Patents by Inventor Elmar Platzgummer
Elmar Platzgummer 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).
-
Patent number: 9568907Abstract: Method for computing an exposure pattern for exposing a desired pattern on a target in a charged-particle lithography apparatus, in which a particle beam is directed to and illuminates a pattern definition device comprising an aperture array composed of a plurality of blanking apertures through which said particle beam penetrates for writing said desired pattern by exposing a multitude of pixels within an exposure area on the target, said method taking into account a spatially dependent distortion of the target within the exposure area, with respect to dislocations transversal to the direction of the particle beam.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Christoph Spengler, Markus Wagner, Samuel Kvasnica
-
Patent number: 9520268Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed for exposing a desired pattern on a target in a charged-particle multi-beam processing apparatus to match a reference writing tool, and/or for compensating a deviation of the imaging from a pattern definition device onto the target from a desired value of critical dimension along at least one direction in the image area on the target: The desired pattern is provided as a graphical representation suitable for the reference tool, on the image area on the target. A convolution kernel is used which describes a mapping from an element of the graphical representation to a group of pixels which is centered around a nominal position of said element. A nominal exposure pattern is calculated by convolution of the graphical representation with the convolution kernel, said nominal exposure pattern being suitable to create a nominal dose distribution on the target when exposed with the processing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventor: Elmar Platzgummer
-
Publication number: 20160336147Abstract: To irradiate a target with a beam of energetic electrically charged particles, the beam is formed and imaged onto a target, where it generates a pattern image composed of pixels. The pattern image is moved along a path on the target over a region of exposure, and this movement defines a number of stripes covering said region in sequential exposures and having respective widths. The number of stripes are written parallel to each other along a general direction, which is at a small angle to a principal pattern direction of structures to be written within the region of exposure.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Applicant: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventor: Elmar Platzgummer
-
Patent number: 9495499Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed which is used for exposing a desired pattern on a target by means of a particle beam and a blanking aperture array in a particle-optical lithography apparatus, taking into account a non-uniform current dose distribution as generated by the beam over the positions of the apertures of the blanking aperture array: From the desired pattern a nominal exposure pattern is calculated as a raster graphics comprising nominal dose values for the pixels of the raster graphics; based on a map of the current dose distribution, which correlates each aperture with a current factor describing the current dose of the beam at the location of the aperture, a compensated dose value is calculated for each pixel; and for each pixel, a discrete value is determined by selecting a value from a discrete gray scale so as to approximate the compensated dose value.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Rafael Reiter
-
Publication number: 20160276132Abstract: To irradiate a target with a beam of energetic electrically charged particles, the beam is formed and imaged onto a target, where it generates a pattern image composed of pixels. For a pattern which comprises a primary pattern region to be written with a predetermined primary feature size and a secondary pattern region which is composed of structure features capable of being written with a secondary feature size, larger than the primary feature size. The structure features of the primary pattern region are written by exposing a plurality of exposure spots on grid positions of a first exposure grid; the structure features in the secondary pattern region are written by exposing a plurality of exposure spots on grid positions of a second exposure grid according to a second arrangement which is coarser that the regular arrangement of the first exposure grid.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2016Publication date: September 22, 2016Applicant: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Klaus Schiessl
-
Publication number: 20160276131Abstract: To irradiate a target with a beam of energetic electrically charged particles, the beam is formed and imaged onto a target, where it generates a pattern image composed of pixels. The pattern image is moved along a path on the target over a region to be exposed, and this movement defines a number of stripes covering said region in sequential exposures and having respective widths. The number of stripes is written in at least two sweeps which each have a respective general direction, but the general direction is different for different sweeps, e.g. perpendicular to each other. Each stripe belongs to exactly one sweep and runs substantially parallel to the other stripes of the same sweep, namely, along the respective general direction. For each sweep the widths, as measured across said main direction, of the stripes of one sweep combine into a cover of the total width of the region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2016Publication date: September 22, 2016Applicant: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventor: Elmar Platzgummer
-
Patent number: 9443699Abstract: In a charged-particle multi-beam processing apparatus for exposure of a target with a plurality of parallel particle-optical columns, each column has a beam shaping device forming the shape of the illuminating beam into a desired pattern composed of a multitude of sub-beams, by means of an aperture array device, which defines the shape of a respective sub-beam by means of an array of apertures, and a deflection array device selectively deflecting sub-beams off their nominal paths; thus, only the non-selected sub-beams can reach the target. According to many embodiments of the invention each beam shaping device is provided with a first field-boundary device and a second field-boundary device, which are the first and last plate elements traversed by the beam. One of the first and second field-boundary devices defines a field-free space interval so as to accommodate feeding lines for controlling the deflection array device.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Hans Löschner
-
Patent number: 9443052Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed which is used for exposing a desired pattern on a target by means of a particle beam and a blanking aperture array in a particle-optical lithography apparatus, taking into account a non-uniform current dose distribution as generated by the beam over the positions of the apertures of the blanking aperture array: From the desired pattern a nominal exposure pattern is calculated as a raster graphics comprising nominal dose values for the pixels of the raster graphics; based on a map of the current dose distribution, which correlates each aperture with a current factor describing the current dose of the beam at the location of the aperture, a compensated dose value is calculated for each pixel; and for each pixel, a discrete value is determined by selecting a value from a discrete gray scale so as to approximate the compensated dose value.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Rafael Reiter
-
Patent number: 9373482Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed which is used for exposing a desired pattern on a target in a charged-particle multi-beam processing apparatus so as to match a reference writing tool, possible of different type: The desired pattern is provided as a graphical representation suitable for the reference tool, such as a raster graphics, on the image area on the target. A convolution kernel is used which describes a mapping from an element of the graphical representation to a group of pixels which is centered around a nominal position of said element. A nominal exposure pattern is calculated by convolution of the graphical representation with the convolution kernel, said nominal exposure pattern being suitable to create a nominal dose distribution on the target when exposed with the processing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2015Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventor: Elmar Platzgummer
-
Publication number: 20160071684Abstract: Method for computing an exposure pattern for exposing a desired pattern on a target in a charged-particle lithography apparatus, in which a particle beam is directed to and illuminates a pattern definition device comprising an aperture array composed of a plurality of blanking apertures through which said particle beam penetrates for writing said desired pattern by exposing a multitude of pixels within an exposure area on the target, said method taking into account a spatially dependent distortion of the target within the exposure area, with respect to dislocations transversal to the direction of the particle beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2015Publication date: March 10, 2016Applicant: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Christoph Spengler, Markus Wagner, Samuel Kvasnica
-
Patent number: 9269543Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed which is used for exposing a desired pattern on a target by means of a blanking aperture array in a particle-optical lithography apparatus which has a finite number of defects, said desired pattern being composed of a multitude of image elements within an image area on the target: A list of defective blanking apertures is provided, comprising information about the type of defect of the defective blanking apertures; from the desired pattern a nominal exposure pattern is calculated as a raster graphics over the image elements disregarding the defective blanking apertures; the “compromised” image elements (1105) are determined which are exposed by aperture images of defective blanking apertures; for each compromised element (1105), a set of neighboring image elements is selected as “correction elements” (1104); for each compromised element, corrected dose values are calculated for the correction elements, said corrected dose values minimizing an error functional of the deviation oType: GrantFiled: February 25, 2015Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: IMS NANOFABRICATION AGInventors: Rafael Reiter, Elmar Platzgummer, Klaus Schiessel
-
Publication number: 20160012170Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed which is used for exposing a desired pattern on a target in a charged-particle multi-beam processing apparatus so as to match a reference writing tool, possible of different type: The desired pattern is provided as a graphical representation suitable for the reference tool, such as a raster graphics, on the image area on the target. A convolution kernel is used which describes a mapping from an element of the graphical representation to a group of pixels which is centered around a nominal position of said element. A nominal exposure pattern is calculated by convolution of the graphical representation with the convolution kernel, said nominal exposure pattern being suitable to create a nominal dose distribution on the target when exposed with the processing apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventor: Elmar Platzgummer
-
Publication number: 20160013019Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed for exposing a desired pattern on a target in a charged-particle multi-beam processing apparatus to match a reference writing tool, and/or for compensating a deviation of the imaging from a pattern definition device onto the target from a desired value of critical dimension along at least one direction in the image area on the target: The desired pattern is provided as a graphical representation suitable for the reference tool, on the image area on the target. A convolution kernel is used which describes a mapping from an element of the graphical representation to a group of pixels which is centered around a nominal position of said element. A nominal exposure pattern is calculated by convolution of the graphical representation with the convolution kernel, said nominal exposure pattern being suitable to create a nominal dose distribution on the target when exposed with the processing apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventor: Elmar Platzgummer
-
Publication number: 20150347660Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed which is used for exposing a desired pattern on a target by means of a particle beam and a blanking aperture array in a particle-optical lithography apparatus, taking into account a non-uniform current dose distribution as generated by the beam over the positions of the apertures of the blanking aperture array: From the desired pattern a nominal exposure pattern is calculated as a raster graphics comprising nominal dose values for the pixels of the raster graphics; based on a map of the current dose distribution, which correlates each aperture with a current factor describing the current dose of the beam at the location of the aperture, a compensated dose value is calculated for each pixel, by dividing its nominal dose value by the compensation factor corresponding to the current factor of the corresponding aperture(s); and for each pixel, a discrete value is determined by selecting a value from a discrete gray scale so as to approximate the compensated dose value.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2015Publication date: December 3, 2015Inventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Rafael Reiter
-
Publication number: 20150311030Abstract: In a charged-particle multi-beam processing apparatus for exposure of a target with a plurality of parallel particle-optical columns, each column has a beam shaping device forming the shape of the illuminating beam into a desired pattern composed of a multitude of sub-beams, by means of an aperture array device, which defines the shape of a respective sub-beam by means of an array of apertures, and a deflection array device selectively deflecting sub-beams off their nominal paths; thus, only the non-selected sub-beams can reach the target. According to many embodiments of the invention each beam shaping device is provided with a first field-boundary device and a second field-boundary device, which are the first and last plate elements traversed by the beam. One of the first and second field-boundary devices defines a field-free space interval so as to accommodate feeding lines for controlling the deflection array device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2015Publication date: October 29, 2015Inventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Hans Löschner
-
Publication number: 20150311031Abstract: In a charged-particle multi-beam processing apparatus for exposure of a target with a plurality of parallel particle-optical columns the beam shaping device of each column includes an aperture array device provided with at least one array of apertures. Each array of apertures comprises a multitude of apertures for defining the shape of a respective sub-beam which is then imaged onto the target. The apertures form the sub-beam into an oblong shape as seen along the direction of the beam, said oblong shape having a short and a long side, with the long side being at least the double of the short side. The oblong shape thus defined by the apertures is oriented traversing a line grid direction of a line pattern of the target. The apertures of different aperture arrays may have different shapes and/or different orientations.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2015Publication date: October 29, 2015Inventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Hans Löschner
-
Publication number: 20150248993Abstract: An exposure pattern is computed which is used for exposing a desired pattern on a target by means of a blanking aperture array in a particle-optical lithography apparatus which has a finite number of defects, said desired pattern being composed of a multitude of image elements within an image area on the target: A list of defective blanking apertures is provided, comprising information about the type of defect of the defective blanking apertures; from the desired pattern a nominal exposure pattern is calculated as a raster graphics over the image elements disregarding the defective blanking apertures; the “compromised” image elements (1105) are determined which are exposed by aperture images of defective blanking apertures; for each compromised element (1105), a set of neighboring image elements is selected as “correction elements” (1104); for each compromised element, corrected dose values are calculated for the correction elements, said corrected dose values minimizing an error functional of the deviation oType: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2015Publication date: September 3, 2015Inventors: Rafael Reiter, Elmar Platzgummer, Klaus Schiessel
-
Patent number: 9099277Abstract: A pattern definition (PD) device for use in a charged-particle multi-beam processing or inspection apparatus includes at least two deflection array devices positioned in a stacked arrangement. A particle beam (Ib) traversing the PD device is formed into a plurality of beamlets, which can be deflected or blanked by the two deflection array devices. Each deflection array device comprises a plurality of blanking openings allowing passage of beamlets, and a plurality of deflecting devices, each deflecting device being associated with a respective blanking opening and comprising an electrostatic electrode. The deflecting devices are selectively activatable and configured to influence, when activated, the beamlets traversing said respective blanking openings so as to deflect said beamlets off their nominal paths.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2014Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventor: Elmar Platzgummer
-
Patent number: 9093201Abstract: A high-voltage insulation device (300) for use in a charged-particle optical apparatus comprises a plurality of rigid pillars (320) made of electrically insulating material. These pillars (320) are arranged around a central passage (310) which traverses the insulating device along its longitudinal axis (L), and the two ends of each pillar are configured to be respectively fixed to two separate electrostatic housings (221, 231) of the charged-particle optical apparatus by means of two respective end plates (311, 312), with the pillars (320) being oriented at an angle so as to be inclined with regard to said longitudinal axis (L). Advantageously, the pillars are mechanically adjustable with regard to their effective length, and each pillar (320) is arranged outside the central passage with its two ends at either of the first and second end plates (311, 312), preferably in a zig-zag arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2014Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: IMS NANOFABRICATION AGInventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Andreas Chylik, Gerald Kratzert, Roman Oberleitner
-
Patent number: 9053906Abstract: To irradiate a target with a beam of energetic radiation formed by electrically charged particles, the beam is formed and imaged onto a target, where it generates a pattern image composed of pixels. The pattern image is moved along a path on the target over a region to be exposed, and this movement defines a number of stripes covering said region in sequential exposures and having respective widths. The number of stripes is written in at least two subsequent passes such that for each pass, the widths of the stripes of one pass combine into a cover of the total width of the region to be exposed; and each pass is associated with one of a number of partial grids of pattern pixels which are exposable during the respective pass. The mutually different partial grids combine to the complete plurality of pattern pixels which compose the region to be exposed.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2014Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication AGInventor: Elmar Platzgummer