Applied Materials Israel Limited

Carl Zeiss Microscopy Gmbh

Carl Zeiss Nts Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Applied Materials Isreal Ltd

Carl Ziess Smt Ag

Rainer K Knippelmeyer

Thomas Kemen

Oliver Kienzle

Stefan Schubert

Stephan Uhlemann

Steven Robert Rogers

Antonio Casares

Heiko Mueller

Maximilian Haider

Lawrence Scipioni

Heiko Müller

Nissim Elmaliah

Christoph Riedesel

John Morgan

Max Haider

Johann Greschner

John Anthony Notte, Iv

Dirk Zeidler

Thomas Bayer

Ulrich Mantz

Michael Steigerwald

Mario Muetzel

Dirk Stenkamp

Ulrich Wagemann

Samuel Kalt

Lewis A Stern

Mohan Ananth

Bill DiNatale

Maximillian Haider

Georg Fritz

Ingo Müller

Nicholas Economou

Steven R Rodgers

An objective lens arrangement includes a first, second and third pole pieces, each being substantially rotationally symmetric. The first, second and third pole pieces are disposed on a same side of an object plane. An end of the first pole piece is separated from an end of the second pole piece to form a first gap, and an end of the third pole piece is separated from an end of the second pole piece to form a second gap. A first excitation coil generates a focusing magnetic field in the first gap, and a second excitation coil generates a compensating magnetic field in the second gap. First and second power supplies supply current to the first and second excitation coils, respectively. A magnetic flux generated in the second pole piece is oriented in a same direction as a magnetic flux generated in the second pole piece.

Objective lens arrangement usable in particle-optical systems

A charged particle beam system comprises a particle beam source having a particle emitter at a first voltage, a first electrode downstream of the particle beam source at a second voltage, a multi-aperture plate downstream of the first electrode, a second electrode downstream of the multi-aperture plate at a third voltage, a third electrode downstream of the second electrode at a fourth voltage, a deflector downstream of the third electrode, an objective lens downstream of the deflector, a fourth electrode downstream of the deflector at a fifth voltage; and an object mount at a sixth voltage. Voltage differences between the first, second, third, fourth and fifth voltages have same and opposite signs.

Charged particle beam system and method of operating the same

A particle-optical arrangement comprises a charged-particle source for generating a beam of charged particles; a multi-aperture plate arranged in a beam path of the beam of charged particles, wherein the multi-aperture plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein in a predetermined first array pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the beam of charged particles downstream of the multi-aperture plate, and wherein a plurality of beam spots is formed in an image plane of the apparatus by the plurality of beamlets, the plurality of beam spots being arranged in a second array pattern; and a particle-optical element for manipulating the beam of charged particles and/or the plurality of beamlets; wherein the first array pattern has a first pattern regularity in a first direction, and the second array pattern has a second pattern regularity in a second direction electron-optically corresponding to the first direction, and wherein the second regularity is higher than the first regularity.

Particle-optical systems and arrangements and particle-optical components for such systems and arrangements

The present invention relates to a charged particle system comprising: a charged particle source; a first multi aperture plate; a second multi aperture plate disposed downstream of the first multi aperture plate, the second multi aperture plate; a controller configured to selectively apply at least first and second voltage differences between the first and second multi aperture plates; wherein the charged particle source and the first and second multi aperture plates are arranged such that each of a plurality of charged particle beamlets traverses an aperture pair, said aperture pair comprising one aperture of the first multi aperture plate and one aperture of the second multi aperture plate, wherein plural aperture pairs are arranged such that a center of the aperture of the first multi aperture plate is, when seen in a direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multi aperture plate, displaced relative to a center of the aperture of the second multi aperture plate. The invention further pertains to a particle-optical component configured to change a divergence of a set of charged particle beamlets and a charged particle inspection method comprising inspection of an object using different numbers of charged particle beamlets.

Charged particle inspection method and charged particle system

A method of operating a charged particle beam system, the method comprises extracting a particle beam from a source; performing a first accelerating of the particles of the beam; forming a plurality of particle beamlets from the beam after the performing of the first accelerating; performing a second accelerating of the particles of the beamlets; performing a first decelerating of the particles of the beamlets after the performing of the second accelerating; deflecting the beamlets in a direction oriented transverse to a direction of propagation of the particles of the beamlets after the performing of the first decelerating; performing a second decelerating of the particles of the beamlets after the deflecting of the beamlets; and allowing the particles of the beamlets to be incident on an object surface after the performing of the second decelerating.

A charged particle beam focusing apparatus includes a charged particle beam generator configured to project simultaneously at least one non-astigmatic charged particle beam and at least one astigmatic charged particle beam onto locations on a surface of a specimen, thereby causing released electrons to be emitted from the locations. The apparatus also includes an imaging detector configured to receive the released electrons from the locations and to form images of the locations from the released electrons. A processor analyzes the image produced by the at least one astigmatic charged particle beam and in response thereto adjusts a focus of the at least one non-astigmatic charged particle beam.

Focusing a charged particle system

A charged particle detection system comprises plural detection elements and a multi-aperture plate in proximity of the detection elements. Charged particle beamlets can traverse the apertures of the multi-aperture plate to be incident on the detection elements. More than one multi-aperture plate can be provided to form a stack of multi-aperture plates in proximity of the detector. A suitable electric potential supplied to the multi-aperture plate can have an energy filtering property for the plural charged particle beamlets traversing the apertures of the plate.

Charged particle detection system and multi-beamlet inspection system

A charged particle multi-beam inspection system comprises a beam generator directing a plurality of primary charged particle beams onto an object to produce an array of beam spots; an array of a first number of detection elements generating detection signals upon incidence of electrons; imaging optics imaging the array of beam spots onto the array of detection elements; wherein the beam generator includes a multi-aperture plate having an array of a second number of apertures greater than the first number; wherein the beam generator includes a selector having plural different states, wherein, in each of the plural different states, the apertures of a different group of apertures are each traversed by one primary charged particle beam, wherein a number of the apertures of the different group of apertures is equal to the first number.

Charged particle multi-beam inspection system and method of operating the same

A charged particle beam focusing apparatus includes a charged particle beam generator configured to project simultaneously at least one non-astigmatic charged particle beam and at least one astigmatic charged particle beam onto locations on a surface of a specimen, thereby causing released electrons to be emitted from the locations. The apparatus also includes an imaging detector configured to receive the released electrons from the locations and to form images of the locations from the released electrons. A processor analyzes the image produced by the at least one non-astigmatic charged particle beam and in response thereto adjusts a focus of the at least one non-astigmatic charged particle beam.

Focusing a charged particle imaging system

Methods disclosed herein include: (a) forming a channel in a sample, the channel extending one micron or more along a direction oriented at an angle to a surface of the sample; (b) exposing a portion of the sample above the channel to a particle beam to cause particles to leave the surface of the sample; and (c) forming an image of the sample based on particles that leave the surface.

Reducing particle implantation

Growing community of inventors

Aalen, Germany

Rainer K Knippelmeyer