The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 28, 2026
Filed:
Jul. 24, 2023
Ict Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft Für Halbleiterprüftechnik Mbh, Heimstetten, DE;
Dominik Ehberger, Ebersberg, DE;
John Breuer, Munich, DE;
Abstract
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 (), comprising: (a) taking one or more images (h) of the sample when the sample is arranged at one or more defocus distances (z) from a respective beam focus of the charged particle beam, and retrieving one or more retrieved beam profiles (g) from the one or more images (h); (b) simulating one or more beam profiles at the one or more defocus distances (z) based at least on an estimated beam convergence value (C) of the charged particle beam to provide one or more simulated beam profiles (g'); (c) determining a magnitude (R) of a difference between the one or more simulated beam profiles (g′) and the one or more retrieved beam profiles (g); and (d) varying the estimated beam convergence value in an iterative process for reducing or minimizing said magnitude (R) to determine an actual beam convergence value (C). Furthermore, a charged particle beam system for imaging and/or inspecting a sample that is configured for any of the methods described herein is provided.