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Particle beam focusing

A particle beam and sample technology, applied in the field of focused particle beam, which can solve problems such as difficulty in automation

Pending Publication Date: 2022-01-25
FEI CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

These techniques are subjective, difficult to automate, and rely on the presence of discernible edge features oriented in two or more directions on the sample surface

Method used

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  • Particle beam focusing
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  • Particle beam focusing

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

no. 1 example

[0065] First instance device

[0066] figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a first example device 100 suitable for practicing some examples of the disclosed techniques. Apparatus 100 may be an analytical instrument for studying a sample 130 and its accompanying features or devices.

[0067] Particle beam source 110 may generate beam 115 directed at the surface of sample 130 mounted on stage 120 . Sample 130 is generally not part of device 100 and is therefore shown by a dashed outline. However, apparatus 100 may include a load lock or other fixture or handling device (not shown) to facilitate handling of sample 130 or to control the environment in which sample 130 is studied.

[0068] Particle beam source 110 may have one or more controls, such as a working distance control or a stigmator control, which may be operated by beam control module 160 of computer 150 . These controls may individually or collectively shape the emitted particle beam 115 . Computer 150 may execute i...

no. 2 example

[0072] Second instance device

[0073] figure 2 is a diagram showing a second example device 200 . Under the control of computer 250 , particle beam source 210 may generate beam 215 directed at the surface of sample 230 (not part of the apparatus) mounted on stage 220 . Reflected current 235 may be collected by Faraday cup 260 or another detector, measured by ammeter 270 , and recorded by computer 250 . Reflected currents may include secondary emission or backscattered particles.

[0074] Through beam steering module 260 , computer 250 may operate working distance control or stigmator control of particle beam source 210 and may analyze reflected current readings received from ammeter 270 . In an example, control of beam 215 may be performed in conjunction with current measurements of beam 215 relative to sample 230, sweeping or stage 220 according to a program executing on computer 250 or in response to instructions from a remote supervisory computer (not shown). translat...

no. 1 example approach

[0086] Figure 4 is a flowchart 400 of a first example method. In this method, a working distance scan is used to focus the beam on the particle surface.

[0087] At process block 410, a particle beam may be directed onto a sample surface. The particle beam may be similar to beam 115 or 215 emitted by a beam source similar to source 110 or 210 . At process block 420, the working distance of the particle beam may be scanned while measuring the energy or current resulting from the incidence of the particle beam on the sample. Spatially unresolved measurements of energy or current can be made at each of multiple settings of working distance. In some examples, the working distance can be scanned by changing the working distance control and changing the drive current to the focus coil.

[0088] Based on one or more magnitudes of energy or current, the particle beam may be focused on the sample surface at process block 430 . The magnitude may be an extremum of the profile of th...

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PUM

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Abstract

Disclosed herein are a device and a method for particle beam focusing, which are suitable for sample preparation or test environments. The device includes a SEM-based nanoprobe platform. When a particle beam is incident on a sample surface, a stage current acts as an indicator of spot size. A beam waist at the sample surface is set using a control value having a maximum (or minimum) stage current by scanning or searching for settings of working distance control. Alternatively, a minimum value (or maximum value) of the reflected current may be used. Anastigmator control may be similarly adjusted to reduce astigmatism. Scanning of control settings may be performed concurrently with sweeping the beam over a region of interest on the sample. A curved sweep pattern may be used. Energy measurements may be used as an alternative to current measurements. Applications of nanoprobe workflows are disclosed herein.

Description

technical field [0001] The present disclosure relates to focusing particle beams, and applications including configurations of analytical devices. Background technique [0002] Imaging and nanoprobing applications using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in the semiconductor industry require a well-focused beam at the sample surface. Traditional focusing techniques rely on observation of the image by a trained operator. These techniques are subjective, difficult to automate, and rely on the presence of discernible edge features oriented in two or more directions on the sample surface. Such features may not always exist. Accordingly, improved techniques are needed to provide automatic focusing of SEM or other particle beams. Contents of the invention [0003] Briefly, the disclosed technique provides focusing based on measuring the absorbed or secondary current from a sample receiving a particle beam. The working distance or stigmator beam steering may be scanned or sea...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): H01J37/21G01R19/00
CPCH01J37/21G01R19/0061H01J2237/216H01J2237/24535H01J37/147H01J37/20H01J37/244H01J37/222H01J37/153H01J37/28H01J2237/24564H01J2237/24578
Inventor H·C·弗罗尔斯卡B·蒂利
Owner FEI CO