Patents Examined by David A. Vanore
  • Patent number: 11735394
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus capable of analyzing foreign matters generated when a sample is transported or observed. The charged particle beam apparatus includes a sample stage on which a measurement sample is provided, a charged particle beam source that irradiates the measurement sample with a charged particle beam, and a detector that detects charged particles emitted by irradiation with the charged particle beam, and includes a foreign matter observation sample held on the sample stage together with the measurement sample and a foreign matter observation unit that causes a foreign matter to be observed on the foreign matter observation sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Miwa, Seiichiro Kanno, Go Miya
  • Patent number: 11737201
    Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include collimated beam atomic ovens, collimated atomic beam sources, methods of loading a source of atoms into an atomic oven, and methods of forming a collimated atomic beam. In some embodiments, an illustrative collimated beam atomic oven includes: a tube having a first portion and a second portion; a source of atoms disposed in the first portion of the tube; an aperture disposed in the second portion of the tube; a heater assembly disposable in thermal communication with the tube; and an openable seal disposed in the tube intermediate the source of atoms and the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Vector Atomic, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cashen, Arman Cingoz, Artyom Vitouchkine
  • Patent number: 11737200
    Abstract: A system includes a laser source operable to provide a laser beam, a laser amplifier having a gain medium operable to provide energy to the laser beam when the laser beam passes through the laser amplifier, and a residual gain monitor operable to provide a probe beam and operable to derive a residual gain of the laser amplifier from the probe beam when the probe beam passes through the laser amplifier while being offset from the laser beam in time or in path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Chun-Lin Louis Chang, Jen-Hao Yeh, Han-Lung Chang, Tzung-Chi Fu, Bo-Tsun Liu, Li-Jui Chen, Po-Chung Cheng
  • Patent number: 11735405
    Abstract: Each estimated composition candidate is evaluated based on a mass spectrum produced using soft ionization and a mass spectrum produced using hard ionization. In the evaluation, a comparison between two measured isotope patterns (primary pattern matching), and a comparison between the measured isotope pattern and a theoretical isotope pattern (secondary pattern matching) are applied stepwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayumi Kubo, Masaaki Ubukata
  • Patent number: 11735393
    Abstract: A method for operating a multi-beam particle beam microscope includes: scanning a multiplicity of particle beams over an object; directing electron beams emanating from impingement locations of the particle beams at the object onto an electron converter; detecting first signals generated by impinging electrons in the electron converter via a plurality of detection elements of a first detection system during a first time period; detecting second signals generated by impinging electrons in the electron converter via a plurality of detection elements of a second detection system during a second time period; and assigning to the impingement locations the signals which were detected via the detection elements of the first detection system during the first time period, for example on the basis of the detection signals which were detected via the detection elements of the second detection system during the second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MultiSEM GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Zeidler, Gregor Dellemann, Gunther Scheunert
  • Patent number: 11735395
    Abstract: To provide a technique capable of measuring high-frequency electrical noise in a charged particle beam device. A charged particle beam device 100 includes an electron source 2 for generating an electron beam EB1, a stage 4 for mounting a sample 10, a detector 5 for detecting secondary electrons EB2 emitted from the sample 10, and a control unit 7 electrically connected to the electron source 2, the stage 4, and the detector 5 and can control the electron source 2, the stage 4, and the detector 5. Here, when the sample 10 is mounted on the stage 4, and a specific portion 11 of the sample 10 is continuously irradiated with the electron beam EB1 from the electron source 2, the control unit 7 can calculate a time-series change in irradiation position of the electron beam EB1 based on an amount of the secondary electrons EB2 emitted from the specific portion 11, and can calculate a feature quantity for a shake of the electron beam EB1 based on the time-series change in irradiation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayasu Iwatsuka, Tomoyo Sasaki, Wen Li, Ryo Kadoi, Makoto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11728124
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating arbitrarily-shaped ion energy distribution functions using shaped-pulse-bias. In an embodiment, a method includes applying a positive jump voltage to an electrode of a process chamber to neutralize a wafer surface, applying a negative jump voltage to the electrode to set a wafer voltage, and modulating the amplitude of the wafer voltage to produce a predetermined number of pulses to determine an ion energy distribution function. In another embodiment a method includes applying a positive jump voltage to an electrode of a process chamber to neutralize a wafer surface, applying a negative jump voltage to the electrode to set a wafer voltage, and applying a ramp voltage to the electrode that overcompensates for ion current on the wafer or applying a ramp voltage to the electrode that undercompensates for ion current on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Leonid Dorf, Travis Koh, Olivier Luere, Olivier Joubert, Philip A. Kraus, Rajinder Dhindsa, James Rogers
  • Patent number: 11723797
    Abstract: A fluid dispensing device includes a cartridge comprising a housing and a head coupled to the housing. The housing forms a first chamber configured to accommodate a fluid; and the head includes a nozzle; and an elastomeric wall that is spaced from the nozzle to form a holding chamber. The holding chamber is in fluid communication with the first chamber and configured to accommodate a portion of the fluid; and the nozzle forms one or more openings to eject the portion of the fluid from the holding chamber. The one or more openings form an oblong shape such that a length of the oblong shape is greater than a width of the oblong shape. The one or more openings can include two parallel slots that together form the oblong shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: TWENTY TWENTY THERAPEUTICS LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Stowe
  • Patent number: 11728127
    Abstract: Even when the amount of overlay deviation between patterns located in different layers is large, correct measurement of the amount of overlay deviation is stably performed. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam irradiation unit that irradiates a sample with a charged particle beam, a first detection unit that detects secondary electrons from the sample, a second detection unit that detects backscattered electrons from the sample, and an image processing unit that generates a first image including an image of a first pattern located on the surface of the sample based on an output of the first detection unit, and generates a second image including an image of a second pattern located in a lower layer than the surface of the sample based on an output of the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventor: Takuma Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11715620
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate that includes: applying, at an ionizer, a drive pulse train to an ion source to ionize a gas cluster beam and transfer the drive pulse train to the gas cluster beam; measuring, at a detector exposed to the gas cluster beam, a beam current synchronously with the drive pulse train; obtaining time-of-flight information of the clusters and the monomers in the gas cluster beam based on the beam current and the drive pulse train; determining size information relating to a size distribution of clusters and monomers in the gas cluster ion beam based on the time-of-flight information; adjusting a process parameter of the gas cluster beam based on the size information; and exposing the substrate to the gas cluster beam with the adjusted process parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TEL Manufacturing and Engineering of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Gwinn, Martin Tabat, Kenneth Regan
  • Patent number: 11715618
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the buildup of charge during the investigation of samples using charged particle beams, according to the present disclosure include irradiating a first portion of a sample during a first time period, wherein the irradiating the first portion of the sample causes a gradual accumulation of net charge in the first portion of the sample, generating imaging data based on emissions resultant from irradiating the first portion of the sample, and then irradiating a second portion of a sample holder for a second time period. The methods may further includes iteratively repeating the irradiation of the first portion and the second portion during imaging of the sample region. When more than one region of interest on the sample is to be investigated, the method may also include continuing to image additional portions of the sample by iteratively irradiating a region of interest on the sample and a corresponding portion of the sample holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventors: Yuchen Deng, Alexander Henstra, Peter Tiemeijer
  • Patent number: 11715619
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charged particle detection. The detection system can comprise a signal processing circuit configured to generate a set of intensity gradients based on electron intensity data received from a plurality of electron sensing elements. The detection system can further comprise a beam spot processing module configured to determine, based on the set of intensity gradients, at least one boundary of a beam spot; and determine, based on the at least one boundary, that a first set of electron sensing elements of the plurality of electron sensing elements is within the beam spot. The beam spot processing module can further be configured to determine an intensity value of the beam spot based on the electron intensity data received from the first set of electron sensing elements and also generate an image of a wafer based on the intensity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yongxin Wang, Weiming Ren, Zhonghua Dong, Zhongwei Chen
  • Patent number: 11703468
    Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for determining sample composition from spectral data acquired by a charged particle microscopy system. Chemical elements in a sample are identified by processing the spectral data with a trained neural network (NN). If the identified chemical elements not matching with a known elemental composition of the sample, the trained NN is retrained with the spectral data and the known elemental composition of the sample. The retrained NN can then be used to identify chemical elements within other samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Oleksii Kaplenko, Jan Klusá{hacek over (c)}ek, Tomá{hacek over (s)} Tůma, Mykola Kaplenko, Ond{hacek over (r)}ej Machek
  • Patent number: 11705316
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the determination and visualization of the spatial distribution of tissue states of a tissue sample, wherein a mass/mobility map is acquired at each of a plurality of sample sites of the tissue sample, the signal heights at each sample site are determined at characteristic signal positions in the corresponding mass/mobility map, from which a tissue state for each sample site is calculated with the aid of a mathematical/statistical classification algorithm, and the spatial distribution of the tissue states calculated for the sample sites is represented graphically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Inventors: Dennis Trede, Jan Hendrik Kobarg, Stefan Schiffler, Klaus Steinhorst
  • Patent number: 11703467
    Abstract: An electron beam detection apparatus for a semiconductor device and an electron beam detection assembly are disclosed, the electron beam detection apparatus including a stage, which is configured to carry and hold the semiconductor device at a top surface of the stage, and is translatable in two directions orthogonal to each other, an aiming device, configured to determine a position of the semiconductor device in a coordinate system of the electron beam detection apparatus by capturing an image of the semiconductor device, the aiming device provided with a first field of view and a first optical axis, and an electron beam detection device, configured to detect an emergent electron beam exiting the semiconductor device by projecting an electron beam to the semiconductor device, the electron beam detection device provided with a second field of view and a second optical axis which is not consistent with the first optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ZHONGKE JINGYUAN ELECTRON LIMITED, BEIJING
    Inventors: Lei Jiang, Yan Zhao
  • Patent number: 11699607
    Abstract: A segmented detector device with backside illumination. The detector is able to collect and differentiate between secondary electrons and backscatter electrons. The detector includes a through-hole for passage of a primary electron beam. After hitting a sample, the reflected secondary and backscatter electrons are collected via a vertical structure having a P+/P?/N+ or an N+/N?/P+ composition for full depletion through the thickness of the device. The active area of the device is segmented using field isolation insulators located on the front side of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: John Gerling, Lawrence Muray, Alan Brodie, James Spallas, Marcel Trimpl
  • Patent number: 11700684
    Abstract: A light source for high power coherent light can include multiparticle relativistic bunches of electrons generating high intensity propagating fields. Coherent emission between electrons may also be utilized. The source may be independent of any medium or media to remove all constraints on the wavelength of the light emitted. And at least a portion of a single alternating magnetic field for accelerating the electron bunches can be included. The color or wavelength of the produced light can be determined solely by the parameters of the electron bunches and the alternating field. The source can be used for imaging, such as medical imaging or for security, including concealed weapons, and for quality control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Triseka, Inc.
    Inventors: Gwyn P. Williams, George R. Neil
  • Patent number: 11699567
    Abstract: A mask member is provided at an entrance opening of a mirror unit. Of a first diffraction grating and a second diffraction grating, when the second diffraction grating is used, the mask member masks preceding mirrors. With this process, aberration caused by reflective X-ray is suppressed. When the first diffraction grating is used, the mask member does not function. Alternatively, the mask member and another mask member may be selectively used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventor: Takanori Murano
  • Patent number: 11694873
    Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus using a light guide that improves light utilization efficiency includes a detector including a scintillator for emitting light when a charged particle is incident, a light receiving element, and a light guide for guiding the light from the scintillator to the light receiving element. The light guide includes: an incident surface that faces a light emitting surface of the scintillator and to which the light emitted by the scintillator is incident; an emitting surface that is configured to emit light; and a reflecting surface that is inclined with respect to the incident surface so that the light from the incident surface is reflected toward the emitting surface. The emitting surface is smaller than the incident surface. A slope surface is provided between the incident surface and the emitting surface, faces the reflecting surface, and is inclined with respect to the incident surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Sekiguchi, Shin Imamura, Shunsuke Mizutani, Shahedul Hoque, Uki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11694870
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a stage apparatus comprising: an object table configured to hold a substrate, the object table comprising an electrode configured to be charged by a power source and an electrical connection configured to electrically connect the electrode to the power source, and an electric field shield configured to shield at least a part of the electrical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jan-Gerard Cornelis Van Der Toorn, Paulus Martinus Hubertus Vissers