Patents by Inventor Gerald Schonecker

Gerald Schonecker 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).

  • Publication number: 20150228452
    Abstract: A secondary charged particle detection system for a charged particle beam device is described. The detection system includes a beam splitter for separating a primary beam and a secondary beam formed upon impact on a specimen; a beam bender for deflecting the secondary beam; a focusing lens for focusing the secondary beam; a detection element for detecting the secondary beam particles, and three deflection elements, wherein at least a first deflector is provided between the beam bender and the focusing lens, at least a second deflector is provided between the focusing lens and the detection element, at least a third deflector is provided between the beam splitter and the detection element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Stefan LANIO, Jürgen FROSIEN, Gerald SCHÖNECKER, Dieter WINKLER
  • Patent number: 8963083
    Abstract: A secondary charged particle detection device for detection of a signal beam is described. The device includes a detector arrangement having at least two detection elements with active detection areas, wherein the active detection areas are separated by a gap (G), a particle optics configured for separating the signal beam into a first portion of the signal beam and into at least one second portion of the signal beam, and configured for focusing the first portion of the signal beam and the at least one second portion of the signal beam. The particle optics includes an aperture plate and at least a first inner aperture openings in the aperture plate, and at least one second radially outer aperture opening in the aperture plate, wherein the first aperture opening has a concave shaped portion, particularly wherein the first aperture opening has a pincushion shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbH
    Inventors: Matthias Firnkes, Stefan Lanio, Gerald Schönecker, Dieter Winkler
  • Publication number: 20150021474
    Abstract: A secondary charged particle detection device for detection of a signal beam is described. The device includes a detector arrangement having at least two detection elements with active detection areas, wherein the active detection areas are separated by a gap (G), a particle optics configured for separating the signal beam into a first portion of the signal beam and into at least one second portion of the signal beam, and configured for focusing the first portion of the signal beam and the at least one second portion of the signal beam. The particle optics includes an aperture plate and at least a first inner aperture openings in the aperture plate, and at least one second radially outer aperture opening in the aperture plate, wherein the first aperture opening has a concave shaped portion, particularly wherein the first aperture opening has a pincushion shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias FIRNKES, Stefan LANIO, Gerald SCHÖNECKER, Dieter WINKLER
  • Patent number: 8723117
    Abstract: A secondary charged particle detection device for detection of a signal beam is described. The device includes a detector arrangement having at least two detection elements with active detection areas, wherein the active detection areas are separated by a gap (G), a particle optics configured for separating the signal beam into a first portion of the signal beam and into at least one second portion of the signal beam, and configured for focusing the first portion of the signal beam and the at least one second portion of the signal beam. The particle optics includes an aperture plate and at least a first inner aperture openings in the aperture plate, and at least one second radially outer aperture opening in the aperture plate, wherein the aperture plate is configured to be biased to one potential surrounding the first inner aperture opening and the at least one outer aperture opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbH
    Inventors: Stefan Lanio, Gerald Schönecker, Dieter Winkler
  • Publication number: 20130270438
    Abstract: A secondary charged particle detection device for detection of a signal beam is described. The device includes a detector arrangement having at least two detection elements with active detection areas, wherein the active detection areas are separated by a gap (G), a particle optics configured for separating the signal beam into a first portion of the signal beam and into at least one second portion of the signal beam, and configured for focusing the first portion of the signal beam and the at least one second portion of the signal beam. The particle optics includes an aperture plate and at least a first inner aperture openings in the aperture plate, and at least one second radially outer aperture opening in the aperture plate, wherein the aperture plate is configured to be biased to one potential surrounding the first inner aperture opening and the at least one outer aperture opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan LANIO, Gerald Schönecker, Dieter Winkler
  • Patent number: 7468517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam device. The device comprises a first lens generating a crossover a second lens positioned after the crossover and an element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner in an x-z-plane with a center of the element having essentially same z-position as the crossover. Further, a multipole element, which acts in the x-z-plane and a y-z-plane is provided. A first charged particle selection element and a second charged particle selection element are used for selecting a portion of the charged particles. Thereby, e.g. the energy width of the charged particle beam can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiternruftechnik mbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Frosien, Ralf Degenhardt, Stefan Lanio, Gerald Schönecker
  • Publication number: 20070158561
    Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam device. The device comprises a first lens (101; 510) generating a crossover a second lens (102; 512) positioned after the crossover and a element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner in an x-z-plane with a center of the element having essentially same z-position as the crossover. Further, a multipole element, which acts in the x-z-plane and a y-z-plane is provided. A first charged particle selection element and a second charged particle selection element are used for selecting a portion of the charged particles. Thereby, e.g. the energy width of the charged particle beam can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Jurgen Frosien, Ralf Degenhardt, Stefan Lanio, Gerald Schonecker
  • Patent number: 6232601
    Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle beam device and a method for inspecting a specimen, comprising a source for generating a charged particle beam, an objective lens with an optical axis for focussing said charged particle beam on a specimen, which consists of a magnetic lens and a superimposed electrostatic lens having at least two electrodes, deflection means for deflecting said charged particle beam on said specimen and detector means for detecting charged particles released at said specimen. The invention is further characterized by control means co-acting with said deflection means and one of the electrodes of the electrostatic lens for applying a dynamic voltage to said electrode, the amount of the voltage being dependent on the distance of said charged particle beam from said optical axis at the specimen, in order to increase the efficiency of detecting said charged particles released at image areas being located on the specimen with distance from the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Reinhold Schmitt, Jürgen Frosien, Stefan Lanio, Gerald Schonecker
  • Patent number: 6107633
    Abstract: An electron beam lens has a magnetic lens provided with first and second pole pieces for influencing an electron beam and forming a magnetic field between the two pole pieces. A third pole piece is provided, but is not in magnetic contact with the two other pole pieces. The third pole piece is immersed in the magnetic field formed between the first and second pole pieces and extracts a part of such magnetic field. Also disclosed is a cathode lens and an electron beam device for use with such an electron beam lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Jurgen Frosien, Stefan Lanio, Gerald Schonecker
  • Patent number: 6104034
    Abstract: The invention relates to an objective lens for influencing a particle beam, particularly an electron beam with a magnetic single-pole lens and an electrostatic lens having a first and a second electrode which can be supplied with different potentials. The objective lens is characterized in that the electrostatic lens is disposed after the magnetic single-pole lens in the direction of the particle beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Jurgen Frosien, Stefan Lanio, Gerald Schonecker
  • Patent number: 6051838
    Abstract: An optical unit having an electrostatic lens for influencing a particle beam wherein the lens has at least one first and one second electrode downstream of one another in the direction of the particle beam, each of the electrodes being chargeable with a potential and in electrical contact with a high-resistance body having a channel therethrough for the particle beam. A further component is provided for influencing the particle beam in the region of the electrostatic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: ACT Advanced Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Testsystementwicklung
    Inventors: Jurgen Frosien, Stefan Lanio, Reinhold Schmitt, Gerald Schonecker
  • Patent number: 5895917
    Abstract: The invention relates to a detector objective lens and a charged particle am device with such a detector objective lens containing a main lens for focussing a charged particle beam on a specimen, which consists of a magnetic lens (60) and an electrostatic lens (61) and a detector (62) disposed in front of the magnetic lens (60) in the direction of the charged particle beam (2) for detecting the charged particles released at the specimen (8). An additional lens is provided for influencing the released charged particles, which generates an electrostatic and/or magnetic field and is disposed between the main lens and the detector, the fields of the main lens and said additional lens being substantially separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: ACT Advanced Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Testsystementwicklung mbH
    Inventors: Koshi Ueda, Toshimichi Iwai, Gerald Schonecker, Jurgen Frosien
  • Patent number: 5895919
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gun lens for generating a particle beam with a cathode, an extraction electrode, an anode and a condenser lens, wherein a deceleration field is generated between the extraction electrode and the anode and the condenser lens produces a magnetic field which is superimposed on both the cathode, the extraction electrode and the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Jurgen Frosien, Stefan Lanio, Gerald Schonecker
  • Patent number: 5780859
    Abstract: An electrostatic-magnetic lens arrangement is for focusing charged particles as well as a charged particle beam device with such a lens arrangement which has a magnetic lens and an electrostatic lens incorporated into the magnetic lens, the magnetic lens being constructed as a single-pole lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: ACT Advanced Circuit Testing Gesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Feuerbaum, Jurgen Frosien, Koshi Ueda, Toshimichi Iwai, Gerald Schonecker
  • Patent number: 4794306
    Abstract: In a flat picture-reproducing device having a phosphor-coated faceplate (1) and a tray-shaped rear housing (2), a cathode formed by a periodic array of heating wires (7) is provided. This heating-wire array is followed by layers of focusing wires (8) and attracting wires (9) and by a perforated anode (5). A segmented counterelectrode (6) is located behind the heating wires (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Standard Elektrik Lorenz AG
    Inventors: Kurt-Manfred Tischer, Harald Rose, Rainer Spehr, Gerald Schonecker