公开(公告)号：US11776786B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-03

申请号：US16940856

申请日：2020-07-28

Applicant: JEOL Ltd.

Inventor： Kazunori Tsukamoto ,  Yuki Chiba

IPC: H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/22

CPC classification number: H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/216

Abstract: A focus adjustment method for a charged particle beam device having a magnetic field lens used for focus adjustment and an astigmatism corrector includes: acquiring a plurality of first images by varying an excitation current of the magnetic field lens within a focus search range, and determining a reference value of the excitation current; removing hysteresis from the magnetic field lens by setting the excitation current of the magnetic field lens outside the focus search range before and after varying the excitation current of the magnetic field lens within the focus search range; and acquiring a plurality of second images by varying the excitation current of the magnetic field lens using the reference value as a reference and varying a stigma correction value of the astigmatism corrector at each excitation current, and then determining optimum values of the excitation current and the stigma correction value.

公开(公告)号：US20230298854A1

公开(公告)日：2023-09-21

申请号：US18184366

申请日：2023-03-15

Applicant: IMEC VZW ,  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Inventor： Joren Severi ,  Gian Francesco Lorusso ,  Danilo De Simone

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  G06T7/00

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  G06T7/001 ,  H01J2237/2817 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: A method includes generating, by a SEM, sets of frames corresponding to regions of a microfabrication pattern, for each set of frames, estimating feature data representing edge positions, linewidths, or centerline positions of one or more features of each region of the pattern, and computing a preliminary estimate of a roughness parameter from the feature data. The roughness parameter is indicative of a line edge roughness, a linewidth roughness, or a pattern placement roughness of the one or more features. The method further includes fitting a model equation to the preliminary estimates of the roughness parameter using a model parameter dependent on the number of frames of each set of frames, the model equation relating the model parameter to the roughness parameter; and computing a final estimate of the roughness parameter as an asymptotic value of the fitted model equation.

公开(公告)号：US20230298852A1

公开(公告)日：2023-09-21

申请号：US18120278

申请日：2023-03-10

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Benoit Herve GAURY ,  Jasper Frans Mathijs VAN RENS

IPC: H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/265 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: A method of measuring a delay time of a propagation of a signal in a line in a circuit structure, the method comprises irradiating the line by pulses of a charged particle beam, wherein a pulse repetition frequency of the pulses of the charged particle beam is varied. The method further comprises measuring, for each of the pulse repetition frequencies, a secondary charged particle emission responsive to the irradiating the line by the pulses of the charged particle beam at the respective pulse repetition frequency, and deriving the delay time of the line based on the secondary charged particle emission responsive to the varying of the pulse repetition frequency.

公开(公告)号：US11764028B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-19

申请号：US17056993

申请日：2018-05-22

Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

Inventor： Yuta Imai ,  Masahiro Sasajima ,  Yoshihiro Takahoko

IPC: H01J37/14 ,  H01J37/15 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/141

CPC classification number: H01J37/145 ,  H01J37/15 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/12 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: A charged particle beam device is provided in which axis adjustment as a superimposing lens is facilitated by aligning an axis of an electrostatic lens resulting from a deceleration electric field with an axis of a magnetic field lens. The charged particle beam device includes: an electron source; an objective lens that focuses a probe electron beam from the electron source on a sample; a first beam tube and a second beam tube through each of which the probe electron beam passes; a deceleration electrode arranged between the first beam tube and a sample; a first voltage source that forms a deceleration electric field for the probe electron beam between the first beam tube and the deceleration electrode by applying a first potential to the first beam tube; and a first moving mechanism that moves a position of the first beam tube.

公开(公告)号：US11749497B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-05

申请号：US17394925

申请日：2021-08-05

Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

Inventor： Shunsuke Mizutani ,  Shahedul Hoque ,  Uki Ikeda ,  Makoto Suzuki

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/244

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/2443 ,  H01J2237/24475

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus covering a wide range of detection angles of charged particles emitted from a sample includes an objective lens for converging charged particle beams emitted from a charged particle source and a detector for detecting charged particles emitted from a sample. The objective lens includes inner and outer magnetic paths which are formed so as to enclose a coil. A first inner magnetic path is disposed at a position opposite to an optical axis of the charged particle beams. A second inner magnetic path, formed at a slant with respect to the optical axis of the charged particle beams, includes a leading end. A detection surface of the detector is disposed at the outer side from a virtual straight line that passes through the leading end and that is parallel to the optical axis of the charged particle beams.

公开(公告)号：US11742177B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-29

申请号：US17500627

申请日：2021-10-13

Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION

Inventor： Ayana Muraki ,  Tatsuya Asahata ,  Atsushi Uemoto

IPC: H01J37/304 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/3045 ,  H01J37/222 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/30405

Abstract: Automated processing is provided. A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an image identity degree determination unit determining whether an identity degree is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the identity degree indicating a degree of identity between a processing cross-section image that is an SEM image obtained through observation of a cross section of the sample by a scanning electron microscope, and a criterion image that is the processing cross-section image previously registered; and a post-determination processing unit performing a predetermined processing operation according to a result of the determination by the image identity degree determination unit.

公开(公告)号：US20230260739A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-17

申请号：US18012478

申请日：2020-07-13

Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

Inventor： Keisuke TANUMA ,  Masato KAMIO ,  Hironori ITABASHI ,  Hiroki KANNAMI ,  Yusuke SEKI ,  Takumi UEZONO ,  Mitsuhiro NAKAMURA

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

CPC classification number: H01J37/153 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/1474 ,  H01J2237/1536

Abstract: It is aimed to properly correct the various types of distortion without a reduction in observation throughput. The present disclosure provides a charged particle beam device that obtains an image by irradiating a specimen with a charged particle beam and includes: a deflection coil that scans the charged particle beam on the specimen; a D/A converter that converts a digital scan waveform into an analog scan waveform and outputs the analog scan waveform to the deflection coil to drive the deflection coil; and a scan waveform generation unit that generates a digital scan waveform and outputs the digital scan waveform to the D/A converter, in which the scan waveform generation unit has a basic LUT that stores parameters for correcting the digital scan waveform and includes a correction circuit that corrects a distortion characteristic of the deflection coil

公开(公告)号：US11728131B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-15

申请号：US17553357

申请日：2021-12-16

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Ning Ye ,  Jun Jiang ,  Jian Zhang ,  Yixiang Wang

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/26

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/265 ,  H01J2237/0047 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for providing beams for controlling charges on a sample surface of charged particle beam system. In some embodiments, a module comprising a laser source configured to emit a beam. The beam may illuminate an area adjacent to a pixel on a wafer to indirectly heat the pixel to mitigate a cause of a direct photon-induced effect at the pixel. An electron beam tool configured to detect a defect in the pixel, wherein the defect is induced by the indirect heating of the pixel.

公开(公告)号：US11728127B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-15

申请号：US17518739

申请日：2021-11-04

Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

Inventor： Takuma Yamamoto

IPC: H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/222 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/221 ,  H01J2237/2448 ,  H01J2237/24475

Abstract: Even when the amount of overlay deviation between patterns located in different layers is large, correct measurement of the amount of overlay deviation is stably performed. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam irradiation unit that irradiates a sample with a charged particle beam, a first detection unit that detects secondary electrons from the sample, a second detection unit that detects backscattered electrons from the sample, and an image processing unit that generates a first image including an image of a first pattern located on the surface of the sample based on an output of the first detection unit, and generates a second image including an image of a second pattern located in a lower layer than the surface of the sample based on an output of the second detection unit. A control unit adjusts the position of a measurement area in the first image based on a first template image for the first image, and adjusts the position of a measurement area in the second image based on a second template image for the second image.

公开(公告)号：US11715619B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-01

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

CPC classification number: H01J37/244 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24465 ,  H01J2237/24495 ,  H01J2237/24507 ,  H01J2237/24578 ,  H01J2237/24592 ,  H01J2237/2817

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.