Hermes Microvision Inc.

Dongfang Jingyuan Electron Limited

Hermes Microvision, Inc. (taiwan)

Yan Zhao

Jack Jau

Wei Fang

Zhongwei Chen

Zhong-wei Chen

Yi-Xiang Wang

Chang-Chun Yeh

Jian Zhang

Zhonghua Dong

Kenichi Kanai

Weiqiang Sun

Chester Kuo

Tao Feng

Steve Lin

Eric Ma

Jon Chiang

Chang-Chun (Roland) Yeh

A method for imaging a surface of a substrate using a multi-beam imaging system includes: modifying an electron beam using a multipole-field device; generating beamlets from the electron beam using a beam-splitting device having multiple apertures; in response to projecting foci of the beamlets onto the surface, driving the beamlets using a deflector set to scan a region of the surface for receiving signals based on electrons scattered from the region; and determining an image of the region for inspection based on the signals. The multi-beam imaging system includes: an electron source; a first multipole-field device for beam shaping and beam aberration correction; a beam-splitting device; a projection lens set; a deflector set; an objective lens set; a detector array; a second multipole-field device; a processor; and a memory storing instructions to determine an image of the region for inspection based on the signals.

Patterned substrate imaging using multiple electron beams

This invention provides a system and a method for calibrating charge-regulation module in vacuum environment. Means for mounting the charge-regulation module provides motions to the charge-regulation module such that a beam spot, illuminated by the charge-regulation module, on a sample surface can be moved to a pre-determined position which is irradiated by a charged particle beam.

System and method for calibrating charge-regulating module

A method for identifying, inspecting, and reviewing all hot spots on a specimen is disclosed by using at least one SORIL e-beam tool. A full die on a semiconductor wafer is scanned by using a first identification recipe to obtain a full die image of that die and then design layout data is aligned and compared with the full die image to identify hot spots on the full die. Threshold levels used to identify hot spots can be varied and depend on the background environments close thereto, materials of the specimens, defect types, and design layout data. A second recipe is used to selectively inspect locations of all hot spots to identify killers, and then killers can be reviewed with a third recipe.

Hot spot identification, inspection, and review

A method for examining a sample with a scanning charged particle beam imaging apparatus. First, an image area and a scan area are specified on a surface of the sample. Herein, the image area is entirely overlapped within the scan area. Next, the scan area is scanned by using a charged particle beam along a direction neither parallel nor perpendicular to an orientation of the scan area. It is possible that only a portion of the scan area overlapped with the image area is exposed to the charged particle beam. It also is possible that both the shape and the size of the image area are essentially similar with that of the scan area, such that the size of the area projected by the charged particle beam is almost equal to the size of the image area.

Method for examining a sample by using a charged particle beam

A method for enhancing the quality of a charged particle microscopic image of a sample is disclosed. The image is formed by a charged particle beam imaging system. The method comprising: scanning, using a first scanning beam, a surface of the sample in at least one first scan line; and scanning, using a second scanning beam, the sample surface in at least one second scan line, wherein said second scanning beam is scanned across said sample surface during a time interval between the end of said first scan lines and the beginning of the next said first scan lines. Application of the proposed method as a charged particle beam imaging system is also disclosed.

Charged particle beam imaging assembly and imaging method thereof

An imaging method and apparatus for forming images of substantially the same area on a sample for defect inspection within the area are disclosed. The disclosed method includes line-scanning the charged particle beam over the area to form a plurality of n*Y scan lines by repeatedly forming a group of n scan lines for Y times. During the formation of each group of n scan lines, an optical beam is, from one line scan to another, selectively illuminated on the area prior to or simultaneously with scanning of the charged particle beam. In addition, during the formation of each group of n scan lines, a condition of illumination of the optical beam selectively changes from one line scan to another. The conditions at which individual n scan lines are formed are repeated for the formation of all Y groups of scan lines.

Charged particle beam inspection method

A method for characterizing identified defects during charged particle beam inspection of a sample is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a voltage contrast image of the sample by using a charged particle beam imaging apparatus at an inspection temperature; identifying, from the voltage contrast image, the presence of at least one defect on the sample; providing reference data of the sample, wherein the reference data represents at least one reference defect on the sample; comparing the location or geographical distribution of the identified defects and the reference defects on the sample to correlate the identified defects with the inspection temperature thereby characterizing the identified defects.

Method for characterizing identified defects during charged particle beam inspection and application thereof

An apparatus and method are introduced in this invention to reduce the edge effect of a substrate that causes image variation or distortion due to applied substrate bias. An edge plate with an edge effect eliminator are provided such that substrate is inspected by a charged particle beam can capture images without distortion at substrate edge.

Method and apparatus for reducing substrate edge effect during inspection

A method of raster scanning a sample on a continuously moving stage for charged-particle beam imaging said sample is disclosed. The method includes line scanning a charged-particle beam across a surface of the sample repeatedly to form on the surface at least one 2-dimensional line array composed of scan lines lying adjacent to each other. When each line scan is to be performed, the charged-particle beam is shifted, along the stage-moving direction, by an extra predefined distance at least equal to a distance the stage has traveled during a time period from the beginning of the first line scan of the first formed line array to the beginning of the current line scan (to be performed) of the current line array (to be formed).

Method and apparatus for obtaining images by raster scanning charged particle beam over patterned substrate on a continuous mode stage

The method includes scanning a sample in at least one first scan line using a first charged particle beam probe; scanning the sample in at least one second scan line using a second charged particle beam probe, and scanning the sample in at least one third scan line using the first charged particle beam probe. The first or second charged particle beam probe is defocused by a control module of the imaging system through adjusting a condenser lens module, an objective lens module, a sample stage of the imaging system, or their combination. An image of the sample is selectively formed from the first, second and third scan lines. The first and the second charged particle beams induce a first charging condition and a second charging condition on the sample surface respectively. The second charging condition can enhance, mitigate, eliminate, reverse or have no effect on the first charging condition.

Charged particle beam imaging method and system thereof

A method for in-line monitoring of via/contact etching process based on a test structure is described. The test structure is comprised of via/contact holes of different sizes and densities in a layout such that, for a certain process, the microloading or RIE lag induced non-uniform etch rate produce under-etch in some regions and over-etch in others. A scanning electron microscope is used to distinguish these etching differences in voltage contrast images. Image processing and simple calibration convert these voltage contrast images into a 'fingerprint' image characterizing the etching process in terms of thickness over-etched or under-etched. Tolerance of shifting or deformation of this image can be set for validating the process uniformity. This image can also be used as a measure to monitor long-term process parameter shifting, as well as wafer-to-wafer or lot-to-lot variations. Advanced process control (APC) can be performed in-line with the guidance of this image so that potential electrical defects are avoided and process yield ramp accelerated.

Method for in-line monitoring of via/contact holes etch process based on test structures in semiconductor wafer manufacturing

A method for in-line monitoring of via/contact etching process based on a test structure is described. The test structure is comprised of via/contact holes of different sizes and densities in a layout such that, for a certain process, the microloading or RIE lag induced non-uniform etch rate produce under-etch in some regions and over-etch in others. A scanning electron microscope is used to distinguish these etching differences in voltage contrast images. Image processing and simple calibration convert these voltage contrast images into a &ldquo;fingerprint&rdquo; image characterizing the etching process in terms of thickness over-etched or under-etched. Tolerance of shifting or deformation of this image can be set for validating the process uniformity. This image can also be used as a measure to monitor long-term process parameter shifting, as well as wafer-to-wafer or lot-to-lot variations. Advanced process control (APC) can be performed in-line with the guidance of this image so that potential electrical defects are avoided and process yield ramp accelerated.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Yan Zhao