Patents by Inventor Xuedong Liu

Xuedong Liu 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: 11289304
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a first electrically conductive layer; a second electrically conductive layer; a plurality of optics element s between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer, wherein the plurality of optics elements are configured to influence a plurality of beams of charged particles; a third electrically conductive layer between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer; and an electrically insulating layer physically connected to the optics elements, wherein the electrically insulating layer is configured to electrically insulate the optics elements from the first electrically conductive layer, and the second electrically conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Xuerang Hu, Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Zhong-wei Chen
  • Patent number: 11282675
    Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a crossover-forming deflector array of an electro-optical system for directing a plurality of electron beams onto an electron detection device. The crossover-forming deflector array includes a plurality of crossover-forming deflectors positioned at or at least near an image plane of a set of one or more electro-optical lenses of the electro-optical system, wherein each crossover-forming deflector is aligned with a corresponding electron beam of the plurality of electron beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Zhong-wei Chen
  • Patent number: 11232928
    Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an improved source conversion unit is disclosed. The improved source conversion unit may comprise a micro-structure deflector array including a plurality of multipole structures. The micro-deflector deflector array may comprise a first multipole structure having a first radial shift from a central axis of the array and a second multipole structure having a second radial shift from the central axis of the array. The first radial shift is larger than the second radial shift, and the first multipole structure comprises a greater number of pole electrodes than the second multipole structure to reduce deflection aberrations when the plurality of multipole structures deflects a plurality of charged particle beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Qian Zhang, Xuerang Hu, Xuedong Liu
  • Publication number: 20220005665
    Abstract: The present disclosure proposes an anti-rotation lens and using it as an anti-rotation condenser lens in a multi-beam apparatus with a pre-beamlet-forming mechanism. The anti-rotation condenser lens keeps rotation angles of beamlets unchanged when changing currents thereof, and thereby enabling the pre-beamlet-forming mechanism to cut off electrons not in use as much as possible. In this way, the multi-beam apparatus can observe a sample with high resolution and high throughput, and is competent as a yield management tool to inspect and/or review defects on wafers/masks in semiconductor manufacturing industry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Zhong-wei CHEN
  • Patent number: 11217423
    Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with oblique illumination is proposed. In the apparatus, a new source-conversion unit changes a single electron source into a slant virtual multi-source array, a primary projection imaging system projects the array to form plural probe spots on the sample with oblique illumination, and a condenser lens adjusts the currents of the plural probe spots. In the source-conversion unit, the image-forming means not only forms the slant virtual multi-source array, but also compensates the off-axis aberrations of the plurality of probe spots. The apparatus can provide dark-field images and/or bright-field images of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Xuedong Liu, Zhongwei Chen, Jack Jau
  • Publication number: 20210391139
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a module for supporting a device configured to manipulate charged particle paths in a charged particle apparatus, the module comprising: a support arrangement configured to support the device, wherein the device is configured to manipulate a charged particle path within the charged particle apparatus; and a support positioning system configured to move the support arrangement within the module; wherein the module is arranged to be field replaceable in the charged particle apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Christiaan OTTEN, Peter-Paul CRANS, Marc SMITS, Laura DEL TIN, Christan TEUNISSEN, Yang-Shan HUANG, Stijn Wilem, Herman, Karel STEENBRINK, Xuerang HU, Qingpo XI, Xinan LUO, Xuedong LIU
  • Publication number: 20210391138
    Abstract: One modified source-conversion unit and one method to reduce the Coulomb Effect in a multi-beam apparatus are proposed. In the modified source-conversion unit, the aberration-compensation function is carried out after the image-forming function has changed each beamlet to be on-axis locally, and therefore avoids undesired aberrations due to the beamlet tilting/shifting. A Coulomb-effect-reduction means with plural Coulomb-effect-reduction openings is placed close to the single electron source of the apparatus and therefore the electrons not in use can be cut off as early as possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Xuedong LIU, Weiming REN, Shuai LI, Zhongwei CHEN
  • Publication number: 20210384008
    Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput and in flexibly varying observing conditions is proposed. The apparatus uses a movable collimating lens to flexibly vary the currents of the plural probe spots without influencing the intervals thereof, a new source-conversion unit to form the plural images of the single electron source and compensate off-axis aberrations of the plural probe spots with respect to observing conditions, and a pre-beamlet-forming means to reduce the strong Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Shuai LI, Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Juying DOU, Xuerang HU, Zhongwei CHEN
  • Publication number: 20210319977
    Abstract: Systems and methods of imaging a sample using a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The charged-particle beam apparatus may include a compound objective lens comprising a magnetic lens and an electrostatic lens, the magnetic lens comprising a cavity, and an electron detector located immediately upstream from a polepiece of the magnetic lens and inside the cavity of the magnetic lens. In some embodiments, deflectors may be located between the electron detector and the opening of the polepiece adjacent to the sample to achieve a large field of view. Electron distributions among the detectors can be manipulated without changing the landing energy by changing the potential of the control electrode(s) in the electrostatic objective lens. The electron source can be operated with several discrete potentials to cover different landing energies, while the potential difference between electron source and the extractor is fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Xuedong LIU, Weimin ZHOU, Xiaoxue CHEN, Xiaoyu JI, Heng LI, Shahedul HOQUE, Zongyao LI, Shuhao LIU, Weiming REN
  • Publication number: 20210309702
    Abstract: The invention includes systems, methods, and compositions for designing secreted fusogenic ectosome vesicles, or gectosomes, that selectively encapsulate specific target proteins, nucleic acids and/or other small molecules in a predetermined manner. These engineered gectosomes can be used to deliver desired cargos to receipt cells in vitro, ex vivo, or in vivo and may further reprogram target cellular phenotypes in a dose-dependent manner, as well as perform genome editing functions, among others.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Xuedong Liu, Xiaojuan Zhang, Zeyu Liu, Quanbin Xu
  • Patent number: 11107657
    Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit changes a single electron source into a virtual multi-source array, a primary projection imaging system projects the array to form plural probe spots on the sample, and a condenser lens adjusts the currents of the plural probe spots. In the source-conversion unit, the image-forming means is on the upstream of the beamlet-limit means, and thereby generating less scattered electrons. The image-forming means not only forms the virtual multi-source array, but also compensates the off-axis aberrations of the plurality of probe spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Xuedong Liu, Zhongwei Chen
  • Publication number: 20210244686
    Abstract: The invention includes the use of cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabidiol analogs, as therapeutic compounds or formulations for the increase of lipid order in the cell membranes of a patient. This increase in membrane lipid order may cause downstream therapeutic effects that may ameliorate certain disease conditions such as cardio vascular disease, high-cholesterol and Alzheimer's disease.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Xuedong Liu, Douglas Chapnick, William Old
  • Publication number: 20210233736
    Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Zhongwei CHEN
  • Publication number: 20210217582
    Abstract: An improved system and method for inspection of a sample using a particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, to systems and methods of scanning a sample with a plurality of charged particle beams. An improved method of scanning an area of a sample using N charged particle beams, wherein Nis an integer greater than or equal to two, and wherein the area of the sample comprises a plurality of scan sections of N consecutive scan lines, includes moving the sample in a first direction. The method also includes scanning, with a first charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, first scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the first charged particle beam. The method further includes scanning, with a second charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, second scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the second charged particle beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Martinus Gerardus, Maria, Johannes MAASSEN, Joost Jeroen OTTENS, Long MA, Youfei JIANG, Weihua YIN, Wei-Te LI, Xuedong LIU
  • Patent number: 11062877
    Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput and in flexibly varying observing conditions is proposed. The apparatus uses a movable collimating lens to flexibly vary the currents of the plural probe spots without influencing the intervals thereof, a new source-conversion unit to form the plural images of the single electron source and compensate off-axis aberrations of the plural probe spots with respect to observing conditions, and a pre-beamlet-forming means to reduce the strong Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Shuai Li, Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Juying Dou, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
  • Patent number: 11062874
    Abstract: The present disclosure proposes an anti-rotation lens and using it as an anti-rotation condenser lens in a multi-beam apparatus with a pre-beamlet-forming mechanism. The anti-rotation condenser lens keeps rotation angles of beamlets unchanged when changing currents thereof, and thereby enabling the pre-beamlet-forming mechanism to cut off electrons not in use as much as possible. In this way, the multi-beam apparatus can observe a sample with high resolution and high throughput, and is competent as a yield management tool to inspect and/or review defects on wafers/masks in semiconductor manufacturing industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Zhong-wei Chen
  • Publication number: 20210193433
    Abstract: A secondary projection imaging system in a multi-beam apparatus is proposed, which makes the secondary electron detection with high collection efficiency and low cross-talk. The system employs one zoom lens, one projection lens and one anti-scanning deflection unit. The zoom lens and the projection lens respectively perform the zoom function and the anti-rotating function to remain the total imaging magnification and the total image rotation with respect to the landing energies and/or the currents of the plural primary beamlets. The anti-scanning deflection unit performs the anti-scanning function to eliminate the dynamic image displacement due to the deflection scanning of the plural primary beamlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Zhongwei CHEN
  • Publication number: 20210193437
    Abstract: Systems and methods of forming images of a sample using a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may include generating a plurality of secondary electron beams from a plurality of probe spots on the sample upon interaction with a plurality of primary electron beams. The method may further include adjusting an orientation of the plurality of primary electron beams interacting with the sample, directing the plurality of secondary electron beams away from the plurality of primary electron beams, compensating astigmatism aberrations of the plurality of directed secondary electron beams, focusing the plurality of directed secondary electron beams onto a focus plane, detecting the plurality of focused secondary electron beams by a charged-particle detector, and positioning a detection plane of the charged-particle detector at or close to the focus plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Weiming REN, Zizhou GONG, Xuerang HU, Xuedong LIU, Zhong-wei CHEN
  • Patent number: 11043354
    Abstract: One modified source-conversion unit and one method to reduce the Coulomb Effect in a multi-beam apparatus are proposed. In the modified source-conversion unit, the aberration-compensation function is carried out after the image-forming function has changed each beamlet to be on-axis locally, and therefore avoids undesired aberrations due to the beamlet tilting/shifting. A Coulomb-effect-reduction means with plural Coulomb-effect-reduction openings is placed close to the single electron source of the apparatus and therefore the electrons not in use can be cut off as early as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Xuedong Liu, Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Zhongwei Chen
  • Publication number: 20210181181
    Abstract: Provided are FRET-based biosensor constructs, and multiplexed platforms or arrays of these biosensor constructs useful for screening candidate drug molecules for efficacy and/or specificity of drug activity. Optionally the biosensor constructs may be located on an inner membrane within a cell or engineered to be located on the cell's surface. The cells or cell lines displaying the biosensors on a cell surface may be arranged as an array of cells for high throughput evaluation of the efficacy and/or specificity of drug candidates, such as a library of candidate drug compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Xuedong Liu, Douglas A. Chapnick, William Old, Tristan D. Mcclure-Begley, Eric Bunker