With Target Means Patents (Class 250/398)
  • Patent number: 12243714
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an multi-array lens configured in use to focus a plurality of beamlets of charged particles along a multi-beam path, wherein each lens in the array comprises: an entrance electrode; a focusing electrode and a support. The focusing electrode is down beam of the entrance electrode along a beamlet path and is configured to be at a potential different from the entrance electrode. The support is configured to support the focusing electrode relative to the entrance electrode. The focusing electrode and support are configured so that in operation the lens generates a rotationally symmetrical field around the beamlet path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Laura Del Tin, Almut Johanna Stegemann, German Aksenov, Diego Martinez Negrete Gasque, Pieter Lucas Brandt
  • Patent number: 12243730
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a slit diaphragm, a slit diaphragm system comprising at least two slit diaphragms arranged adjacent to each other and to a coating module and coating facility comprising a slit diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventor: Peter Weipert
  • Patent number: 12230469
    Abstract: Disclosed among other aspects is a charged particle inspection system including a phaseplate configured and arranged to modify the local phase of charged particles in a beam to reduce the effects of lens aberrations. The phaseplate is made up of an array of apertures with the voltage and/or a degree of obscuration of the apertures being controlled individually or in groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Albertus Victor Gerardus Mangnus, Maikel Robert Goosen
  • Patent number: 12217929
    Abstract: A method of reducing aberration comprises separating charged particles of a beam based on energy of the charged particles to form beamlets, each of the beamlets configured to include charged particles at a central energy level; and deflecting the beamlets so that beamlets having different central energy levels are deflected differently. An aberration corrector comprises a dispersive element configured to cause constituent parts of a beam (e.g. a charged particle beam) to spread apart based on energy; an aperture array configured to form beamlets from the spread apart beam; and a deflector array configured to deflect the beamlets differently based on central energy levels of particles that form the beamlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Yan Ren
  • Patent number: 12194317
    Abstract: There is provided a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus that performs irradiation of a charged particle beam, the apparatus including: an accelerator that accelerates a charged particle to generate the charged particle beam; an irradiator that includes a gantry rotatable around a rotation axis, and performs irradiation of the charged particle beam generated by the accelerator; and a transporter that includes an energy degrader provided outside the irradiator to reduce an energy of the charged particle beam generated by the accelerator, and transports the charged particle beam, which is generated by the accelerator, to the irradiator. The transporter transports the charged particle beam to the irradiator while maintaining an energy distribution of the charged particle beam that is reduced in energy by the energy degrader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenzo Sasai
  • Patent number: 12165838
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscopy system may include an electron-optical sub-system and a controller. The electron-optical sub-system may include an electron source and an electron-optical column configured to direct an electron beam to a sample. The electron-optical column may include a double-lens assembly, a beam limiting aperture disposed between a first and second lens of the double-lens assembly, and a detector assembly configured to detect electrons scattered from the sample. In embodiments, the controller of the scanning electron microscopy system may be configured to: cause the electron-optical sub-system to form a flooding electron beam and perform flooding scans of the sample with the flooding electron beam; cause the electron-optical sub-system to form an imaging electron beam and perform imaging scans of the sample with the imaging electron beam; receive images acquired by the detector assembly during the imaging scans; and determine characteristics of the sample based on the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Xinrong Jiang, Christopher Sears
  • Patent number: 12154753
    Abstract: An ion source capable of extracting a ribbon ion beam with improved uniformity is disclosed. One of the walls of the ion source has a protrusion on its interior surface facing the chamber. The protrusion creates a loss area that serves as a sink for free electrons and ions. This causes a reduction in plasma density near the protrusion, and may improve the uniformity of the ribbon ion beam that is extracted from the ion source by modifying the beam current near the protrusion. The shape of the protrusion may be modified to achieve the desired uniformity. The protrusion may also be utilized with a cylindrical ion source. In certain embodiments, the protrusion is created by a plurality of mechanically adjustable protrusion elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay T. Scheuer, Graham Wright, Peter F. Kurunczi, Alexandre Likhanskii
  • Patent number: 12140717
    Abstract: A neutron beam detecting device according to the invention includes: a first solar cell-type detector that is provided with, on a surface thereof, a conversion film for converting neutrons into photons or any charged particle beam among alpha particles, protons, lithium nuclei, gamma rays or beta rays, and generates a current in response to incident radiation; a radiation detector that generates a current insensitive to neutrons as an output signal in response to the radiation incident; a current measuring device that detects, as signals, the current generated by the first solar cell-type detector and the current generated by the radiation detector in response to the incident radiation; and a flux calculating unit that compares the current signals from the detectors which are detected by the current measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Mitsuru Imaizumi, Yasuki Okuno
  • Patent number: 12125671
    Abstract: A multi-source illumination apparatus for illuminating a sample with charged particles, wherein beams, from a plurality of sources, are arranged such that a beam from at least one source intersects, at a plane of a condenser lens, with at least part of one other beam from a different one of the plurality of sources. The condenser lens is configured to separately collimate the received beams from each source. A manipulator array arrangement is configured to manipulate the collimated beams to generate one or more beams, in a single column, that include charged particles from the plurality of sources. The manipulator array arrangement includes a multi-beam generator configured to receive the plurality of substantially parallel substantially collimated beams generated by the deflector array, and generate a multibeam in dependence on the received plurality of substantially parallel substantially collimated beams, wherein the multi-beam includes a plurality of substantially collimated sub-beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Stijn Wilem Herman Karel Steenbrink, Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland, Albertus Victor Gerardus Mangnus
  • Patent number: 12125665
    Abstract: A plasma flood gun includes a filament to emit first electrons based on a first filament current induced in the filament to heat the filament to a first temperature at a first time. The first electrons interact with an inert gas in an arc plasma chamber to generate a first plasma. A filament resistance meter measures a first filament resistance of the filament, in-situ, during generation of the first plasma. A filament current source adjusts, based on the first filament resistance, the first filament current induced in the filament at the first time to a second filament current induced in the filament at a second time to generate a second plasma in the arc plasma chamber at the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kai-Yun Yang, Chen Chi Wu, Ching I Li, Min-Chang Ching, Hung-Ta Huang
  • Patent number: 12090344
    Abstract: A radiation delivery system includes a chair on which the patient may be seated during treatment and a modulating assembly (10) for use in radiotherapy comprises a modulator wheel (15), said modulator wheel being shaped as a rim defining the circumference of a circle or an elliptic shape, and having varying thickness around the circumference, said modulator wheel (15) being arranged in such a way that a beam traveling from a radiation source (13) to a patient will intersect the rim of the modulator wheel, said wheel being arranged to rotate in such a way that the beam will intersect the rim in varying positions around the circumference. The wheel will modulate the energy of the beams passing through material having varying thickness as the modulator wheel rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Inventor: Erik Traneus
  • Patent number: 12038858
    Abstract: A processor package module comprises a substrate, one or more compute die mounted to the substrate, and one or more photonic die mounted to the substrate. The photonic die have N optical I/O links to transmit and receive optical I/O signals using a plurality of virtual optical channels, the N optical I/O links corresponding to different types of I/O interfaces excluding power and ground I/O. The substrate is mounted into a socket that support the power and ground I/O and electrical connections between the one or more compute die and the one or more photonic die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Anshuman Thakur, Dheeraj Subareddy, Md Altaf Hossain, Ankireddy Nalamalpu, Mahesh Kumashikar, Sandeep Sane
  • Patent number: 11988960
    Abstract: Organometallic solutions have been found to provide high resolution radiation based patterning using thin coatings. The patterning can involve irradiation of the coated surface with a selected pattern and developing the pattern with a developing agent to form the developed image. The patternable coatings may be susceptible to positive-tone patterning or negative-tone patterning based on the use of an organic developing agent or an aqueous acid or base developing agent. The radiation sensitive coatings can comprise a metal oxo/hydroxo network with organic ligands. A precursor solution can comprise an organic liquid and metal polynuclear oxo-hydroxo cations with organic ligands having metal carbon bonds and/or metal carboxylate bonds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Inpria Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen T. Meyers, Douglas A. Keszler, Kai Jiang, Jeremy T. Anderson, Andrew Grenville
  • Patent number: 11953428
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for improving the precision of a test result from an instrument with an optical system that detects a signal. The method comprises including in the instrument a normalization target disposed directly or indirectly in the optical path of the optical system. Also disclosed are instruments comprising a normalization target, and systems comprising such an instrument and a test device that receives a sample suspected of containing an analyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Quidel Corporation
    Inventors: David Dickson Booker, Jhobe Steadman
  • Patent number: 11915906
    Abstract: A method of scanning a wafer includes placing the wafer over a substrate holder inside a processing chamber, where the wafer is placed at a first twist angle relative to a reference axis of a rotatable feedthrough of the processing chamber. The method further includes performing a first pass scan by exposing the wafer to an ion beam while driving two rotary drives disposed in a scanning chamber synchronously to generate a planar motion of the wafer from a rotational motion of the two rotary drives, where the wafer is oriented continuously at the first twist angle when performing the first pass scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TEL Manufacturing and Engineering of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Gwinn, Paul Consoli, Jerry Negrotti
  • Patent number: 11915904
    Abstract: Systems for reducing the generation of thermal magnetic field noise in optical elements of microscope systems, are disclosed. Example microscopy optical elements having reduced Johnson noise generation according to the present disclosure comprises an inner core composed of an electrically isolating material, and an outer coating composed of an electrically conductive material. The product of the thickness of the outer coating and the electrical conductivity is less than 0.01??1. The outer coating causes a reduction in Johnson noise generated by the optical element of greater than 2×, 3×, or an order of magnitude or greater. In a specific example embodiment, the optical element is a corrector system having reduced Johnson noise generation. Such a corrector system comprises an outer magnetic multipole, and an inner electrostatic multipole. The inner electrostatic multipole comprises an inner core composed of an electrically isolating material and an outer coating composed of an electrically conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: FEI COMPANY
    Inventors: Alexander Henstra, Pleun Dona
  • Patent number: 11901156
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi-charged-particle-beam writing method includes performing a tracking operation such that, while a substrate placed on a stage moving continuously is being irradiated with multiple beams including a plurality of charged particle beams, deflection positions of the multiple beams follow movement of the stage, and applying the multiple beams to the substrate having a writing area including a plurality of rectangular regions arranged in a mesh during the tracking operation such that each of the plurality of rectangular regions is irradiated with the multiple beams. Each rectangular region includes a plurality of pixels each having a predetermined size and arranged in a mesh. At least one subset of the plurality of pixels is irradiated with the multiple beams in a first shot order and is then irradiated with the multiple beams in a second shot order different from the first shot order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Ueba, Satoru Hirose, Shunsuke Isaji, Rieko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11894216
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of preparing a focused ion beam (FIB) sample and analyzing the sample in an electron microscope system. The method can include forming, over a substrate, a target film having a thickness of less than a threshold corresponding to a limit for FIB requirements, and forming a supporting film over the target film. The method can also include obtaining a FIB sample that includes a portion of the target film and a portion of the supporting film and. The method can further include analyzing the obtained portion of the target film in an electron microscope system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jing Liu
  • Patent number: 11835438
    Abstract: An automatic sample preparation apparatus that automatically prepares a sample piece from a sample and includes a focused ion beam irradiation optical system, an electron beam irradiation optical system configured to irradiate an electron beam from a direction different from a direction of the focused ion beam, a sample piece transfer device configured to hold and transfer the sample piece separated and extracted from the sample, a detector configured to detect secondary charged particles emitted from an irradiation object, and a computer configured to recognize a position of the sample piece transfer device by image-recognition using an image data of the focused ion beam and the electron beam generated by irradiating the sample piece transfer device with the focused ion beam and the electron beam, and drive the sample piece transfer device, wherein the image data includes a reference mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Uemoto, Tatsuya Asahata, Makoto Sato, Yo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11810749
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a charged particle beam system comprising a deflection subsystem configured to deflect a charged particle beam in a deflection direction based on a sum of analog signals generated by separate digital to analog conversion of a first digital signal and a second digital signal. The present invention further relates to a method of configuring the charged particle beam system so that each of a plurality of regions of interest can be scanned by varying only the first digital signal while the second digital signal is held constant at a value associated with the respective region of interest. The present invention further relates to a method of recording a plurality of images of the regions of interest at the premise of reduced interference due to charge accumulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Eugen Foca, Amir Avishai, Thomas Korb, Daniel Fischer
  • Patent number: 11804357
    Abstract: An electron optical module for providing an off-axial electron beam with a tunable coma, according to the present disclosure includes a structure positioned downstream of an electron source and an electron lens assembly positioned between the structure and the electron source. The structure generates a decelerating electric field, and is positioned to prevent the passage of electrons along the optical axis of the electron lens assembly. The electron optical module further includes a micro-lens that is not positioned on the optical axis of the electron lens assembly and is configured to apply a lensing effect to an off-axial election beam. Aberrations applied to the off-axial electron beam by the micro-lens and the electron lens assembly combine so that a coma of the off-axial beam has a desired value in a downstream plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Ali Mohammadi-Gheidari, Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer, Alexander Henstra, Tomas Radlicka
  • Patent number: 11764028
    Abstract: A charged particle beam device is provided in which axis adjustment as a superimposing lens is facilitated by aligning an axis of an electrostatic lens resulting from a deceleration electric field with an axis of a magnetic field lens. The charged particle beam device includes: an electron source; an objective lens that focuses a probe electron beam from the electron source on a sample; a first beam tube and a second beam tube through each of which the probe electron beam passes; a deceleration electrode arranged between the first beam tube and a sample; a first voltage source that forms a deceleration electric field for the probe electron beam between the first beam tube and the deceleration electrode by applying a first potential to the first beam tube; and a first moving mechanism that moves a position of the first beam tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Yuta Imai, Masahiro Sasajima, Yoshihiro Takahoko
  • Patent number: 11742105
    Abstract: A scanning magnet that deflects a charged particle beam has a winding U provided with grooves SL1 and SL4 provided at facing positions. A passing direction of a conductive wire forming the winding U passes through the groove SL1 in a ?-axis positive direction, and passes through the groove SL4 in a ?-axis negative direction. The winding U has a loop path SL1-SL4 in which the groove SL1 is directed to the ?-axis positive direction, and the groove SL4 is directed to the ?-axis negative direction. When a current flows in the ?-axis positive direction in a winding section U+ disposed in the groove SL1, a current flows in the ?-axis negative direction in a winding section U? disposed in the groove SL4. A yoke, the winding U, a winding V, and a winding W have a 120° rotationally symmetric structure with respect to a central axis of the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamada, Takuya Nomura, Seiji Soeda
  • Patent number: 11709132
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for forming an image of an object which involves focusing partially to fully spatially-coherent radiation onto a sample and collecting the resulting scattered radiation (the “standard data set”) on an array detector. In addition to the standard dataset, an additional measurement or plurality of measurements is made of a relatively-unscattered beam, using the array detector, which comprises the “modulus enforced probe (MEP) dataset”. This MEP dataset serves as an extra constraint, called the MEP constraint, in the phase retrieval algorithm used to reconstruct the image of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
    Inventors: Michael Tanksalvala, Daniel E. Adams, Dennis Gardner, Christina L. Porter, Giulia F. Mancini, Margaret M. Murnane, Henry C. Kapteyn
  • Patent number: 11705301
    Abstract: It is provided a charged particle beam manipulation device for a plurality of charged particle beamlets, the charged particle beam manipulation device including a lens having a main optical axis, the lens including at least a first array of multipoles, each multipole of the first array of multipoles configured to compensate for a lens deflection force on a respective charged particle beamlet of the plurality of charged particle beamlets, the lens deflection force being a deflection force produced by the lens on the respective charged particle beamlet towards the main optical axis of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbH
    Inventor: Benjamin John Cook
  • Patent number: 11694872
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes loading the substrate on a substrate holder. The substrate includes a major surface and a feature disposed over the major surface. The feature has a first width along an etch direction. The method includes exposing portions of the major surface and changing the first width of the feature to a second width along the etch direction by etching a first portion of the sidewalls of the feature with a gas cluster ion beam oriented along a beam direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TEL Manufacturing and Engineering of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuya Dobashi, Hiromitsu Kambara, Masaru Nishino, Reo Kosaka, Matthew Gwinn, Luis Fernandez, Kenichi Oyama, Sakurako Natori, Noriaki Okabe
  • Patent number: 11646213
    Abstract: A system and method for etching workpieces in a uniform manner are disclosed. The system includes a semiconductor processing system that generates a ribbon ion beam, and a workpiece holder that scans the workpiece through the ribbon ion beam. The workpiece holder includes a plurality of independently controlled thermal zones so that the temperature of different regions of the workpiece may be separately controlled. In certain embodiments, etch rate uniformity may be a function of distance from the center of the workpiece, also referred to as radial non-uniformity. Further, when the workpiece is scanned, there may also be etch rate uniformity issues in the translated direction, referred to as linear non-uniformity. The present workpiece holder comprises a plurality of independently controlled thermal zones to compensate for both radial and linear etch rate non-uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Anglin, Simon Ruffell
  • Patent number: 11646239
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a registration mark includes a first step portion and a second step portion. The first step portion includes a plurality of first steps which descend step by step in a first direction from a surface of a substrate or a layer formed on the substrate. The second step portion includes a plurality of second steps which descend step by step from the surface in a second direction different from the first direction and have the same number as the number of the plurality of first steps, is spaced apart from the first step portion, and is disposed rotationally symmetrically to the first step portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Sho Kawadahara
  • Patent number: 11635695
    Abstract: A method includes forming a resist pattern, the resist pattern having trenches oriented lengthwise along a first direction and separated by resist walls along both the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The method further includes loading the resist pattern into an ion implanter so that a top surface of the resist pattern faces an ion travel direction, and tilting the resist pattern so that the ion travel direction forms a tilt angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to the top surface of the resist pattern. The method further includes rotating the resist pattern around the axis to a first position; implanting ions into the resist walls with the resist pattern at the first position; rotating the resist pattern around the axis by 180 degrees to a second position; and implanting ions into the resist walls with the resist pattern at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jing-Huei Huang, Ya-Wen Chiu, Lun-Kuang Tan
  • Patent number: 11587760
    Abstract: A scanning system includes a scanning chamber; a first rotary drive disposed in the scanning chamber and configured to rotate around a first axis; a second rotary drive disposed in the scanning chamber and configured to rotate around the first axis synchronously with the first rotary drive; and a bar-and-hinge system disposed in the scanning chamber and mechanically coupled to a substrate holder, the hinge system configured to translate a rotary motion of the first rotary drive and the second rotary drive to a planar motion of the substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TEL Manufacturing and Engineering of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Gwinn, Paul Consoli, Jerry Negrotti
  • Patent number: 11508591
    Abstract: An electron source emits an electron beam. The electron beam is received by a beam limiting assembly. The beam limiting assembly has a first beam limiting aperture with a first diameter and a second beam limiting aperture with a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The first beam limiting aperture receives the electron beam. This beam limiting assembly reduces the influence of Coulomb interactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Xinrong Jiang, Christopher Sears, Nikolai Chubun, Luca Grella
  • Patent number: 11450506
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes loading the substrate on a substrate holder. The substrate includes a major surface and a feature disposed over the major surface. The feature has a first width along an etch direction. The method includes exposing portions of the major surface and changing the first width of the feature to a second width along the etch direction by etching a first portion of the sidewalls of the feature with a gas cluster ion beam oriented along a beam direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: TEL MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kazuya Dobashi, Hiromitsu Kambara, Masaru Nishino, Reo Kosaka, Matthew Gwinn, Luis Fernandez, Kenichi Oyama, Sakurako Natori, Noriaki Okabe
  • Patent number: 11430630
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a composite charged particle beam apparatus capable of suppressing a leakage magnetic field from a pole piece forming an objective lens of an SEM with a simple structure. The charged particle beam apparatus according to the present invention obtains an ion beam observation image while passing a current to a first coil constituting the objective lens, and performs an operation of reducing the image shift by passing a current to a second coil with a plurality of current values, and determines a current to be passed to the second coil based on a difference between the operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Hirano, Tsunenori Nomaguchi, Chisato Kamiya, Junichi Katane
  • Patent number: 11387072
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device using a detector that detects electromagnetic waves, in which a circumstance in a sample chamber can be checked, and a sample is observed with the detector at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Usui, Tatsuya Hirato, Hiroyuki Chiba, Yuki Suda
  • Patent number: 11303074
    Abstract: An enclosure comprising a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the housing having a first connector receptacle at the first end, the housing having a surface defining a robot-engaging mechanism, a hook extending from the second end of the housing, and a securement mechanism at the second end of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Nathanael Arling Worden, Samuel Gardner Garrett
  • Patent number: 11282674
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a charged particle beam writing method is for writing a pattern in a writing area on a substrate by irradiating a charged particle beam onto the substrate while moving the substrate to write stripes sequentially, each of the stripes having a width W and shapes obtained by dividing the writing area by the width W. The method includes performing S times (S is an integer greater than or equal to two) strokes, each of the strokes which is a process writing the stripes in a multiplicity of 2n (n is an integer greater than or equal to one) while shifting a reference point of each of the stripes in the width direction by a preset stripe shift amount and changing a moving direction of the substrate for each of the stripes, and writing while the reference point of the stripes in the each of the strokes in the width direction of the stripes is shifted by a preset stroke shift amount in each of the strokes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideki Matsui
  • Patent number: 11275001
    Abstract: An on-axis, angled, rotator device is disclosed. The rotator device may include a container containing a slot for receiving a sample. An angle of the slot may be configured to be between 0 and 180 degrees relative to a perpendicular irradiation plane of a radiation device. The rotator device may include a cup positioned within an opening of the container. Additionally, the rotator device may include a driveshaft configured to transmit torque to cause the cup to be rotated when the cup is positioned within the opening. When the sample resides within the slot and the driveshaft transmits the torque to the cup, the cup may cause the sample to rotate about a center axis of the sample. The angle of the slot containing the sample and the rotation of the sample about the center axis may facilitate uniform radiation exposure to the sample when the radiation device emits radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Rad Source Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin M. Czerniawski, Peter M. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11239054
    Abstract: A multi-beam particle beam system includes a multi-aperture plate having a multiplicity of apertures. During operation, one particle beam of the plurality of particle beams passes through each of the apertures. A multiplicity of electrodes are insulated from the second multi-aperture plate to influence the particle beam passing through the aperture. A voltage supply system for the electrodes includes: a signal a generator to generate a serial sequence of digital signals; a D/A converter to convert the digital signals into a sequence of voltages between an output of the D/A converter and the multi-aperture plate; and a controllable changeover system, which feeds the sequence of voltages successively to different electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MultiSEM GmbH
    Inventors: Yanko Sarov, Jan Horn, Ulrich Bihr, Christof Riedesel, Erik Essers
  • Patent number: 11191876
    Abstract: A coating for a medical device or appliance may include a fluoropolymer and a polyimide. Such coatings may provide a lubricious exterior surface that facilitates insertion or displacement of a medical device in a body lumen. Some coatings that include a fluoropolymer and a polyimide may, among other functions and characteristics, provide increased strength and/or durability relative to some other coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William Paul McKee, Albert Hillen, Peter van der Wal
  • Patent number: 11166472
    Abstract: A devices (10) and method for pasteurizing and/or sterilizing particulate material. The device contain at least one electron source (20) for generating an electron beam and a treatment zone (19) in which the material is pasteurized and/or sterilized by the electron beam. The device (10) comprises a vibration surface (11) which vibrates to convey and individualize the material. The first vibration surface (11) has a plurality of grooves (12) into which the material is conveyed and individualized. The device (10) has a material channel (21) in which the material is pasteurized and/or sterilized by the electron beam in the region of the treatment zone (19). The device (10) has at least one auxiliary channel (22) through which a fluid flows, between the electron source (20) and the material channel (21), and is separated from the material channel (21). A cartridge (24) for pasteurizing and/or sterilizing particulate material is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: BÜHLER AG
    Inventors: Nicolas Meneses, Martin Hersche, Alasdair Currie, Niklaus Schönenberger, Thomas Scheiwiller
  • Patent number: 11145485
    Abstract: A multiple electron beam irradiation apparatus includes a shaping aperture array substrate to form multiple primary electron beams, a plurality of electrode array substrates stacked each to dispose thereon a plurality of electrodes each arranged at a passage position of each of the multiple primary electron beams, each of the multiple primary electron beams surrounded by an electrode of the plurality of electrodes when each of the multiple primary electron beams passes through the passage position, the first wiring and the second wiring applied with one of different electric potentials, and a stage to mount thereon a target object to be irradiated with the multiple primary electron beams having passed through the plurality of electrode array substrates, wherein, in each of the plurality of electrode array substrates, each of the plurality of electrodes is electrically connected to either one of the first wiring and the second wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: NuFlare Technology, Inc., NuFlare Technology America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Inoue, Atsushi Ando, Munehiro Ogasawara, John Hartley
  • Patent number: 11145486
    Abstract: A beam profile determination method and ion implantation apparatus implanting the same is provided. The method includes measuring a beam profile of an ion beam in a direction orthogonal to a scanning direction of a substrate and a traveling direction of the ion beam; computing, based on the measured beam profile, a uniformity of a dose distribution of a part of the ion beam with which a surface of the substrate is irradiated when the substrate is scanned; and comparing the computed uniformity of the dose distribution with a first reference value to determine an adequacy of the beam profile of the ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: NISSIN ION EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Inouchi
  • Patent number: 11127563
    Abstract: A method for scanning a sample by a charged particle beam tool is provided. The method includes providing the sample having a scanning area including a plurality of unit areas, scanning a unit area of the plurality of unit areas, blanking a next unit area of the plurality of unit areas adjacent to the scanned unit area, and performing the scanning and the blanking the plurality of unit areas until all of the unit areas are scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Adam Lyons, Thomas I. Wallow
  • Patent number: 11054751
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to measure a target (e.g., an alignment mark (e.g., on a substrate)) is disclosed. Relative movement between the target and a measurement spot of a measurement system in a “fly-in” direction (e.g., movement of the target towards the measurement spot) is performed so that a first measurement for the target can be made. Thereafter, relative movement between the target and the measurement spot is made in an opposite “fly-in” direction so that a second measurement for the target can be made. By combining (e.g., averaging) these two measurements, an error is cancelled out, and higher accuracy in the measurement may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Hong Ye, Gerrit Johannes Nijmeijer
  • Patent number: 11045664
    Abstract: A ridge filter 100 provided in a particle therapy system includes a repeating structure body 101 having a plurality of extending parts 101c extending along the incident direction P of a proton beam 204, and a bottom plate 102 provided on the lower face 101b side opposite to the incident side of the proton beam 204 of the repeating structure body 101. In addition, the repeating structure body 101 and the bottom plate 102 are integrally formed by a molding method, and each of the repeating structure body 101 and the bottom plate 102 is formed of a laminate of resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Arai, Hiroaki Furuichi, Jun-ichi Hirai, Osamu Chiba, Tomoki Murata
  • Patent number: 11017978
    Abstract: An ion implanter having a beam park device on the way of a beamline through which an ion beam is transported toward a wafer is provided. The beam park device includes a pair of park electrodes which faces each other across the beamline, and a beam dump which is provided away from the beamline in a facing direction of the pair of park electrodes and on a downstream side of the pair of park electrodes in a beamline direction. At least one of the pair of park electrodes includes a plurality of electrode bodies which are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a predetermined direction perpendicular to both a direction in which the beamline extends and the facing direction, and each of the plurality of electrode bodies extends from an upstream side toward the downstream side in the beamline direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES ION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takanori Yagita
  • Patent number: 10960231
    Abstract: A radiation therapy system includes an accelerator and beam transport system that generates a beam of particles. The accelerator and beam transport system guides the beam on a path and into a nozzle that is operable for aiming the beam toward an object. The nozzle includes a scanning magnet operable for steering the beam toward different locations within the object, and also includes a beam energy adjuster configured to adjust the beam by, for example, placing different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam to affect the energies of the particles in the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley Mansfield
  • Patent number: 10912180
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an X-ray source apparatus and a control method of the X-ray source apparatus in which a cathode electrode and a gate electrode are arranged in an array form to enable matrix control, and, thus, it is possible to irradiate X-rays at an optimum dose for each position on the subject. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the irradiation of more X-rays than are needed to the subject. Also, it is possible to obtain a high-resolution and high-quality X-ray image. As such, two-dimensional matrix control makes it easy to control the dose of X-rays and makes it possible to uniformly irradiate X-rays to the subject. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a high-resolution surface X-ray source with less dependence on the size of the focus of electron beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Cheol Jin Lee, Sang Heon Lee, Jun Soo Han, Han Bin Go
  • Patent number: 10880982
    Abstract: A light generation system is provided. The light generation system includes a vaporization device, a laser device and a lens structure. The vaporization device is configured to vaporize a metal-nonmetal compound to generate a metal-nonmetal precursor gas. The laser device is configured to provide laser light, and irradiate the metal-nonmetal precursor gas released from the vaporization device with the laser light to emit a light signal. The lens structure is configured to direct the light signal toward a photomask used in a lithography process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Ching-Hsiang Hsu, Feng Yuan Hsu, Hsu-Kai Chang, Chi-Ming Yang
  • Patent number: RE49732
    Abstract: A multi-beamlet charged particle beamlet lithography system for transferring a pattern to a surface of a substrate. The system comprises a projection system (311) for projecting a plurality of charged particle beamlets (7) onto the surface of the substrate; a chuck (313) moveable with respect to the projection system; a beamlet measurement sensor (i.a. i.e., 505, 511) for determining one or more characteristics of one or more of the charged particle beamlets, the beamlet measurement sensor having a surface (501) for receiving one or more of the charged particle beamlets; and a position mark measurement system for measuring a position of a position mark (610, 620, 635), the position mark measurement system comprising an alignment sensor (361, 362). The chuck comprises a substrate support portion for supporting the substrate, a beamlet measurement sensor portion (460) for accommodating the surface of the beamlet measurement sensor, and a position mark portion (470) for accommodating the position mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Paul IJmert Scheffers, Jan Andries Meijer, Erwin Slot, Vincent Sylvester Kuiper, Niels Vergeer