Kla Tencor Corporation

Cepton Technologies, Inc.

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Liqun Han

Xinrong Jiang

Mark Armstrong McCord

Marian Mankos

Jun Pei

Jun Ye

Salam Harb

John D Greene

Mohammed Tahmassebpur

Yupeng Cui

Rex Runyon

Mehdi Vaez-Iravani

David Lewis Adler

Wei Wei

Kirk Joseph Bertsche

Dongyi Liao

Daryoosh Rejaly

Christopher Malcolm Stanley Sears

Ichiro Honjo

Carmela Moreno

Mark Mccord

A headlamp module of a vehicle includes a housing including a window, an illumination submodule disposed inside the housing and configured to provide illumination light to be transmitted through the window toward a scene in front of the vehicle, and a first LiDAR sensor disposed inside the housing and laterally displaced from the illumination submodule. The first LiDAR sensor includes one or more laser sources configured to emit laser beams to be transmitted through the window toward the scene, the laser beams being reflected off of one or more objects in the scene, thereby generating return laser beams to be transmitted through the window toward the first LiDAR sensor and one or more detectors configured to receive and detect the return laser beams.

Systems for incorporating LiDAR sensors in a headlamp module of a vehicle

A scanning lidar system includes an external frame, an internal frame attached to the external frame by vibration-isolation mounts, and an electro-optic assembly movably attached to the internal frame and configured to be translated with respect to the internal frame during scanning operation of the scanning lidar system.

Systems for vibration cancellation in a lidar system

A three-dimensional imaging system includes a first illumination source configured to project a first fan of light toward an object in a field of view, and a second illumination source configured to project a second fan of light substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the first fan of light. The first illumination source and the second illumination source are further configured to scan the first fan of light and the second fan of light synchronously laterally across the field of view. The three-dimensional imaging system further includes a camera configured to capture a plurality of image frames of the field of view as the first fan of light and the second fan of light are scanned over a plurality of regions the object, and a processor coupled to the camera and configured to construct a three-dimensional image of the object based on the plurality of image frames.

Scanning illuminated three-dimensional imaging systems

A scanning lidar system includes a fixed frame, a first platform flexibly attached to the fixed frame, a lens assembly including a first lens and a second lens mounted on the first platform, a second platform flexible attached to the fixed frame, an electro-optic assembly including a first laser source and a first photodetector mounted on the second platform, a drive mechanism mechanically coupled to the first platform and the second platform and configured to translate the first platform and the second platform with respect to the fixed frame, and a controller coupled to the drive mechanism and configured to translate the first platform to a plurality of first positions through the drive mechanism and translate the second platform to a plurality of second positions through the drive mechanism such that a motion of the second platform is substantially opposite to a motion of the first platform.

Scanning apparatuses and methods for a lidar system

One embodiment relates to a dual Wien-filter monochromator. A first Wien filter focuses an electron beam in a first plane while leaving the electron beam to be parallel in a second plane. A slit opening allows electrons of the electron beam having an energy within an energy range to pass through while blocking electrons of the electron beam having an energy outside the energy range. A second Wien filter focuses the electron beam to become parallel in the first plane while leaving the electron beam to be parallel in the second plane. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Electron beam imaging with dual Wien-filter monochromator

One embodiment relates to an apparatus for high-resolution electron beam imaging. The apparatus includes an energy filter configured to limit an energy spread of the electrons in the incident electron beam. The energy filter may be formed using a stigmatic Wien filter and a filter aperture. Another embodiment relates to a method of forming an incident electron beam for a high-resolution electron beam apparatus. Another embodiment relates to a stigmatic Wien filter that includes curved conductive electrodes. Another embodiment relates to a stigmatic Wien filter that includes a pair of magnetic yokes and a multipole deflector. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Apparatus and methods for high-resolution electron beam imaging

One embodiment relates to a tilt-imaging scanning electron microscope apparatus. The apparatus includes an electron gun, first and second deflectors, an objective electron lens, and a secondary electron detector. The first deflector deflects the electron beam away from the optical axis, and the second deflector deflects the electron beam back towards the optical axis. The objective lens focuses the electron beam onto a spot on a surface of a target substrate, wherein the electron beam lands on the surface at a tilt angle. Another embodiment relates to a method of imaging a surface of a target substrate using an electron beam with a trajectory tilted relative to a substrate surface. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.

Tilt-imaging scanning electron microscope

One embodiment relates to an electron beam apparatus which includes a dual-lens electron gun for emitting an electron beam. The electron beam is a high beam-current electron beam in a first operating mode and a low beam-current electron beam in a second operating mode. The apparatus further includes a column aperture which is out of the path of the high beam-current electron beam in the first operating mode and is centered about an optical axis of the electron beam apparatus in the second operating mode. Another embodiment relates to an electron gun which includes a first gun lens, a beam limiting aperture, and a second gun lens. The first gun lens focuses the electrons before they pass through the beam-limiting aperture while the second gun lens focuses the electrons after they pass through the beam-limiting aperture. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Dual-lens-gun electron beam apparatus and methods for high-resolution imaging with both high and low beam currents

The present disclosure provides an electron beam column with substantially improved resolution and/or throughput for inspecting manufactured substrates. The electron beam column comprises an electron gun, a scanner, an objective lens, and a detector. In accordance with one embodiment, the electron gun includes a gun lens having a flip-up pole piece configuration. In accordance with another embodiment, the scanner comprises a dual scanner having a pre-scanner and a main scanner, and the detector may be configured between the electron gun and the pre-scanner. In accordance with another embodiment, the electron beam column includes a continuously-variable aperture configured to select a beam current. Other embodiments relate to methods of using an electron beam column for automated inspection of manufactured substrates. In one embodiment, for example, an aperture size is adjusted to achieve a minimum spot size given a selected beam current and a column-condition domain being used.

Electron-optical system for high-speed and high-sensitivity inspections

One embodiment disclosed relates to a method for fabricating a calibration sample. The method includes lithographically patterning a first side of a wafer with a pattern of a self-supporting membrane, etching the first side of the wafer to form the self-supporting membrane in a layer on the first side, and etching a second side of the wafer to reach the layer so as to suspend the membrane over an empty space. Another embodiment disclosed relates to a charged particle beam system. The system includes a charged particle source, a focusing column and lens assembly, a detector, and a suspended membrane calibration sample. Another embodiment disclosed relates a suspended membrane calibration sample for a charged particle beam system. The calibration sample includes a plurality of calibration patterns in an array, a suspended membrane that is self-supporting and includes the plurality of calibration patterns, and an empty space underneath the membrane.

Suspended membrane calibration sample

In one embodiment, a first vacuum chamber of an electron beam column has an opening which is positioned along an optical axis so as to pass a primary electron beam that travels down the column. A source that emits electrons is positioned within the first vacuum chamber. A beam-limiting aperture is configured to pass a limited angular range of the emitted electrons. A magnetic immersion lens is positioned outside of the first vacuum chamber and is configured to immerse the electron source in a magnetic field so as to focus the emitted electrons into the primary electron beam. An objective lens is configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a beam spot on a substrate surface so as to produce scattered electrons from the beam spot. Controllable deflectors are configured to scan the beam spot over an area of the substrate surface. Other features and embodiments are also disclosed.

Electron beam column and methods of using same

One embodiment disclosed relates to a multiple-beamlet electron beam imaging apparatus for imaging a surface of a target substrate. A beam splitter lens array is configured to split the illumination beam to form a primary beamlet array, and a scanning system is configured to scan the primary beamlet array over an area of the surface of the target substrate. In addition, a detection system configured to detect individual secondary electron beamlets. Another embodiment disclosed relates to a method of imaging a surface of a target substrate using a multiple-beamlet electron beam column. Other features and embodiments are also disclosed.

Multiple-beam system for high-speed electron-beam inspection

One embodiment relates to an electron-beam apparatus for defect inspection and/or review of substrates or for measuring critical dimensions of features on substrates. The apparatus includes an electron gun and an electron column. The electron gun includes an electron source configured to generate electrons for an electron beam and an adjustable beam-limiting aperture which is configured to select and use one aperture size from a range of aperture sizes. Another embodiment relates to providing an electron beam in an apparatus. Advantageously, the disclosed apparatus and methods reduce spot blur while maintaining a high beam current so as to obtain both high sensitivity and high throughput.

High-sensitivity and high-throughput electron beam inspection column enabled by adjustable beam-limiting aperture

A method of forming a gate valve for use in a high vacuum environment of an electron gun by machining a core of non-magnetic nickel-chromium-molybdenum-iron-tungsten-silicon-carbon alloy that is weldable with nickel alloys and has a tensile strength of about 750 megapascals, machining a cladding of nickel-iron, welding the core to the cladding to form the gate valve, and machining the gate valve so as to remove any dimensional differences at an interface between the core and the cladding. In this manner, because the final mechanical tolerance is controlled by machining instead of part assembling, extremely high alignment accuracy is obtained. The final part provides field shielding as provided by the nickel alloy shell, low stray field provided by the non-magnetic alloy, good vacuum performance, and tight mechanical tolerance control. Also, because the alloy has the advantage of a low oxidation rate in comparison to stainless steel and titanium, there is less contamination buildup due to conditions such as electron beam bombardment.

Shielding, particulate reducing high vacuum components

A component for use in a high vacuum environment, the component including a core of non-magnetic Hastelloy with a cladding of nickel-iron covering the core at least in part. The component can be, for example, at least one of a gate valve for use in a high vacuum environment of an electron gun, a bearing, a slide way, a gate valve bearing, a rotary slide, a linear slide, an electron beam column, and electron beam chamber, and a vacuum chamber. In this manner, because the final mechanical tolerance is controlled by machining instead of part assembling, extremely high alignment accuracy is obtained. The final part provides field shielding as provided by the nickel alloy shell, low stray field provided by the non-magnetic Hastelloy, good vacuum performance, and tight mechanical tolerance control. Also, because Hastelloy has the advantage of a low oxidation rate in comparison to stainless steel and titanium, there is less contamination buildup due to conditions such as electron beam bombardment.

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Liqun Han