公开(公告)号：WO2023061688A1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-20

申请号：PCT/EP2022/075525

申请日：2022-09-14

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： ZHU, Xuechen ,  TAZESH, Farshid ,  ZHANG, Datong ,  REN, Weiming

IPC: H01J37/244

Abstract: Some embodiments are related to a method of or apparatus for forming an image of a buried structure that includes: emitting primary charged particles from a source; receiving a plurality of secondary charged particles from a sample; and forming an image based on received secondary charged particles that have an energy within a first range.

公开(公告)号：WO2021204740A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-14

申请号：PCT/EP2021/058832

申请日：2021-04-06

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： LIU, Xuedong ,  ZHOU, Weimin ,  CHEN, Xiaoxue ,  JI, Xiaoyu ,  LI, Heng ,  HOQUE, Shahedul ,  LI, Zongyao ,  LIU, Shuhao ,  REN, Weiming

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/145

Abstract: Systems and methods of imaging a sample using a charged- particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The charged-particle beam apparatus may include a compound objective lens (307) comprising a magnetic lens (307M) and an electrostatic lens (307ES), the magnetic lens comprising a cavity, and an electron detector (312) located immediately upstream from a polepiece of the magnetic lens and inside the cavity of the magnetic lens. In some embodiments, deflectors may be located between the electron detector and the opening of the polepiece adjacent to the sample to achieve a large field of view. Electron distributions among the detectors can be manipulated without changing the landing energy by changing the potential of the control electrode(s) in the electrostatic objective lens. The electron source can be operated with several discrete potentials to cover different landing energies, while the potential difference between electron source and the extractor is fixed.

公开(公告)号：WO2020141031A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-09

申请号：PCT/EP2019/082625

申请日：2019-11-26

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： REN, Weiming ,  ZHANG, Qian ,  HU, Xuerang ,  LIU, Xuedong

IPC: H01J37/147

Abstract: A micro-structure deflector array (622) is disclosed. The micro-structure deflector array includes a plurality of multipole structures (622-1 to 622-47). The micro-deflector deflector array comprises a first multipole structure (622-26,..., 622-47) having a first radial shift from a central axis of the array and a second multipole structure (622-1) having a second radial shift from the central axis of the array. The first radial shift is larger than the second radial shift, and the first multipole structure comprises a greater number of pole electrodes than the second multipole structure to reduce deflection aberrations when the plurality of multipole structures deflects a plurality of charged particle beams. The micro-structure deflector array may be included in an improved source conversion unit of a multi-beam inspection apparatus.

公开(公告)号：WO2020099095A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-22

申请号：PCT/EP2019/079076

申请日：2019-10-24

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： REN, Weiming ,  LIU, Xuedong ,  HU, Xuerang ,  CHEN, Zhongwei

IPC: H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/143

Abstract: An electromagnetic compound lens may be configured to focus a charged particle beam. The compound lens may include an electrostatic lens provided on a secondary optical axis and a magnetic lens also provided on the secondary optical axis. The magnetic lens may include a permanent magnet. A charged particle optical system may include a beam separator configured to separate a plurality of beamlets of a primary charged particle beam generated by a source along a primary optical axis from secondary beams of secondary charged particles. The system may include a secondary imaging system configured to focus the secondary beams onto a detector along the secondary optical axis. The secondary imaging system may include the compound lens.

公开(公告)号：WO2020078660A1

公开(公告)日：2020-04-23

申请号：PCT/EP2019/075316

申请日：2019-09-20

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： HU, Xuerang ,  LUO, Xinan ,  XI, Qingpo ,  LIU, Xuedong ,  REN, Weiming

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/317

Abstract: An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus including an improved alignment mechanism is disclosed. An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus may include a second electron detection device to generate one or more images of one or more beam spots of the plurality of secondary electron beams during the alignment mode. The beam spot image may be used to determine the alignment characteristics of one or more of the plurality of secondary electron beams and adjust a configuration of a secondary electron projection system.

公开(公告)号：WO2023078620A2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-11

申请号：PCT/EP2022/077559

申请日：2022-10-04

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： JI, Xiaoyu ,  REN, Weiming

IPC: H01J37/24 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Systems and methods of inspecting a sample using a multi charged-particle beam apparatus with enhanced probe current of beamlets are disclosed. The apparatus may include a charged-particle source, a first condenser lens configured to focus the plurality of charged-particle beams to form a beam crossover at a crossover point and a second condenser lens configured to collimate the focused plurality of charged-particle beams, wherein the crossover point is formed between the first and the second condenser lens along the primary optical axis, and wherein an adjustment of a position of the crossover point causes an adjustment of a beam sizes of the plurality of charged-particle beams. The position of the crossover point may be adjusted by varying the excitation of one or more condenser lenses, or by electrically moving the principal plane positions of one or more condenser lenses.

公开(公告)号：WO2020239505A1

公开(公告)日：2020-12-03

申请号：PCT/EP2020/063831

申请日：2020-05-18

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： REN, Weiming ,  HU, Xuerang ,  XI, Qingpo ,  LIU, Xuedong

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

Abstract: Systems and methods of enhancing imaging resolution by reducing crosstalk between detection elements of a secondary charged- particle detector in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multibeam apparatus comprises an electro-optical system for projecting a plurality of secondary charged-particle beams from a sample onto a charged-particle detector (140). The electro-optical system includes a first pre-limit aperture plate (155P) comprising a first aperture configured to block peripheral charged-particles of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams, and a beam-limit aperture array (155) comprising a second aperture configured to trim the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams. The charged-particle detector may include a plurality of detection elements (140_1, 140_2, 140_3), wherein a detection element of the plurality of detection elements is associated with a corresponding trimmed beam of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams.

公开(公告)号：WO2018122176A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-05

申请号：PCT/EP2017/084429

申请日：2017-12-22

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. ,  HERMES MICROVISION, INC.

Inventor： REN, Weiming ,  LIU, Xuedong ,  HU, Xuerang ,  CHEN, Zhongwei

IPC: H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/317

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes an anti-rotation lens and using it as an anti-rotation condenser lens in a multi-beam apparatus with a pre-beamlet-forming mechanism. The anti-rotation condenser lens keeps rotation angles of beamlets unchanged when changing currents thereof, and thereby enabling the pre-beamlet-forming mechanism to cut off electrons not in use as much as possible. In this way, the multi-beam apparatus can observe a sample with high resolution and high throughput, and is competent as a yield management tool to inspect and/or review defects on wafers/masks in semiconductor manufacturing industry.

公开(公告)号：WO2022207254A1

公开(公告)日：2022-10-06

申请号：PCT/EP2022/055900

申请日：2022-03-08

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： GU, Shichen ,  REN, Weiming ,  XI, Qingpo

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

Abstract: Systems and methods of enhancing imaging resolution by reducing crosstalk between detection elements of a secondary charged-particle detector in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multi-beam apparatus may comprise an electro-optical system comprising a beam-limit aperture plate having a surface substantially perpendicular to an optical axis, the beam-limit aperture plate comprising a first aperture at a first distance relative to the surface of the beam-limit aperture plate, and a second aperture at a second distance relative to the surface of the beam-limit aperture plate, the second distance being different from the first distance. The first aperture may be a part of a first set of apertures of the beam-limit aperture plate at the first distance, and the second aperture may be a part of a second set of apertures of the beam-limit aperture plate at the second distance.

公开(公告)号：WO2021204639A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-14

申请号：PCT/EP2021/058551

申请日：2021-04-01

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： REN, Weiming ,  CHEN, Zhong-wei ,  WANG, Yongxin

IPC: H01L31/115 ,  H01L31/105 ,  H01J49/00 ,  H01J43/02

Abstract: Some disclosed embodiments include an electron detector comprising: a first semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion; a second semiconductor layer; a third semiconductor layer; a PIN region formed by the first, second, and third semiconductor layers; a power supply configured to apply a reverse bias between the first and the third semiconductor layers; and a depletion region formed within the PIN region by the reverse bias and configured to generate a detector signal based on a first subset of the plurality of signal electrons captured within the depletion region, wherein the second portion of the first semiconductor layer is not depleted and is configured to provide an energy barrier to block a second subset of the plurality of signal electrons and to allow the first subset of the plurality of signal electrons to pass through to reach the depletion region.