Patents by Inventor Frank Nan Zhang
Frank Nan Zhang 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).
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Publication number: 20250208074Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2024Publication date: June 26, 2025Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Zhong-wei CHEN, Xiaoyu JI, Xiaoxue CHEN, Weimin ZHOU, Frank Nan ZHANG
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Patent number: 12196692Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2020Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Zhong-wei Chen, Xiaoyu Ji, Xiaoxue Chen, Weimin Zhou, Frank Nan Zhang
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Publication number: 20240379325Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2024Publication date: November 14, 2024Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Frank Nan ZHANG, Zhongwei CHEN, Yixiang WANG, Ying Crystal SHEN
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Patent number: 12087542Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising depositing a first amount of electric charges into a region of a sample, during a first time period; depositing a second amount of electric charges into the region, during a second time period; while scanning a probe spot generated on the sample by a beam of charged particles, recording from the probe spot signals representing interactions of the beam of charged particles and the sample; wherein an average rale of deposition during the first time period, and an average rate of deposition during the second time period are different.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2021Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yixiang Wang, Frank Nan Zhang
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Patent number: 11929232Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Frank Nan Zhang, Zhongwei Chen, Yixiang Wang, Ying Crystal Shen
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Patent number: 11513087Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2020Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Zhong-wei Chen, Xiaoyu Ji, Xiaoxue Chen, Weimin Zhou, Frank Nan Zhang
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Publication number: 20220375712Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2020Publication date: November 24, 2022Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Zhong-wei CHEN, Xiaoyu JI, Xiaoxue CHEN, Weimin ZHOU, Frank Nan ZHANG
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Publication number: 20220122803Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising depositing a first amount of electric charges into a region of a sample, during a first time period; depositing a second amount of electric charges into the region, during a second time period; while scanning a probe spot generated on the sample by a beam of charged particles, recording from the probe spot signals representing interactions of the beam of charged particles and the sample; wherein an average rale of deposition during the first time period, and an average rate of deposition during the second time period are different.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: Yixiang WANG, Frank Nan ZHANG
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Patent number: 11164719Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising: depositing a first amount of electric charges into a region of a sample, during a first time period; depositing a second amount of electric charges into the region, during a second time period; while scanning a probe spot generated on the sample by a beam of charged particles, recording from the probe spot signals representing interactions of the beam of charged particles and the sample; wherein an average rate of deposition during the first time period and an average rate of deposition during the second time period are different.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yixiang Wang, Frank Nan Zhang
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Publication number: 20210142979Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2020Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventors: Frank Nan ZHANG, Zhongwei CHEN, Yixiang WANG, Ying Crystal SHEN
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Publication number: 20210116398Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2020Publication date: April 22, 2021Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Zhong-wei CHEN, Xiaoyu JI, Xiaoxue CHEN, Weimin ZHOU, Frank Nan ZHANG
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Patent number: 10784077Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Frank Nan Zhang, Zhongwei Chen, Yixiang Wang, Ying Crystal Shen
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Publication number: 20200234915Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising: depositing a first amount of electric charges into a region of a sample, during a first time period; depositing a second amount of electric charges into the region, during a second time period; while scanning a probe spot generated on the sample by a beam of charged particles, recording from the probe spot signals representing interactions of the beam of charged particles and the sample; wherein an average rate of deposition during the first time period and an average rate of deposition during the second time period are different.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2018Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventors: Yixiang WANG, Frank Nan ZHANG
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Publication number: 20190043691Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2018Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Frank Nan ZHANG, Zhongwei CHEN, Yixiang WANG, Ying Crystal SHEN
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Patent number: 7408944Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for providing an embedded controller in a modem device for enabling data communication between different networks. Management and control capabilities for a gateway function are embedded into a communication controller of the modem device so as to enable direct connection between wired and wireless devices while eliminating a separate gateway controller. A single controller in the modem device, wired or wireless, manages its own designated communication functions and data exchange between the two different networks.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2005Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: XECOM, Inc.Inventors: Frank Nan Zhang, Zhicheng Hou
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Patent number: 7349996Abstract: A system and method for enabling remote management of data of devices using wireless communications. The system and method provides direct access to devices such as sensors from wireless devices having an integrated wireless transceiver and controller that are user programmable such a separate remote host controller is not required for managing the sensors. In one embodiment, a broadcast mode is provided wherein the wireless devices transmits a response for its corresponding sensors according to a predetermined sequence during a predetermined time slot according to a predetermined sequence.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2004Date of Patent: March 25, 2008Assignee: Xecom, Inc.Inventor: Frank Nan Zhang