Patents by Inventor Ralph Nyffenegger

Ralph Nyffenegger 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: 20260036535
    Abstract: A system may include an electron beam source configured to generate a primary electron beam and an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least a portion of the primary electron beam onto a portion of a sample. The set of electron-optical elements may include an objective lens disposed along an optical axis, where the objective lens includes one or more charge control plates (CCPs), where the electron-optical column includes a detector assembly configured to concurrently collect one or more backscattered electron (BSE) signals and one or more x-ray signals emanated from the sample. The detector assembly may include one or more silicon-drift detector (SDD) sensors and one or more BSE sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2025
    Publication date: February 5, 2026
    Inventors: Xinrong Jiang, Ralph Nyffenegger, Ye Yang, Wenjing You
  • Publication number: 20250357068
    Abstract: A system can define at least one care area on the workpiece for defects detected on a surface or underneath a surface of the workpiece using data from an optical inspector. The system also can define at least one care area for the workpiece that includes defects buried in the workpiece. The system can generate an electron beam using a cold field emission electron source, such as to inspect a high aspect ratio structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2025
    Publication date: November 20, 2025
    Inventors: Xinrong JIANG, Ralph NYFFENEGGER, Harsh SINHA
  • Patent number: 12283453
    Abstract: An electron-beam device includes a laser and a photocathode film. The photocathode film has a front side and a back side and emits a plurality of electron beamlets when illuminated from the back side using the laser. The electron-beam device also includes electrodes to extract the plurality of electron beamlets from the front side of the photocathode film and to control shapes of the plurality of electron beamlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Xinrong Jiang, Youfei Jiang, Michael Steigerwald, Ralph Nyffenegger
  • Patent number: 12165831
    Abstract: A multi-electron beam system that forms hundreds of beamlets can focus the beamlets, reduce Coulomb interaction effects, and improve resolutions of the beamlets. A Wien filter with electrostatic and magnetic deflection fields can separate the secondary electron beams from the primary electron beams and can correct the astigmatism and source energy dispersion blurs for all the beamlets simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: KLA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xinrong Jiang, Christopher Sears, Youfei Jiang, Sameet K. Shriyan, Jeong Ho Lee, Michael Steigerwald, Ralph Nyffenegger
  • Patent number: 12068129
    Abstract: A system and method of a tilt-column electron beam imaging system is disclosed. The system may include an imaging sub-system. The imaging sub-system may include a plurality of electron beam sources configured to generate a plurality of beamlets. The imaging sub-system may further include a plurality of tilt-illumination columns, where a respective tilt-illumination column is configured to receive a respective beamlet from a respective electron beam source. For the system and method, a first tilt axis of a first tilt-illumination column may be orientated along a first angle and at least one additional tilt axis of at least one additional tilt-illumination column may be orientated along at least one additional angle different from the first angle, where each of the plurality of beamlets pass through a first common crossover volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Xinrong Jiang, Youfei Jiang, Ralph Nyffenegger, Michael Steigerwald
  • Publication number: 20240153737
    Abstract: A system and method of a tilt-column electron beam imaging system is disclosed. The system may include an imaging sub-system. The imaging sub-system may include a plurality of electron beam sources configured to generate a plurality of beamlets. The imaging sub-system may further include a plurality of tilt-illumination columns, where a respective tilt-illumination column is configured to receive a respective beamlet from a respective electron beam source. For the system and method, a first tilt axis of a first tilt-illumination column may be orientated along a first angle and at least one additional tilt axis of at least one additional tilt-illumination column may be orientated along at least one additional angle different from the first angle, where each of the plurality of beam lets pass through a first common crossover volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Xinrong Jiang, Youfei Jiang, Ralph Nyffenegger, Michael Steigerwald
  • Publication number: 20240096586
    Abstract: A multi-electron beam system that forms hundreds of beamlets can focus the beamlets, reduce Coulomb interaction effects, and improve resolutions of the beamlets. A Wien filter with electrostatic and magnetic deflection fields can separate the secondary electron beams from the 5 primary electron beams and can correct the astigmatism and source energy dispersion blurs for all the beamlets simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Xinrong JIANG, Christopher SEARS, Youfei JIANG, Sameet K. SHRIYAN, Jeong Ho LEE, Michael STEIGERWALD, Ralph NYFFENEGGER
  • Publication number: 20230395349
    Abstract: An electron-beam device includes a laser and a photocathode film. The photocathode film has a front side and a back side and emits a plurality of electron beamlets when illuminated from the back side using the laser. The electron-beam device also includes electrodes to extract the plurality of electron beamlets from the front side of the photocathode film and to control shapes of the plurality of electron beamlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Xinrong Jiang, Youfei Jiang, Michael Steigerwald, Ralph Nyffenegger
  • Patent number: 9874597
    Abstract: Light-emitting devices, such as LEDs, are tested using a photometric unit. The photometric unit, which may be an integrating sphere, can measure flux, color, or other properties of the devices. The photometric unit may have a single port or both an inlet and outlet. Light loss through the port, inlet, or outlet can be reduced or calibrated for. These testing systems can provide increased reliability, improved throughput, and/or improved measurement accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: KLA-Tenor Corporation
    Inventors: Mark McCord, Alan Brodie, James George, Yu Guan, Ralph Nyffenegger
  • Patent number: 9746514
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing measurements in p-n junctions and taking into account the lateral current for improved accuracy are disclosed. The lateral current may be controlled, allowing the spreading of the current to be reduced or substantially eliminated. Alternatively or additionally, the lateral current may be measured, allowing a more accurate normal current to be calculated by compensating for the measured spreading. In addition, the techniques utilized for controlling the lateral current and the techniques utilized for measuring the lateral current may also be implemented jointly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Ian Sierra Gabriel Kelly-Morgan, Vladimir N. Faifer, James A. Real, Biren Salunke, Ralph Nyffenegger
  • Publication number: 20150316604
    Abstract: Light-emitting devices, such as LEDs, are tested using a photometric unit. The photometric unit, which may be an integrating sphere, can measure flux, color, or other properties of the devices. The photometric unit may have a single port or both an inlet and outlet. Light loss through the port, inlet, or outlet can be reduced or calibrated for. These testing systems can provide increased reliability, improved throughput, and/or improved measurement accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Mark MCCORD, Alan BRODIE, James GEORGE, Yu GUAN, Ralph NYFFENEGGER
  • Publication number: 20150061714
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing measurements in p-n junctions and taking into account the lateral current for improved accuracy are disclosed. The lateral current may be controlled, allowing the spreading of the current to be reduced or substantially eliminated. Alternatively or additionally, the lateral current may be measured, allowing a more accurate normal current to be calculated by compensating for the measured spreading. In addition, the techniques utilized for controlling the lateral current and the techniques utilized for measuring the lateral current may also be implemented jointly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Ian Sierra Gabriel Kelly-Morgan, Vladimir N. Faifer, James A. Real, Biren Salunke, Ralph Nyffenegger