Patents by Inventor Thorsten Hofmann
Thorsten Hofmann 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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Patent number: 8674329Abstract: The invention relates to a method for analyzing a defect of a photolithographic mask for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength range (EUV mask) comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one focus stack relating to the defect using an EUV mask inspection tool, (b) determining a surface configuration of the EUV mask at a position of the defect, (c) providing model structures having the determined surface configuration which have different phase errors and generating the respective focus stacks, and (d) determining a three dimensional error structure of the EUV mask defect by comparing the at least one generated focus stack of the defect and the generated focus stacks of the model structures.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2011Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignees: Carl Zeiss SMS GmbH, Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Michael Budach, Tristan Bret, Klaus Edinger, Thorsten Hofmann, Heiko Feldmann, Johannes Ruoff
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Publication number: 20140027512Abstract: The present invention refers to an apparatus and a method for investigating an object with a scanning particle microscope and at least one scanning probe microscope with a probe, wherein the scanning particle microscope and the at least one scanning probe microscope are spaced with respect to each other in a common vacuum chamber so that a distance between the optical axis of the scanning particle microscope and the measuring point of the scanning probe microscope in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the scanning particle microscope is larger than the maximum field of view of both the scanning probe microscope and the scanning particle microscope, wherein the method comprises the step of determining the distance between the measuring point of the scanning probe microscope and the optical axis of the scanning particle microscope.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Inventors: Christof Baur, Klaus Edinger, Thorsten Hofmann, Gabriel Baralia, Michael Budach
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Patent number: 8632687Abstract: The invention relates to a method for electron beam induced etching of a layer contaminated with gallium, with the method steps of providing at least one first halogenated compound as an etching gas at the position at which an electron beam impacts on the layer, and providing at least one second halogenated compound as a precursor gas for removing of the gallium from this position.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2009Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMS GmbHInventors: Nicole Auth, Petra Spies, Rainer Becker, Thorsten Hofmann, Klaus Edinger
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Patent number: 8623230Abstract: The present method relates to processes for the removal of a material from a sample by a gas chemical reaction activated by a charged particle beam. The method is a multiple step process wherein in a first step a gas is supplied which, when a chemical reaction between the gas and the material is activated, forms a non-volatile material component such as a metal salt or a metaloxide. In a second consecutive step the reaction product of the first chemical reaction is removed from the sample.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMS GmbHInventors: Nicole Auth, Petra Spies, Tristan Bret, Rainer Becker, Thorsten Hofmann, Klaus Edinger
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Publication number: 20140007306Abstract: The invention refers to a probe assembly for a scanning probe microscope which comprises at least one first probe-adapted for analyzing a specimen, at least one second probe adapted for modifying the specimen and at least one motion element associated with the probe assembly and adapted for scanning one of the probes being in a working position across a surface of the specimen so that the at least one first probe interacts with the specimen whereas the at least one second probe is in a neutral position in which it does not interact with the specimen and to bring the at least one second probe into a position so that the at least one second probe can modify a region of the specimen analyzed with the at least one first probe.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: Christof Baur, Klaus Edinger, Thorsten Hofmann, Gabriel Baralia
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Publication number: 20130156939Abstract: The invention relates to a method for analyzing a defect of a photolithographic mask for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength range (EUV mask) comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one focus stack relating to the defect using an EUV mask inspection tool, (b) determining a surface configuration of the EUV mask at a position of the defect, (c) providing model structures having the determined surface configuration which have different phase errors and generating the respective focus stacks, and (d) determining a three dimensional error structure of the EUV mask defect by comparing the at least one generated focus stack of the defect and the generated focus stacks of the model structures.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Inventors: Michael Budach, Tristan Bret, Klaus Edinger, Thorsten Hofmann, Heiko Feldmann, Johannes Ruoff
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Patent number: 8318593Abstract: The invention relates to a method for electron beam induced deposition of electrically conductive material from a metal carbonyl with the method steps of providing at least one electron beam at a position of a substrate, storing at least one metal carbonyl at a first temperature, and heating the at least one metal carbonyl to at least one second temperature prior to the provision at the position at which the at least one electron beam impacts on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2009Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMS GmbHInventors: Nicole Auth, Petra Spies, Rainer Becker, Thorsten Hofmann, Klaus Edinger
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Publication number: 20120273458Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing a substrate with a focussed particle beam which incidents on the substrate, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one reference mark on the substrate using the focused particle beam and at least one processing gas, (b) determining a reference position of the at least one reference mark, (c) processing the substrate using the reference position of the reference mark, and (d) removing the at least one reference mark from the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2011Publication date: November 1, 2012Inventors: Tristan Bret, Petra Spies, Thorsten Hofmann
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Patent number: 8247782Abstract: An apparatus and a method for investigating and/or modifying a sample is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a charged particle source, at least one particle optical element forming a charged particle beam of charged particles emitted by said charged particle source. The apparatus further comprises an objective lens which generates a charged particle probe from said charged particle beam. The objective lens defines a particle optical axis. A first electrostatic deflection element is arranged—in a direction of propagation of charged particles emitted by said charged particle source—downstream of the objective lens. The electrostatic deflection element deflecting the charged particle beam in a direction perpendicular to said charged particle optical axis and has a deflection bandwidth of at least 10 MHz.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2010Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMS GmbHInventors: Klaus Edinger, Rainer Becker, Michael Budach, Thorsten Hofmann
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Publication number: 20110210181Abstract: An apparatus and a method for investigating and/or modifying a sample is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a charged particle source, at least one particle optical element forming a charged particle beam of charged particles emitted by said charged particle source. The apparatus further comprises an objective lens which generates a charged particle probe from said charged particle beam. The objective lens defines a particle optical axis. A first electrostatic deflection element is arranged—in a direction of propagation of charged particles emitted by said charged particle source—downstream of the objective lens. The electrostatic deflection element deflecting the charged particle beam in a direction perpendicular to said charged particle optical axis and has a deflection bandwidth of at least 10 MHz.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2010Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMS GmbHInventors: Klaus Edinger, Rainer Becker, Michael Budach, Thorsten Hofmann
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Publication number: 20110183523Abstract: The invention relates to a method for electron beam induced etching of a layer contaminated with gallium (120), (220) with the method steps of providing at least one first halogenated compound as an etching gas at the position at which an electron beam impacts on the layer (120), (220) and providing at least one second halogenated compound as a precursor gas for removing of the gallium from this position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2009Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMS GMBHInventors: Nicole Auth, Petra Spies, Rainer Becker, Thorsten Hofmann, Klaus Edinger
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Publication number: 20110183517Abstract: The invention relates to a method for electron beam induced deposition of electrically conductive material from a metal carbonyl with the method steps of providing at least one electron beam at a position of a substrate (90), storing at least one metal carbonyl at a first temperature, and heating the at least one metal carbonyl to at least one second temperature prior to the provision at the position at which the at least one electron beam impacts on the substrate (90).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2009Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMS GMBHInventors: Nicole Auth, Petra Spies, Rainer Becker, Thorsten Hofmann, Klaus Edinger
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Publication number: 20110183444Abstract: The invention relates to a method for electron beam induced etching of a material (100, 200) with the method steps providing at least one etching gas at a position of the material (100, 200) at which an electron beam impacts on the material (100, 200) and simultaneously providing at least one passivation gas which is adapted for slowing down or inhibiting a spontaneous etching by the at least one etching gasType: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2009Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMS GMBHInventors: Nicole Auth, Petra Spies, Rainer Becker, Thorsten Hofmann, Klaus Edinger
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Publication number: 20100297362Abstract: A method for processing an object with miniaturized structures is provided. The method includes feeding a reaction gas onto a surface of the object. The method also includes processing the object by directing an energetic beam onto a processing site in a region, which is to be processed, on the surface of the object, in order to deposit material on the object or to remove material from the object. The method further includes detecting interaction products of the beam with the object, and deciding whether the processing of the object is to be continued or can be terminated with the aid of information which is obtained from the detected interaction products of the beam with the object. The region to be processed is subdivided into a number of surface segments, and the interaction products detected upon the beam striking regions of the same surface segment are integrated to form a total signal in order to determine whether processing of the object must be continued or can be terminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2010Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMS GMBHInventors: Michael Budach, Tristan Bret, Klaus Edinger, Thorsten Hofmann
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Publication number: 20100282596Abstract: The present method relates to processes for the removal of a material from a sample by a gas chemical reaction activated by a charged particle beam. The method is a multiple step process wherein in a first step a gas is supplied which, when a chemical reaction between the gas and the material is activated, forms a non-volatile material component such as a metal salt or a metaloxide. In a second consecutive step the reaction product of the first chemical reaction is removed from the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2008Publication date: November 11, 2010Applicant: NAWOTEC GMBHInventors: Nicole Auth, Petra Spies, Tristan Bret, Rainer Becker, Thorsten Hofmann, Klaus Edinger
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Patent number: 7786403Abstract: A method for etching a chromium layer in a vacuum chamber which may comprise introducing a halogen compound into the vacuum chamber, directing an electron beam onto the area of the chromium layer to be etched and/or introducing an oxygen including compound into the vacuum chamber. A further method for the highly resolved removal of a layer out of metal and/or metal oxide which may be arranged on an isolator or a substrate having poor thermal conductivity, may comprise arranging the layer inside a vacuum chamber, bombarding the layer with a focused electron beam with an energy of 3-30 keV, wherein the electron beam may be guided such that the energy transfer per time and area causes a localized heating of the layer above its melting and/or vaporization point and wherein the removal of the layer may be performed without the supply of reaction gases into the vacuum chamber.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2004Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Nawo Tec GmbHInventors: Hans Koops, Klaus Edinger, Sergey Babin, Thorsten Hofmann, Petra Spies
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Patent number: 7232997Abstract: An apparatus for investigating and/or modifying a sample with charged particles, in particular a scanning electron microscope, is provided. The apparatus comprises a beam (1, 2) of charged particles, a shielding element (10) having an opening (30) for the beam of charged particles to pass through, wherein the opening (30) is sufficiently small and the shielding element (10) sufficiently closely positioned to the surface (20) of the sample to reduce the influence of charge accumulation effects at the surface on the beam of charged particles.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2005Date of Patent: June 19, 2007Assignee: NaWoTec GmbHInventors: Klaus Edinger, Josef Sellmair, Thorsten Hofmann
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Publication number: 20050230621Abstract: An apparatus for investigating and/or modifying a sample with charged particles, in particular a scanning electron microscope, is provided. The apparatus comprises a beam (1, 2) of charged particles, a shielding element (10) having an opening (30) for the beam of charged particles to pass through, wherein the opening (30) is sufficiently small and the shielding element (10) sufficiently closely positioned to the surface (20) of the sample to reduce the influence of charge accumulation effects at the surface on the beam of charged particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2005Publication date: October 20, 2005Inventors: Klaus Edinger, Josef Sellmair, Thorsten Hofmann
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Publication number: 20050087514Abstract: A method for etching a chromium layer in a vacuum chamber which may comprise introducing a halogen compound into the vacuum chamber, directing an electron beam onto the area of the chromium layer to be etched and/or introducing an oxygen including compound into the vacuum chamber. A further method for the highly resolved removal of a layer out of metal and/or metal oxide which may be arranged on an isolator or a substrate having poor thermal conductivity, may comprise arranging the layer inside a vacuum chamber, bombarding the layer with a focused electron beam with an energy of 3-30 keV, wherein the electron beam may be guided such that the energy transfer per time and area causes a localized heating of the layer above its melting and/or vaporization point and wherein the removal of the layer may be performed without the supply of reaction gases into the vacuum chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2004Publication date: April 28, 2005Inventors: Hans Koops, Klaus Edinger, Sergey Babin, Thorsten Hofmann, Petra Spies