公开(公告)号：US11961709B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-16

申请号：US17873778

申请日：2022-07-26

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Ali Mohammadi-Gheidari ,  Erik René Kieft ,  Pieter Kruit

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: H01J37/3177 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/1534 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The charged particle beam device comprises a specimen holder for holding a specimen; a source for producing a beam of charged particles; and an illuminator for converting said beam of charged particles into a plurality of charged particle beamlets and directing said plurality of charged particle beamlets onto said specimen. According to the disclosure, the illuminator comprises a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for defining the corresponding plurality of charged particle beamlets; as well as at least a first electrode for generating an electrical field at a surface of the multi-aperture lens plate. The apertures in said multi-aperture lens plate have a noncircular cross-sectional shape to correct for neighbouring aperture induced aberrations. This allows for decreased spot size, and with this imaging resolution of the device is increased.

公开(公告)号：US11955310B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-09

申请号：US17214719

申请日：2021-03-26

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/26

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/10 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/265 ,  H01J2237/24485 ,  H01J2237/2802 ,  H01J2237/31749

Abstract: The invention relates to a transmission charged particle microscope comprising a charged particle beam source for emitting a charged particle beam, a sample holder for holding a sample, an illuminator for directing the charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle beam source onto the sample, and a control unit for controlling operations of the transmission charged particle microscope. As defined herein, the transmission charged particle microscope is arranged for operating in at least two modes that substantially yield a first magnification whilst keeping said diffraction pattern substantially in focus. Said at least two modes comprise a first mode having first settings of a final projector lens of a projecting system; and a second mode having second settings of said final projector lens.

公开(公告)号：US20240110881A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-04

申请号：US18051170

申请日：2022-10-31

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： James B. McGinn

IPC: G01N23/2251

CPC classification number: G01N23/2251 ,  G01N2223/07 ,  G01N2223/418 ,  G01N2223/507

Abstract: Detectors, systems, and methods for detecting lateral beam displacement for a beam microscopy system are described herein. In one aspect, a detector can include an aperture for allowing a charged particle beam passing through the detector and irradiating a sample; and a plurality of rails arranged in a first plane extending radially outward from the aperture, wherein each of the plurality of rails is configured to detect charged particles from the charged particle beam before irradiating the sample.

公开(公告)号：US11948771B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-02

申请号：US17523228

申请日：2021-11-10

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/09

CPC classification number: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/09 ,  H01J2237/24507

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of determining an energy width of a charged particle beam, comprising the steps of providing a charged particle beam, directing said beam towards a specimen, and forming an energy-dispersed beam from a flux of charged particles transmitted through the specimen. As defined herein, the method comprises the steps of providing a slit element in a slit plane, and using said slit element for blocking a part of said energy-dispersed beam, as well as the step of modifying said energy-dispersed beam at the location of said slit plane in such a way that said energy dispersed beam is partially blocked at said slit element. The unblocked part of said energy-dispersed beam is imaged and an intensity gradient of said imaged energy-dispersed beam is determined, with which the energy width of the charged particle beam can be determined.

公开(公告)号：US20240094142A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-21

申请号：US18221603

申请日：2023-07-13

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Sophia E. Weeks ,  Umesh Adiga

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  G01N30/86 ,  H01L21/66

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N30/8637 ,  H01L22/26

Abstract: Adaptive endpoint detection is applied to delayering of a multi-layer sample utilizing a combination of dynamic and predetermined parameters. Retrospective evaluation of peaks and troughs can re-classify endpoints as signal properties emerge, enabling accurate mapping of endpoints to layers. The described techniques can be integrated with analysis operations and can be applied across a wide range of device types and manufacturing processes.

公开(公告)号：US11915904B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-27

申请号：US17880624

申请日：2022-08-03

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander Henstra ,  Pleun Dona

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/1516 ,  H01J2237/1534

Abstract: Systems for reducing the generation of thermal magnetic field noise in optical elements of microscope systems, are disclosed. Example microscopy optical elements having reduced Johnson noise generation according to the present disclosure comprises an inner core composed of an electrically isolating material, and an outer coating composed of an electrically conductive material. The product of the thickness of the outer coating and the electrical conductivity is less than 0.01Ω−1. The outer coating causes a reduction in Johnson noise generated by the optical element of greater than 2×, 3×, or an order of magnitude or greater. In a specific example embodiment, the optical element is a corrector system having reduced Johnson noise generation. Such a corrector system comprises an outer magnetic multipole, and an inner electrostatic multipole. The inner electrostatic multipole comprises an inner core composed of an electrically isolating material and an outer coating composed of an electrically conductive material.

公开(公告)号：US20230420213A1

公开(公告)日：2023-12-28

申请号：US18339933

申请日：2023-06-22

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Alexander HENSTRA ,  Galen GLEDHILL

IPC: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/305

CPC classification number: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/305 ,  H01J2237/1534

Abstract: An ion beam system for modifying a sample or workpiece surface, comprises: an ion source for generating ions; an ion beam focusing column configured to direct ions from the ion source to form an ion beam and focus the ion beam towards a target area; and a sample stage for receiving and positioning the sample or workpiece at the target area, wherein the ion beam focusing column comprises: an aperture plate having a non-circular beam limiting aperture configured to limit the extent of a transmitted ion beam; and a multipole aberration compensator configured to apply a four-fold astigmatism to the ion beam to compensate spherical aberration produced by one or more lenses in the ion beam focusing column. The multipole aberration compensator may be a multipole element that generates an octupole field. A corresponding method is provided.

公开(公告)号：US11847813B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-19

申请号：US17499603

申请日：2021-10-12

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Thomas Gary Miller ,  John F. Flanagan, IV ,  Brian Routh, Jr. ,  Richard Young ,  Brad Larson ,  Aditee Shrotre

IPC: G06N3/00 ,  G06N20/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G06V10/764 ,  G06V10/44 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/263 ,  G06F18/24 ,  G06F18/2115 ,  G06F18/21

CPC classification number: G06V10/454 ,  G06F18/2115 ,  G06F18/2163 ,  G06F18/24 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06V10/764 ,  H01L21/2633 ,  H01L21/2686 ,  H01L22/26 ,  G06T2207/10056 ,  G06T2207/20081 ,  G06T2207/20084 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  G06V2201/06

Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing artificial intelligence enabled preparation end-pointing are disclosed. An example method at least includes obtaining an image of a surface of a sample, the sample including a plurality of features, analyzing the image to determine whether an end point has been reached, the end point based on a feature of interest out of the plurality of features observable in the image, and based on the end point not being reached, removing a layer of material from the surface of the sample.

公开(公告)号：US20230394852A1

公开(公告)日：2023-12-07

申请号：US17832212

申请日：2022-06-03

Applicant: FEI COMPANY

Inventor： Radim Kríz ,  Matej Dolník ,  Marko Vrábel

IPC: G06V20/69 ,  G06T7/10 ,  G06T7/70 ,  G06T7/60 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G06V10/764 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/305 ,  G02B21/16

CPC classification number: G06V20/698 ,  G06V20/695 ,  G06T7/10 ,  G06T7/70 ,  G06T7/60 ,  G06T7/0012 ,  G06V10/764 ,  H01J37/222 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/3053 ,  G02B21/16 ,  G06T2207/20021 ,  G06T2207/10056 ,  G06T2207/30024

Abstract: Disclosed herein are scientific instrument support systems, as well as related methods, computing devices, and computer-readable media. For example, in some embodiments, a support apparatus is provided for a charged particle microscope. The support apparatus is configured to apply automated image processing to an image representing a lamella sample to segment the image into a plurality of segmented classes. The support apparatus is also configured to identify, based on the plurality of segmented classes, a subset of candidate structures-of-interest in the lamella sample and to select, from the subset of candidate structures-of-interest in the lamella sample, a selected structure-of-interest for milling. The support apparatus is also configured to set, based on the selected structure-of-interest for milling, at least one milling parameter for the scientific instrument. An automated method performed via a computing device for providing such scientific instrument support is also provided.

公开(公告)号：US20230375445A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-23

申请号：US17748878

申请日：2022-05-19

Applicant: FEI Company

Inventor： Michal HROUZEK ,  Krishna Kanth NEELISETTY ,  Petr WANDROL ,  Libor NOVAK

IPC: G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/305 ,  H01J37/20 ,  G01N1/28

CPC classification number: G01N1/32 ,  H01J37/3056 ,  H01J37/20 ,  G01N1/286

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a broad ion beam (BIB) polisher in a sample preparation workflow having improved uptime, are disclosed. An example method for operating a broad ion beam (BIB) polisher having improved uptime according to the present invention comprises causing a first BIB source to emit a first broad ion beam towards a sample positioned within an interior volume of the BIB polisher while the first BIB source is in emitting the first broad ion beam towards the sample, removing a second BIB source from the BIB polisher that is configured to emit a second broad ion beam towards the sample when in use.