公开(公告)号：US12217929B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-04

申请号：US17785886

申请日：2020-12-16

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Yan Ren

IPC: H01J37/153

Abstract: A method of reducing aberration comprises separating charged particles of a beam based on energy of the charged particles to form beamlets, each of the beamlets configured to include charged particles at a central energy level; and deflecting the beamlets so that beamlets having different central energy levels are deflected differently. An aberration corrector comprises a dispersive element configured to cause constituent parts of a beam (e.g. a charged particle beam) to spread apart based on energy; an aperture array configured to form beamlets from the spread apart beam; and a deflector array configured to deflect the beamlets differently based on central energy levels of particles that form the beamlets.

公开(公告)号：US11881374B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-23

申请号：US17430307

申请日：2020-02-04

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Shakeeb Bin Hasan ,  Yan Ren ,  Maikel Robert Goosen ,  Albertus Victor Gerardus Mangnus ,  Erwin Paul Smakman

IPC: H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/028

Abstract: Disclosed among other aspects is a charged particle inspection system including an absorbing component and a programmable charged-particle mirror plate arranged to modify the energy distribution of electrons in a beam and shape the beam to reduce the energy spread of the electrons and aberrations of the beam, with the absorbing component including a set of absorbing structures configured as absorbing structures provided on a transparent conductive layer and a method using such an absorbing component and with the programmable charged-particle mirror plate including a set of pixels configured to generate a customized electric field to shape the beam and using such a programmable charged-particle mirror plate.

公开(公告)号：US11804355B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-31

申请号：US17418749

申请日：2019-11-26

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yan Ren

IPC: H01J37/05 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/05 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/055 ,  H01J2237/1205 ,  H01J2237/24592

Abstract: Systems and methods of observing a sample in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multi-beam apparatus may include an electron source configured to generate a primary electron beam, a pre-current limiting aperture array comprising a plurality of apertures and configured to form a plurality of beamlets from the primary electron beam, each of the plurality of beamlets having an associated beam current, a condenser lens configured to collimate each of the plurality of beamlets, a beam-limiting unit configured to modify the associated beam current of each of the plurality of beamlets, and a sector magnet unit configured to direct each of the plurality of beamlets to form a crossover within or at least near an objective lens that is configured to focus each of the plurality of beamlets onto a surface of the sample and to form a plurality of probe spots thereon.

公开(公告)号：US11942303B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-26

申请号：US17359365

申请日：2019-12-06

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yan Ren ,  Albertus Victor Gerardus Mangnus

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/1478 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/28 ,  G01N2223/07 ,  G01N2223/418 ,  G01N2223/507 ,  H01J2237/0455 ,  H01J2237/04926 ,  H01J2237/103 ,  H01J2237/151 ,  H01J2237/226 ,  H01J2237/2611

Abstract: Embodiments consistent with the disclosure herein include methods and a multi-beam apparatus configured to emit charged-particle beams for imaging a top and side of a structure of a sample, including: a deflector array including a first deflector and configured to receive a first charged-particle beam and a second charged-particle beam; a blocking plate configured to block one of the first charged-particle beam and the second charged-particle beam; and a controller having circuitry and configured to change the configuration of the apparatus to transition between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the deflector array directs the second charged-particle beam to the top of the structure, and the blocking plate blocks the first charged-particle beam. And in the second mode, the first deflector deflects the first charged-particle beam to the side of the structure, and the blocking plate blocks the second charged-particle beam.

公开(公告)号：US11942302B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-26

申请号：US17361119

申请日：2019-12-17

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arno Jan Bleeker ,  Pieter Willem Herman De Jager ,  Maikel Robert Goosen ,  Erwin Paul Smakman ,  Albertus Victor Gerardus Mangnus ,  Yan Ren ,  Adam Lassise

IPC: H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/265 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24475 ,  H01J2237/2448 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for charged-particle detection may include a deflector system configured to direct charged-particle pulses, a detector having a detection element configured to detect the charged-particle pulses, and a controller having a circuitry configured to control the deflector system to direct a first and second charged-particle pulses to the detection element; obtain first and second timestamps associated with when the first charged-particle pulse is directed by the deflector system and detected by the detection element, respectively, and third and fourth timestamps associated with when the second charged-particle pulse is directed by the deflector system and detected by the detection element, respectively; and identify a first and second exiting beams based on the first and second timestamps, and the third and fourth timestamps, respectively.