公开(公告)号：US07705298B2

公开(公告)日：2010-04-27

申请号：US11939530

申请日：2007-11-13

申请人： Xuedong Liu ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Wei Fang ,  Zhong-Wei Chen

发明人： Xuedong Liu ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Wei Fang ,  Zhong-Wei Chen

IPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J3/14

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J2237/14 ,  H01J2237/216 ,  H01J2237/2817

摘要： This invention relates to apparatus and method to fast determine focus parameters in one pre-scan during an e-beam inspection practice. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method that provide accurate focus tuning after primary focusing has been done.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及在电子束检查实践期间快速确定一次预扫描中的焦点参数的装置和方法。 更具体地，本发明的实施例提供了一种在进行主要聚焦之后提供精确聚焦调谐的装置和方法。

公开(公告)号：US07759653B2

公开(公告)日：2010-07-20

申请号：US12130879

申请日：2008-05-30

申请人： Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xu Zhang ,  Weiming Ren ,  Juying Dou

发明人： Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xu Zhang ,  Weiming Ren ,  Juying Dou

IPC分类号： H01J37/00 ,  H01J37/28

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J2237/0475 ,  H01J2237/1035

摘要： The present invention includes an electron beam device for examining defects on semiconductor devices. The device includes an electron source for generating a primary electron beam, wherein the total acceleration potential is divided and is provided across the ground potential. Also included is at least one condenser lens for pre-focusing the primary electron beam, an aperture for confining the primary electron beam to ameliorate electron-electron interaction, wherein the aperture is positioned right underneath the last condenser lens, and a SORIL objective lens system for forming immersion magnetic field and electrostatic field to focus the primary beam onto the specimen in the electron beam path. A pair of grounding rings for providing virtual ground voltage potential to those components within the electron beam apparatus installed below a source anode and above a last polepiece of the SORIL objective lens.

摘要翻译： 本发明包括用于检查半导体器件上的缺陷的电子束装置。 该装置包括用于产生一次电子束的电子源，其中总加速电位被分开并提供在地电位之间。 还包括至少一个用于预聚焦一次电子束的聚光透镜，用于限制一次电子束以改善电子 - 电子相互作用的孔，其中孔位于最后的聚光透镜的正下方，以及SORIL物镜系统 用于形成浸没磁场和静电场，以将主光束聚焦在电子束路径中的样本上。 一对接地环，用于为安装在源极阳极和SORIL物镜的最后一个极点之上的电子束装置内的那些部件提供虚拟接地电压电位。

公开(公告)号：US20080006771A1

公开(公告)日：2008-01-10

申请号：US11755705

申请日：2007-05-30

申请人： Chi-Hua Tseng ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuedong Liu

发明人： Chi-Hua Tseng ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuedong Liu

IPC分类号： G01N23/00

CPC分类号： G01N23/225 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24465 ,  H01J2237/2449

摘要： An electron beam apparatus and method are presented for collecting side-view and plane-view SEM imagery. The electron beam apparatus includes an electron source, some intermediate lenses if needed, an objective lens and an in-lens sectional detector. The electron source will provide an electron beam. The intermediate lenses focus the electron beam further. The objective lens is a combination of an immersion magnetic lens and a retarding electrostatic lens focuses the electron beam onto the specimen surface. The in-lens detector will be divided into two or more sections to collect secondary electrons emanating from the specimen with different azimuth and polar angle so that side-view SEM imagery can be obtained.

摘要翻译： 提出了一种用于收集侧视图和平面视图SEM图像的电子束装置和方法。 电子束装置包括电子源，如果需要的话，一些中间透镜，物镜和透镜内部分检测器。 电子源将提供电子束。 中间透镜进一步聚焦电子束。 物镜是浸没式磁透镜和阻滞静电透镜的组合，将电子束聚焦在样品表面上。 镜片内检测器将被分为两个或多个部分，以收集具有不同方位角和极角的样品发出的二次电子，从而可以获得侧视SEM图像。

公开(公告)号：US20090294664A1

公开(公告)日：2009-12-03

申请号：US12130879

申请日：2008-05-30

申请人： Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xu Zhang ,  Weiming Ren ,  Juying Dou

发明人： Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuedong Liu ,  Xu Zhang ,  Weiming Ren ,  Juying Dou

IPC分类号： G01N23/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J2237/0475 ,  H01J2237/1035

摘要： The present invention includes an electron beam device for examining defects on semiconductor devices. The device includes an electron source for generating a primary electron beam, wherein the total acceleration potential is divided and is provided across the ground potential. Also included is at least one condenser lens for pre-focusing the primary electron beam, an aperture for confining the primary electron beam to ameliorate electron-electron interaction, wherein the aperture is positioned right underneath the last condenser lens, and a SORIL objective lens system for forming immersion magnetic field and electrostatic field to focus the primary beam onto the specimen in the electron beam path. A pair of grounding rings for providing virtual ground voltage potential to those components within the electron beam apparatus installed below a source anode and above a last polepiece of the SORIL objective lens.

摘要翻译： 本发明包括用于检查半导体器件上的缺陷的电子束装置。 该装置包括用于产生一次电子束的电子源，其中总加速电位被分开并提供在地电位之间。 还包括至少一个用于预聚焦一次电子束的聚光透镜，用于限制一次电子束以改善电子 - 电子相互作用的孔，其中孔位于最后的聚光透镜的正下方，以及SORIL物镜系统 用于形成浸没磁场和静电场，以将主光束聚焦在电子束路径中的样本上。 一对接地环，用于为安装在源极阳极和SORIL物镜的最后一个极点之上的电子束装置内的那些部件提供虚拟接地电压电位。

公开(公告)号：US07705301B2

公开(公告)日：2010-04-27

申请号：US11755705

申请日：2007-05-30

申请人： Chi-Hua Tseng ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuedong Liu

发明人： Chi-Hua Tseng ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Xuedong Liu

IPC分类号： G01N23/00 ,  G21K7/00

CPC分类号： G01N23/225 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24465 ,  H01J2237/2449

摘要： An electron beam apparatus and method are presented for collecting side-view and plane-view SEM imagery. The electron beam apparatus includes an electron source, some intermediate lenses if needed, an objective lens and an in-lens sectional detector. The electron source will provide an electron beam. The intermediate lenses focus the electron beam further. The objective lens is a combination of an immersion magnetic lens and a retarding electrostatic lens focuses the electron beam onto the specimen surface. The in-lens detector will be divided into two or more sections to collect secondary electrons emanating from the specimen with different azimuth and polar angle so that side-view SEM imagery can be obtained.

摘要翻译： 提出了一种用于收集侧视图和平面视图SEM图像的电子束装置和方法。 电子束装置包括电子源，如果需要的话，一些中间透镜，物镜和透镜内部分检测器。 电子源将提供电子束。 中间透镜进一步聚焦电子束。 物镜是浸没式磁透镜和阻滞静电透镜的组合，将电子束聚焦在样品表面上。 镜片内检测器将被分为两个或多个部分，以收集具有不同方位角和极角的样品发出的二次电子，从而可以获得侧视SEM图像。

公开(公告)号：US20050026310A1

公开(公告)日：2005-02-03

申请号：US10865230

申请日：2004-06-09

申请人： Yan Zhao ,  Chang-Chun Yeh ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Jack Jau

发明人： Yan Zhao ,  Chang-Chun Yeh ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Jack Jau

IPC分类号： G01L21/30 ,  H01L21/44 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/544

CPC分类号： H01L22/34 ,  H01L21/76802 ,  H01L22/24

摘要： A method for in-line monitoring of via/contact etching process based on a test structure is described. The test structure is comprised of via/contact holes of different sizes and densities in a layout such that, for a certain process, the microloading or RIE lag induced non-uniform etch rate produce under-etch in some regions and over-etch in others. A scanning electron microscope is used to distinguish these etching differences in voltage contrast images. Image processing and simple calibration convert these voltage contrast images into a “fingerprint” image characterizing the etching process in terms of thickness over-etched or under-etched. Tolerance of shifting or deformation of this image can be set for validating the process uniformity. This image can also be used as a measure to monitor long-term process parameter shifting, as well as wafer-to-wafer or lot-to-lot variations. Advanced process control (APC) can be performed in-line with the guidance of this image so that potential electrical defects are avoided and process yield ramp accelerated.

摘要翻译： 描述了一种基于测试结构进行通孔/接触蚀刻工艺在线监测的方法。 测试结构由布局不同尺寸和密度的通孔/接触孔组成，使得对于某些工艺，微加载或RIE滞后引起的不均匀蚀刻速率在一些区域产生蚀刻不良并且在其它区域中过度蚀刻 。 使用扫描电子显微镜来区分电压对比图像中的这些蚀刻差异。 图像处理和简单校准将这些电压对比图像转换成表征蚀刻工艺的“指纹”图像，就厚度过蚀刻或欠蚀刻而言。 该图像的偏移或变形的公差可以设置为验证过程的均匀性。 该图像也可用作监视长期过程参数移位以及晶圆到晶圆或批次间变化的度量。 先进的过程控制（APC）可以与该图像的引导一起进行，以便避免潜在的电气缺陷，加速产出斜率。

公开(公告)号：US5578821A

公开(公告)日：1996-11-26

申请号：US371458

申请日：1995-01-11

申请人： Dan Meisberger ,  Alan D. Brodie ,  Anil A. Desai ,  Dennis G. Emge ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Richard Simmons ,  Dave E. A. Smith ,  April Dutta ,  J. Kirkwood H. Rough ,  Leslie A. Honfi ,  Henry Pearce-Percy ,  John McMurtry ,  Eric Munro

发明人： Dan Meisberger ,  Alan D. Brodie ,  Anil A. Desai ,  Dennis G. Emge ,  Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Richard Simmons ,  Dave E. A. Smith ,  April Dutta ,  J. Kirkwood H. Rough ,  Leslie A. Honfi ,  Henry Pearce-Percy ,  John McMurtry ,  Eric Munro

IPC分类号： G01B15/00 ,  G01B15/08 ,  G01N23/04 ,  G01N23/203 ,  G01N23/225 ,  G01R31/28 ,  G01R31/302 ,  G03F1/08 ,  G03F1/16 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/30 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01J37/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/3005 ,  H01J2237/2817

摘要： A method and apparatus for a charged particle scanning system and an automatic inspection system, including wafers and masks used in microcircuit fabrication. A charged particle beam is directed at the surface of a substrate for scanning that substrate and a selection of detectors are included to detect at least one of the secondary charged particles, back-scattered charged particles and transmitted charged particles from the substrate. The substrate is mounted on an x-y stage to provide at least one degree of freedom while the substrate is being scanned by the charged particle beam. The substrate is also subjected to an electric field on it's surface to accelerate the secondary charged particles. The system facilitates inspection at low beam energies on charge sensitive insulating substrates and has the capability to accurately measure the position of the substrate with respect to the charged particle beam. Additionally, there is an optical alignment system for initially aligning the substrate beneath the charged particle beam. To function most efficiently there is also a vacuum system for evacuating and repressurizing a chamber containing the substrate. The vacuum system can be used to hold one substrate at vacuum while a second one is being loaded/unloaded, evacuated or repressurized. Alternately, the vacuum system can simultaneously evacuate a plurality of substrates prior to inspection and repressurize the same plurality of substrates following inspection. In the inspection configuration, there is also a comparison system for comparing the pattern on the substrate with a second pattern.

摘要翻译： 一种带电粒子扫描系统和自动检查系统的方法和装置，包括微电路制造中使用的晶片和掩模。 带电粒子束被引导到用于扫描该衬底的衬底的表面，并且包括选择的检测器以检测来自衬底的次级带电粒子，反向散射带电粒子和透射带电粒子中的至少一个。 衬底被安装在x-y平台上以在通过带电粒子束扫描衬底的同时提供至少一个自由度。 衬底也在其表面上经受电场以加速次级带电粒子。 该系统便于对电荷敏感绝缘基板上的近光束能量进行检查，并且能够准确地测量基板相对于带电粒子束的位置。 另外，存在用于使带电粒子束下面的衬底最初对准的光学对准系统。 为了最有效地起作用，还有一个真空系统用于对含有基底的腔室进行抽空和再加压。 真空系统可用于将一个基板保持在真空状态，而第二个基板正在装载/卸载，抽真空或重新加压。 或者，真空系统可以在检查之前同时抽空多个基板，并且在检查之后重新加压相同的​​多个基板。 在检查配置中，还存在用于将衬底上的图案与第二图案进行比较的比较系统。

公开(公告)号：US07893406B1

公开(公告)日：2011-02-22

申请号：US11476411

申请日：2006-06-27

申请人： Xu Zhang ,  Zhong-Wei Chen

发明人： Xu Zhang ,  Zhong-Wei Chen

IPC分类号： H01J1/50

CPC分类号： H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/063 ,  H01J2237/065 ,  H01J2237/083 ,  H01J2237/1035 ,  H01J2237/1405

摘要： An electron gun comprises an electron emitter, an electrode surrounding the electron emitter, an extraction electrode, and a double condenser lens assembly, the double condenser lens assembly comprising a magnetic immersion pre-condenser lens and a condenser lens. In combination with a probe forming objective lens, the electron gun apparatus can provide an electron beam of independently adjustable probe size and probe current, as is desirable in electron beam applications. The electron emitter is immersed in the magnetic field generated by a magnetic type pre-condenser lens. When activated, the pre-condenser lens collimates the beam effectively to increase its angular intensity while at the same time enlarging the virtual source as compared with non-immersion case, due to geometric magnification and aberrations of its lens action. The pre-condenser lens is followed by a condenser lens. If the condenser lens is of the magnetic type, its peak magnetic field is far enough away and thus its action does not significantly affect the size of the virtual source. Independent adjustment of the lenses, combined with suitable selection of final probe forming objective aperture size, allows various combination of the final probe size and probe current to be obtained in a range sufficient for most electron beam applications.

摘要翻译： 电子枪包括电子发射器，围绕电子发射体的电极，引出电极和双重聚光透镜组件，双重聚光透镜组件包括磁性浸入式预聚光透镜和聚光透镜。 与形成物镜的探针组合，如在电子束应用中所希望的那样，电子枪装置可以提供独立可调的探针尺寸和探针电流的电子束。 将电子发射器浸入由磁式预聚光透镜产生的磁场中。 当激活时，由于几何放大和其透镜作用的像差，预聚焦透镜有效地准直光束以增加其角度强度，同时与非浸没情况相比放大虚拟光源。 预聚光透镜之后是聚光透镜。 如果聚光透镜是磁性的，则其峰值磁场足够远，因此其作用不会显着影响虚拟源的尺寸。 透镜的独立调整结合适当选择最终探针形成物镜孔径的尺寸允许在足以满足大多数电子束应用的范围内获得最终探针尺寸和探针电流的各种组合。

公开(公告)号：US06392231B1

公开(公告)日：2002-05-21

申请号：US09513306

申请日：2000-02-25

申请人： Zhong-Wei Chen

发明人： Zhong-Wei Chen

IPC分类号： H01J37141

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J2237/04756 ,  H01J2237/1035

摘要： A swinging objective retarding immersion lens system and method therefore which provide a low voltage electron beam with high beam current, relatively high spatial resolution, a relative large scan field, and high signal collection efficiency. The objective lens includes a magnetic lens for generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of the specimen to focus the particles of the particle beam on the specimen, an electrode having a potential for providing a retarding field to the particle beam near the specimen to reduce the energy of the particle beam when the beam collides with the specimen; a deflection system including a plurality of deflection units situated along the beam axis for deflecting the particle beam to allow scanning on the specimen with large area, at least one of the deflection units located in the retarding field of the beam, the remainder of the deflection units located within the central bore of the magnetic lens; and a annular detection unit with a relatively small aperture, located underneath the primary beam define aperture, to capture secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electrons (BSE).

公开(公告)号：US20090315444A1

公开(公告)日：2009-12-24

申请号：US12145036

申请日：2008-06-24

申请人： Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Juying Dou

发明人： Zhong-Wei Chen ,  Juying Dou

IPC分类号： H01J19/24

CPC分类号： H01J37/063 ,  H01J1/16 ,  H01J3/027 ,  H01J37/065 ,  H01J2237/06316 ,  H01J2237/06375

摘要： A thermal field emission cathode which is employed in an electron microscope, a critical dimension examine tool, an electron beam lithograph machine, an electron beam tester and other electron beam related systems as an electron source is disclosed. Embodiments disclose changing coating shape, coating position and shorten emitter length to extend the lifetime of the field emission cathode.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种在电子显微镜中使用的热场发射阴极，临界尺寸检查工具，电子束光刻机，电子束测试仪和其他电子束相关系统作为电子源。 实施例公开了改变涂层形状，涂层位置和缩短发射极长度以延长场致发射阴极的寿命。