Light modulated electron source
    1.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11715615B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-08-01

    申请号:US17858943

    申请日:2022-07-06

    Abstract: A light modulated electron source utilizes a photon-beam source to modulate the emission current of an electron beam emitted from a silicon-based field emitter. The field emitter's cathode includes a protrusion fabricated on a silicon substrate and having an emission tip covered by a coating layer. An extractor generates an electric field that attracts free electrons toward the emission tip for emission as part of the electron beam. The photon-beam source generates a photon beam including photons having an energy greater than the bandgap of silicon, and includes optics that direct the photon beam onto the emission tip, whereby each absorbed photon creates a photo-electron that combines with the free electrons to enhance the electron beam's emission current. A controller modulates the emission current by controlling the intensity of the photon beam applied to the emission tip. A monitor measures the electron beam and provides feedback to the controller.

    BROADBAND ULTRAVIOLET ILLUMINATION SOURCES

    公开(公告)号:US20210272791A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-09-02

    申请号:US17322651

    申请日:2021-05-17

    Abstract: A broadband ultraviolet illumination source for a characterization system is disclosed. The broadband ultraviolet illumination source includes an enclosure having one or more walls, the enclosure configured to contain a gas, and a plasma discharge device based on a graphene-dielectric-semiconductor (GOS) planar-type structure. The GOS structure includes a silicon substrate having a top surface, a dielectric layer disposed on the top surface of the silicon substrate, and at least one layer of graphene disposed on a top surface of the dielectric layer. A metal contact may be formed on the top surface of the graphene layer. The GOS structure has several advantages for use in an illumination source, such as low operating voltage (below 50 V), planar surface electron emission, and compatibility with standard semiconductor processes. The broadband ultraviolet illumination source further includes electrodes placed inside the enclosure or magnets placed outside the enclosure to increase the current density.

    United states frequency conversion using interdigitated nonlinear crystal gratings

    公开(公告)号:US11815784B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-11-14

    申请号:US18087236

    申请日:2022-12-22

    Abstract: A nonlinear crystal grating assembly including two integral nonlinear crystal grating structures having inverted crystal axes and having parallel spaced-apart mesas with predetermined mesa widths arranged such that, when assembled in an interdigitated configuration, the mesas of the two grating structures form an alternating grating pattern that is aligned with a propagation direction of input light, thereby creating a periodic structure for quasi-phase-matching (QPM). The nonlinear crystal grating structures are formed using strontium tetraborate, lithium triborate or another nonlinear crystal material. The nonlinear crystal grating assembly is utilized in a laser assembly in which fundamental wavelengths are doubled and/or summed using intermediate frequency conversion stages, and then a final frequency converting stage utilizes the nonlinear crystal grating assembly to double or sum one or more intermediate light beam frequencies to generate laser output light at high power and photon energy levels. A method and inspection system are also described.

    Frequency conversion using interdigitated nonlinear crystal gratings

    公开(公告)号:US11567391B1

    公开(公告)日:2023-01-31

    申请号:US17555404

    申请日:2021-12-18

    Abstract: A nonlinear crystal grating assembly including two integral nonlinear crystal grating structures having inverted crystal axes and having parallel spaced-apart mesas with predetermined mesa widths arranged such that, when assembled in an interdigitated configuration, the mesas of the two grating structures form an alternating grating pattern that is aligned with a propagation direction of input light, thereby creating a periodic structure for quasi-phase-matching (QPM). The nonlinear crystal grating structures are formed using strontium tetraborate, lithium triborate or another nonlinear crystal material. The nonlinear crystal grating assembly is utilized in a laser assembly in which fundamental wavelengths are doubled and/or summed using intermediate frequency conversion stages, and then a final frequency converting stage utilizes the nonlinear crystal grating assembly to double or sum one or more intermediate light beam frequencies to generate laser output light at high power and photon energy levels. A method and inspection system are also described.

    Frequency conversion using stacked strontium tetraborate plates

    公开(公告)号:US11543732B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-01-03

    申请号:US17553705

    申请日:2021-12-16

    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.

    Strontium tetraborate as optical coating material

    公开(公告)号:US11360032B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-06-14

    申请号:US17144475

    申请日:2021-01-08

    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.

    STRONTIUM TETRABORATE AS OPTICAL COATING MATERIAL

    公开(公告)号:US20210131978A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-05-06

    申请号:US17144475

    申请日:2021-01-08

    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.

    Broadband ultraviolet illumination sources

    公开(公告)号:US11424117B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-08-23

    申请号:US17322651

    申请日:2021-05-17

    Abstract: A broadband ultraviolet illumination source for a characterization system is disclosed. The broadband ultraviolet illumination source includes an enclosure having one or more walls, the enclosure configured to contain a gas, and a plasma discharge device based on a graphene-dielectric-semiconductor (GOS) planar-type structure. The GOS structure includes a silicon substrate having a top surface, a dielectric layer disposed on the top surface of the silicon substrate, and at least one layer of graphene disposed on a top surface of the dielectric layer. A metal contact may be formed on the top surface of the graphene layer. The GOS structure has several advantages for use in an illumination source, such as low operating voltage (below 50 V), planar surface electron emission, and compatibility with standard semiconductor processes. The broadband ultraviolet illumination source further includes electrodes placed inside the enclosure or magnets placed outside the enclosure to increase the current density.

    STRONTIUM TETRABORATE AS OPTICAL GLASS MATERIAL

    公开(公告)号:US20220136981A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-05

    申请号:US17576528

    申请日:2022-01-14

    Abstract: Strontium tetraborate can be used as an optical material. Strontium tetraborate exhibits high refractive indices, high optical damage threshold, and high microhardness. The transmission window of strontium tetraborate covers a very broad range of wavelengths, from 130 nm to 3200 nm, making the material particularly useful at VUV wavelengths. An optical component made of strontium tetraborate can be incorporated in an optical system, such as a semiconductor inspection system, a metrology system, or a lithography system. These optical components may include mirrors, lenses, lens arrays, prisms, beam splitters, windows, lamp cells or Brewster-angle optics.

    LOW-REFLECTIVITY BACK-ILLUMINATED IMAGE SENSOR

    公开(公告)号:US20210164917A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-06-03

    申请号:US17107539

    申请日:2020-11-30

    Abstract: An image sensor for short-wavelength light includes a semiconductor membrane, circuit elements formed on a first surface of the semiconductor membrane, and a boron-coated, textured surface on a second surface of the semiconductor membrane. The textured surface comprises pseudo-random, periodic, and/or random distribution of upright pyramids, inverted pyramids, and/or nanocones. The textured surface reduces the reflection of incident light across wide bands in the DUV and VUV regimes, thus increasing the amount of light absorbed and improving the efficiency of the image sensor. Reflectance may be further reduced by applying an antireflective coating on the textured surface. The image sensor may be a two-dimensional area sensor, or a one-dimensional array sensor. and incorporated in an inspection system.

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