Patents by Inventor Juergen Frosien
Juergen Frosien 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: 7829870Abstract: An apparatus for in-situ specimen preparation is described. The apparatus includes an ion beam column 21 including at least: an liquid metal alloy ion source 56 including a first element for providing a light ion species with a mass of 10 g/mol to 60 g/mol and a second element for providing a heavy ions species with a mass of 150 g/mol or higher, a mass separator 58 for selectively separating the light ion species and the heavy ion species, and a focusing element for focusing the ion beam on a specimen. The apparatus further includes a specimen-beam-tilt unit for tilting the ion beam with respect to the specimen.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbHInventor: Juergen Frosien
-
Patent number: 7800075Abstract: A multifunction module for an electron beam column comprises upper and lower electrodes, and a central ring electrode. The upper and lower electrodes have multipoles and are capable of deflecting, or correcting an aberration of, an electron beam passing through the electrodes. A voltage can be applied to the central ring electrode independently of the voltages applied to the upper and lower electrodes to focus the electron beam on a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2008Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Inventors: Benyamin Buller, William J. DeVore, Juergen Frosien, Xinrong Jiang, Richard L. Lozes, Henry Thomas Pearce-Percy, Dieter Winkler, Steven T. Coyle, Helmut Banzhof
-
Publication number: 20100187436Abstract: An ion beam apparatus and a method for providing an energy-filtered primary ion beam are described. Therein, a primary ion beam having an asymmetric first energy distribution is generated by means of an ion source. The primary ion beam is energy filtered using, for example, a retarding lens.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2010Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventors: Juergen Frosien, Dieter Winkler
-
Patent number: 7763866Abstract: The present invention relates to a charged particle beam device (1) for inspecting or structuring a specimen (3) comprising a charged particle beam source (5) to generate a charged particle beam (7), a focussing lens (9) to focus the charged particle beam (7) onto the specimen (3), and an aperture system (13) for defining an aperture (6) for the charged particle beam (7). The aperture system (13) includes a first member (20) to block a first portion (7a) of the charged particle beam (7) between the charged particle beam source (5) and the focussing lens (9), a second member (30) to block a second portion (7b) of the charged particle beam (7) between the charged particle beam source (5) and the focussing lens (9), first means (24) for moving the first member (20) to adjust the size of the blocked first portion (7a) of the charged particle beam (7), and second means (34) for moving the second member (30) independently from the first portion (7b).Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2004Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbHInventors: Jürgen Frosien, Stefan Lanio, Helmut Banzhof
-
Publication number: 20100108902Abstract: A focused ion beam device is provided, including: an ion beam column adapted to house a gas field ion source emitter with an emitter tip and an emitter area for generating ions, a heating means adapted to heat the emitter tip, one or more gas inlets adapted to introduce a first gas and at least one second gas to the emitter area, an objective lens adapted to focus the ion beam generated from the first gas or the second gas, and a controller adapted to switch between a first emitter tip temperature and a second emitter tip temperature for generating an ion beam of ions of the first gas or an ion beam of ions of the at least one second gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventors: JUERGEN FROSIEN, DIETER WINKLER
-
Publication number: 20100084553Abstract: A detection apparatus for use in a charged particle beam device is provided. The detection apparatus includes a separation field generating portion adapted to generate a separation field separating positively and negatively charged secondary particles, at least one first detector for detecting positively charged particles, at least one second detector for detecting negatively charged particles, wherein the detection apparatus is adapted to simultaneously detect the positively charged secondary particles in the at least one first detector and the negatively charged secondary particles in the at least one second detector. Further, a method of simultaneously detecting negatively and positively charged particles is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2008Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventor: Juergen FROSIEN
-
Patent number: 7679054Abstract: The present invention relates to e.g. a charged particle beam energy width reduction system for a charged particle beam with a z-axis along the optical axis and a first and a second plane, comprising, a first element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner, a second element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner, a first quadrupole element being positioned such that, in operation, a field of the first quadrupole element overlaps with a field of the first element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner, a second quadrupole element being positioned such that, in operation, a field of the second quadrupole element overlaps with a field of the second element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner, a first charged particle selection element being positioned, in beam direction, before the first element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner, and a second charged particle selection element being positioned, in beam direction, after the first element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2004Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbHInventors: Jürgen Frosien, Ralf Degenhardt, Stefan Lanio
-
Patent number: 7675042Abstract: The present invention relates to a beam optical component (1, 201) for acting on a charged particle beam (63) including a first element (3; 203) having a first opening (9; 209) for acting on the charged particle beam (63), at least a second element (5; 205) for acting on the charged particle beam (63); at least one distance piece (20a, 20b, 20c) positioned between the first element (3; 203) and the second element (5; 205) to define a minimum distance between the first element (3; 203) and the second element (5; 205); and a first holding piece (30a; 30b; 30c) for abutting the first element (3) to the at least one distance piece (20a, 20b, 20c), whereby the first holding piece (30a; 30b; 30c) is attached to the at least one distance piece (20a, 20b, 20c). First and second elements (3; 203; 5; 205) are preferably electrodes or pole pieces to act on the charged particle beam by an electrostatic or magnetic force.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2004Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbHInventor: Juergen Frosien
-
Patent number: 7663102Abstract: The present invention relates to charged particle beam devices. The devices comprise an emitter for emitting charged particles; an aperture arrangement with at least two apertures for separating the emitted charged particles into at least two independent charged particle beams; and an objective lens for focusing the at least two independent charged particle beams, whereby the independent charged particle beams are focused onto the same location within the focal plane.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2005Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbHInventor: Juergen Frosien
-
Patent number: 7638777Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam device. The device comprises an emitter array for emitting a plurality of charged particle beams. The plurality of charged particle beams are imaged with a lens. An electrode unit is provided for accelerating the plurality of charged particle beams. The potential differences between a first potential of the emitter array, a second potential of the electrode unit, and a third potential of a specimen, are controlled by a first control unit and a second control unit. Thereby, the second potential is capable of accelerating the plurality of charged particle beams with respect to the first potential, and the third potential is capable of decelerating the plurality of charged particle beams with respect to the second potential.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2004Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventors: Hans-Peter Feuerbaum, Jürgen Frosien, Uli Hoffmann, Dieter Winkler, Pavel Adamec
-
Patent number: 7633074Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus with a charged particle beam source including an emitter with an emitter tip and a supporting member for supporting the emitter is provided. Further, the apparatus includes an emitter location measuring device for repeatedly measuring the location of the emitter and a deflector system for compensating variations in the location of the emitter.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2006Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: ICT, Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventor: Jürgen Frosien
-
Patent number: 7629578Abstract: The invention provides a charged particle beam device for irradiating a specimen, comprising a particle source for providing a beam of charged particles, an optical device for directing the beam of charged particles onto the specimen and an ozone unit for reducing the charging and/or contamination of the specimen. The ozone unit comprises a supply of ozone and a specimen nozzle unit for directing an ozone gas flow to the specimen. Further, the invention provides a charged particle beam device for irradiating a specimen comprising a particle source for providing a beam of charged particles, an optical device for directing the beam of charged particles onto the specimen, a detector and a gas unit for reducing the charging and/or contamination of the detector. The gas unit comprises a supply of gas and a detector nozzle unit for directing a gas flow to the detector. Further, the present invention provides methods for operating charged particle beam devices according to the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2007Date of Patent: December 8, 2009Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventors: Juergen Frosien, Yacov Elgar
-
Publication number: 20090289185Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described comprising a gas field ion source with an analyzer for analyzing and classifying the structure of a specimen, a controller for controlling and/or modifying the structure of the specimen according to the analysis of the analyzer, an emitter tip, the emitter tip has a base tip comprising a first material and a supertip comprising a material different from the first material, wherein the supertip is a single atom tip and the base tip is a single crystal base tip. Furthermore, the focused ion beam device has a probe current control and a sample charge control. A method of operating a focused ion beam device is provided comprising applying a voltage between a single emission centre of the supertip and an electrode, supplying gas to the emitter tip, analyzing and classifying the structure of a specimen, and controlling the structure of the specimen.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2008Publication date: November 26, 2009Applicant: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventors: Juergen FROSIEN, Dieter WINKLER, Udo WEIGEL, Stefan GRIMM
-
Publication number: 20090289191Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described comprising a gas field ion source with an emitter emitting an ion beam including ions of gas, an ion beam column and a beam current control loop comprising a beam current measurement device. Furthermore, the focused ion beam device may have a sample charge control comprising measuring the sample charge. A method of operating a focused ion beam device is provided comprising applying a voltage between an emitter an electrode, applying gas to the emitter, emitting ions of a gas from the emitter and controlling a beam current by measuring the beam current with a beam current measurement device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2008Publication date: November 26, 2009Applicant: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventor: Juergen FROSIEN
-
Patent number: 7595490Abstract: A method for operating a charged particle beam emitting device and, in particular, an electron beam emitting device including a cold field emitter is provided. The method includes the steps of placing the cold field emitter in a vacuum of a given pressure, the emitter exhibiting a high initial emission current I0 and a lower stable mean emission current IS under a given electric extraction field; applying the given electric extraction field to the emitter for emitting electrons from the emitter surface; performing a cleaning process by applying at least one heating pulse to the cold field emitter for heating the emitter surface, whereby the cleaning process is performed before the emission current of the cold field emitter has declined to the lower stable mean emission value IS; and repeating the cleaning process to keep the emission current of the emitter continuously above the substantially stable emission value IS.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2006Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: ICT, Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventors: Fang Zhou, Pavel Adamec, Jürgen Frosien, Jimmy Vishnipolsky
-
Patent number: 7592590Abstract: The invention provides a charged particle beam device and a method of operation thereof. An emitter (2) emits a primary charged particle beam (12). Depending on the action of a deflection system, which comprises at least three deflection stages (14), it can be switched between at least two detection units (16, 44). Further, beam shaping means (15; 41) is provided and a lens for focusing at the primary charged particle beam on a specimen.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2004Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbHInventor: Jüergen Frosien
-
Patent number: 7589328Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described. The device includes an ion beam column including an enclosure for housing an emitter with an emitter area for generating ions, a first gas inlet adapted to introduce a first gas to the emitter area, a second gas inlet adapted to introduce a second gas different from the first gas to the emitter area, and a switching unit adapted to switch between introducing the first gas and introducing the second gas.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: September 15, 2009Assignee: ICT, Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbHInventors: Juergen Frosien, Dieter Winkler
-
Publication number: 20090200484Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described. The focused ion beam device includes an ion beam column including an enclosure for housing a gas field ion source emitter with an emitter area for generating ions, an electrode for extracting ions from the gas field ion source emitter, one or more gas inlets adapted to introduce a first gas and a second gas to the emitter area, an objective lens for focusing the ion beam generated from the first gas or the second gas, a voltage supply for providing a voltage between the electrode and the gas field ion source emitter, and a controller for switching between a first voltage and a second voltage of the voltage supply for generating an ion beam of ions of the first gas or an ion beam of ions of the second gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2009Publication date: August 13, 2009Applicant: ICT INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TESTING GESELLSCHAFT FUR HALBLEITERPRUFTECHNIK MBHInventor: Juergen FROSIEN
-
Publication number: 20090146074Abstract: A method of operating a focused ion beam device having a gas field ion source is described. According to some embodiments, the method includes emitting an ion beam from a gas field ion source, providing an ion beam column ion beam energy in the ion beam column which is higher than the final beam energy, decelerating the ion beam for providing a final beam energy on impingement of the ion beam on the specimen of 1 keV to 4 keV, and imaging the specimen.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fuer Halbleiterprueftechnik mbHInventors: Helmut BANZHOF, Juergen FROSIEN, Dieter WINKLER
-
Patent number: 7544937Abstract: The present invention relates to a charged particle device with improved detection scheme. The device has a charged particle source providing a beam of primary charged particles; a first unit for providing a potential; a second unit for providing a potential; and a center unit positioned between the first unit and the second unit. The center unit is capable of providing a potential different from the potential of the first and the second unit for decelerating the primary charged particles to a first low energy and for accelerating the primary charged particles to a second high energy. Therein, the first unit and/or the second unit is a detector for detecting secondary electrons released at a specimen.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2006Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik GmbHInventor: Juergen Frosien