencies to generate the desired laser output light at high power and photon energy levels. A method and inspection system incorporating the laser assembly is also described.
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公开(公告)号:US11360032B2
公开(公告)日:2022-06-14
申请号:US17144475
申请日:2021-01-08
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Yung-Ho Alex Chuang , Yinying Xiao-Li , Elena Loginova , John Fielden
IPC: G01N21/95 , G01N21/33 , G02B21/00 , G02B5/28 , G02B21/18 , G02B21/16 , G02F1/35 , G02F1/355 , G02B21/06 , G02B1/18 , H01L21/66
Abstract: Strontium tetraborate is used as an optical coating material for optical components utilized in semiconductor inspection and metrology systems to take advantage of its high refractive indices, high optical damage threshold and high microhardness in comparison to conventional optical materials. At least one layer of strontium tetraborate is formed on the light receiving surface of an optical component's substrate such that its thickness serves to increase or decrease the reflectance of the optical component. One or multiple additional coating layers may be placed on top of or below the strontium tetraborate layer, with the additional coating layers consisting of conventional optical materials. The thicknesses of the additional layers may be selected to achieve a desired reflectance of the optical component at specific wavelengths. The coated optical component is used in an illumination source or optical system utilized in a semiconductor inspection system, a metrology system or a lithography system.
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公开(公告)号:US11243175B2
公开(公告)日:2022-02-08
申请号:US17175179
申请日:2021-02-12
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Xuefeng Liu , Jenn-Kuen Leong , Daniel Kavaldjiev , John Fielden
IPC: G01N21/95 , H01L21/66 , G01N21/21 , G01N21/956 , G01N21/88
Abstract: A system may include illumination optics to direct an illumination beam to a sample at an off-axis angle, collection optics to collect scattered light from the sample, and a phase mask located at a first pupil plane to provide different phase shifts for light in two or more pupil regions of a collection area to reshape a point spread function of light scattered from one or more particles on a surface of the sample. The system may further include a polarization rotator located at a second pupil plane, where the polarization rotator provides a spatially-varying polarization rotation angle selected to rotate light scattered from the surface of the sample to a selected polarization angle, a polarizer to reject light polarized along the selected polarization angle, and a detector to generate a dark-field image of the sample based on light passed by the polarizer.
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公开(公告)号:US11239048B2
公开(公告)日:2022-02-01
申请号:US16812720
申请日:2020-03-09
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Alan D. Brodie , Lawrence P. Muray , John Fielden
IPC: H01J37/244 , H01J37/22
Abstract: An electron beam inspection system is disclosed, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The inspection system may include an electron beam source configured to generate one or more primary electron beams. The inspection system may also include an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct the one or more primary electron beams to a sample. The inspection system may further include a detection assembly comprising: a scintillator substrate configured to collect electrons emanating from the sample, the scintillator substrate configured to generate optical radiation in response to the collected electrons; one or more light guides; one or more reflective surfaces configured to receive the optical radiation and direct the optical radiation along the one or more light guides; and one or more detectors configured to receive the optical radiation from the light guide.
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公开(公告)号:US11237455B2
公开(公告)日:2022-02-01
申请号:US17239561
申请日:2021-04-24
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Yung-Ho Alex Chuang , Yinying Xiao-li , Elena Loginova , John Fielden , Baigang Zhang
Abstract: A nonlinear crystal including stacked Strontium tetraborate SrB4O7 (SBO) crystal plates that are cooperatively configured to create a periodic structure for quasi-phase-matching (QPM) is used in the final frequency converting stage of a laser assembly to generate laser output light having a wavelength in the range of 125 nm to 183 nm. One or more fundamental light beams having fundamental wavelengths between 1 and 1.1 μm are doubled and/or summed using multiple intermediate frequency conversion stages to generate one or more intermediate light beam frequencies (e.g., second through eighth harmonics, or sums thereof), and then the final frequency converting stage utilizes the nonlinear crystal to either double a single intermediate light beam frequency or to sum two intermediate light beam frequencies to generate the desired laser output light at high power and photon energy levels. A method and inspection system incorporating the laser assembly is also described.
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公开(公告)号:US20210280386A1
公开(公告)日:2021-09-09
申请号:US16812720
申请日:2020-03-09
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Alan D. Brodie , Lawrence P. Muray , John Fielden
IPC: H01J37/244 , H01J37/22
Abstract: An electron beam inspection system is disclosed, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The inspection system may include an electron beam source configured to generate one or more primary electron beams. The inspection system may also include an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct the one or more primary electron beams to a sample. The inspection system may further include a detection assembly comprising: a scintillator substrate configured to collect electrons emanating from the sample, the scintillator substrate configured to generate optical radiation in response to the collected electrons; one or more light guides; one or more reflective surfaces configured to receive the optical radiation and direct the optical radiation along the one or more light guides; and one or more detectors configured to receive the optical radiation from the light guide.
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公开(公告)号:US20210131978A1
公开(公告)日:2021-05-06
申请号:US17144475
申请日:2021-01-08
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Yung-Ho Alex Chuang , Yinying Xiao-Li , Elena Loginova , John Fielden
Abstract: Strontium tetraborate is used as an optical coating material for optical components utilized in semiconductor inspection and metrology systems to take advantage of its high refractive indices, high optical damage threshold and high microhardness in comparison to conventional optical materials. At least one layer of strontium tetraborate is formed on the light receiving surface of an optical component's substrate such that its thickness serves to increase or decrease the reflectance of the optical component. One or multiple additional coating layers may be placed on top of or below the strontium tetraborate layer, with the additional coating layers consisting of conventional optical materials. The thicknesses of the additional layers may be selected to achieve a desired reflectance of the optical component at specific wavelengths. The coated optical component is used in an illumination source or optical system utilized in a semiconductor inspection system, a metrology system or a lithography system.
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38.
公开(公告)号:US20240313032A1
公开(公告)日:2024-09-19
申请号:US18671172
申请日:2024-05-22
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Sisir Yalamanchili , John Fielden , Francisco Kole , Yung-Ho Alex Chuang
IPC: H01L27/146 , G03F7/00
CPC classification number: H01L27/14698 , G03F7/70033 , H01L27/1464
Abstract: Back-illuminated DUV/VUV/EUV radiation or charged particle image sensors are fabricated using a method that utilizes a plasma atomic layer deposition (plasma ALD) process to generate a thin pinhole-free pure boron layer over active sensor areas. Circuit elements are formed on a semiconductor membrane's frontside surface, and then an optional preliminary hydrogen plasma cleaning process is performed on the membrane's backside surface. The plasma ALD process includes performing multiple plasma ALD cycles, with each cycle including forming an adsorbed boron precursor layer during a first cycle phase, and then generating a hydrogen plasma to convert the precursor layer into an associated boron nanolayer during a second cycle phase. Gasses are purged from the plasma ALD process chamber after each cycle phase. The plasma ALD cycles are repeated until the resulting stack of boron nanolayers has a cumulative stack height (thickness) that is equal to a selected target thickness.
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公开(公告)号:US11899338B2
公开(公告)日:2024-02-13
申请号:US17991198
申请日:2022-11-21
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Yung-Ho Alex Chuang , Kelly Mauser , Baigang Zhang , Xuefeng Liu , John Fielden , Yinying Xiao-Li , Elena Loginova
CPC classification number: G02F1/3534 , G01N21/4738 , G02F1/3507 , G02F1/3542 , G02F1/3548 , G02F1/3551 , G02F1/37 , G02F1/392 , G01N21/9501 , G01N2201/06113 , G02F2203/11 , H01S3/1625 , H01S3/1636
Abstract: A nonlinear crystal including stacked strontium tetraborate SrB4O7 (SBO) crystal plates that are cooperatively configured to create a periodic structure for quasi-phase-matching (QPM) is used in the final frequency doubling stage of a laser assembly to generate laser output light having a wavelength in the range of about 180 nm to 200 nm. One or more fundamental laser beams are frequency doubled, down-converted and/or summed using one or more frequency conversion stages to generate an intermediate frequency light with a corresponding wavelength in the range of about 360 nm to 400 nm, and then the final frequency converting stage utilizes the nonlinear crystal to double the frequency of the intermediate frequency light to generate the desired laser output light at high power. Methods, inspection systems, lithography systems and cutting systems incorporating the laser assembly are also described.
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40.
公开(公告)号:US11848350B2
公开(公告)日:2023-12-19
申请号:US17197292
申请日:2021-03-10
Applicant: KLA Corporation
Inventor: Abbas Haddadi , Sisir Yalamanchili , John Fielden , Yung-Ho Alex Chuang
IPC: H01L27/14 , H01L27/146 , H01L27/148
CPC classification number: H01L27/14687 , H01L27/1464 , H01L27/14806
Abstract: An image sensor is fabricated by first heavily p-type doping the thin top monocrystalline silicon substrate of an SOI wafer, then forming a relatively lightly p-doped epitaxial layer on a top surface of the top silicon substrate, where p-type doping levels during these two processes are controlled to produce a p-type dopant concentration gradient in the top silicon substrate. Sensing (circuit) elements and associated metal interconnects are fabricated on the epitaxial layer, then the handling substrate and oxide layer of the SOI wafer are at least partially removed to expose a lower surface of either the top silicon substrate or the epitaxial layer, and then a pure boron layer is formed on the exposed lower surface. The p-type dopant concentration gradient monotonically decreases from a maximum level near the top-silicon/epitaxial-layer interface to a minimum concentration level at the epitaxial layer's upper surface.
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