公开(公告)号：WO2022023304A1

公开(公告)日：2022-02-03

申请号：PCT/EP2021/070930

申请日：2021-07-27

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： GAURY, Benoit, Herve ,  LA FONTAINE, Bruno ,  JIANG, Jun ,  HASAN, Shakeeb Bin ,  KANAI, Kenichi ,  VAN RENS, Jasper, Frans, Mathijs ,  TABERY, Cyrus, Emil ,  MA, Long ,  PATTERSON, Oliver, Desmond ,  ZHANG, Jian ,  JEN, Chih-Yu ,  WANG, Yixiang

IPC: H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/244

Abstract: Systems and methods of observing a sample using a charged-particle beam apparatus in voltage contrast mode are disclosed. The charged-particle beam apparatus comprises a charged- particle source, an optical source, a charged-particle detector configured to detect charged particles, and a controller having circuitry configured to apply a first signal to cause the optical source to generate the optical pulse, apply a second signal to the charged-particle detector to detect the second plurality of charged particles, and adjust a time delay between the first and the second signals. In some embodiments, the controller having circuitry may be further configured to acquire a plurality of images of a structure, to determine an electrical characteristic of the structure based on the rate of gray level variation of the plurality of images of the structure, and to simulate, using a model, a physical characteristic of the structure based on the determined electrical characteristic.

公开(公告)号：WO2021180743A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-16

申请号：PCT/EP2021/055954

申请日：2021-03-09

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： MA, Long ,  DONG, Zhonghua ,  CHEN, Te-Yu

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for generating a beam for inspecting a wafer positioned on a stage in a charged particle beam system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a controller may include circuitry configured to classify a plurality of regions along a stripe of the wafer by type of region, the stripe being larger than a field of view of the beam, wherein the classification of the plurality of regions includes a first type of region and a second type of region; and scan the wafer by controlling a speed of the stage based on the type of region, wherein the first type of region is scanned at a first speed and the second type of region is scanned at a second speed.

公开(公告)号：WO2020043583A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-05

申请号：PCT/EP2019/072434

申请日：2019-08-22

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： JEN, Chih-Yu ,  MA, Long ,  WANG, Yongjun ,  JIANG, Jun

IPC: H01J37/22 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus for detecting a thin device structure defect is disclosed. The beam inspection apparatus includes a charged particle beam source to direct charged particles to a location of a wafer under inspection over a time sequence, and a controller configured to sample multiple images (510-538) of the area of the wafer at difference times over the time sequence. The multiple images are compared to detect a voltage contrast difference or changes (560-564) to identify a thin device structure defect (562).

公开(公告)号：WO2019238553A1

公开(公告)日：2019-12-19

申请号：PCT/EP2019/064919

申请日：2019-06-07

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： MAASSEN, Martinus, Gerardus, Maria, Johannes ,  OTTENS, Joost, Jeroen ,  MA, Long ,  JIANG, Youfei ,  YIN, Weihua ,  LI, Wei-Te ,  LIU, Xuedong

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: An improved system and method for inspection of a sample using a particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, to systems and methods of scanning a sample with a plurality of charged particle beams. An improved method of scanning an area of a sample using N charged particle beams, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to two, and wherein the area of the sample comprises a plurality of scan sections of N consecutive scan lines, includes moving the sample in a first direction. The method also includes scanning, with a first charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, first scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the first charged particle beam. The method further includes scanning, with a second charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, second scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the second charged particle beam. In addition, there is provided a multi-beam tool comprising: a beam configuration system including a charged-particle source for generating a primary beam of charged particles, a stage configured to hold a sample, and a deflector system between the charged-particle source and the stage configured to split the primary beam into an array of beams, wherein the beam configuration system is configured to provide a rotated beam configuration with a rotation angle determined based on a number of beams in a row of the array of beams.

公开(公告)号：WO2022023232A1

公开(公告)日：2022-02-03

申请号：PCT/EP2021/070780

申请日：2021-07-26

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： JEN, Chih-Yu ,  CHEN, Chien-Hung ,  MA, Long ,  LA FONTAINE, Bruno ,  ZHANG, Datong

IPC: H01J37/244

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus for inspecting a sample is provided. The apparatus includes a pixelized electron detector to receive signal electrons generated in response to an incidence of an emitted charged particle beam onto the sample. The pixelized electron detector includes multiple pixels arranged in a grid pattern. The multiple pixels may be configured to generate multiple detection signals, wherein each detection signal corresponds to the signal electrons received by a corresponding pixel of the pixelized electron detector. The apparatus further includes a controller includes circuitry configured to determine a topographical characteristic of a structure within the sample based on the detection signals generated by the multiple pixels, and identifying a defect within the sample based on the topographical characteristic of the structure of the sample.

公开(公告)号：WO2020058142A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-26

申请号：PCT/EP2019/074585

申请日：2019-09-13

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： MA, Long ,  JEN, Chih-Yu ,  DONG, Zhonghua ,  ZHANG, Peilei ,  FANG, Wei ,  LI, Chuan

IPC: H01J37/28

Abstract: An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam apparatus for inspecting a wafer including an improved scanning mechanism for detecting fast- charging defects is disclosed. An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus may include a charged particle beam source that delivers charged particles to an area of the wafer and scans the area. The improved charged particle beam apparatus may further include a controller including a circuitry to produce multiple images of the area over a time sequence, which are compared to detect fast- charging defects.

公开(公告)号：WO2019238373A1

公开(公告)日：2019-12-19

申请号：PCT/EP2019/063286

申请日：2019-05-23

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： MA, Long

IPC: H01J37/28

Abstract: A wafer inspection system is disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the system includes an electron detector that includes circuitry to detect secondary electrons or backscattered electrons (SE/BSE) emitted from a wafer. The electron beam system also includes a current detector that includes circuitry to detect an electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) from the wafer. The electron beam system further includes a controller having one or more processors and a memory, the controller including circuitry to: acquire data regarding the SE/BSE; acquire data regarding the EBIC; and determine structural information of the wafer based on an evaluation of the SE/BSE data and the EBIC data.