公开(公告)号：US20230317405A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-05

申请号：US17709025

申请日：2022-03-30

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Jan STOPKA ,  Bohuslav SED'A ,  Radovan VASINA ,  Radim SEJNOHA

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  G06T7/70 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: H01J37/153 ,  G06T7/70 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/1534

Abstract: The beamlets in a multi-beam microscopy system are aligned based on coefficients of a fitted aberration model. In particular, an illuminator for directing the beamlets towards the sample is adjusted based on the coefficients to correct the aberrations. The coefficients are obtained based on measured beamlets' positions in the sample plane.

公开(公告)号：US11749496B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-05

申请号：US17353317

申请日：2021-06-21

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Philip Brundage

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01J37/34

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/265 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/3447 ,  H01J2237/31749

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques directed toward a protective shutter for a charged particle microscope. An example apparatus at least includes a charged particle column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column, a gas injection nozzle coupled to a translation device, the translation device configured to insert the gas injection nozzle in close proximity to a stage, and a shutter coupled to the gas injection nozzle and arranged to be disposed between the sample and the SEM column when the gas injection nozzle is inserted in close proximity to the stage.

公开(公告)号：US20230274908A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-31

申请号：US17683076

申请日：2022-02-28

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Erik Franken ,  Bart Jozef Janssen

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/153

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J2237/2802 ,  H01J2237/20207 ,  H01J2237/1534 ,  H01J2237/2817 ,  H01J2237/1532

Abstract: A charged particle beam microscope system is operated in a transmission imaging mode. During the operation, the charged particle beam microsystem directs a charged particle beam to the sample to produce images. A time series of beam tilts is applied in a pattern to the charged particle beam directed to the sample to produce a sequence of images. At least some of the images in the sequence of images are captured while the charged particle beam is transitioning between one beam tilt in the time series of beam tilts and a sequentially adjacent beam tilt in the time series of beam tilts. The pattern is configured to induce image changes between the images in the sequence of images that are indicative of optical aberrations in the charged particle beam microscope system.

公开(公告)号：US11742175B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-29

申请号：US17364802

申请日：2021-06-30

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Erik Michiel Franken ,  Bart Jozef Janssen

IPC: H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/26

CPC classification number: H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/222 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/265 ,  H01J2237/226 ,  H01J2237/244

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media related to defective pixel management in charged particle microscopy. For example, in some embodiments, a charged particle microscope support apparatus may include: first logic to identify a defective pixel region of a charged particle camera, wherein the charged particle camera cannot detect charged particle events in the defective pixel region; second logic to generate a first charged particle event indicator that identifies a first time and a first location of a first charged particle event outside the defective pixel region, wherein the first charged particle event is detected by the charged particle camera; third logic to generate a second charged particle event indicator that identifies a second time and a second location in the defective pixel region; and fourth logic to output data representative of the charged particle event indicators.

公开(公告)号：US20230237691A1

公开(公告)日：2023-07-27

申请号：US17581604

申请日：2022-01-21

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Sven BEUNEN ,  Scott MACLAY

IPC: G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/11 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/22

CPC classification number: G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/11 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/222 ,  G06T2207/20081 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Disclosed herein are scientific instrument support systems, as well as related methods, computing devices, and computer-readable media. For example, in some embodiments, a method for determining sample location and associated stage coordinates by a microscope at least comprises acquiring, with a navigation camera, an image of a plurality of samples loaded on a fixture, the image being of low resolution at a field of view that includes the fixture and all samples of the plurality of samples, analyzing the image with a trained model to identify the plurality of samples, based on the analysis, associating each sample with a location on the fixture, based on the location on the fixture of each sample, associating separate stage coordinate information with each sample of the plurality of samples loaded on the fixture, and translating a stage holding the fixture to first stage coordinates based on the associated stage coordinate information of a first sample of the plurality of samples.

公开(公告)号：US11694874B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-04

申请号：US17374459

申请日：2021-07-13

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Bart Buijsse ,  Bart Jozef Janssen

IPC: H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/295

CPC classification number: H01J37/265 ,  H01J37/295 ,  H01J2237/04

Abstract: Method and system for generating a diffraction image comprises acquiring multiple frames from a direct-detection detector responsive to irradiating a sample with an electron beam. Multiple diffraction peaks in the multiple frames are identified. A first dose rate of at least one diffraction peak in the identified diffraction peaks is estimated in the counting mode. If the first dose rate is not greater than a threshold dose rate, a diffraction image including the diffraction peak is generated by counting electron detection events. Values of pixels belonging to the diffraction peak are determined with a first set of counting parameter values corresponding to a first coincidence area. Values of pixels not belonging to any of the multiple diffraction peaks are determined using a second, set of counting parameter values corresponding to a second, different, coincidence area.

公开(公告)号：US20230204525A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-29

申请号：US17561497

申请日：2021-12-23

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Libor NOVAK ,  Krishna Kanth NEELISETTY ,  Veronika HAMMEROVA ,  Jan LASKO

IPC: G01N23/2204 ,  G01N23/2273 ,  H01J37/20 ,  G01N23/2251

CPC classification number: G01N23/2204 ,  G01N23/2273 ,  H01J37/20 ,  G01N23/2251

Abstract: A system for positioning a sample in a charged particle apparatus (CPA) or an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) system includes a sample carrier coupled to a stage inside the vacuum chamber of the CPA or XPS system. The system allows transferring of the sample carrier among multiple CPAs, XPS systems and glove boxes in inert gas or in vacuum. The sample carrier is releasably coupled with the stage in the vacuum chamber of the CPA or the XPS. Multiple electrodes in a sample area of the sample carrier are electrically connectable with the stage by multiple spring contacts between the sample carrier and the stage.

公开(公告)号：US20230184696A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-15

申请号：US18081689

申请日：2022-12-15

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Hugo VAN LEEUWEN ,  Edwin VERSCHUEREN ,  Johannes VAN DEN OETELAAR ,  Martin VERHEIJEN ,  Ronald LAMERS ,  Marcel VAN WENSVEEN

IPC: G01N23/04

CPC classification number: G01N23/04 ,  G01N2223/401

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to reduce drift of a sample and/or its image in a microscopy system, wherein the method comprises determining an expected thermal drift of the sample, and compensating for the drift of the sample and/or its image based upon the expected thermal drift. The present invention also relates to a corresponding microscopy system and a computer program product to perform the method according to the present invention.

公开(公告)号：US20230101676A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-30

申请号：US18059585

申请日：2022-11-29

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Edwin Verschueren ,  Paul Tacx

IPC: H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H02N2/06

Abstract: A positioning system can include a drive unit having an actuator element and a control system. The actuator element can include a piezoelectric material. The control system can be configured to select a path between a first position and a second position, identify at least one change of direction of the actuator element along the selected path, generate a hysteresis-compensated drive signal based at least in part on the change in direction, and apply the hysteresis-compensated drive signal to the actuator element to move an object along the path.

公开(公告)号：US20230040961A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-09

申请号：US17393890

申请日：2021-08-04

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Marcos Hernandez

IPC: G01R31/00

Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) test systems include a FET-based pulse generator using pairs of back-to-back FETs coupled to produce an ESD pulse based on discharging a capacitor that is coupled in series with a device under test (DUT). A number of FETs can be selected based on an intended ESD test voltage magnitude.