Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Kla Instruments Corporation

Other

Multibeam Systems Inc.

Rockwell Collins, Inc.

UChicago Argonne, LLC

Kla-tenor Corp.

Ict Integrated Circuit Testing Gesselschaft

Ict Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft Fur Halbleiterpruftechnik Mbh

Alan D Brodie

Mark Armstrong McCord

Lawrence Muray

Paul F Petric

N William Parker

Edward Yin

Keith Standiford

Dan Meisburger

Jack Y Jau

Jeffrey W Elam

Zhong-wei Chen

Mehran Nasser-Ghodsi

Christopher Sears

Anil U Mane

William M Tong

Grace Hsiu-Ling Chen

John Gerling

Richard R Simmons

Eric Munro

Anil A Desai

John McMurtry

Frank Ching-Feng Tsai

April Dutta

Dennis G Emge

Henry Pearce-Percy

John Fielden

Abdurrahman Sezginer

David J Clark

Yehiel Gotkis

Jürgen Frosien

Gildardo Rios Delgado

Juergen Frosien

Stefan Lanio

Hong Xiao

Lee H Veneklasen

George Xinsheng Guo

Chung-Shih Pan

Srinivas Vedula

J Kirkwood Rough

Ming Lun Yu

Curt H Chadwick

Amir Azordegan

Frances Hill

John S Taylor

John D Greene

Qiang Q Zhang

Katerina Ioakeimidi

James Spallas

John H McCoy

Daniel L Cavan

Gian Francesco Lorusso

Ralph T Johnson

Rainer Knippelmeyer

Yu Guan

Allen M Carroll

Gary V Lopez Lopez

Chetana Bhaskar

Laurence S Hordon

Brian J Grenon

Ralph Nyffenegger

Kuljit Virk

Marcel Trimpl

Timothy L Hutcheson

Gerald Schoenecker

Gerald Schönecker

Joseph Maurino

Barry Becker

David A Crewe

Leonid Baranov

Miguel Gonzalez

Kirkwood Rough

Paul Wieczorek

John Rouse

Michael C Matter

James George

Dave E Smith

Zhong-Wei Chen

Dan Meisberger

Leslie A Honfi

Ming-Yie Ling

Hans Dohse

Ray Paul

Mike Robinson

David E Smith

Dean Walters

Sam Wong

Surendra Lele

Chun C Lin

Hoi T Nguyen

Yen-Jen Oyang

Michael Madsen

Chris Kirk

Nick Petrone

Nicholas Petrone

Takuji Tada

An array of localized auto-focus sensors provides direct measurement of the working distance between each microscope column in the array and the substrate being imaged below. The auto-focus sensors measure the working distance between each column and the imaging substrate as it passes over a point on the substrate to be imaged. The working distance measurement from the sensors is input into a control system, which in turn outputs the required working distance adjustment to the microscope column. The control system independently adjusts microscope working distance and/or physical distance of an individual microscope column in a multi-column microscope based on auto-focus sensor input. The individual microscope columns in the multi-column microscope can also be used as the auto-focus sensor itself.

Auto-focus sensor implementation for multi-column microscopes

A segmented detector device with backside illumination. The detector is able to collect and differentiate between secondary electrons and backscatter electrons. The detector includes a through-hole for passage of a primary electron beam. After hitting a sample, the reflected secondary and backscatter electrons are collected via a vertical structure having a P+/P&#x2212;/N+ or an N+/N&#x2212;/P+ composition for full depletion through the thickness of the device. The active area of the device is segmented using field isolation insulators located on the front side of the device.

Segmented multi-channel, backside illuminated, solid state detector with a through-hole for detecting secondary and backscattered electrons

A photocathode emitter can include a transparent substrate, a photocathode layer, and a plasmonic structure array disposed between the transparent substrate and the photocathode layer. The plasmonic structure can serve as a spot-confining structure and an electrical underlayer for biasing the photocathode. The plasmonic structure can confine the incident light at subwavelength sizes.

Plasmonic photocathode emitters at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths

A system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a scanning electron microscopy sub-system including an electron source configured to generate an electron beam and an electron-optical assembly including one or more electron-optical elements configured to direct the electron beam to the specimen. In another embodiment, the system includes one or more grounding paths coupled to the specimen, the one or more grounding paths configured to generate one or more transmission signals based on one or more received electron beam-induced transmission currents. In another embodiment, the system includes a controller configured to: generate control signals configured to cause the scanning electron microscopy sub-system to scan the portion of the electron beam across a portion of the specimen; receive the transmission signals via the one or more grounding paths; and generate transmission current images based on the transmission signals.

Defect inspection and review using transmissive current image of charged particle beam system

A multi-beam electron source is disclosed. The multi-beam source includes an electron source, a grid lens assembly, and a multi-lens array assembly. The multi-lens array assembly includes a set of lenses disposed across a substrate. The grid lens assembly is configured to cause a primary electron beam from the electron beam source to land on the multi-lens array assembly telecentrically. The multi-lens array assembly is configured to split the electron beam from the electron beam source into a plurality of primary electron beams. The grid lens assembly includes a first lens element and a second lens element, wherein the first lens element and the second lens element are separated by a gap of a selected distance. The grid lens assembly further includes a grid element including a set of apertures, wherein the grid element is disposed within the gap between the first lens element and the second lens element.

Multi-beam electron characterization tool with telecentric illumination

Multi-beam e-beam columns and inspection systems that use such multi-beam e-beam columns are disclosed. A multi-beam e-beam column configured in accordance with the present disclosure may include an electron source and a multi-lens array configured to produce a plurality of beamlets utilizing electrons provided by the electron source. The multi-lens array may be further configured to shift a focus of at least one particular beamlet of the plurality of beamlets such that the focus of the at least one particular beamlet is different from a focus of at least one other beamlet of the plurality of beamlets.

Field curvature correction for multi-beam inspection systems

An electron beam inspection system is disclosed, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The inspection system may include an electron beam source configured to generate one or more primary electron beams. The inspection system may also include an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct the one or more primary electron beams to a sample. The inspection system may further include a detection assembly comprising: a scintillator substrate configured to collect electrons emanating from the sample, the scintillator substrate configured to generate optical radiation in response to the collected electrons; one or more light guides; one or more reflective surfaces configured to receive the optical radiation and direct the optical radiation along the one or more light guides; and one or more detectors configured to receive the optical radiation from the light guide.

Arrayed column detector

A multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (SEM) system is disclosed. The system includes an electron beam source configured to generate a source electron beam. The system includes a set of electron-optical elements configured to generate a flood electron beam from the source electron beam. The system includes a multi-beam lens array with a plurality of electron-optical pathways configured to split the flood electron beam into a plurality of primary electron beams, and a plurality of electrically-charged array layers configured to adjust at least some of the plurality of primary electron beams. The system includes a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least some of the plurality of primary electron beams onto a surface of a sample secured by a stage. The system includes a detector array configured to detect a plurality of electrons emanated from the surface of the sample in response to the plurality of primary electron beams.

Apparatus and method for correcting arrayed astigmatism in a multi-column scanning electron microscopy system

A multi-beam metrology system includes an illumination source configured to generate a beam array, an illumination sub-system to direct the beam array to a sample at an array of measurement locations, an imaging sub-system to image the array of measurement locations as an array of imaged spots in a detection plane, and a detection assembly to generate detection signal channels associated with each of the imaged spots. The detection assembly includes an array of detection elements configured to receive the imaged spots with separate detection elements, and one or more position detectors to measure positions of the imaged spots in the detection plane. The detection assembly further generates feedback signals for the imaging sub-system based on the measured positions of the imaged spots to adjust the positions of one or more of the imaged spots in the detection plane to maintain alignment of the array of detection elements.

Position feedback for multi-beam particle detector

Performance of a multi-electron-beam system can be improved by reducing Coulomb effects in the illumination path of a multi-beam inspection system. A beam-limiting aperture with multiple holes can be positioned between an electron beam source and a multi-lens array, such as in a field-free region. The beam-limiting aperture is configured to reduce Coulomb interactions between the electron beam source and the multi-lens array. An electron beam system with the beam-limiting aperture can be used in a scanning electron microscope.

Reduced Coulomb interactions in a multi-beam column

A digital pattern generator has a MEMS substrate with a plurality of doping layers and a plurality of insulating layers between respective doping layers. A plurality of lenslets are formed as holes through the substrate. A charge drain coating is applied to the inner surfaces of the lenslets. The charge drain coating drains electrons that come into contact with the charge drain coating so that the performance of the digital pattern generator will not be hindered by electron charge build-up. The charge drain coating includes a doping material that coalesces into clusters that are embedded within a high dielectric insulating material.

Digital pattern generator having charge drain coating

Light-emitting devices, such as LEDs, are tested using a photometric unit. The photometric unit, which may be an integrating sphere, can measure flux, color, or other properties of the devices. The photometric unit may have a single port or both an inlet and outlet. Light loss through the port, inlet, or outlet can be reduced or calibrated for. These testing systems can provide increased reliability, improved throughput, and/or improved measurement accuracy.

Light-emitting device test systems

A system and method associated with a charge drain coating are disclosed. The charge drain coating may be applied to surfaces of an electron-optical device to drain electrons that come into contact with the charge drain coating so that the performance of the electron-optical device will not be hindered by electron charge build-up. The charge drain coating may include a doping material that coalesces into clusters that are embedded within a high dielectric insulating material. The charge drain coating may be deposited onto the inner surfaces of lenslets of the electron-optical device.

Charge drain coating for electron-optical MEMS

One embodiment relates to an apparatus for electron beam lithography. The apparatus includes an array of cold cathode electron sources for generating an array of electron beams, and driver circuitry underlying the array of electron sources. The driver circuitry is configured to selectively blank individual electron beams so as to create a patterned array of electron beams. The apparatus further includes an imaging system configured to focus and demagnify the patterned array of electron beams and a movable stage for holding a target substrate. The movable stage is configured to translate the target substrate under the patterned array of electron beams. A computer may be configured to send drive signals to the driver circuitry to cause a pattern to be written onto the target substrate to roll across the array in synchronization with the translation of the target substrate. Other embodiments, aspects and feature are also disclosed.

Apparatus and methods for electron beam lithography using array cathode

One embodiment relates to a pillar-supported array of micro electron lenses. The micro-lens array includes a base layer on a substrate, the base layer including an array of base electrode pads and an insulating border surrounding the base electrode pads so as to electrically isolate the base electrode pads from each other. The micro-lens array further includes an array of lens holes aligned with the array of base electrode pads and one or more stacked electrode layers having openings aligned with the array of lens holes. The micro-lens array further includes one or more layers of insulating pillars, each layer of insulating pillars supporting a stacked electrode layer. Another embodiment relates to a method of fabricating a pillar-supported array of micro electron lenses. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Pillar-supported array of micro electron lenses

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Alan D Brodie