Patents by Inventor Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland
Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland 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).
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Patent number: 11961627Abstract: The invention relates to charged particle beam generator comprising a charged particle source for generating a charged particle beam, a collimator system comprising a collimator structure with a plurality of collimator electrodes for collimating the charged particle beam, a beam source vacuum chamber comprising the charged particle source, and a generator vacuum chamber comprising the collimator structure and the beam source vacuum chamber within a vacuum, wherein the collimator system is positioned outside the beam source vacuum chamber. Each of the beam source vacuum chamber and the generator vacuum chamber may be provided with a vacuum pump.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2023Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Alexander Hendrik Vincent Van Veen, Willem Henk Urbanus, Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland
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Publication number: 20240105416Abstract: Assessment systems and methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, an effect of electrode distortion in an objective lens array is compensated. An electrode distortion is adjusted by varying an electrostatic field in the objective lens array. The adjustment is such as to compensate for an effect of electrode distortion on sub-beams of a multi-beam impinging on a sample. A sub-beam is refocused in response to the variation in electrostatic field in the objective lens array. The adjusting and the refocusing comprises changing potentials applied to at least two electrodes of the objective lens array.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20240087842Abstract: A data processing device for detecting defects in sample images generated by a charged particle assessment system, the device comprising: an input module, a filter module, a reference image module and a comparator. The input module is configured to receive a sample image from the charged particle assessment system. The filter module is configured to apply a filter to the sample image to generate a filtered sample image. The reference image module is configured to provide a reference image based on one or more source images. The comparator is configured to compare the filtered sample image to the reference image so as to detect defects in the sample image.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND, Vincent Sylvester KUIPER
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Publication number: 20240079205Abstract: Assessment systems and methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, charged particles are directed in sub-beams arranged in a multi-beam towards a sample. A plurality of control electrodes define a control lens array. Each control lens in the control lens array is aligned with a sub-beam path of a respective sub-beam of the multi-beam and configured to operate on the respective sub-beam. A plurality of objective electrodes define an objective lens array that directs the sub-beams onto a sample. Objective lenses are aligned with a sub-beam path aligned with a respective control lens. Selectable landing energies are implemented for a sub-beam of the multi-beam by applying corresponding potentials to the control electrodes and the objective electrodes. A controller is configured to select corresponding potentials so a spatial relationship between an image plane of the system and all control electrodes and objective electrodes is the same for each selectable landing energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20240071716Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a charged particle assessment system comprising: a sample holder configured to hold a sample having a surface; a charged particle-optical device configured to project a charged particle beam towards the sample, the charged particle beam having a field of view corresponding to a portion of the surface of the sample, the charged particle-optical device having a facing surface facing the sample holder; and a projection assembly arranged to direct a light beam along a light path such that the light beam reflects off the facing surface up-beam, with respect to the light path, of being incident on the portion of the surface of the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20240044824Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide various techniques for detecting backscatter charged particles, including accelerating charged particle sub-beams along sub-beam paths to a sample, repelling secondary charged particles from detector arrays, and providing devices and detectors which can switch between modes for primarily detecting charged particles and modes for primarily detecting secondary particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND, Albertus Victor Gerardus MANGNUS
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Publication number: 20230386696Abstract: The invention relates to charged particle beam generator comprising a charged particle source for generating a charged particle beam, a collimator system comprising a collimator structure with a plurality of collimator electrodes for collimating the charged particle beam, a beam source vacuum chamber comprising the charged particle source, and a generator vacuum chamber comprising the collimator structure and the beam source vacuum chamber within a vacuum, wherein the collimator system is positioned outside the beam source vacuum chamber. Each of the beam source vacuum chamber and the generator vacuum chamber may be provided with a vacuum pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Alexander Hendrik Vincent VAN VEEN, Willem Henk URBANUS, Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Patent number: 11821859Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide various techniques for detecting backscatter charged particles, including accelerating charged particle sub-beams along sub-beam paths to a sample, repelling secondary charged particles from detector arrays, and providing devices and detectors which can switch between modes for primarily detecting charged particles and modes for primarily detecting secondary particles.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland, Albertus Victor Gerardus Mangnus
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Publication number: 20230352266Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electron-optical device, a lens assembly and an electron-optical column. The electron-optical device comprises an array substrate and an adjoining substrate and is configured to provide a potential difference between the substrates. An array of apertures is defined in each of the substrates for the path of electron beamlets. The array substrate has a thickness which is stepped so that the array substrate is thinner in the region corresponding to the array of apertures than another region of the array substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Stijn Wilem Herman Karel STEENBRINK, Johan Joost KONING, Jurgen VAN SOEST, Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Patent number: 11798783Abstract: A charged particle assessment tool includes: an objective lens configured to project a plurality of charged particle beams onto a sample, the objective lens having a sample-facing surface defining a plurality of beam apertures through which respective ones of the charged particle beams are emitted toward the sample; and a plurality of capture electrodes adjacent respective ones of the beam apertures and configured to capture charged particles emitted from the sample.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2020Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland
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Publication number: 20230326715Abstract: Charged particle systems and methods for processing a sample using a multi-beam of charged particles are disclosed. In one arrangement, a column directs a multi-beam of sub-beams of charged particles onto a sample surface of a sample. A sample is moved in a direction parallel to a first direction while the column is used to repeatedly scan the multi-beam over the sample surface in a direction parallel to a second direction. An elongate region on the sample surface is thus processed with each sub-beam. The sample is displaced in a direction oblique or perpendicular to the first direction. The process is repeated to process further elongate regions with each sub-beam. The resulting plurality of processed elongate regions define a sub-beam processed area for each sub-beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20230326706Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus for directing a charged particle beam to preselected locations of a sample surface is provided. The charged particle beam has a field of view of the sample surface. A charged-particle-optical arrangement is configured to direct a charged particle beam along a beam path towards the sample surface and to detect charged particles generated in the sample in response to the charged particle beam. A stage is configured to support and move the sample relative to the beam path. A controller is configured to control the charged particle beam apparatus so that the charged particle beam scans over a preselected location of the sample simultaneously with the stage moving the sample relative to the charged-particle-optical column along a route, the scan over the preselected location of the sample covering a part of an area of the field of view.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20230317402Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electron-optical assembly for an electron-optical column for projecting a charged particle beam along a beam path towards a target, the electron-optical assembly comprising: electromagnetic shielding surrounding the charged particle beam path and configured to shield the charged particle beam from an electromagnetic field external to the electromagnetic shielding; wherein the electromagnetic shielding comprises a plurality of sections extending along different positions along the beam path, each section surrounding the charged particle beam, wherein the sections are separable.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2023Publication date: October 5, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Derk Ferdinand WALVOORT, Dmitry MUDRETSOV, Xuerang HU, Qingpo XI, Jurgen VAN SOEST, Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20230290609Abstract: Objective lens array assemblies and associated methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, the objective lens array assembly focuses a multi-beam of sub-beams on a sample. Planar elements define a plurality of apertures aligned along sub-beam paths. An objective lens array projects the multi-beam towards a sample. Apertures of one or more of the planar elements compensate for off-axis aberrations in the multi-beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2023Publication date: September 14, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20230282440Abstract: Disclosed herein is an aperture array configured to define sub-beams that are scanned in a scanning direction in a charged particle apparatus, the aperture array comprising a plurality of apertures arranged in an aperture pattern that comprises: a plurality of parallel aperture rows, wherein apertures are arranged along the aperture rows and the aperture rows are inclined relative to the scanning direction; an edge aperture row defining an edge of the aperture pattern; and an adjacent aperture row adjacent the edge row; wherein the edge aperture row and the adjacent aperture row each comprise fewer apertures than another aperture row of the aperture pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20230245849Abstract: Arrangements involving objective lens array assemblies for charged-particle assessment tools are disclosed. In one arrangement, the assembly comprises an objective lens array and a control lens array. Each objective lens projects a respective sub-beam of a multi-beam onto a sample. The control lens array is associated with the objective lens array and positioned up-beam of the objective lens array. The control lenses pre-focus the sub-beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2023Publication date: August 3, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Publication number: 20230238211Abstract: A detector substrate (or detector array) for use in a charged particle multi-beam assessment tool to detect charged particles from a sample. The detector substrate defines an array of apertures for beam paths of respective charged particle beams of a multi-beam. The detector substrate includes a sensor unit array. A sensor unit of the sensor unit array is adjacent to a corresponding aperture of the aperture array. The sensor unit is configured to capture charged particles from the sample. The detector array may include an amplification circuit associated with each sensor unit in the sensor unit array and proximate to the corresponding aperture in the aperture array. The amplification circuit may include a Trans Impedance Amplifier and/or an analogue to digital converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2021Publication date: July 27, 2023Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND, Stoyan NIHTIANOV, Roy Ramon VEENSTRA, Hui JIANG
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Publication number: 20230238215Abstract: The disclosure relates to charged-particle multi-beam columns and multi-beam column arrays. In one arrangement, a sub-beam defining aperture array forms sub-beams from a beam of charged particles. A collimator array collimates the sub-beams An objective lens array projects the collimated sub-beams onto a sample. A detector detects charged particles emitted from the sample. Each collimator is directly adjacent to one of the objective lenses. The detector is provided in a plane down-beam from the sub-beam defining aperture array.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2023Publication date: July 27, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Marco Jan-Jaco WIELAND
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Patent number: RE49602Abstract: Lithography system, sensor and method for measuring properties of a massive amount of charged particle beams of a charged particle beam system, in particular a direct write lithography system, in which the charged particle beams are converted into light beams by using a converter element, using an array of light sensitive detectors such as diodes, CCD or CMOS devices, located in line with said converter element, for detecting said light beams, electronically reading out resulting signals from said detectors after exposure thereof by said light beams, utilizing said signals for determining values for one or more beam properties, thereby using an automated electronic calculator, and electronically adapting the charged particle system so as to correct for out of specification range values for all or a number of said charged particle beams, each for one or more properties, based on said calculated property values.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2020Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Pieter Kruit, Erwin Slot, Tijs Frans Teepen, Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland, Stijn Willem Herman Karel Steenbrink
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Patent number: RE49725Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate handling and exposure arrangement comprising a plurality of lithography apparatus, a clamp preparation unit for clamping a wafer on a wafer support structure, a wafer track, wherein the clamp preparation unit is configured for accepting a wafer from the wafer track, and an additional wafer track for transferring the clamp towards the plurality of lithography apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Hendrik Jan De Jong, Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland