Electron Probe Type Patents (Class 250/310)
  • Patent number: 11024481
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope. The scanning electron microscope may include a sliding vacuum seal between the electron optical imaging system and the sample carrier with a first plate having a first aperture associated with the electron optical imaging system and resting against a second plate having a second aperture associated with the sample carrier. The first plate and/or the second plate includes a groove circumscribing the first and/or second aperture. The scanning electron microscope may include a detector movable relative to the electron beam. The scanning electron microscope may include a motion control unit for moving a sample carrier along a collision free path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Karel Diederick Van Der Mast, Adrianus Franciscus Johannes Hammen, Wilhelmus Henrica Cornelis Theuws, Sander Richard Marie Stoks
  • Patent number: 11011346
    Abstract: To acquire a correction image by performing a sub-pixel shift process for shifting an image using a pixel interpolation filter by a pixel shift amount between pixels and a frequency correction process for correcting a frequency characteristic of the image after shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Hamada, Kei Sakai, Satoru Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11003942
    Abstract: A method for crystal analysis includes identifying a crystalline region on a device where an electronic channeling pattern is needed to be determined, acquiring a whole image for each of a plurality of different positions for the crystalline region using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as the crystalline region is moved to different positions. Relevant regions are extracted from the whole images. The images of the relevant regions are stitched together to form a composite map of a full electron channeling pattern representative of the crystalline region wherein the electronic channeling pattern is provided due to an increase in effective angular range between a SEM beam and a surface of the crystal region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Kunal Mukherjee, John A. Ott, Devendra K. Sadana, Brent A. Wacaser
  • Patent number: 11000696
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for scanning charged particles in a cancer therapy system, comprising the steps of: (1) providing a first and second dipole magnet system and a gap, the gap comprising a common gap length, along a path of the charged particles, within both the first and second dipole magnet systems, the gap comprising a progressively increasing x/y-plane cross-section area from an entrance area of the charged particles into the double dipole magnet system to an exit area of the double dipole magnet system, the x/y-plane perpendicular to a z-axis from a center of the entrance area to a center of the exit area; (2) scanning the positively charged particles along a first axis of the x/y-plane using the first dipole magnet system; and (3) scanning the positively charged particles along a second axis of the x/y-plane using the second dipole magnet system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Inventors: Faye Hendley Elgart, Nick Ruebel, Mark R. Amato, Nandish Desai, W. Davis Lee
  • Patent number: 10996238
    Abstract: A driving mechanism relatively displaces a measuring unit and a sample table such that a relative positional relationship between the measuring unit and the sample table is switched between a first positional relationship and a second positional relationship. In the second positional relationship, the sample table is exposed to the outside from within a lower housing. A controller includes a high voltage generation circuit that generates a high voltage to be supplied to a scanner. A first mechanical switch causes a power supply not to supply a voltage to the high voltage generation circuit in the second positional relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Keita Fujino
  • Patent number: 10997465
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a first acquiring unit configured to acquire geometric information relating to a target object to be recognized, a decision unit configured to decide an imaging position and orientation at which the target object is imaged, based on the geometric information acquired by the first acquiring unit, a second acquiring unit configured to acquire an image of the target object which has been captured at the imaging position and orientation decided by the decision unit, and a generation unit configured to generate learning data, based on the geometric information acquired by the first acquiring unit and the image acquired by the second acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamada, Akihiro Katayama, Kazuhiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10991541
    Abstract: A detector, comprising: a semiconductor substrate which detects an incident electron beam; a supporting substrate which is thicker than the semiconductor substrate and which supports the semiconductor substrate; and an insulating film layer which is provided between the semiconductor substrate and the supporting substrate, wherein at least one charge suppression film which is not electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate is formed inside the insulating film layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Ikeda, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 10984977
    Abstract: A particle beam system for examining and processing an object includes an electron beam column and an ion beam column with a common work region, in which an object may be disposed and in which a principal axis of the electron beam column and a principal axis of the ion beam column meet at a coincidence point. The particle beam system further includes a shielding electrode that is disposable between an exit opening of the ion beam column and the coincidence point. The shielding electrode is able to be disposed closer to the coincidence point than the electron beam column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventor: Erik Essers
  • Patent number: 10984999
    Abstract: A device for detecting charged particles includes a substrate, a charge detection plate and an integrated circuit unit that are electrically connected together and respectively disposed on non-coplanar first and second sides of the substrate, and an interference shielding unit substantially enclosing the charge detection plate and the integrated circuit unit in such a manner as to permit impingement on the charge detection plate by the charged particles from outside of the interference shielding unit. The integrated circuit unit disposed on the second side is non-coplanar with the charge detection plate disposed on the first side so as to prevent interference on the integrated circuit unit by the charged particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: ACROMASS TECHNOLOGIES, INC
    Inventors: Hung-Liang Hsieh, Chun-Yen Cheng, Yi-Kun Lee, Chih-Hsiang Yang, Liang-Chun Fan, Yao-Hsin Tseng, Szu-Wei Chou
  • Patent number: 10984980
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device for setting, from an image of a trench-like groove or a pit, device conditions for finding a hole or the like provided in the trench or the pit, or measuring a hole or the like provided inside the trench or the like with high accuracy. In the present invention, a charged particle beam device comprises: a deflector for causing a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle source to perform a scan; a detector for detecting a charged particle obtained on the basis of the scanning of the charged particle beam; and a computation processing device for generating an image on the basis of the output of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Sakai, Satoru Yamaguchi, Hideki Itai, Yasunori Takasugi, Kumiko Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10984981
    Abstract: A charged particle beam device is provided which minimizes the beam irradiation amount while maintaining a high measurement success rate. The charged particle beam device includes a control device for controlling a scan deflector on the basis of selection of a predetermined number n of frames, wherein the control device controls the scan deflector so that a charged particle beam is selectively scanned on a portion on a sample corresponding to a pixel satisfying a predetermined condition or a region including the portion on the sample from an image obtained by scanning the charged particle beam for a number m of frames (m?1), the number m of frames being smaller than the number n of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Itai, Kumiko Shimizu, Wataru Mori, Hajime Kawano, Shahedul Hoque
  • Patent number: 10957510
    Abstract: A device for generating a source current of charge carriers and a method for stabilizing a source current of charge carriers are disclosed. In an embodiment the device includes at least one field emission element configured to emit charge carriers, which lead to an emission current in the field emission element, at least one extraction electrode configured to apply an extraction voltage in order to extract the charge carriers from the field emission element, wherein a first part of the extracted charge carriers contributes to the source current, and a second part of the extracted charge carriers impinges on the extraction electrode and leads to an extraction current in the extraction electrode and a control device configured to reduce fluctuations of a controlled variable Q which is a characteristic for the source current, wherein Q is a function of a difference between the emission current and the extraction current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: KETEK GmbH
    Inventors: Felix Düsberg, Michael Bachmann
  • Patent number: 10950412
    Abstract: An observation method includes: preparing a specimen including, as a mark a plurality of metal particles in which localized surface plasmon resonance is excited by irradiation with light; acquiring an optical microscope image by photographing the specimen with an optical microscope; acquiring an electron microscope image by photographing the specimen with an electron microscope; acquiring information of the positions and the colors of the plurality of metal particles in the optical microscope image; acquiring information of the positions and the particle diameters of the plurality of metal particles in the electron microscope image; and determining information for associating the optical microscope image and the electron microscope image based on the information of the positions and the colors of the plurality of metal particles acquired from the optical microscope image, and the information of the positions and the particle diameters of the plurality of metal particles acquired from the electron microscope i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Haruta, Yuta Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10950410
    Abstract: Provided is a multiple electron beam inspection apparatus including: an irradiation source irradiating a substrate with multiple electron beams; a stage on which is cable of mounting the substrate; an electromagnetic lens provided between the irradiation source and the stage, the electromagnetic lens generating a lens magnetic field, the multiple electron beams being capable of passing through the lens magnetic field; an electrostatic lens provided in the lens magnetic field, the electrostatic lens including a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of through-holes having wall surfaces respectively, each of the multiple electron beams being capable of passing through the corresponding each of the plurality of through-holes, each of the plurality of electrodes provided on each of the wall surfaces of the plurality of through-holes, at least one of the through-holes provided apart from a central axis of trajectory of the multiple electron beams having a spiral shape; and a power
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Inoue, Atsushi Ando, Munehiro Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 10937628
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device with which it is possible to identify, to a high degree of accuracy, repeat patterns generated by a multiple exposure method such as SADP or SAQP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Chikako Abe, Hitoshi Sugahara
  • Patent number: 10937146
    Abstract: The image evaluation device includes a design data image generation unit that images design data; a machine learning unit that creates a model for generating a design data image from an inspection target image, using the design data image as a teacher and using the inspection target image corresponding to the design data image; a design data prediction image generation unit that predicts the design data image from the inspection target image, using the model created by the machine learning unit; a design data image generation unit that images the design data corresponding to the inspection target image; and a comparison unit that compares a design data prediction image generated by the design data prediction image generation unit and the design data image. As a result, it is possible to detect a systematic defect without using a defect image and generating misinformation frequently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Shinoda, Masayoshi Ishikawa, Yasutaka Toyoda, Yuichi Abe, Hiroyuki Shindo
  • Patent number: 10928417
    Abstract: An atomic force microscope includes a raster scan control mechanism configured to perform a raster scan between a cantilever having a probe at a free end and a sample relative to each other across an XY plane in a fluid, an interaction control mechanism configured to vibrate the cantilever and to control an interaction generated between the probe and the sample, and a sample information acquisition circuit configured to acquire sample information including inclination information of a sample surface with respect to the XY plane based on a control result of the interaction control mechanism. The interaction control mechanism is configured to control the interaction generated between the probe and the sample in accordance with inclination of the sample surface with respect to the XY plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 10928335
    Abstract: Techniques for adapting an adaptive specimen image acquisition system using an artificial neural network (ANN) are disclosed. An adaptive specimen image acquisition system is configurable to scan a specimen to produce images of varying qualities. An adaptive specimen image acquisition system first scans a specimen to produce a low-quality image. An ANN identifies objects of interest within the specimen image. A scan mask indicates regions of the image corresponding to the objects of interest. The adaptive specimen image acquisition system scans only the regions of the image corresponding to the objects of interest, as indicated by the scan mask, to produce a high-quality image. The low-quality image and the high-quality image are merged in a final image. The final image shows the objects of interest at a higher quality, and the rest of the specimen at a lower quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventor: Pavel Potocek
  • Patent number: 10921269
    Abstract: A method for implementing a scanning electron microscopy characterisation technique for the determination of at least one critical dimension of the structure of a sample in the field of dimensional metrology, known as CD-SEM technique, includes producing an experimental image; from a first theoretical model based on parametric mathematical functions, calculating a second theoretical model U(Pi,ti) describing the signal measured at the position Pi at the instant ti, the second model U(Pi,ti) being obtained by algebraic summation of a corrective term S(Pi,ti); determining the set of parameters present in the second theoretical model; wherein the corrective term S(Pi,ti) is calculated by summing the signal coming from the electric charges deposited by the primary electron beam at a plurality of instants t less than or equal to ti.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Patrick Quemere, Jérôme Hazart
  • Patent number: 10910193
    Abstract: An electron detector assembly configured for detecting electrons emitted from a sample irradiated by an electron beam, including a scintillator configured with a scintillator layer formed with a scintillating surface. The scintillator layer emits light signals corresponding to impingement of electrons upon the scintillating surface. A light guide plate is coupled to the scintillator layer and includes a peripheral surface. One or more silicon photomultiplier devices are positioned upon the peripheral surface, wherein one or more silicon photomultiplier devices are arranged perpendicularly or obliquely relative to the scintillating surface. The silicon photomultiplier device is configured to yield an electrical signal from an electron impinging upon the scintillator surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: EL-MUL TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Eli Cheifetz, Amit Weingarten, Semyon Shopman, Silviu Reinhorn, Dmitry Shur
  • Patent number: 10908075
    Abstract: A fluorescent spectrum correcting method includes comparing fluorescent spectrum obtained from micro-particles labeled with a plurality of fluorescent pigments with reference spectrum to separating the fluorescent spectrum into fluorescent spectrum for each pigment, and previously measured spectrum data is used as the reference spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Kakuta, Koji Futamura, Yoshitsugu Sakai, Yasunobu Kato
  • Patent number: 10903037
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to stably supply an electron beam from an electron gun, that is, to prevent variation in intensity of the electron beam. The invention provides a charged particle beam device that includes an electron gun having an electron source, an extraction electrode to which a voltage used for extracting electrons from the electron source is applied, and an acceleration electrode to which a voltage used for accelerating the electrons extracted from the electron source is applied, a first heating unit that heats the extraction electrode, and a second heating unit that heats the acceleration electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keigo Kasuya, Shuhei Ishikawa, Kenji Tanimoto, Hajime Kawano, Hideo Todokoro, Souichi Katagiri, Takashi Doi, Soichiro Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 10896801
    Abstract: A multiple-electron-beam-image acquisition apparatus includes an electromagnetic lens to receive and refract multiple electron beams, an aberration corrector, disposed in a magnetic field of the electromagnetic lens, to correct aberration of the multiple electron beams, an aperture-substrate, disposed movably at the upstream of the aberration corrector with respect to an advancing direction of the multiple electron beams, to selectively make an individual beam of the multiple electron beams pass therethrough independently, a movable stage to dispose thereon the aberration corrector, a stage control circuit, using an image caused by the individual beam selectively made to pass, to move the stage to align the position of the aberration corrector to the multiple electron beams having been relatively aligned with the electromagnetic lens, and a detector to detect multiple secondary electron beams emitted because the target object surface is irradiated with multiple electron beams having passed through the aberrat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Inoue, Yoshihiro Izumi, Hidekazu Takekoshi
  • Patent number: 10890545
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to an apparatus for tomographic analysis of a specimen based on STEM images of the specimen, as well as for tomographic analysis of the chemical composition of the specimen based on X-ray detection by EDS detectors. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises an elongated specimen holder that is rotatable about a longitudinal axis and is configured to hold a pillar-shaped specimen at the end of the holder. The longitudinal axis is positioned in a sample plane which is perpendicular to the beam direction of an electron beam produced by an electron gun. The apparatus also comprises at least two EDS detectors, each EDS detector having a detecting surface oriented perpendicularly to the sample plane and intersecting with the sample plane, wherein the two EDS detectors are positioned on opposite lateral sides of the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventor: Hugo Bender
  • Patent number: 10886102
    Abstract: A multiple-electron-beam irradiation apparatus includes a first electrostatic lens, configured using the substrate used as a bias electrode by being applied with a negative potential, a control electrode to which a control potential is applied and a ground electrode to which a ground potential is applied, configured to provide dynamic focusing of the multiple electron beams onto the substrate, in accordance with change of the height position of the surface of the substrate, by generating an electrostatic field, wherein the control electrode is disposed on an upstream side of a maximum magnetic field of the lens magnetic field of the first electromagnetic lens with respect to a direction of a trajectory central axis of the multiple electron beams, and a ground electrode is disposed on an upstream side of the control electrode with respect to the direction of the trajectory central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignees: NuFlare Technology, Inc., NuFlare Technology America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Inoue, Munehiro Ogasawara, Steven Golladay
  • Patent number: 10878948
    Abstract: A mid-protocol evaluation system is operable to receive a set of medical scans corresponding to a proper subset of a plurality of sequence types in a medical scan protocol captured for a patient. Abnormality data is generated by performing an inference function on the set of medical scans, where the inference function utilizes a computer vision model trained on a plurality of medical scans corresponding to the subset of the plurality of sequence types. A confidence score for the abnormality data is calculated, and additional sequence necessity data is generated for transmission to a client device for display via a display device. The additional sequence necessity data indicates at least one additional medical scan is necessary when the confidence score compares unfavorably to a confidence score threshold. The additional sequence necessity data indicates no further medical scans are necessary when the confidence score compares favorably to the confidence score threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Enlitic, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Lyman, Anthony Upton, Ben Covington
  • Patent number: 10879031
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
  • Patent number: 10872744
    Abstract: In a charged particle beam apparatus is provided with an optical image capturing apparatus having an angle different from that of a column, a sample may collide with other components when the sample is faced toward the optical image capturing apparatus. The charged particle beam apparatus includes a stage configured to place a sample thereon and to move the sample inside a sample chamber; a column configured to observe the sample by irradiating a charged particle beam on the sample; a first image capturing apparatus configured to observe a surface of the sample irradiated with the charged particle beam from an angle different from that of the column; and a control unit configured to, when observing the sample via the first image capturing apparatus, separate the sample from the column and to tilt the sample through the stage to face toward the first image capturing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Munekazu Koyanagi, Wataru Suzuki, Toshihide Agemura
  • Patent number: 10861666
    Abstract: A method of operating a charged particle gun is described. The method includes providing an emitter at a first emitter potential within the charged particle gun and providing a trapping electrode at a first electrode potential within the charged particle gun, wherein the first emitter potential and the first electrode potential is provided to have an electrical field of essentially zero at the emitter and at the trapping electrode; switching the trapping electrode from the first electrode potential to a second electrode potential different from the first electrode potential to generate an electrostatic trapping field at the trapping electrode; and after switching the trapping electrode from the first electrode potential to the second electrode potential, switching on an electrostatic emission field at the emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbletterprüftechnik mbH
    Inventor: Dieter Winkler
  • Patent number: 10861671
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscopy system is disclosed. The system includes a multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sub-system. The SEM sub-system includes a multi-beam electron source configured to form a plurality of electron beams, a sample stage configured to secure a sample, an electron-optical assembly to direct the electron beams onto a portion of the sample, and a detector assembly configured to simultaneously acquire multiple images of the surface of the sample. The system includes a controller configured to receive the images from the detector assembly, identify a best focus image of images by analyzing one or more image quality parameters of the images, and direct the multi-lens array to adjust a focus of one or more electron beams based on a focus of an electron beam corresponding with the identified best focus image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Doug K. Masnaghetti, Richard R. Simmons, Scott A. Young, Mark A. McCord, Rainer Knippelmeyer
  • Patent number: 10847343
    Abstract: A charged-particle beam microscope is provided for imaging a sample. The microscope has a vacuum chamber to maintain a low-pressure environment. A stage is provided to hold a sample in the vacuum chamber. The microscope has a charged-particle beam source to generate a charged-particle beam. The microscope also has charged-particle beam optics to converge the charged-particle beam onto the sample and a detector to detect charged-particle radiation emanating from the sample. The microscope has a controller to analyze the detected charged-particle radiation to generate an image of the sample. A power supply is provided that has a battery to power at least the charged-particle beam optics and the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Mochii, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Su-Yan Own, Matthew Francis Murfitt
  • Patent number: 10839491
    Abstract: A method of recording an image using a particle microscope includes recording of plural images of an object. Each of the recorded images is associated with image data including intensity values associated with locations in a coordinate system of the recorded image. The method further includes: determining displacements between the coordinate systems of the image data of the recorded images; determining a bounding box of a resulting image based on the determined displacements; and calculating image data of the resulting image based on the intensity values of the image data of the recorded images associated with those locations which are located within the determined bounding box associated with the resulting image based on the determined displacements of the recorded images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Luyang Han, Andreas Schmaunz, Martin Edelmann
  • Patent number: 10840058
    Abstract: An aberration measurement method for an objective lens in an electron microscope including an objective lens which focuses an electron beam that illuminates a specimen, and a detector which detects an electron beam having passed through the specimen, includes: introducing a coma aberration to the objective lens; measuring an aberration of the objective lens before introducing the coma aberration to the objective lens; measuring an aberration of the objective lens after introducing the coma aberration to the objective lens; and obtaining a position of an optical axis of the objective lens on a detector plane of the detector based on measurement results of the aberration of the objective lens before and after introducing the coma aberration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Kohno, Akiho Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10823710
    Abstract: A system for scanning and analyzing a device wider test includes a transducer. The transducer transmits ultrasonic waves to scan the device under test and determine various properties (e.g., material of layers). The system further includes a heating/cooling portion. The heating/cooling portion conducts thermal stress testing on the device under test to accentuate areas of delamination between layers. The transducer then performs scans on the device under test to locate areas of delamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Dat Tan Nguyen, Robert Milotta
  • Patent number: 10825651
    Abstract: Techniques are described that facilitate automated extraction of lamellae and attaching the lamellae to sample grids for viewing on transmission electron microscopes. Some embodiments of the invention involve the use of machine vision to determine the positions of the lamella, the probe, and/or the TEM grid to guide the attachment of the probe to the lamella and the attachment of the lamella to the TEM grid. Techniques that facilitate the use of machine vision include shaping a probe tip so that its position can be readily recognized by image recognition software. Image subtraction techniques can be used to determine the position of the lamellae attached to the probe for moving the lamella to the TEM grid for attachment. In some embodiments, reference structures are milled on the probe or on the lamella to facilitate image recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Valerie Brogden, Jeffrey Blackwood, Michael Schmidt, Dhruti Trivedi, Richard J. Young, Thomas G. Miller, Brian Roberts Routh, Jr., Stacey Stone, Todd Templeton
  • Patent number: 10816333
    Abstract: A pattern measurement method and device realize high-precision measurement of a pattern in a depth direction. The method includes forming an inclined plane in a sample region having a deep hole, a deep groove, or a three-dimensional structure, setting the field of view of a scanning electron microscope to include a boundary between the inclined plane and the sample surface, acquiring an image based on a detection signal, specifying a first position which is the boundary between the inclined plane and a non-inclined plane and a second position which is the position of a desired deep hole or deep groove positioned in the inclined plane, and calculating the height-direction dimension of a pattern constituting the circuit element having the deep hole, deep groove, or three-dimensional structure based on a dimension in the sample surface direction between the first position and the second position and the angle of the inclined plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Kawada
  • Patent number: 10818470
    Abstract: A charged particle beam device includes a deflection unit that deflects a charged particle beam released from a charged particle source to irradiate a sample, a reflection plate that reflects secondary electrons generated from the sample, and a control unit that controls the deflection unit based on an image generated by detecting the secondary electrons reflected from the reflection plate. The deflection unit includes an electromagnetic deflection unit that electromagnetically scans with the charged particle beam by a magnetic field and an electrostatic deflection unit that electrostatically scans with the charged particle beam by an electric field. The control unit controls the electromagnetic deflection unit and the electrostatic deflection unit, superimposes an electromagnetic deflection vector generated by the electromagnetic scanning and an electrostatic deflection vector generated by the electrostatic scanning, and controls at least a trajectory of the charged particle beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuki Ikeda, Wen Li, Takuma Nishimoto, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Wataru Mori, Makoto Suzuki, Hajime Kawano
  • Patent number: 10811222
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
  • Patent number: 10811221
    Abstract: Systems and devices for improving the efficiency of secondary electron detection in charged particle beam systems include a charged particle detector, a first elongate member coupled with the charged particle detector, and a second elongate member coupled with the charged particle detector. The first elongate member and the second elongate member each extend away from the charged particle detector. The system also includes at least one drawing member that is coupled with the first elongate member. Additionally, at least one electrical connection point is arranged to supply at least one bias voltage to the first elongate member, the second elongate member, and the drawing member. The drawing member is configured to generate an electromagnetic field that applies a drawing force that draws charged particles away from the charged particle source, and/or reduces the amount of charged particles from the charged particle source that strike the charged particle tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Qinsong Steve Wang, Jim McGinn, Peter Tvaro{hacek over (z)}ek, Amir Weiss
  • Patent number: 10796879
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope (1) including a sliding vacuum seal (20) between an electron optical imaging system (2) and a sample carrier (10) with a first plate (22) having a first aperture (24) associated with the electron optical imaging system and resting against a second plate (26) having a second aperture (28) associated with the sample carrier. The first plate and/or the second plate includes a groove (40) circumscribing the first and/or second aperture. The scanning electron microscope may include a detector (8) movable relative to the electron beam. The scanning electron microscope may include a motion control unit for moving a sample carrier along a collision free path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Phenom-World Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Karel Diederick Van Der Mast, Adrianus Franciscus Johannes Hammen, Wilhelmus Henrica Cornelis Theuws, Sander Richard Marie Stoks
  • Patent number: 10796881
    Abstract: A method for processing an object, with material being removed from the object, includes directing a particle beam on the object so that a location of incidence of the particle beam on the object carries out a movement along a principal scanning path and a movement along a sub-scanning direction oriented transverse to the principal scanning path. The movement of the location of incidence of the particle beam along the sub-scanning direction is controlled on the basis of a reference signal and a detection signal. The method also includes modulating the directing of the particle beam in accordance with the reference signal, and detecting secondary particles and producing the detection signal, which represents an intensity of the detected secondary particles. Controlling the movement of the location of incidence of the particle beam along the sub-scanning direction is implemented using the principle of homodyne detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventor: Heiko Stegmann
  • Patent number: 10790114
    Abstract: Objective lens alignment of a scanning electron microscope review tool with fewer image acquisitions can be obtained using the disclosed techniques and systems. Two different X-Y voltage pairs for the scanning electron microscope can be determined based on images. A second image based on the first X-Y voltage pair can be used to determine a second X-Y voltage pair. The X-Y voltage pairs can be applied at the Q4 lens or other optical components of the scanning electron microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Honjo, Christopher Sears, Hedong Yang, Thanh Ha, Jianwei Wang, Huina Xu
  • Patent number: 10777383
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for observing and aligning a beam of light in the sample chamber of a charged particle beam (CPB) system, such as an electron microscope or focused ion beam system. The method comprises providing an imaging aid inside the sample chamber with a calibration surface configured such that when illuminated by light, and simultaneously illuminated by a CPB, the intensity of the secondary radiation induced by the CPB is different in regions also illuminated by light relative to regions with lower light illumination levels, thereby providing an image of the light beam on the calibration surface. The image of the light beam may be used to align the light beam to the charged particle beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Cameron James Zachreson, Dolf Timmerman, Milos Toth, Jorge Filevich, Steven Randolph, Aurelien Philippe Jean Maclou Botman
  • Patent number: 10777379
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a holder includes a top member, a side member, and a bottom member. The top member has a hole for allowing transmission of a charged particle beam, and the sample is mountable in the hole. The bottom member is provided to overlap with the top member in a plan view. The side member is connected to a part of the top member and a part of the bottom member such that the top member and the bottom member are separated from each other in a cross-sectional view. An opening portion is a region surrounded by the top member, the side member, and the bottom member, and a scintillator is provided in the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kotaro Hosoya
  • Patent number: 10770264
    Abstract: An interference optical system unit includes at least one electromagnetic lens that forms an image of a charged particle beam, at least one charged particle beam biprism, and a support member for the electromagnetic lens and the charged particle beam biprism. The electromagnetic lens, the charged particle beam biprism, the support member, and a space to an image plane of the electromagnetic lens are integrally configured as one unit. The interference optical system unit is disposed to have an optical axis coaxialized with an optical axis of an imaging optical system of an upstream stage that is disposed on an upstream side of the unit in a flow direction of the charged particle beam. A focal length of the electromagnetic lens and a deflection angle of the charged particle beam given by the charged particle beam biprism are controlled to generate an interference fringe of the charged particle beam on the image plane of the electromagnetic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: RIKEN
    Inventors: Yoh Iwasaki, Ken Harada, Keiko Shimada
  • Patent number: 10763074
    Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an optical system that irradiates a sample mounted on a sample stage with a charged particle beam; at least one detector that detects a signal generated from the sample; an imaging device that acquires an observation image; a mechanism for changing observation positions in the sample which has at least one of a stage that moves the sample stage and a deflector that changes the charged particle beam's irradiation position; a display unit that displays an operation screen provided with an observation image displaying portion that displays the observation image and an observation position displaying portion that displays an observation position of the observation image; and a controller that controls display processing of the operation screen. The controller superimposes and displays on the observation position displaying portion a plurality of observation position images at different magnifications, based on the observation images' magnifications and coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Chiba, Yoshinobu Hoshino, Shigeru Kawamata
  • Patent number: 10763078
    Abstract: There is provided a charged particle beam device which includes a charged particle beam source, a charged particle beam optical system that irradiates a sample with a charged particle beam from the charged particle beam source, a detector that detects a secondary signal generated from the sample by irradiation with the charged particle beam, and an image processing unit that executes integration processing of image data obtained from the secondary signal and outputting an integrated image, and in which the image processing unit executes a normalization integration computation of outputting an integrated image in which a luminance value of the integrated image is always “1” in an integration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Kamio, Masashi Watanabe, Katsunori Hirano, Yoshinobu Hoshino, Shigeru Kawamata, Yuichi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10754138
    Abstract: Certain aspects pertain to multi-well systems, devices, and methods of Fourier ptychographic and fluorescence imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jinho Kim, Changhuei Yang
  • Patent number: 10746780
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a signal generator circuit, a test probe, a signal sensor circuit, and a defect detection circuit. The signal generator circuit is configured to generate an impulse test signal having an impulse waveform and adjust a bandwidth of the impulse test signal. The test probe is electrically coupled to the signal generator circuit and configured to apply the impulse test signal to a device under test (DUT). The signal sensor circuit is configured to sense a conducted test signal produced by applying the impulse test signal to the DUT with the test probe. The defect detection circuit is configured to generate an indication of a defect in the DUT using the conducted test signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mayue Xie, Simranjit S. Khalsa, Hemachandar Tanukonda Devarajulu, Deepak Goyal, Zhiguo Qian
  • Patent number: 10748741
    Abstract: An X-ray analyzer includes: an X-ray detector that detects an X-ray emitted from a specimen and outputs a signal having a step that has a height corresponding to energy of the X-ray; a pulse generation circuit that converts the signal output from the X-ray detector into a first pulse signal; a pulse-width setting circuit that sets a pulse width; a pulse-width conversion circuit that converts a pulse width of the first pulse signal into the pulse width set by the pulse-width setting circuit to form a second pulse signal; a pulse-height discriminator that discriminates the second pulse signal according to a pulse height of the second pulse signal; a counting circuit that calculates a counting rate of the discriminated second pulse signal; and a counting-loss correction processing unit that corrects the counting rate. The counting-loss correction processing unit corrects the counting rate based on the pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunori Tsukamoto