Ict Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft Fur Halbleiterpruftechnik Mbh

Dominik Patrick Ehberger

John Breuer

Matthias Firnkes

Alex Goldenshtein

Ivo Liska

Kathrin Mohler

A method of forming a multipole device () for influencing an electron beam () is provided. The method is carried out in an electron beam apparatus () that comprises an aperture body () having at least one aperture opening (). The method comprises directing the electron beam () onto two or more surface portions of the aperture body () on two or more sides of the at least one aperture opening () to generate an electron beam-induced deposition pattern () configured to act as a multipole in a charged state, particularly configured to act as a quadrupole, a hexapole and/or an octupole. The electron beam-induced deposition pattern () can be an electron beam-induced carbon or carbonaceous pattern. Further provided are methods of influencing an electron beam in an electron beam apparatus, particularly with a multipole device as described herein. Further provided is a multipole device for influencing an electron beam in an electron beam apparatus in a predetermined manner.

Method of forming a multipole device, method of influencing an electron beam, and multipole device

A method of determining a brightness (B) of a charged particle beam () focused by a focusing lens () toward a sample () in a charged particle beam imaging device () is described. The method includes (a) taking one or more images (h) of the sample with the charged particle beam imaging device; (b) retrieving one or more beam profiles (g) of the charged particle beam from the one or more images; and (c) determining the brightness (B) of the charged particle beam () based on at least the one or more beam profiles (g, g), a probe current (I) of the charged particle beam, and a landing potential (LE) of the charged particle beam. Optionally, the brightness (B) determined as above can be used for determining a size (D) of a source () of the charged particle beam (). Further, a charged particle beam imaging device () configured for any of the methods described herein is provided.

Method of determining a brightness of a charged particle beam, method of determining a size of a source of the charged particle beam, and charged particle beam imaging device

A method of determining aberrations of a charged particle beam () focused by a focusing lens () with a given numerical aperture (NA) toward a sample () in a charged particle beam system is described. The method includes: (a.) simulating, based at least on the given numerical aperture (NA), one or more beam cross sections at one or more first defocus settings for each of two or more different values of a first beam aberration coefficient (C) of a set of beam aberration coefficients (C), to provide a plurality of first simulated beam cross sections; (b.) extracting two or more values of a first aberration characteristic (C) that is related to the first beam aberration coefficient (C) from the plurality of first simulated beam cross sections; (c.) determining a first dependency between the first beam aberration coefficient (C) and the first aberration characteristic (C); (d.) taking one or more images of the sample at the one or more first defocus settings or at one or more second defocus settings, to provide one or more taken images, and retrieving one or more retrieved beam cross sections from the one or more taken images; (e.) extracting a retrieved value of the first aberration characteristic from the one or more retrieved beam cross sections; and (f.) determining an actual value of the first beam aberration coefficient based on the first dependency and based on the retrieved value of the first aberration characteristic.

Methods of determining aberrations of a charged particle beam, and charged particle beam system

A method of determining aberrations of a charged particle beam () focused by a focusing lens () toward a sample () in a charged particle beam system is described. The method includes: (a) taking one or more images of the sample at one or more defocus settings to provide one or more taken images (h...); (b) simulating one or more images of the sample taken at the one or more defocus settings based on a set of beam aberration coefficients (C) and a focus image of the sample to provide one or more simulated images; (c) comparing the one or more taken images and the one or more simulated images for determining a magnitude (Ri) of a difference therebetween; and (d) varying the set of beam aberration coefficients (C) to provide an updated set of beam aberration coefficients (C) and repeating (b) and (c) using the updated set of beam aberration coefficients (C) in an iterative process for minimizing said magnitude (R). Alternatively, in (b), one or more beam cross sections may be simulated, and, in (c) the simulated beam cross sections may be compared with one or more retrieved beam cross sections retrieved from the one or more taken images for determining a magnitude (R) of a difference therebetween. Further, a charged particle beam system for imaging and/or inspecting a sample that is configured for any of such methods is provided.

A method of determining a beam convergence of a charged particle beam () focused by a focusing lens () toward a sample () in a charged particle beam system () is provided. The method includes (a) taking one or more images of the sample when the sample is arranged at one or more defocus distances from a respective beam focus of the charged particle beam; (b) retrieving one or more beam cross sections from the one or more images; (c) determining one or more beam widths from the one or more beam cross sections; and (d) calculating at least one beam convergence value based on the one or more beam widths and the one or more defocus distances. Further, a charged particle beam system for imaging and/or inspecting a sample that is configured for any of the methods described herein is provided.

Method of determining the beam convergence of a focused charged particle beam, and charged particle beam system

A charged particle beam apparatus with a charged particle source to generate a primary charged particle beam, a sample holder to hold a sample for impingement of the primary charged particle beam on the sample, a pulsed laser configured to generate a pulsed light beam for impingement onto an area on the sample, and an electrode to collect electrons emitted from the sample in a non-linear photoemission.

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Ebersberg, Germany

Dominik Patrick Ehberger