Patents by Inventor Zhongwei Chen
Zhongwei Chen 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: 20240128044Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Zhongwei CHEN
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Patent number: 11935720Abstract: A field-emission type electron source includes (i) a single-crystal tungsten rod having a sharpened terminus and (ii) a mass of ZrO formed only on a portion of the surface, or the entire surface, of the sharpened terminus. In preferred design, the single-crystal tungsten rod is placed in a gaseous medium that consists of oxygen and a non-oxygen gas. The molar ratio between oxygen and the non-oxygen gas is greater than 1:1.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2023Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Inventors: Dazhi Chen, Zhongwei Chen
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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: 11887807Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 23, 2023Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
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Publication number: 20240014003Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2023Publication date: January 11, 2024Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Shuai LI, Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Juying DOU, Xuerang HU, Zhongwei CHEN
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Patent number: 11854763Abstract: The present invention provides a backscattered electron (BSE) detector comprising two or more detection components that are electrically isolated from each other. Each of the detection components includes a single continuous top metal layer configured for directly receiving incident backscattered electrons and for backscattered electron to penetrate therethrough. The thickness of one of the top metal layers is different from the thickness of another one of the top metal layers. The BSE detector can be used in an apparatus of charged-particle beam for imaging a sample material. Signals from the detection components having top metal layers of different thicknesses can be inputted into different signal amplifier circuits to get different energy bands of BSE image.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2022Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: BORRIES PTE. LTD.Inventors: Wei Fang, Xiaoming Chen, Daniel Tang, Liang-Fu Fan, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 11854762Abstract: The present invention provides a MEMS sample holder comprising an observation section. The observation section includes a first layer, a second layer, and a sample compartment between the first layer and the second layer. The sample compartment is configured for filling a liquid sample and observing the liquid sample filled therewithin. The sample compartment has one, two or more windows through which an electron beam can pass. Each of the windows is formed on two cavities including a first cavity on the first layer and a second cavity on the second layer that is opposite to the first cavity across the sample compartment.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2023Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: BORRIES PTE. LTD.Inventors: Wei Fang, Xiaoming Chen, Daniel Tang, Liang-Fu Fan, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 11848169Abstract: A field-emission type electron source includes (i) a single-crystal tungsten rod having a sharpened terminus and (ii) a mass of ZrO formed only on a portion of the surface, or the entire surface, of the sharpened terminus. In preferred design, the single-crystal tungsten rod is placed in a gaseous medium that consists of oxygen and a non-oxygen gas. The molar ratio between oxygen and the non-oxygen gas is greater than 1:1.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2023Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Inventors: Dazhi Chen, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 11837431Abstract: The device includes a beam source for generating an electron beam, a beam guiding tube passed through an objective lens, an objective lens for generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of the specimen to focus the particles of the particle beam on the specimen, a control electrode having a potential for providing a retarding field to the particle beam near the specimen to reduce the energy of the particle beam when the beam collides with the specimen, a deflection system including a plurality of deflection units situated along the optical axis for deflecting the particle beam to allow scanning on the specimen with large area, at least one of the deflection units located in the retarding field of the beam, the remainder of the deflection units located within the central bore of the objective lens, and a detection unit to capture secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electrons (BSE).Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Shuai Li, Zhongwei Chen
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Publication number: 20230360877Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a source of charged particles configured to emit a beam of charged particles along a primary beam axis of the apparatus; a condenser lens configured to cause the beam to concentrate around the primary beam axis; an aperture; a first multi-pole lens; a second multi-pole lens; wherein the first multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the condenser lens and upstream with respect to the second multi-pole lens; wherein the second multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the first multi-pole lens and upstream with respect to the aperture.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2023Publication date: November 9, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Xuedong LIU, Qingpo XI, Youfei JIANG, Weiming REN, Xuerang HU, Zhongwei CHEN
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Patent number: 11798777Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes a beamlet forming unit configured to form and scan an array of beamlets on a sample. A first portion of the array of beamlets is focused onto a focus plane, and a second portion of the array of beamlets has at least one beamlet with a defocusing level with respect to the focus plane. The charged particle beam apparatus also includes a detector configured to detect an image of the sample formed by the array of beamlets, and a processor configured to estimate a level of separation between the focus plane and the sample based on the detected image and then reduce the level of separation based on the estimated level.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2020Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Martinus Gerardus Maria Johannes Maassen, Peter Paul Hempenius, Weiming Ren, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 11784024Abstract: A multi-cell detector may include a first layer having a region of a first conductivity type and a second layer including a plurality of regions of a second conductivity type. The second layer may also include one or more regions of the first conductivity type. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be partitioned from one another, preferably by the one or more regions of the first conductivity type of the second layer. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be spaced apart from one or more regions of the first conductivity type in the second layer. The detector may further include an intrinsic layer between the first and second layers.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2022Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Joe Wang, Yongxin Wang, Zhongwei Chen, Xuerang Hu
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Publication number: 20230282441Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Weiming REN, Xuedong LIU, Xuerang HU, Zhongwei CHEN
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Patent number: 11715619Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charged particle detection. The detection system can comprise a signal processing circuit configured to generate a set of intensity gradients based on electron intensity data received from a plurality of electron sensing elements. The detection system can further comprise a beam spot processing module configured to determine, based on the set of intensity gradients, at least one boundary of a beam spot; and determine, based on the at least one boundary, that a first set of electron sensing elements of the plurality of electron sensing elements is within the beam spot. The beam spot processing module can further be configured to determine an intensity value of the beam spot based on the electron intensity data received from the first set of electron sensing elements and also generate an image of a wafer based on the intensity value.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2022Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yongxin Wang, Weiming Ren, Zhonghua Dong, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 11705304Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 12, 2021Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Shuai Li, Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Juying Dou, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 11688580Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 21, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Xuedong Liu, Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Zhongwei Chen
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Patent number: 11676792Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a source of charged particles configured to emit a beam of charged particles along a primary beam axis of the apparatus; a condenser lens configured to cause the beam to concentrate around the primary beam axis; an aperture; a first multi-pole lens; a second multi-pole lens; wherein the first multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the condenser lens and upstream with respect to the second multi-pole lens; wherein the second multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the first multi-pole lens and upstream with respect to the aperture.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands, B.VInventors: Xuedong Liu, Qingpo Xi, Youfei Jiang, Weiming Ren, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
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Publication number: 20230170178Abstract: A rapid and automatic virus imaging and analysis system includes (i) electron optical sub-systems (EOSs), each of which has a large field of view (FOV) and is capable of instant magnification switching for rapidly scanning a virus sample; (ii) sample management sub-systems (SMSs), each of which automatically loads virus samples into one of the EOSs for virus sample scanning and then unloads the virus samples from the EOS after the virus sample scanning is completed; (iii) virus detection and classification sub-systems (VDCSs), each of which automatically detects and classifies a virus based on images from the EOS virus sample scanning; and (iv) a cloud-based collaboration sub-system for analyzing the virus sample scanning images, storing images from the EOS virus sample scanning, and storing and analyzing machine data associated with the EOSs, the SMSs, and the VDCSs.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2023Publication date: June 1, 2023Applicant: BORRIES PTE. LTD.Inventors: Zhongwei Chen, Xiaoming Chen, Daniel Tang, Liang-Fu Fan
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Patent number: 11664186Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus of electron beam comprising an electron gun with a pinnacle limiting plate having at least one current-limiting aperture. The pinnacle limiting plate is located between a bottom (or lowest) anode and a top (or highest) condenser within the electron gun. A current (ampere) of the electron beam that has passed through the current-limiting aperture remains the same (unchanged) after the electron beam travels through the top condenser and an electron optical column and arrives at a sample space. Electron-electron interaction of the electron beam is thus reduced.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: BORRIES PTE. LTD.Inventors: Zhongwei Chen, Wei Fang, Xiaoming Chen, Daniel Tang, Liang-Fu Fan
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Patent number: 11664189Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus of charged-particle beam e.g. an electron microscope comprising a plasma generator for selectively cleaning BSE detector. In various embodiments, the plasma generator is located between a sample stage and a sample table having one or more openings or holes. The plasma generator generates plasma and distributes or dissipates the plasma through the openings of the sample table toward and onto surface of the BSE detector. Cleaning contaminants on the surface of the BSE detector frequently and selectively with in-situ generated plasma can prevent the detectors from performance deterioration such as losing resolution and contrast in imaging at high levels of magnification.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: BORRIES PTE. LTD.Inventors: Zhongwei Chen, Xiaoming Chen, Daniel Tang, Liang-Fu Fan