Pattern Control Patents (Class 250/492.22)
  • Patent number: 12057290
    Abstract: A method includes operating a multiple particle beam system at different working points. The numerical aperture can be set for each of the working points in such a way that the resolution of the multiple particle beam system is optimal. In the process, the beam pitch between adjacent individual particle beams on the sample to be scanned is kept constant as a boundary condition. There are no mechanical reconfigurations of the system whatsoever for the purposes of varying the numerical aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MultiSEM GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Fritz, Ingo Mueller
  • Patent number: 11869746
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi-beam writing method is for irradiating each of pixels defined on a substrate, placed on a stage, with each beam of a multi-beam to form a pattern. The method includes obtaining a position correction amount of the pattern by each of a plurality of sub-arrays into which an array of the multi-beam is divided at least in a predetermined direction, based on the positional deviation amount of each beam of each of the sub-arrays, which obtained by dividing an array of the multi-beam at least in the predetermined direction, calculating an dose of the each beam irradiated to each pixel for shifting the position of the pattern drawn for each of the sub-arrays based on the position correction, and performing multi-writing using at least a portion of each two or more of the sub-arrays with the calculated dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsumoto, Yasuo Kato
  • Patent number: 11664191
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, an electron beam irradiation apparatus includes a photoelectric surface configured to receive irradiation of excitation light on a side of a front surface, and generate electron beams from a side of a back surface; a blanking aperture array mechanism provided with passage holes corresponding to the electron beams and configured to perform deflection control on each of the plurality of electron beams passing through the passage holes; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust at least one of an orbit of transmitted light that passes through at least one of arrangement objects including the photoelectric surface, the blanking aperture array mechanism, and the limit aperture substrate up to the stage and reaches the stage, among an irradiated excitation light, and an orbit of the electron beams, wherein the arrangement objects shield at least a part of the transmitted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Taku Yamada, Kota Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11531278
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems are provided. A EUV scanner is configured to perform a lithography exposure process in response to EUV radiation. A light source is configured to provide the EUV radiation to the EUV scanner. A measuring device is configured to measure concentration of debris caused by unstable target droplets in the chamber. A controller is configured to adjust a first gas flow rate and a second gas flow rate in response to the measured concentration of the debris and a control signal from the EUV scanner. A exhaust device is configured to extract the debris out of the chamber according to the first gas flow rate. A gas supply device is configured to provide a gas into the chamber according to the second gas flow rate. The control signal indicates the lithography exposure process is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chi Yang, Ssu-Yu Chen, Shang-Chieh Chien, Chieh Hsieh, Tzung-Chi Fu, Bo-Tsun Liu, Li-Jui Chen, Po-Chung Cheng
  • Patent number: 11430684
    Abstract: A measurement system used in a manufacturing line for micro-devices includes: a plurality of measurement devices in which each device performs measurement processing on a substrate; and a carrying system to perform delivery of a substrate with the plurality of measurement devices. The plurality of measurement devices includes a first measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate, and a second measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate. Position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate can be acquired under a setting of a first predetermined condition in the first measurement device, and position information on a plurality of marks formed on another substrate can be acquired under a setting of a second predetermined condition different from the first predetermined condition in the second measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Ichinose, Tomonori Dosho
  • Patent number: 11335532
    Abstract: As a device for correcting positive spherical aberration of an electromagnetic lens for a charged particle beam, a spherical aberration correction device combining a hole electrode and a ring electrode is known. In this spherical aberration correction device, when a voltage is applied between the hole electrode and the ring electrode, the focus of the charged particle beam device changes due to the convex lens effect generated in the hole electrode. Therefore, in a charged particle beam device including a charged particle beam source which generates a charged particle beam, a charged particle beam aperture having a ring shape, and a charged particle beam aperture power supply which applies a voltage to the charged particle beam aperture, the charged particle beam aperture power supply is configured to apply, to the charged particle beam aperture, a voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of charges of the charged particle beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation, Japan Fine Ceramics Center
    Inventors: Tsunenori Nomaguchi, Shunichi Motomura, Tadahiro Kawasaki, Takeharu Kato, Ryuji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11276546
    Abstract: A charged particle beam optical system is provided with a plurality of irradiation optical systems each of which irradiates an object W with a charged particle beam EB, the plurality of irradiation optical system includes a first irradiation optical system and a second irradiation optical system that generates a second magnetic field having a characteristics different from a characteristics of a first magnetic field generated by the first irradiation optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takehisa Yahiro
  • Patent number: 11270865
    Abstract: A multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a movable stage to mount a substrate thereon, a shot data generation circuit to generate shot data of each shot of multiple charged particle beams, a shift amount calculation circuit to calculate a shift amount for collectively correcting positions of all of the multiple charged particle beams of the k-th shot, based on parameters related to at least the (k+1)th and subsequent shots (k being a natural number) of the multiple charged particle beams, and a writing mechanism including a deflector for deflecting the multiple charged particle beams, and to perform the k-th shot onto the substrate with the multiple charged particle beams while shifting the all of the multiple charged particle beams of the k-th shot by collective deflection according to the shift amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11271026
    Abstract: Imaging devices and electronic apparatuses incorporating imaging devices or image pick-up elements are provided. An imaging device as disclosed can include a substrate, a first opto-electronic converter having a first area formed in the substrate, and a second opto-electronic converter having a second area formed in the substrate. The first area is larger than the second area. In addition, a light blocking wall can extend from a first surface of the substrate such that at least a portion of the light blocking wall is between the first opto-electronic converter and the second opto-electronic converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yanagita, Taichi Natori, Hirotsugu Takahashi, Shunsuke Maruyama, Yasushi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 11251012
    Abstract: Drift correction is performed with high accuracy while reducing the calculation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Taku Yamada
  • Patent number: 11244807
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a settling time determination method includes deflecting a charged particle beam by applying a voltage outputted from an amplifier to a first deflector while changing a deflection settling time, and writing an evaluation pattern, measuring a position of the evaluation pattern, and determining a position displacement amount of the measured position from a design position, performing fitting of the position displacement amount for the deflection settling time on a first output waveform of the amplifier, and determining a deflection settling time in which the position displacement amount is within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoo Motosugi
  • Patent number: 11211227
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam evaluation method includes writing a plurality of evaluation patterns on a substrate by using multi charged particle beams, with a design value of a line width changed by a predetermined change amount at a predetermined pitch, measuring the line widths of the plurality of evaluation patterns thus written, and extracting a variation in a specific period of a distribution of differences between results of a measurement value and the design value of each of the line widths of the plurality of evaluation patterns. The predetermined change amount is equal to or larger than data resolution and smaller than a size of each of pixels, each of which is a unit region to be irradiated with one of the multi charged particle beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Rieko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11195690
    Abstract: Even when the amount of overlay deviation between patterns located in different layers is large, correct measurement of the amount of overlay deviation is stably performed. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam irradiation unit that irradiates a sample with a charged particle beam, a first detection unit that detects secondary electrons from the sample, a second detection unit that detects backscattered electrons from the sample, and an image processing unit that generates a first image including an image of a first pattern located on the surface of the sample based on an output of the first detection unit, and generates a second image including an image of a second pattern located in a lower layer than the surface of the sample based on an output of the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventor: Takuma Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11181830
    Abstract: A Lithographic apparatus and method of controlling a lithographic process. A substrate is provided and a photosensitive layer is provided on a main surface of the substrate. The substrate includes a base section and a mesa section. In the base section the main surface is in a base plane. The mesa section protrudes from the base plane. A radiation beam scans the photosensitive layer. A local dose applied to a partial area of the photosensitive layer by the radiation beam includes a base dose component and a correction dose component. The correction dose component is a function of a distance between the partial area and a transition between the base section and the mesa section and at least partly compensates an effect of a defocus, which results from a height difference between the mesa section and the base section, on a critical dimension in the partial area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Qoniac GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Buhl, Philip Groeger, Wansoo Kim
  • Patent number: 11183364
    Abstract: Methods for using a dual beam microscope system to simultaneously process a sample and image the processed portions of the sample, according to the present disclosure include the initial steps of emitting a plurality of electrons toward the sample, splitting the plurality of electrons into two electron beams, and then modifying the focal properties of at least one of the electron beams such that the two electron beams have different focal planes. Once the two beams have different focal planes, the first electron beam is focused such that it acts as a STEM beam. The STEM beam is then used to process a region of the sample to induce a physical change (e.g., perform milling, deposition, charge adjustment, phase change, etc.). The second electron beam is focused to act as a TEM beam to perform imaging of the region of the sample being processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Yuchen Deng, Petrus Hubertus Franciscus Trompenaars, Bart Buijsse, Alexander Henstra
  • Patent number: 11139142
    Abstract: A plurality of energy filter values are obtained using a model that simulates potential distribution within a 3D feature when an electron beam of an SEM impinges on a selected area that includes the 3D feature. A correspondence is extracted between the plurality of energy filter values and respective depths of the 3D feature along a longitudinal direction by analyzing the simulated potential distribution. A plurality of SEM images of the 3D feature corresponding to the plurality of energy filter values are obtained. The plurality of SEM images are associated with their respective depths based on the extracted correspondence between the plurality of energy filter values and the respective depths. A composite 3D profile of the 3D feature is generated from the plurality of SEM images obtained from various depths of the 3D feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ofer Yuli, Samer Banna
  • Patent number: 11107718
    Abstract: A measurement system to be used in a manufacturing line for micro-devices is provided independently from an exposure apparatus. The measurement system has measurement devices that each performs measurement processing on substrates (e.g., substrates that have gone through at least one processing but before being coated with a sensitive agent), and a carrying system for performing delivery of substrates to/from the measurement devices. The measurement devices include a first measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate under a setting of a first condition, and a second measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on another substrate (e.g., another substrate included in the same lot as the substrate on which acquiring position information is performed under the setting of the first condition in the first measurement device) under a setting of a first condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Ichinose, Tomonori Dosho
  • Patent number: 11069552
    Abstract: A measurement system to be used in a manufacturing line for micro-devices is provided independently from an exposure apparatus. The measurement system has measurement devices that each performs measurement processing on substrates (e.g., substrates that have gone through at least one processing but before being coated with a sensitive agent), and a carrying system for performing delivery of substrates to/from the measurement devices. The measurement devices include a first measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate under a setting of a first condition, and a second measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on another substrate (e.g., another substrate included in the same lot as the substrate on which acquiring position information is performed under the setting of the first condition in the first measurement device) under a setting of a first condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Ichinose, Tomonori Dosho
  • Patent number: 11069523
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for material deposition onto a sample to form a protective layer composed of at least two materials that have been formulated and arranged according to the material properties of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Brian Roberts Routh, Jr., Thomas G. Miller, Chad Rue, Noel Thomas Franco
  • Patent number: 11004657
    Abstract: A multiple electron beam irradiation apparatus includes a first region setting circuit which sets a first frame region of a plurality of first frame regions which can be irradiated with remaining beams after excluding beams in one row and one column at end; a second region setting circuit which sets a second frame region of a plurality of second frame regions each having four corners equivalent to an irradiation position of the defective beam by using normal beams; and an electron beam irradiation mechanism which performs the first multiple electron beam irradiation processing for the each of the plurality of first frame regions of the target object by using the normal beams, and perform second multiple electron beam irradiation processing for each of the plurality of second frame regions by using at least beams at the four corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinji Sugihara, Riki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10984982
    Abstract: A charged particle beam optical apparatus has a plurality of irradiation optical systems each of which irradiates an object with a charged particle beam and a first control apparatus configured to control a second irradiation optical system on the basis of an operation state of a first irradiation optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nagasaka
  • Patent number: 10969696
    Abstract: Provided is an image exposure device capable of recording a favorable image and capable of decreasing the size of the device. An image exposure device (10) includes an image display device (12) having pixels (13), a photosensitive recording medium support portion (21) that supports a photosensitive recording medium (14) for recording an image of the image display device (12) in a state in which an exposure surface (14A) of the photosensitive recording medium (14) faces the image display device (12), and a transmitted light control portion (16) that is provided between the image display device (12) and the photosensitive recording medium support portion (21) and is formed by laminating three or more layers of transmission members (100) that have a plurality of openings (102) formed therein and transmit only light incident on the openings (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Usami, Shinichiro Sonoda, Hirotoshi Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 10963985
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses may provide for technology that determines a size of a meshlet and writes the meshlet to a full-sized buffer allocation if the size of the meshlet is greater than a partial-sized buffer allocation. The technology may also write the meshlet to the partial-sized buffer allocation if the size of the meshlet is not greater than the partial-sized buffer allocation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Doyle, Arthur Hunter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10955754
    Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is configured to move a substrate stage in a scanning direction during the exposure process. The apparatus includes a projection lens for imaging mask structures onto a substrate during the exposure process with a manipulation device configured to change an imaging scale of the projection lens in at least two directions independently from one another. The apparatus also includes a control apparatus configured to perform different corrections of the imaging scale by way of suitable control of the manipulation device in the scanning direction and transversely to the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Bertram Klein
  • Patent number: 10953441
    Abstract: The present invention provides a local clean microenvironment near optical surfaces of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) optical assembly maintained in a vacuum process chamber and configured for EUV lithography, metrology, or inspection. The system includes one or more EUV optical assemblies including at least one optical element with an optical surface, a supply of cleaning gas stored remotely from the one or more optical assemblies and a gas delivery unit comprising: a plenum chamber, one or more gas delivery lines connecting the supply of gas to the plenum chamber, one or more delivery nozzles configured to direct cleaning gas from the plenum chamber to a portion of the EUV assembly, and one or more collection nozzles for removing gas from the EUV optical assembly and the vacuum process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Gildardo Delgado, Francis Chilese, Rudy F. Garcia, Mohammed Tahmassebpur, Salam Harb
  • Patent number: 10937629
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a first storage storing writing data, a second storage storing correction data for correcting an error in a writing position due to factors including bending of the substrate, a cell data allocator virtually dividing a writing region of the substrate into blocks, and allocating a cell to the blocks in consideration of the correction data, a plurality of bitmap data generators virtually dividing the blocks into meshes, calculating an irradiation amount per mesh region, and generating bitmap data which assigns the irradiation amount to each mesh region, and a shot data generator generating shot data that defines an irradiation time for each beam. The cell data allocator virtually divides the writing region by division lines in a direction different from a writing forward direction to generate a plurality of division regions. The plurality of bitmap data generators generate pieces of bitmap data of the different division regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hironori Teguri, Jun Yashima, Yasuo Kato, Masafumi Ise
  • Patent number: 10935673
    Abstract: A radiation analysis system comprising a target comprising two marks which are separated from each other, the target being configured to undergo thermal expansion when illuminated with radiation; a position measurement system configured to measure a change in the separation of the marks; and a processor configured to determine a power of the radiation using the measured change in separation of the marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Marcus Adrianus Van De Kerkhof
  • Patent number: 10923313
    Abstract: The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle source and a beamlet-forming multiaperture plate. The device also includes a precompensator for reducing aberrations of the beamlets at a target, a scanner for scanning each of the beamlets, an objective lens for focusing each beamlet onto the target, and a controller configured to synchronize the precompensator and the scanner. The precompensator includes: at least one “radially variable” multiaperture electrode in which the diameter of each aperture thereof scales with the distance of the aperture from the optical axis, z; and at least one “cartesianally variable” multiaperture electrode in which the diameter of each aperture thereof scales with an x component of the position of the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbH
    Inventor: Benjamin John Cook
  • Patent number: 10923371
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and system for inspecting and treating a substrate. In one embodiment, a method is provided including transmitting a first plurality of beams from a diffractive beam splitter to a first surface of a substrate to generate a reflection of a second plurality of beams, wherein the first plurality of beams are spaced apart from each other upon arriving at the first surface of the substrate; receiving the second plurality of beams on a recording surface of an optical device, wherein the second plurality of beams are spaced apart from each other upon arriving at the recording surface; measuring positional information of the second plurality of beams on the recording surface; comparing the positional information of the second plurality of beams to positional information stored in a memory; and storing a result of the comparison in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Todd Egan, Samer Banna, Kyle Tantiwong
  • Patent number: 10916406
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a multiple charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a subtraction processing circuit configured to subtract a corresponding shared dose from a dose of each of peripheral beams of a defect beam where control of a dose of a beam is disabled and the dose to be irradiated is excessive among the multiple charged particle beams, such that the same dose as an excess dose by the defect beam is shared by the peripheral beams of the defect beam; and a writing mechanism including a stage mounting a target object and a deflector deflecting the multiple charged particle beams and configured to write a pattern on the target object, using the multiple charged particle beams of doses in which the same dose as the excess dose of the defect beam is shared and is subtracted from the doses of the peripheral beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10904419
    Abstract: An image magnification ratio indicating device of the invention includes a processor having hardware, and the processor is configured to: magnify, or not, an image at a predetermined magnification ratio and transmit the image; switch an image transmission destination; instruct change of an image as a transmission target, and change a first magnification ratio to a second magnification ratio according to the change of the image as the transmission target or the switching of the image transmission destination and indicate the magnification ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Kunishige, Masashi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10886103
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a data processing method is for processing data in a writing apparatus performing multiple writing by using multiple beams. The data is for controlling an irradiation amount for each beam. The method includes generating irradiation amount data for each of a plurality of layers, the irradiation amount data defining an irradiation amount for each of a plurality of irradiation position, and the plurality of layers corresponding to writing paths in multiple writing, performing a correction process on the irradiation amounts defined in the irradiation amount data provided for each layer, calculating a sum of the irradiation amounts for the respective irradiation positions defined in the corrected irradiation amount data, comparing the sums between the plurality of layers, and determining whether or not an error has occurred in the correction process based on the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kei Hasegawa, Yoshiaki Onimaru, Hayato Kimura
  • Patent number: 10886185
    Abstract: A stacked semiconductor arrangement is provided. The stacked semiconductor arrangement includes a dynamic pattern generator layer having an electrical component. The arrangement also includes a monitoring layer configured to evaluate electrical performance of the electrical component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Shao-Yu Li, Hao-chieh Chan
  • Patent number: 10884395
    Abstract: A method for exposing a pattern in an area on a surface using a charged particle beam lithography is disclosed and includes inputting an original set of exposure information for the area. A backscatter is calculated for the area of the pattern based on the exposure information. An artificial background dose is determined for the area. The artificial background dose comprises additional exposure information and is combined with the original set of exposure information creating a modified set of exposure information. A system for exposing a pattern in an area on a surface using a charged particle beam lithography is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: D2S, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Fujimura, Harold Robert Zable, Nagesh Shirali, William E. Guthrie, Ryan Pearman
  • Patent number: 10871416
    Abstract: A calibration work support device includes a calibration target setter configured to set a target value of a simulation signal that is input to a device in calibration of the device and an input order of the target value in the calibration, a simulation signal acquirer configured to acquire an input value based on the simulation signal input to the device, a graph generator configured to generate a graph indicating a transition of the target value set by the calibration target setter and the input value acquired by the simulation signal acquirer, and a data output unit configured to output the graph generated by the graph generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Yokota, Ryouhei Furihata
  • Patent number: 10867112
    Abstract: A method of making a mask includes computing a transmission cross coefficient (TCC) matrix for an optical system for performing a lithography process, wherein computing includes decomposing the transmission cross coefficient matrix into an ideal transmission cross coefficient (TCC) kernel set for a corresponding ideal optical system and at least one perturbation kernel set with coefficients corresponding to optical defects in the optical system, calibrating a lithography model by iteratively adjusting the lithography model based on a comparison between simulated wafer patterns and measured printed wafer patterns, and providing the calibrated lithography model, which includes an ideal TCC kernel set and the at least two perturbation kernels sets and a resist model, to a mask layout synthesis tool to obtain a synthesized mask layout corresponding to a target mask layout for manufacturing the mask using the synthesized mask layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsu-Ting Huang, Ru-Gun Liu, Shinn-Sheng Yu
  • Patent number: 10824077
    Abstract: An exposure device is provided, including: a body tube depressurized to produce a vacuum state therein; a plurality of charged particle beam sources that are provided in the body tube, and emit a plurality of charged particle beams in a direction of extension of the body tube; a plurality of electromagnetic optical elements, each being corresponding to one of the plurality of charged particle beams in the body tube, and controls the one of the plurality of charged particle beams; first and second partition walls that are arranged separately from each other in the direction of extension in the body tube, and form non-vacuum spaces between at least parts of the first and second partition walls; and a depressurization pump that depressurizes a non-vacuum space that contacts the first partition wall and a non-vacuum space that contacts the second partition wall to an air pressure between zero and atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youichi Shimizu, Hitoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10780613
    Abstract: The present invention relates firstly to a method for reproducing a stem cell niche of an organism. The invention further relates to a reproduction of a stem cell niche of an organism. According to the invention, an image of a tissue of an organism is generated, which tissue comprises at least one stem cell niche. The image is filtered in order to obtain a structural pattern of the imaged stem cell niche. In a further step, a lithographic mask is generated from the structural pattern. According to the invention, a starting material of a substrate is structured by means of indirect or direct application of the lithographic mask, whereby a structured substrate is obtained which represents the reproduction of the imaged stem cell niche of the organism. The reproduction can be characterised as biolithomorphic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignees: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET ILMENAU, UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM JENA
    Inventors: Andreas Schober, Joerg Hampl, Frank Weise, Justyna Borowiec, Uta Fernekorn, Michael Gebinoga, Sukhdeep Singh, Gregor Schlingloff, Sebastian Haefner, James Beck, Angelika Mueller, Astrid Voigt
  • Patent number: 10784073
    Abstract: A blanking deflector includes a first electrode being plate-like, a second electrode electrically separated from the first electrode, and arranged such that a first space is formed between the first and second electrodes, and a third electrode electrically separated from the first electrode, and arranged such that a second space, sufficiently wider than the first space, is formed between the first and third electrodes, wherein a transmission line, in which the second and third electrodes are electrically connected at, at least, input and output sides, is formed by the first, second, and third electrodes, multi-beams of a charged particle beam are made to pass through the second space between the first and third electrodes, and the multi-beams are deflected for blanking control by a voltage signal applied from the input side to between the first electrode, and a connected group of the second and third electrodes electrically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 10777441
    Abstract: A measurement system to be used in a manufacturing line for micro-devices is provided independently from an exposure apparatus. The measurement system has measurement devices that each performs measurement processing on substrates (e.g., substrates that have gone through at least one processing but before being coated with a sensitive agent), and a carrying system for performing delivery of substrates to/from the measurement devices. The measurement devices include a first measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate under a setting of a first condition, and a second measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on another substrate (e.g., another substrate included in the same lot as the substrate on which acquiring position information is performed under the setting of the first condition in the first measurement device) under a setting of a first condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Ichinose, Tomonori Dosho
  • Patent number: 10715351
    Abstract: The invention relates to network nodes comprising: a first computing unit (CPUa); at least one second computing unit (CPUb); an internal switch (Swi); and an external switch (Swe), wherein the internal switch (Swi) is connected to the first computing Nunit (CPUa), the at least second computing unit (CPUb) and to the external switch (Swe) and wherein the external switch (Swe) has at least one port for data originating from other network nodes. The invention also relates to a control module and an Ethernet ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andreas Zirkler
  • Patent number: 10685809
    Abstract: A charged particle beam lithography apparatus, includes a plurality of multiple-beam sets, each of which including a plurality of irradiation sources each generating an independent charged particle beam, a plurality of objective deflectors, each arranged for a corresponding charged particle beam, and configured to deflect the corresponding charged particle beam to a desired position on a substrate, and a plurality of electrostatic or electromagnetic lens fields each to focus the corresponding charged particle beam on the target object; a plurality of common deflection amplifiers, arranged for each multiple-beam set, and each of the plurality of common deflection amplifiers being configured to commonly control the plurality of objective deflectors arranged in a same multiple-beam set; a plurality of individual ON/OFF mechanisms configured to individually turn ON/OFF a beam irradiated from each irradiation source; and one or more multiple-beam clusters including the plurality of multiple-beam sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 10687410
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation source is provided, including a vessel, an optical collector, and a gas scrubber. The vessel has a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The optical collector is disposed within the vessel and configured to collect and reflect extreme ultraviolet light produced in the vessel. A cleaning gas is introduced into the vessel through the gas inlet to clean the surface of the optical collector. The gas scrubber is disposed within the vessel, arranged such that the cleaning gas leaves the vessel through the gas outlet after flowing through the gas scrubber. The gas scrubber has a number of gas passages to allow the cleaning gas to flow through, and the size of the gas passage close to the gas outlet is smaller than the size of the gas passage away from the gas outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi Yang, Sheng-Ta Lin, Shang-Chieh Chien, Li-Jui Chen, Po-Chung Cheng
  • Patent number: 10681795
    Abstract: A device and method are disclosed in which a source material delivery system can be reoriented so that the path of the source material is not directly towards an irradiation region in operating conditions in which the path is expected to be unpredictable. A shroud provided to protect the flow of source material from being disrupted is segmented so with one part of the shroud being movable with respect to another part of the shroud so that the movable part can avoid interfering with the path of the source material when it is not directly towards the irradiation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Igorevich Ershov, David Evans, Matthew Graham
  • Patent number: 10460071
    Abstract: In some embodiments, data is received defining a plurality of shot groups that will be delivered by a charged particle beam writer during an overall time period, where a first shot group will be delivered onto a first designated area at a first time period. A temperature of the first designated area at a different time period is determined. In some embodiments, the different time period is when secondary effects of exposure from a second shot group are received at the first designated area. In some embodiments, transient temperatures of a target designated area are determined at time periods when exposure from a shot group is received. An effective temperature of the target area is determined, using the transient temperatures and applying a compensation factor based on an amount of exposure received during that time period. A shot in the target shot group is modified based on the effective temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: D2S, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Fujimura, Harold Robert Zable, Ryan Pearman, William Guthrie
  • Patent number: 10453652
    Abstract: A multiple charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a distribution coefficient calculation circuitry to calculate, using defective beam information based on which a defective beam can be identified, for each design grid in a plurality of design grids being irradiation positions in design of multiple charged particle beams, a distribution coefficient for each of three or more beams, for distributing a dose to irradiate a design grid concerned in the plurality of design grids to the three or more beams, excluding the defective beam, whose actual irradiation positions are close to or approximately coincident with the design grid concerned, such that the position of the gravity center of each distributed dose coincides with the position of the design grid concerned and the sum of each distributed dose after distribution coincides with the dose to irradiate the design grid concerned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10401309
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method and apparatus for x-ray techniques using structured x-ray illumination for examining material properties of an object. In particular, an object with one or more regions of interest (ROIs) having a particular shape, size, and pattern may be illuminated with an x-ray beam whose cross sectional beam profile corresponds to the shape, size and pattern of the ROIs, so that the x-rays of the beam primarily interact only with the ROIs. This allows a greater x-ray flux to be used, enhancing the signal from the ROI itself, while reducing unwanted signals from regions not in the ROI, improving signal-to-noise ratios and/or measurement throughput. This may be used with a number of x-ray measurement techniques, including x-ray fluorescence (XRF), x-ray diffraction (XRD), small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (XAFS), x-ray near edge absorption spectroscopy, and x-ray emission spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sigray, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenbing Yun, Sylvia Jia Yun Lewis, Janos Kirz
  • Patent number: 10401745
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate W has a rectifying mechanism 3 that supplies a gas so as to traverse the optical axis of a projection optical system 1, in a space between the projection optical system 1 and the substrate W that face each other, the flow rectifying mechanism 3 supplies a gas so as to have a flow rate distribution in which a flow rate at a second position that is located farther from the projection optical system 1 than a first position is higher than a flow rate at the first position, and the rectifying mechanism 3 includes a first rectifying mechanism 302 that forms a flow rate distribution by dividing a flow path of the gas into a first flow path of a gas flowing to a first position and a second flow path of a gas flowing to a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hikaru Sugita, Masato Homma
  • Patent number: 10388488
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam drawing apparatus includes an emitter emitting a charged particle beam, a shaping aperture array in which a plurality of first openings are formed, and which receives irradiation of the charged particle beam in an area including the plurality of first openings, and forms a multi-beam by allowing part of the charged particle beam to pass through a corresponding one of the plurality of first openings, a blanking aperture array in which a plurality of second openings are formed, through each of which a beam is passed, corresponding to part of the multi-beam which has passed through the plurality of first openings, the plurality of second openings each including a blanker that performs blanking deflection of a beam, and a movement controller moving the shaping aperture array or the blanking aperture array, and adjusting space between the shaping aperture array and the blanking aperture array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Morita, Osamu Iizuka, Tsubasa Nanao
  • Patent number: 10325755
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a charged particle beam lithography apparatus includes an irradiator 201 to irradiate substrates with charged particle beams, each of the substrates being provided with a predetermined mark, and a detector 114 to detect charged particles emitted when the predetermined mark is scanned by a charged particle beam and output a detection signal. The apparatus further includes an amplifier 124 to adjust and amplify the detection signal and output an amplified signal, and a measurement circuitry 211 to measure a location of the predetermined mark based on the amplified signal. The apparatus further includes storage 128 to store initial gain values of the amplifier for amplifying the detection signal, the initial gain values corresponding to conditions of the scan. The amplifier amplifies the detection signal based on an initial gain value selected from the initial gain values according to a condition of the scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Seiji Wake