Hermes Microvision Inc.

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Joe Wang

Zhongwei Chen

Yi-Xiang Wang

Xuedong Liu

Jack Jau

Xu Zhang

Weiming Ren

Zhong-wei Chen

Van-Duc Nguyen

Wei Fang

Edward Tseng

Xuerang Hu

Yongxin Wang

Chiyan Kuan

Yi Xiang Wang

Wei He

Yan Ren

Shuai Li

Hong Xiao

Feng Cao

Santosh Bhattacharyya

Chung-Shih Pan

Saibal Banerjee

Juying Dou

Qingpo Xi

Fumin He

Xiaoli Guo

Christophe Fouquet

Igor N Germanenko

Mike Van Riet

Lian Yao

Chia Wen Lin

Chang-Chun Yeh

Wei-Ming Ren

Da Chen

A wafer inspection system includes a controller in communication with an electron-beam inspection tool. The controller includes circuitry to: acquire, via an optical imaging tool, coordinates of defects on a sample; set a Field of View (FoV) of the electron-beam inspection tool to a first size to locate a subset of the defects; determine a position of each defect of the subset of the defects based on inspection data generated by the electron-beam inspection tool during a scanning of the sample; adjust the coordinates of the defects based on the determined positions of the subset of the defects; and set the FoV of the electron-beam inspection tool to a second size to locate additional defects based on the adjusted coordinates.

System and method for bare wafer inspection

A multi-cell detector may include a first layer having a region of a first conductivity type and a second layer including a plurality of regions of a second conductivity type. The second layer may also include one or more regions of the first conductivity type. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be partitioned from one another, preferably by the one or more regions of the first conductivity type of the second layer. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be spaced apart from one or more regions of the first conductivity type in the second layer. The detector may further include an intrinsic layer between the first and second layers.

Multi-cell detector for charged particles

Disclosed herein an apparatus and a method for detecting buried features using backscattered particles. In an example, the apparatus comprises a source of charged particles; a stage; optics configured to direct a beam of the charged particles to a sample supported on the stage; a signal detector configured to detect backscattered particles of the charged particles in the beam from the sample; wherein the signal detector has angular resolution. In an example, the methods comprises obtaining an image of backscattered particles from a region of a sample; determining existence or location of a buried feature based on the image.

Detection of buried features by backscattered particles

A multi-cell detector may include a first layer having a region of a first conductivity type and a second layer including a plurality of regions of a second conductivity type. The second layer may also include one or more regions of the first conductivity type. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be partitioned from one another by the one or more regions of the first conductivity type of the second layer. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be spaced apart from one or more regions of the first conductivity type in the second layer. The detector may further include an intrinsic layer between the first and second layers.

This invention relates to methods and systems for enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of an image scanned by a charged particle beam. In an embodiment, a sequence of grayscales of a pixel is recorded first, extreme values of the sequence of grayscales are then identified and removed, and the remained grayscales are used to determine a nominated grayscale of the pixel.

Method and system for enhancing image quality

The present invention generally relates to dynamic focus adjustment for an image system. With the assistance of a height detection sub-system, present invention provides an apparatus and methods for micro adjusting an image focusing according the specimen surface height variation by altering the field strength of an electrostatic lens between objective lens and sample stage/or a bias voltage applied to the sample surface. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to a scanning electron inspection system. But it would be recognized that the invention could apply to other system using charged particle beam as observation tool with a height detection apparatus.

Dynamic focus adjustment with optical height detection apparatus in electron beam system

This invention provides two methods for improving performance of an energy-discrimination detection device with an energy filter of reflective type for a charged particle beam. The first method employs a beam-adjusting means to improve the energy-discrimination power, and the second method uses an electron-multiplication means to enhance the image signal without noise raise. A LVSEM with such an improved energy-discrimination detection device can provide variant high-contrast images of interested features on a specimen surface for multiple application purposes.

Energy filter for charged particle beam apparatus

This invention provides a design to process a large range of detection beam current at low noise with a single detector. With such a design, the detection system can generate up to 10gain and maximum signal output at more than mini Ampere (mA) level. A condenser lens is configured to increase bandwidth of the detector that scan speed can be enhanced.

Particle detection system

The present invention generally relates to a detection unit of a charged particle imaging system. More particularly, portion of the detection unit can move into or out of the detection system as imaging condition required. With the assistance of a Wein filter (also known as an E&#xd7;B charged particle analyzer) and a movable detector design, the present invention provides a stereo imaging system that suitable for both low current, high resolution mode and high current, high throughput mode. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to a scanning electron beam inspection system. But it would be recognized that the invention could apply to other system using charged particle beam as an observation tool.

Movable detector for charged particle beam inspection or review

A detection unit of a charged particle imaging system includes a multi type detection subunit in the charged particle imaging system, with the assistance of a Wien filter (also known as an E&#xd7;B charged particle analyzer). The imaging system is suitable for a low beam current, high resolution mode and a high beam current, high throughput mode. The unit can be applied to a scanning electron inspection system as well as to other systems that use a charged particle beam as an observation tool.

Charged particle beam detection unit with multi type detection subunits

This invention provides a design to process a large range of detection beam current at low noise with a single detector. With such a design, the detection system can generate up to 10gain and maximum signal output at more than mini Ampere (mA) level.

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Campbell, CA, United States of America

Joe Wang