Patents by Inventor Xuedong Liu
Xuedong Liu 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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Publication number: 20220375712Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2020Publication date: November 24, 2022Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Zhong-wei CHEN, Xiaoyu JI, Xiaoxue CHEN, Weimin ZHOU, Frank Nan ZHANG
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Patent number: 11469076Abstract: An improved system and method for inspection of a sample using a particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, to systems and methods of scanning a sample with a plurality of charged particle beams. An improved method of scanning an area of a sample using N charged particle beams, wherein Nis an integer greater than or equal to two, and wherein the area of the sample comprises a plurality of scan sections of N consecutive scan lines, includes moving the sample in a first direction. The method also includes scanning, with a first charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, first scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the first charged particle beam. The method further includes scanning, with a second charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, second scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the second charged particle beam.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Martinus Gerardus Maria Johannes Massen, Joost Jeroen Ottens, Long Ma, Youfei Jiang, Weihua Yin, Wei-Te Li, Xuedong Liu
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Patent number: 11469074Abstract: Systems and methods of enhancing imaging resolution by reducing crosstalk between detection elements of a secondary charged-particle detector in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multi-beam apparatus may comprise an electro-optical system for projecting a plurality of secondary charged-particle beams from a sample onto a charged-particle detector. The electro-optical system may include a first pre-limit aperture plate comprising a first aperture configured to block peripheral charged-particles of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams, and a beam-limit aperture array comprising a second aperture configured to trim the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams. The charged-particle detector may include a plurality of detection elements, wherein a detection element of the plurality of detection elements is associated with a corresponding trimmed beam of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuerang Hu, Qingpo Xi, Xuedong Liu
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Publication number: 20220319808Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a crossover-forming deflector array of an electro-optical system for directing a plurality of electron beams onto an electron detection device. The crossover-forming deflector array includes a plurality of crossover-forming deflectors positioned at or at least near an image plane of a set of one or more electro-optical lenses of the electro-optical system, wherein each crossover-forming deflector is aligned with a corresponding electron beam of the plurality of electron beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Zhong-wei CHEN
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Patent number: 11430631Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising: generating a plurality of probe spots on a sample by a plurality of beams of charged particles; while scanning the plurality of probe spots across a region on the sample, recording from the plurality of probe spots a plurality of sets of signals respectively representing interactions of the plurality of beams of charged particles and the sample; generating a plurality of images of the region respectively from the plurality of sets of signals; and generating a composite image of the region from the plurality of images.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2020Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Kuo-Shih Liu, Xuedong Liu, Wei Fang, Jack Jau
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Publication number: 20220262594Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for compensating dispersion of a beam separator in a single-beam or multi-beam apparatus. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dispersion device comprising an electrostatic deflector and a magnetic deflector configured to induce a beam dispersion set to cancel the dispersion generated by the beam separator. The combination of the electrostatic deflector and the magnetic deflector can be used to keep the deflection angle due to the dispersion device unchanged when the induced beam dispersion is changed to compensate for a change in the dispersion generated by the beam separator. In some embodiments, the deflection angle due to the dispersion device can be controlled to be zero and there is no change in primary beam axis due to the dispersion device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2022Publication date: August 18, 2022Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Xinan LUO, Zhongwei CHEN
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Publication number: 20220246395Abstract: Systems and methods for observing a sample in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. A charged particle optical system may include a deflector configured to form a virtual image of a charged particle source and a transfer lens configured to form a real image of the charged particle source on an image plane. The image plane may be formed at least near a beam separator that is configured to separate primary charged particles generated by the source and secondary charged particles generated by interaction of the primary charged particles with a sample. The image plane may be formed at a deflection plane of the beam separator. The multi-beam apparatus may include a charged-particle dispersion compensator to compensate dispersion of the beam separator. The image plane may be formed closer to the transfer lens than the beam separator, between the transfer lens and the charged-particle dispersion compensator.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2022Publication date: August 4, 2022Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Zong-wei CHEN
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Patent number: 11398368Abstract: A secondary projection imaging system in a multi-beam apparatus is proposed, which makes the secondary electron detection with high collection efficiency and low cross-talk. The system employs one zoom lens, one projection lens and one anti-scanning deflection unit. The zoom lens and the projection lens respectively perform the zoom function and the anti-rotating function to remain the total imaging magnification and the total image rotation with respect to the landing energies and/or the currents of the plural primary beamlets. The anti-scanning deflection unit performs the anti-scanning function to eliminate the dynamic image displacement due to the deflection scanning of the plural primary beamlets.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2020Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.VInventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
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Publication number: 20220223366Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a first electrically conductive layer; a second electrically conductive layer; a plurality of optics element s between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer, wherein the plurality of optics elements are configured to influence a plurality of beams of charged particles; a third electrically conductive layer between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer; and an electrically insulating layer physically connected to the optics elements, wherein the electrically insulating layer is configured to electrically insulate the optics elements from the first electrically conductive layer, and the second electrically conductive layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2022Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventors: Xuerang HU, Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Zhong-wei CHEN
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Publication number: 20220216029Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an improved source conversion unit is disclosed. The improved source conversion unit may comprise a micro-structure deflector array including a plurality of multipole structures. The micro-deflector deflector array may comprise a first multipole structure having a first radial shift from a central axis of the array and a second multipole structure having a second radial shift from the central axis of the array. The first radial shift is larger than the second radial shift, and the first multipole structure comprises a greater number of pole electrodes than the second multipole structure to reduce deflection aberrations when the plurality of multipole structures deflects a plurality of charged particle beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2022Publication date: July 7, 2022Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming REN, Qian ZHANG, Xuerang HU, Xuedong LIU
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Publication number: 20220189726Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an adjustable beam separator is disclosed. The adjustable beam separator is configured to change a path of a secondary particle beam. The adjustable beam separator comprises a first Wien filter and a second Wien filter. Both Wien filters are aligned with a primary optical axis. The first Wien filter and the second Wien filter are independently controllable via a first excitation input and a second excitation input, respectively. The adjustable beam separator is configured move the effective bending point of the adjustable beam separator along the primary optical axis based on the first excitation input and the second excitation input.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2020Publication date: June 16, 2022Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Qingpo XI, Xuerang HU, Xuedong LIU, Weiming REN, Zhong-wei CHEN
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Publication number: 20220148851Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit changes a single electron source into a virtual multi-source array, a primary projection imaging system projects the array to form plural probe spots on the sample, and a condenser lens adjusts the currents of the plural probe spots. In the source-conversion unit, the image-forming means is on the upstream of the beamlet-limit means, and thereby generating less scattered electrons. The image-forming means not only forms the virtual multi-source array, but also compensates the off-axis aberrations of the plurality of probe spots.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2021Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Weiming REN, Shuai LI, Xuedong LIU, Zhongwei CHEN
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Patent number: 11328894Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for compensating dispersion of a beam separator in a single-beam or multi-beam apparatus. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dispersion device comprising an electrostatic deflector and a magnetic deflector configured to induce a beam dispersion set to cancel the dispersion generated by the beam separator. The combination of the electrostatic deflector and the magnetic deflector can be used to keep the deflection angle due to the dispersion device unchanged when the induced beam dispersion is changed to compensate for a change in the dispersion generated by the beam separator. In some embodiments, the deflection angle due to the dispersion device can be controlled to be zero and there is no change in primary beam axis due to the dispersion device.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Xinan Luo, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 11302514Abstract: Systems and methods for observing a sample in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. A charged particle optical system may include a deflector configured to form a virtual image of a charged particle source and a transfer lens configured to form a real image of the charged particle source on an image plane. The image plane may be formed at least near a beam separator that is configured to separate primary charged particles generated by the source and secondary charged particles generated by interaction of the primary charged particles with a sample. The image plane may be formed at a deflection plane of the beam separator. The multi-beam apparatus may include a charged-particle dispersion compensator to compensate dispersion of the beam separator. The image plane may be formed closer to the transfer lens than the beam separator, between the transfer lens and the charged-particle dispersion compensator.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2019Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Zong-wei Chen
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Patent number: 11289304Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a first electrically conductive layer; a second electrically conductive layer; a plurality of optics element s between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer, wherein the plurality of optics elements are configured to influence a plurality of beams of charged particles; a third electrically conductive layer between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer; and an electrically insulating layer physically connected to the optics elements, wherein the electrically insulating layer is configured to electrically insulate the optics elements from the first electrically conductive layer, and the second electrically conductive layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2018Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Xuerang Hu, Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Zhong-wei Chen
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Patent number: 11282675Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a crossover-forming deflector array of an electro-optical system for directing a plurality of electron beams onto an electron detection device. The crossover-forming deflector array includes a plurality of crossover-forming deflectors positioned at or at least near an image plane of a set of one or more electro-optical lenses of the electro-optical system, wherein each crossover-forming deflector is aligned with a corresponding electron beam of the plurality of electron beams.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2021Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Zhong-wei Chen
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Patent number: 11232928Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an improved source conversion unit is disclosed. The improved source conversion unit may comprise a micro-structure deflector array including a plurality of multipole structures. The micro-deflector deflector array may comprise a first multipole structure having a first radial shift from a central axis of the array and a second multipole structure having a second radial shift from the central axis of the array. The first radial shift is larger than the second radial shift, and the first multipole structure comprises a greater number of pole electrodes than the second multipole structure to reduce deflection aberrations when the plurality of multipole structures deflects a plurality of charged particle beams.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Qian Zhang, Xuerang Hu, Xuedong Liu
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Publication number: 20220005665Abstract: The present disclosure proposes an anti-rotation lens and using it as an anti-rotation condenser lens in a multi-beam apparatus with a pre-beamlet-forming mechanism. The anti-rotation condenser lens keeps rotation angles of beamlets unchanged when changing currents thereof, and thereby enabling the pre-beamlet-forming mechanism to cut off electrons not in use as much as possible. In this way, the multi-beam apparatus can observe a sample with high resolution and high throughput, and is competent as a yield management tool to inspect and/or review defects on wafers/masks in semiconductor manufacturing industry.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Zhong-wei CHEN
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Patent number: 11217423Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with oblique illumination is proposed. In the apparatus, a new source-conversion unit changes a single electron source into a slant virtual multi-source array, a primary projection imaging system projects the array to form plural probe spots on the sample with oblique illumination, and a condenser lens adjusts the currents of the plural probe spots. In the source-conversion unit, the image-forming means not only forms the slant virtual multi-source array, but also compensates the off-axis aberrations of the plurality of probe spots. The apparatus can provide dark-field images and/or bright-field images of the sample.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2019Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Xuedong Liu, Zhongwei Chen, Jack Jau
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Publication number: 20210391138Abstract: One modified source-conversion unit and one method to reduce the Coulomb Effect in a multi-beam apparatus are proposed. In the modified source-conversion unit, the aberration-compensation function is carried out after the image-forming function has changed each beamlet to be on-axis locally, and therefore avoids undesired aberrations due to the beamlet tilting/shifting. A Coulomb-effect-reduction means with plural Coulomb-effect-reduction openings is placed close to the single electron source of the apparatus and therefore the electrons not in use can be cut off as early as possible.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2021Publication date: December 16, 2021Inventors: Xuedong LIU, Weiming REN, Shuai LI, Zhongwei CHEN