公开(公告)号：US20200251305A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-06

申请号：US16813572

申请日：2020-03-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Zhongwei CHEN ,  Jack JAU ,  Weiming REN

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/29 ,  H01J37/285 ,  H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/26

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatuses to inspect small particles on the surface of a sample such as wafer and mask. The apparatuses provide both high detection efficiency and high throughput by forming Dark-field BSE images. The apparatuses can additionally inspect physical and electrical defects on the sample surface by form SE images and Bright-field BSE images simultaneously. The apparatuses can be designed to do single-beam or even multiple single-beam inspection for achieving a high throughput.

公开(公告)号：US20250112023A1

公开(公告)日：2025-04-03

申请号：US18829217

申请日：2024-09-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Shuai LI ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Zhongwei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit changes a single electron source into a virtual multi-source array, a primary projection imaging system projects the array to form plural probe spots on the sample, and a condenser lens adjusts the currents of the plural probe spots. In the source-conversion unit, the image-forming means is on the upstream of the beamlet-limit means, and thereby generating less scattered electrons. The image-forming means not only forms the virtual multi-source array, but also compensates the off-axis aberrations of the plurality of probe spots.

公开(公告)号：US20220375716A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-24

申请号：US17713189

申请日：2022-04-04

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin WANG ,  Weiming REN ,  Zhonghua DONG ,  Zhongwei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  G01N23/2251

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charged particle detection. The detection system can comprise a signal processing circuit configured to generate a set of intensity gradients based on electron intensity data received from a plurality of electron sensing elements. The detection system can further comprise a beam spot processing module configured to determine, based on the set of intensity gradients, at least one boundary of a beam spot; and determine, based on the at least one boundary, that a first set of electron sensing elements of the plurality of electron sensing elements is within the beam spot. The beam spot processing module can further be configured to determine an intensity value of the beam spot based on the electron intensity data received from the first set of electron sensing elements and also generate an image of a wafer based on the intensity value.

公开(公告)号：US20220148851A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-12

申请号：US17460381

申请日：2021-08-30

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Shuai LI ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Zhongwei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/05 ,  H01J37/063 ,  H01J37/304 ,  H01J29/51 ,  H01J37/12

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit changes a single electron source into a virtual multi-source array, a primary projection imaging system projects the array to form plural probe spots on the sample, and a condenser lens adjusts the currents of the plural probe spots. In the source-conversion unit, the image-forming means is on the upstream of the beamlet-limit means, and thereby generating less scattered electrons. The image-forming means not only forms the virtual multi-source array, but also compensates the off-axis aberrations of the plurality of probe spots.

公开(公告)号：US20200266023A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-20

申请号：US16652025

申请日：2018-09-25

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuedong LIU ,  Qingpo XI ,  Youfei JIANG ,  Weiming REN ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhongwei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a source of charged particles configured to emit a beam of charged particles along a primary beam axis of the apparatus; a condenser lens configured to cause the beam to concentrate around the primary beam axis; an aperture; a first multi-pole lens; a second multi-pole lens; wherein the first multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the condenser lens and upstream with respect to the second multi-pole lens; wherein the second multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the first multi-pole lens and upstream with respect to the aperture.

公开(公告)号：US20240379325A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-14

申请号：US18431759

申请日：2024-02-02

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Frank Nan ZHANG ,  Zhongwei CHEN ,  Yixiang WANG ,  Ying Crystal SHEN

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.

公开(公告)号：US20220262594A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-18

申请号：US17662453

申请日：2022-05-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

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

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/05 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for compensating dispersion of a beam separator in a single-beam or multi-beam apparatus. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dispersion device comprising an electrostatic deflector and a magnetic deflector configured to induce a beam dispersion set to cancel the dispersion generated by the beam separator. The combination of the electrostatic deflector and the magnetic deflector can be used to keep the deflection angle due to the dispersion device unchanged when the induced beam dispersion is changed to compensate for a change in the dispersion generated by the beam separator. In some embodiments, the deflection angle due to the dispersion device can be controlled to be zero and there is no change in primary beam axis due to the dispersion device.

公开(公告)号：US20220246391A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-04

申请号：US17572557

申请日：2022-01-10

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Joe WANG ,  Yongxin WANG ,  Zhongwei CHEN ,  Xuerang HU

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: A multi-cell detector may include a first layer having a region of a first conductivity type and a second layer including a plurality of regions of a second conductivity type. The second layer may also include one or more regions of the first conductivity type. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be partitioned from one another, preferably by the one or more regions of the first conductivity type of the second layer. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be spaced apart from one or more regions of the first conductivity type in the second layer. The detector may further include an intrinsic layer between the first and second layers.

公开(公告)号：US20210233736A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-29

申请号：US17135969

申请日：2020-12-28

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

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

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/10

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.

公开(公告)号：US20200286707A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-10

申请号：US16824499

申请日：2020-03-19

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Martinus Gerardus, Maria, Johannes MAASSEN ,  Peter Paul HEMPENIUS ,  Weiming REN ,  Zhongwei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes a beamlet forming unit configured to form and scan an array of beamlets on a sample. A first portion of the array of beamlets is focused onto a focus plane, and a second portion of the array of beamlets has at least one beamlet with a defocusing level with respect to the focus plane. The charged particle beam apparatus also includes a detector configured to detect an image of the sample formed by the array of beamlets, and a processor configured to estimate a level of separation between the focus plane and the sample based on the detected image and then reduce the level of separation based on the estimated level.