公开(公告)号：US20250157783A1

公开(公告)日：2025-05-15

申请号：US19025881

申请日：2025-01-16

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuerang HU ,  Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/26

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a first electrically conductive layer; a second electrically conductive layer; a plurality of optics element s between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer, wherein the plurality of optics elements are configured to influence a plurality of beams of charged particles; a third electrically conductive layer between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer; and an electrically insulating layer physically connected to the optics elements, wherein the electrically insulating layer is configured to electrically insulate the optics elements from the first electrically conductive layer, and the second electrically conductive layer.

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：US20230178328A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-08

申请号：US17913141

申请日：2021-03-18

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin WANG ,  Zhonghua DONG ,  Xiaoyu JI ,  Shahedul HOQUE ,  Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Guofan YE ,  Kuo-Chin CHIEN

IPC: H01J37/147

CPC classification number: H01J37/1474 ,  H01J2237/1504

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first charged particle beam manipulator positioned in a first layer configured to influence a charged particle beam and a second charged particle beam manipulator positioned in a second layer configured to influence the charged particle beam. The first and second charged particle beam manipulators may each include a plurality of electrodes having a first set of opposing electrodes and a second set of opposing electrodes. A first driver system electrically connected to the first set may be configured to provide a plurality of discrete output states to the first set. A second driver system electrically connected to the second set may be configured to provide a plurality of discrete output states to the second set. The first and second charged-particle beam manipulators may each comprise a plurality of segments; and a controller having circuitry configured to individually control operation of each of the plurality of segments.

公开(公告)号：US20230112447A1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-13

申请号：US17910752

申请日：2021-03-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Yongxin WANG

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  G01N23/203 ,  G01N23/2206 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: Systems and methods of observing a sample using an electron beam apparatus are disclosed. The electron beam apparatus comprises an electron source configured to generate a primary electron beam along a primary optical axis, and a first electron detector having a first detection layer substantially parallel to the primary optical axis and configured to detect a first portion of a plurality of signal electrons generated from a probe spot on a sample. The method may comprise generating a plurality of signal electrons and detecting the signal electrons using the first electron detector substantially parallel to the primary optical axis of the primary electron beam. A method of configuring an electrostatic element or a magnetic element to detect backscattered electrons may include disposing an electron detector on an inner surface of the electrostatic or magnetic element and depositing a conducting layer on the inner surface of the electron detector.

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：US20220319797A1

公开(公告)日：2022-10-06

申请号：US17708517

申请日：2022-03-30

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Shichen GU ,  Weiming REN ,  Qingpo XI

IPC: H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/20

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：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：US20220005665A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-06

申请号：US17373766

申请日：2021-07-12

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Weiming REN ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Xuerang HU ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/145

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：US20200303155A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-24

申请号：US16753285

申请日：2018-10-02

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Xuerang HU ,  Xuedong LIU ,  Weiming REN ,  Zhong-wei CHEN

IPC: H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/12

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for multi-beam inspection with an improved source conversion unit providing more beamlets with high electric safety, mechanical availability and mechanical stabilization has been disclosed. The source-conversion unit comprises an image-forming element array having a plurality of image-forming elements, an aberration compensator array having a plurality of micro-compensators, and a pre-bending element array with a plurality of pre-bending micro-deflectors. In each of the arrays, adjacent elements are placed in different layers, and one element may comprise two or more sub-elements placed in different layers. The sub-elements of a micro-compensator may have different functions such as micro-lens and micro-stigmators.

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.