Hermes Microvision Inc.

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Kla Instruments Corporation

Hermes Microvision, Inc. (taiwan)

Chung-Shih Pan

Chiyan Kuan

You-Jin Wang

Youjin Wang

Guochong Weng

Zhongwei Chen

Yi Xiang Wang

Anil A Desai

Hsuan-Bin Huang

Weiming Ren

Xuedong Liu

David J Clark

Wei Fang

Jack Jau

Lee H Veneklasen

Alan D Brodie

Joe Wang

Zhonghua Dong

Curt H Chadwick

Yi-Xiang Wang

John S Taylor

John D Greene

Ralph T Johnson

Eric Munro

Richard R Simmons

Chetana Bhaskar

Dan Meisburger

Timothy L Hutcheson

Jack Y Jau

Barry Becker

John McMurtry

April Dutta

Henry Pearce-Percy

Kirkwood Rough

Paul Wieczorek

Dennis G Emge

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

Chris Kirk

A structure for grounding an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for grounding an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and back side. The inspection quality of the EU mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUV mask is grounded. The reflective surface of the EUV mask on a continuously moving stage is scanned by using the electron beam simultaneously. The moving direction of the stage is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the electron beam.

Method and system for inspecting an EUV mask

A structure for grounding an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for grounding an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and back side. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUV mask is grounded. The reflective surface of the EUV mask on a continuously moving stage is scanned by using the electron beam simultaneously. The moving direction of the stage is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the electron beam.

A structure for discharging an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for discharging an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and bottom. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUU mask is grounded.

Structure electron beam inspection system for inspecting extreme ultraviolet mask and structure for discharging extreme ultraviolet mask

Method and system for inspecting and grounding an EUV mask

A layer of conductive or semi-conductive material is formed on a surface of a sample and then the sample, when being charged particle beam imaged, is electrically coupled with an object having a large charge-receiving or charge-storage capacity (e.g., capacitance). Hence, the charging on the sample surface is removed and released quickly by the layer. The layer is then removed by reacting it with a predefined agent. The reaction forms a gaseous product which does not form a physical or chemical bond to the sample surface.

Discharging method for charged particle beam imaging

A system for operating EUV mask stored in reticle SMIF pod and/or dual pod is provided, wherein the reticle SMIF pod and Dual pod are for storing EUV mask. The system can be a sorter for EUV mask transferred from reticle SMIF pod into dual pod, and vice versa, or an operating system for tools relating to EUV mask, wherein the tools may be EUV lithography, or inspection tool for inspecting EUV mask.

Reticle operation system

A method of controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample and charged particle beam imaging system thereof prevents particle absorption by grounding the wafer sample and kept electrically neutral during the transfer-in and transfer-out process.

Method of controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample being inspected by a charged particle beam imaging system

Structure for discharging extreme ultraviolet mask

The present invention relates to a charged particle system for reticle or semiconductor wafer defects inspection and review, and more particularly, relates to an E-beam inspection tool for reticle or semiconductor wafer defects inspection and review without gravitational AMC settling. The charged particle system is an upside down electron beam inspection system with an electron beam aimed upward. The face down design may prevent AMC from gravitational settling on the inspected face of the specimen during inspection, thereafter having a cleaner result compared with conventional face-up inspection system.

Charged particle system for reticle/wafer defects inspection and review

A method of controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample being inspected by a charged particle beam imaging system prevents particle absorption by grounding the wafer sample and kept electrically neutral during the transfer-in and transfer-out process.

An apparatus comprises an imaging unit to image a wafer to be reviewed, wherein imaging unit is the modified SORIL column. The modified SORIL column includes a focusing sub-system to do micro-focusing due to a wafer surface topology, wherein the focusing sub-system verifies the position of a grating image reflecting from the wafer surface to adjust the focus; and a surface charge control to regulate the charge accumulation due to electron irradiation during the review process, wherein the gaseous molecules are injected under a flood gun beam rather than under a primary beam. The modified SORIL column further includes a storage unit for storing wafer design database; and a host computer to manage defect locating, defect sampling, and defect classifying, wherein the host computer and storage unit are linked by high speed network.

E-beam defect review system

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Chung-Shih Pan