Patents by Inventor Frank Nan Zhang

Frank Nan Zhang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11929232
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Frank Nan Zhang, Zhongwei Chen, Yixiang Wang, Ying Crystal Shen
  • Patent number: 11513087
    Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Zhong-wei Chen, Xiaoyu Ji, Xiaoxue Chen, Weimin Zhou, Frank Nan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20220375712
    Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Zhong-wei CHEN, Xiaoyu JI, Xiaoxue CHEN, Weimin ZHOU, Frank Nan ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20220122803
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising depositing a first amount of electric charges into a region of a sample, during a first time period; depositing a second amount of electric charges into the region, during a second time period; while scanning a probe spot generated on the sample by a beam of charged particles, recording from the probe spot signals representing interactions of the beam of charged particles and the sample; wherein an average rale of deposition during the first time period, and an average rate of deposition during the second time period are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Yixiang WANG, Frank Nan ZHANG
  • Patent number: 11164719
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising: depositing a first amount of electric charges into a region of a sample, during a first time period; depositing a second amount of electric charges into the region, during a second time period; while scanning a probe spot generated on the sample by a beam of charged particles, recording from the probe spot signals representing interactions of the beam of charged particles and the sample; wherein an average rate of deposition during the first time period and an average rate of deposition during the second time period are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yixiang Wang, Frank Nan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20210142979
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Frank Nan ZHANG, Zhongwei CHEN, Yixiang WANG, Ying Crystal SHEN
  • Publication number: 20210116398
    Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Zhong-wei CHEN, Xiaoyu JI, Xiaoxue CHEN, Weimin ZHOU, Frank Nan ZHANG
  • Patent number: 10784077
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Frank Nan Zhang, Zhongwei Chen, Yixiang Wang, Ying Crystal Shen
  • Publication number: 20200234915
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising: depositing a first amount of electric charges into a region of a sample, during a first time period; depositing a second amount of electric charges into the region, during a second time period; while scanning a probe spot generated on the sample by a beam of charged particles, recording from the probe spot signals representing interactions of the beam of charged particles and the sample; wherein an average rate of deposition during the first time period and an average rate of deposition during the second time period are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Yixiang WANG, Frank Nan ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20190043691
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Frank Nan ZHANG, Zhongwei CHEN, Yixiang WANG, Ying Crystal SHEN
  • Patent number: 7408944
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for providing an embedded controller in a modem device for enabling data communication between different networks. Management and control capabilities for a gateway function are embedded into a communication controller of the modem device so as to enable direct connection between wired and wireless devices while eliminating a separate gateway controller. A single controller in the modem device, wired or wireless, manages its own designated communication functions and data exchange between the two different networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: XECOM, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Nan Zhang, Zhicheng Hou
  • Patent number: 7349996
    Abstract: A system and method for enabling remote management of data of devices using wireless communications. The system and method provides direct access to devices such as sensors from wireless devices having an integrated wireless transceiver and controller that are user programmable such a separate remote host controller is not required for managing the sensors. In one embodiment, a broadcast mode is provided wherein the wireless devices transmits a response for its corresponding sensors according to a predetermined sequence during a predetermined time slot according to a predetermined sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Xecom, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Nan Zhang