Patents Assigned to Hermes-Microvision, Inc.
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Publication number: 20130334430Abstract: An assembly for a charged particle detection device of high detection efficiency is described. The assembly comprising a metal grid for applying attractive potential to lure charged particles; a scintillator disc to absorb the energy from impinging charged particle and reemit the energy in form of light or photons; a light guide to transmit light or photons; and a photomultiplier tube (PMT) cohere with the end of light guide to receive light or photons from light guide and convert it into current signal. A light guide with a bullet-head-shaped front portion ensures total reflection of light propagating within the light guide. A frustum-cone-shaped scintillator disc releases the light that originally trapped in the scintillator disc due to the shape of scintillator.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2012Publication date: December 19, 2013Applicant: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Zhibin Wang, Wei He, Fumin He
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Patent number: 8606017Abstract: A plurality of points with identical geometric feature is compared with their SEM characteristic features to inspect defect in a localized image. Original design information is included in the geometric feature such that absolute compare can be performed in this inspection method. Further, this method can also be applied to the localized image with or without repeated or redundant pattern.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2011Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Wei Fang, Jack Jau, Zhao-Li Zhang
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Patent number: 8604428Abstract: A method of controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample and charged particle beam imaging system thereof prevents particle absorption by grounding the wafer sample and kept electrically neutral during the transfer-in and transfer-out process.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2011Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: You-Jin Wang, Chung-Shih Pan
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Patent number: 8592761Abstract: The monochromator for reducing energy spread of a primary charged particle beam in charged particle apparatus comprises a beam adjustment element, two Wien-filter type dispersion units and an energy-limit aperture. In the monochromator, a dual proportional-symmetry in deflection dispersion and fundamental trajectory along a straight optical axis is formed, which not only fundamentally avoids incurring off-axis aberrations that actually can not be compensated but also ensures the exit beam have a virtual crossover which is stigmatic, dispersion-free and inside the monochromator. The present invention also provides two ways to build a monochromator into a SEM, in which one is to locate a monochromator between the electron source and the condenser, and another is to locate a monochromator between the beam-limit aperture and the objective. The former provides an additional energy-angle depending filtering, and obtains a smaller effective energy spread.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2012Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision Inc.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 8575573Abstract: 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: May 20, 2011Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: You-Jin Wang, Chiyan Kuan, Chung-Shih Pan
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Patent number: 8552377Abstract: This invention provides a design to process a large range of detection beam current at low noise with a single detector. With such a design, the detection system can generate up to 1010 gain and maximum signal output at more than mini Ampere (mA) level. A condenser lens is configured to increase bandwidth of the detector that scan speed can be enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Yi-Xiang Wang, Joe Wang, Weiming Ren
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Publication number: 20130257044Abstract: The present invention introduces a metal seal flange assembly for a vacuum system. A new designed metal gasket has a crosses-section shape of irregular quadrangle with two sharp angle forms by the longer base and legs. The long base of the irregular quadrangle is the vertical inner wall of the metal gasket. A preferred cross section shape of the metal gasket is trapezoid or isosceles trapezoid. this design can reduce the normal force applied to the metal seal flange assembly and reduce the number of bolts used in a limit working space.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2012Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Qingpo XI, Tao LI, Feng CAO, Fumin HE, Zhongwei CHEN
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Publication number: 20130248730Abstract: The present invention provides two ways to form a special permeability discontinuity unit inside every sub-lens of a multi-axis magnetic lens, which either has a simpler configuration or has more flexibility in manufacturing such as material selection and mechanical structure. Accordingly several types of multi-axis magnetic lens are proposed for various applications. One type is for general application such as a multi-axis magnetic condenser lens or a multi-axis magnetic transfer lens, another type is a multi-axis magnetic non-immersion objective which can require a lower magnetomotive force, and one more type is a multi-axis magnetic immersion objective lens which can generate smaller aberrations. Due to using permeability-discontinuity units, every multi-axis magnetic lens in this invention can also be electrically excited to function as a multi-axis electromagnetic compound lens so as to further reduce aberrations thereof and/or realize electron beam retarding for low-voltage irradiation on specimen.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Zhongwei Chen
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Publication number: 20130234032Abstract: An assembly for a charged particle detection unit is described. The assembly comprises a scintillator disc, a partially coated light guide a thin metal tube for allowing the primary charged particle beam to pass through and a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The shape of scintillator disc and light guide are redesigned to improved the light signal transmission thereafter enhance the light collection efficiency. A light guide with a conicoidal surface over an embedded scintillator improved the light collection efficiency of 34% over a conventional design.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2012Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: Hermes-Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Zhibin Wang, Wei He, Qingpo Xi, Shuai Li, Fumin He
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Patent number: 8519333Abstract: The present invention relates to a charged particle system for reticle or semiconductor wafer defects inspection and review, and more particularly, relates to an E-beam inspection tool for reticle or semiconductor wafer defects inspection and review without gravitational AMC settling. The charged particle system is an upside down electron beam inspection system with an electron beam aimed upward. The face down design may prevent AMC from gravitational settling on the inspected face of the specimen during inspection, thereafter having a cleaner result compared with conventional face-up inspection system.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2012Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision Inc.Inventors: Chiyan Kuan, Yi-Xiang Wang, Chung-Shih Pan, Zhonghua Dong, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 8497475Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer readable medium for charged particle beam inspection of a sample comprising at least one sampling region and at least one skip region is disclosed. The method, apparatus and computer readable medium comprise receiving an imaging recipe which at least comprises information of the area of the sampling and skip regions; calculating a default stage speed according to the imaging recipe; calculating an alternative stage speed at least according to the default stage speed, the sampling region area information, and the skip region area information; calculating at least one imaging scan compensation offset at least according to the alternative stage speed; and inspecting the sample at the alternative stage speed while adjusting the motion of the charged particle beam according to the imaging scan compensation offsets, such that the charged particle beam tightly follows the motion of the stage and images only the sampling regions on the sample.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2011Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Hermes-Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Chang Chun Yeh, Shih-Tsuan Chang
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Publication number: 20130153782Abstract: The present invention provides two ways to form a special permeability-discontinuity unit inside every sub-lens of a multi-axis magnetic lens, which either has a simpler configuration or has more flexibility in manufacturing such as material selection and mechanical structure. Accordingly several types of multi-axis magnetic lens are proposed for various applications. One type is for general application such as a multi-axis magnetic condenser lens or a multi-axis magnetic transfer lens, another type is a multi-axis magnetic non-immersion objective which can require a lower magnetomotive force, and one more type is a multi-axis magnetic immersion objective lens which can generate smaller aberrations. Due to using permeability-discontinuity units, every multi-axis magnetic lens in this invention can also be electrically excited to function as a multi-axis electromagnetic compound lens so as to further reduce aberrations thereof and/or realize electron beam retarding for low-voltage irradiation on specimen.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2012Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 8445862Abstract: An apparatus basically uses a simple and compact multi-axis magnetic lens to focus each of a plurality of charged particle beams on sample surface at the same time. In each sub-lens module of the multi-axis magnetic lens, two magnetic rings are respectively inserted into upper and lower holes with non-magnetic radial gap. Each gap size is small enough to keep a sufficient magnetic coupling and large enough to get a sufficient axial symmetry of magnetic scale potential distribution in the space near to its optical axis. This method eliminates the non-axisymmetric transverse field in each sub-lens and the round lens field difference among all sub-lenses at the same time; both exist inherently in a conventional multi-axis magnetic lens.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Zhongwei Chen, Weiming Ren, Kenichi Kanai, Xuedong Liu
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Publication number: 20130112889Abstract: This invention provides a multi-pole type Wien filter, which acts more purely approaching its fundamentally expected performance. A 12-electrode electric device acts as an electric deflector,or acts as an electric deflector and an electric stigmator together. A cylindrical 4-coil magnetic device with a magnetic core acts as a magnetic deflector. Both can produce a dipole field while only incurring a negligibly-small 3rd order field harmonic. The magnetic core enhances the strength and more preciously regulates the distribution of the magnetic field originally generated by the coils. Then two ways to construct a Wien filter are proposed. One way is based on both of the foregoing electric and magnetic devices, and the other way is based on the foregoing electric device and a conventional magnetic deflector. The astigmatism in each of such Wien filters can be compensated by the electric stigmator of the electric device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Applicant: Hermes-Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Zhongwei Chen, Xuedong Liu, Weiming Ren
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Patent number: 8436317Abstract: This invention provides a multi-pole type Wien filter, which acts more purely approaching its fundamentally expected performance. A 12-electrode electric device acts as an electric deflector, or acts as an electric deflector and an electric stigmator together. A cylindrical 4-coil magnetic device with a magnetic core acts as a magnetic deflector. Both can produce a dipole field while only incurring a negligibly-small 3rd order field harmonic. The magnetic core enhances the strength and more preciously regulates the distribution of the magnetic field originally generated by the coils. Then two ways to construct a Wien filter are proposed. One way is based on both of the foregoing electric and magnetic devices, and the other way is based on the foregoing electric device and a conventional magnetic deflector. The astigmatism in each of such Wien filters can be compensated by the electric stigmator of the electric device.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2011Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Hermes-Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Zhongwei Chen, Xuedong Liu, Weiming Ren
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Patent number: 8432441Abstract: A method for measuring critical dimension (CD) includes steps of: scanning at least one area of interest of a die to obtain at least one scanned image; aligning the scanned image to at least one designed layout pattern to identify a plurality of borders within the scanned image; and averaging distances each measured from the border or the plurality of borders of a pattern associated with a specific type of CD corresponding to the designed layout pattern to obtain a value of CD of the die. The value of critical dimensions of dies can be obtained from the scanned image with lower resolution which is obtained by relatively higher scanning speed, so the above-mentioned method can obtain value of CD for every die within entire wafer to monitor the uniformity of the semiconductor manufacturing process within an acceptable inspection time.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2011Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision Inc.Inventors: Wei Fang, Hong Xiao, Jack Jau
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Patent number: 8421009Abstract: A test structure and method thereof for determining a defect in a sample of semiconductor device includes at least one transistor rendered grounded. The grounded transistor is preferably located at at least one end of a test pattern designed to be included in the sample. When the test structure is inspected by charged particle beam inspection, the voltage contrast (VC) of the transistors in the test pattern including the grounded transistor is observed for determination of the presence of defect in the sample.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2009Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision, Inc.Inventor: Hong Xiao
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Patent number: 8421029Abstract: This invention provides a design of Wien filter for satisfying Wien Condition so as to ensure the Wien filter's performance. At first, to minimize the magnetic flux leaking out of the Wien filter, the invention proposes three measures to form a magnetic circuit to cover the magnetic device of a Wien filter respectively. The measures especially benefit a Wien filter acting as beam separator or Monochromator in a high resolution SEM. Secondly, based on the Wien filter proposed in cross-reference, several ways are provided for reducing the dissatisfaction of Wien Condition within the Wien filter, which especially modify either or both of the distribution shapes of the on-axis electric and magnetic dipole fields at two ends of the Wien filter. These ways provide more flexibility to reduce the dissatisfaction of Wien Condition in a Wien filter to a given degree at a reasonable manufacturing cost.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2011Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Hermes-Microvision, Inc.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 8350213Abstract: A detection unit of a charged particle imaging system includes a multi type detection subunit in the charged particle imaging system, with the assistance of a Wien filter (also known as an E×B charged particle analyzer). The imaging system is suitable for a low beam current, high resolution mode and a high beam current, high throughput mode. The unit can be applied to a scanning electron inspection system as well as to other systems that use a charged particle beam as an observation tool.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Hermes Microvision Inc.Inventors: Joe Wang, Xu Zhang, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 8319192Abstract: An electromagnetic compound objective lens is provided for charged particle device, especially as an objective lens of low-voltage scanning electron microscope (LVSEM), which comprises a magnetic immersion lens and an electrostatic immersion lens. The magnetic immersion lens orients its gap between an inner pole piece and an outer pole piece to specimen's surface, and uses a magnetic specimen stage. The electrostatic immersion lens comprises three or four electrodes which apply suitable retarding field to a primary beam of the charged particle device for reducing its landing energy on specimen surface and further eliminating imaging aberrations.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2010Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Hermes Microvision Inc.Inventor: Weiming Ren