Patents Assigned to Hermes-Microvision, Inc.
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Patent number: 9922799Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput and in flexibly varying observing conditions is proposed. The apparatus uses a movable collimating lens to flexibly vary the currents of the plural probe spots without influencing the intervals thereof, a new source-conversion unit to form the plural images of the single electron source and compensate off-axis aberrations of the plural probe spots with respect to observing conditions, and a pre-beamlet-forming means to reduce the strong Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Shuai Li, Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Juying Dou, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 9859089Abstract: A structure for grounding an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for grounding an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and back side. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUV mask is grounded. The reflective surface of the EUV mask on a continuously moving stage is scanned by using the electron beam simultaneously. The moving direction of the stage is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the electron beam.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2015Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventors: Guochong Weng, Youjin Wang, Chiyan Kuan, Chung-Shih Pan
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Patent number: 9812283Abstract: This invention provides a charged particle source, which comprises an emitter and means of generating a magnetic field distribution. The magnetic field distribution is minimum, about zero, or preferred zero at the tip of the emitter, and along the optical axis is maximum away from the tip immediately. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic field distribution is provided by dual magnetic lens which provides an anti-symmetric magnetic field at the tip, such that magnetic field at the tip is zero.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.Inventor: Shuai Li
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Patent number: 9799484Abstract: This invention provides a charged particle source, which comprises an emitter and means of generating a magnetic field distribution. The magnetic field distribution is minimum, about zero, or preferred zero at the tip of the emitter, and along the optical axis is maximum away from the tip immediately. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic field distribution is provided by dual magnetic lens which provides an anti-symmetric magnetic field at the tip, such that magnetic field at the tip is zero.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2015Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.Inventor: Shuai Li
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Patent number: 9768082Abstract: Method and machine utilizes the real-time recipe to perform weak point inspection on a series of wafers during the fabrication of integrated circuits. Each real-time recipe essentially corresponds to a practical fabrication history of a wafer to be examined and/or the examination results of at least one examined wafer of same “lot”. Therefore, different wafers can be examined by using different recipes where each recipe corresponds to a specific condition of a wafer to be examined, even these wafers are received by a machine for examining at the same time.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2012Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventors: Chien-Hung Chou, Wen-Tin Tai
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Patent number: 9754760Abstract: This invention provides a charged particle source, which comprises an emitter and means of generating a magnetic field distribution. The magnetic field distribution is minimum, about zero, or preferred zero at the tip of the emitter, and along the optical axis is maximum away from the tip immediately. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic field distribution is provided by dual magnetic lens which provides an anti-symmetric magnetic field at the tip, such that magnetic field at the tip is zero.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2017Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventor: Shuai Li
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Patent number: 9691586Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 11, 2017Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Xuedong Liu, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 9691588Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 9, 2016Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Xuedong Liu, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 9605759Abstract: A metal gasket has a cross-sectional shape that is a six sided shape that resembles an irregular quadrangle that is substantially isosceles trapezoidal in shape with two sharp angles between the longest side and the second- and third-longest sides, respectively. The longest side of the cross section is the inner wall of the metal gasket.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2014Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventors: Qingpo Xi, Tao Li, Feng Cao, Fumin He, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 9607805Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 10, 2016Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventors: Xuedong Liu, Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 9601311Abstract: Laser sub-divisional error (SDE) effect is compensated by using adaptive tuning. This compensated signal can be applied to position detection of stage in ebeam inspection tool, particularly for continuous moving stage.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2016Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventors: Ying Luo, KuoFeng Tseng, Zhonghua Dong
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Patent number: 9581245Abstract: A metal seal flange assembly for a vacuum system is presented. Its metal gasket has a crossectional shape that is an irregular hexagon with two acute angles between the longest side and the second- and third-longest sides, respectively. The longest side of the irregular hexagon is the vertical inner wall of the metal gasket. This design can reduce the normal force required to seal the metal seal flange assembly and reduce the number of bolts needed, enabling use in a limited working space.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2012Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.Inventors: Qingpo Xi, Tao Li, Feng Cao, Fumin He, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 9583306Abstract: A scanning electron microscope (SEM) with a swing objective lens (SOL) reduces the off-aberrations to enhance the image resolution, and extends the e-beam scanning angle. The scanning electron microscope comprises a charged particle source, an accelerating electrode, and a swing objective lens system including a pre-deflection unit, a swing deflection unit and an objective lens, all of them are rotationally symmetric with respect to an optical axis. The upper inner-face of the swing deflection unit is tilted an angle ? to the outer of the SEM and its lower inner-face is parallel to the optical axis. A distribution for a first and second focusing field of the swing objective lens is provided to limit the off-aberrations and can be performed by a single swing deflection unit. Preferably, the two focusing fields are overlapped by each other at least 80 percent.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2015Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventor: Shuai Li
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Patent number: 9572237Abstract: A structure for discharging an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for discharging an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and bottom. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUU mask is grounded.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventors: You-Jin Wang, Chiyan Kuan, Chung-Shih Pan
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Patent number: 9541824Abstract: A method and system for inspecting defects saves scanned raw data as an original image so as to save time for repeated scanning and achieve faster defect inspection and lower false rate by reviewing suspicious defects and other regions of interest in the original image by using the same or different image-processing algorithm with the same or different parameters.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2014Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.Inventors: Wei Fang, Jack Jau
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Patent number: 9536697Abstract: This invention provides a system and a method for calibrating charge-regulation module in vacuum environment. Means for mounting the charge-regulation module provides motions to the charge-regulation module such that a beam spot, illuminated by the charge-regulation module, on a sample surface can be moved to a pre-determined position which is irradiated by a charged particle beam.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2015Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventors: Yi-Xiang Wang, Jian Zhang, Yan Zhao
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Patent number: 9494856Abstract: A method and system for inspecting defects saves scanned raw data as an original image so as to save time for repeated scanning and achieve faster defect inspection and lower false rate by reviewing suspicious defects and other regions of interest in the original image by using the same or different image-processing algorithm with the same or different parameters.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2011Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.Inventors: Wei Fang, Jack Jau
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Patent number: 9485846Abstract: A structure for grounding an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for grounding an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and back side. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUV mask is grounded. The reflective surface of the EUV mask on a continuously moving stage is scanned by using the electron beam simultaneously. The moving direction of the stage is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the electron beam.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.Inventors: Guochong Weng, Youjin Wang, Chiyan Kuan, Chung-Shih Pan
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Patent number: 9460887Abstract: A layer of conductive or semi-conductive material is formed on a surface of a sample and then the sample, when being charged particle beam imaged, is electrically coupled with an object having a large charge-receiving or charge-storage capacity (e.g., capacitance). Hence, the charging on the sample surface is removed and released quickly by the layer. The layer is then removed by reacting it with a predefined agent. The reaction forms a gaseous product which does not form a physical or chemical bond to the sample surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.Inventors: You-Jin Wang, Chung-Shih Pan
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Publication number: 20160260579Abstract: Laser sub-divisional error (SDE) effect is compensated by using adaptive tuning. This compensated signal can be applied to position detection of stage in ebeam inspection tool, particularly for continuous moving stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2016Publication date: September 8, 2016Applicant: Hermes Microvision Inc.Inventors: Ying Luo, KuoFeng Tseng, Zhonghua Dong