Abstract: A method for venting a gas into a closed space is disclosed. At the beginning of the venting process the flow rate of the venting gas starts from zero and then increases at a substantially differential incremental rate for at least a certain period of time. When a predefined saturation pressure inside the closed space is reached, the flow rate of the venting gas is maintained or increased to speed up the venting process.

Abstract: A magnetically actuated system includes a conductor and a magnetic field apparatus to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field apparatus includes magnets and magnetically permeable materials to focus the magnetic field in areas of the conductor that produce a drive torque when the conductor carries a current.

Abstract: A method for examining a sample with a scanning charged particle beam imaging apparatus. First, an image area and a scan area are specified on a surface of the sample. Herein, the image area is entirely overlapped within the scan area. Next, the scan area is scanned by using a charged particle beam along a direction neither parallel nor perpendicular to an orientation of the scan area. It is possible that only a portion of the scan area overlapped with the image area is exposed to the charged particle beam. It also is possible that both the shape and the size of the image area are essentially similar with that of the scan area, such that the size of the area projected by the charged particle beam is almost equal to the size of the image area.

Abstract: 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 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.

Abstract: A magnetically actuated system includes a conductor and a magnetic field apparatus to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field apparatus includes magnets and magnetically permeable materials to focus the magnetic field in areas of the conductor that produce a drive torque when the conductor carries a current.

Abstract: A substrate inspection method is disclosed. The disclosed method includes 1) providing one or more images of one or more sample substrates; 2) identifying, from the images, two or more occurrences of a target pattern in the images; and 3) comparing the identified target-pattern occurrences against each other to determine, from the images, a presence of abnormalities in the compared target-pattern occurrences, hence determining one or more defects physically present in the target-pattern occurrences. The disclosed method may be implemented via execution of a computer program encoded in a computer readable medium, where the computer program instructs an imaging apparatus to form images of the of-interest sample substrates and instructs an image analyzing apparatus to identify and compare, from the images, the target-pattern occurrences on the sample substrates.

Abstract: A variable reflectivity notch filter (100), suitable for use with a laser image projection source (1001) is provided. The variable reflectivity notch filter (100) defines a transmission curve (101) having a plurality of reflective peaks (102,103,104) each centered about a predetermined wavelength (105,106,107), which can correspond to output wavelengths from laser sources. Reflective peaks (204) corresponding to wavelengths that change with temperature are configured with wider widths (223) and lesser reflectivities (210) than are other reflective peaks (202,203). To provide enhanced color balance, lasers (821) corresponding to these reflective peaks (204) can be driven at higher output power. Variable reflectivity notch filters (100) are suitable for use in head-up displays as well as other applications.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are introduced in this invention to reduce the edge effect of a substrate that causes image variation or distortion due to applied substrate bias. An edge plate with an edge effect eliminator are provided such that substrate is inspected by a charged particle beam can capture images without distortion at substrate edge.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A projection system (900) includes a scanner (802) and light source (801). The scanner (802) is configured to crate a scan cone (994) for forming images (995). A principal beam (992) defines a traveling direction of the scan cone (994). An optical device (880) having decentered, free-form major faces is disposed at an output of the projection system (900) such that the scan cone (994) passes through the optical device (880). The optical device (880) is configured to redirect the principal beam (992), and accordingly the traveling direction of the scan cone (994), by a predetermined amount and to correct both anamorphic distortion and vertical smile distortion initially present in the image.

Abstract: An imaging system (200), such as a scanned laser projection system, includes one or more laser sources (201) configured to produce one or more light beams (204), and a light modulator (203) configured to produce images (206) from the light beams (204). A polarization diversity element (221), which can be manufactured from a birefringent material or from a polymerized liquid crystal layer, is disposed within the imaging system (200). The polarization diversity element (221) is configured to alter the polarization of an incident beam to create a transmitted beam comprising diverse polarization patterns, thereby reducing speckle in projected images.

Abstract: An exit pupil expander (904), operable as a numerical aperture expander and suitable for use with high angle of incidence scanned laser projection systems, includes a microlens array (910) and a varied thickness optical element (900). The varied thickness optical element can be configured to transform a principal beam (953) of a received scan cone (952) to be substantially orthogonal with an output of the exit pupil expander (904) or major surface of the microlens array (910). Further, the varied thickness optical element (900) can be configured to cause the received scan cone (952) to exit the varied thickness optical element (900) substantially symmetrically about the principal beam (953). The varied thickness optical element (900) can also be configured to introduce a controlled amount of spread to the received scan cone (952). The varied thickness optical element (900) is useful in correcting distortion, such as keystone distortion introduced by high angle of incidence feed.

Abstract: An image generation apparatus provides interpolation and distortion correction. The interpolation and distortion correction may be provided in one or two dimensions. Nonlinear image scan trajectories, such as sinusoidal and bi-sinusoidal trajectories are accommodated. Horizontal and vertical scan positions are determined using a linear pixel clock, and displayed pixel intensities are determined using interpolation techniques.

Abstract: This invention provides a monochromator for reducing energy spread of a primary charged particle beam in charged particle apparatus, which comprises a beam adjustment element, two Wien-filter type dispersion units and an energy-limit aperture. In the monochromator, a double 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 cannot be compensated but also ensures the exit beam have a virtual crossover which is stigmatic, dispersion-free and inside the monochromator. Therefore, using the monochromator in SEM can reduce chromatic aberrations without additionally incurring adverse impacts, so as to improve the ultimate imaging resolution. The improvement of the ultimate imaging resolution will be more distinct for Low-Voltage SEM and the related apparatuses which are based on LVSEM principle, such as the defect inspection and defect review in semiconductor yield management.

Abstract: A method of inspecting an EUV reticle is proposed, which uses an original design layout information to align the plurality of patterns on an image, which is got by scanning the surface of an EUV reticle, such that the defect can be identified and classified according to the aligned patterns. In the scanning process, a step of conditioning surface charge is followed by a step of inspecting surface of the EUV reticle wherein the step of conditioning surface can neutralize the surface charge and the step of inspecting can obtain an image of the EUV reticle. The method of inspecting an EUV reticle also tuning a retarding electrode to attract more secondary electrons such that the greylevels of different patterns may be shown and the defect can be identified and classified.

Abstract: A encoded image projection system (100) is configured to determine the proximity of the system to a projection surface (106). The encoded image projection system (100) includes a light encoder (105) that scans a non-visible light beam (115) on the projection surface (106) selectively when scanning visible light to create an image. A detector (118) is then configured to receive reflections of the non-visible light beam (115) from the projection surface (106). A control circuit (120) is configured to determine the distance (124) between the projection surface (106) and the system from, for example, intensity data or location data received from the detector (118). Where the distances (124) are below a threshold, the control circuit (120) can either reduce the output power of the system or turn the system off.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The radiance of a laser is a function of drive current. The radiance is also a function of other factors, such as age and temperature. A laser projection device adjusts laser drive parameters using a gradient descent operation. The device parameters may be adjusted iteratively and periodically. The period may be shorter or longer than a scan line in a video image.

Abstract: A scanning projector includes a mirror that scans in two dimensions. The scanning mirror oscillates at a resonant frequency on a fast-scan axis, and is phase locked to an incoming frame rate on a slow-scan axis. An interpolation component interpolates pixel intensity data from adjacent pixels based on the position of the mirror when a pixel clock arrives. Incoming video data is stored in a buffer. Less than a complete frame of video data may be stored in the buffer.

Abstract: A magnetically actuated system includes a conductor and a magnetic field apparatus to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field apparatus includes magnets and magnetically permeable materials to focus the magnetic field in areas of the conductor that produce a drive torque when the conductor carries a current.