Aperture Body Angled Surface for Charged Particle Beam Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor IC manufacturing, pattern defects on substrates or masks due to optical effects and incidental particles reduce yield, and existing inspection tools face challenges in high-throughput detection and identification of micro and nano-scale defects.
Innovation Solution
An aperture body for a flood column is designed with an angled up-beam and down-beam facing surface, combined with a blanking electrode, to deflect charged particles and prevent them from passing through certain openings, enhancing defect detection sensitivity and throughput by controlling the charged particle beam effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a flood column is used to provide a large amount of charged particles to quickly charge a predefined area, then the charging speed and throughput are improved, but the heat load on the aperture body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture body is divided into multiple cooling channels that segment the heat dissipation path, allowing efficient heat removal from different regions of the aperture body simultaneously, thus managing heat load during high-speed charging operations
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling medium (intermediary substance) is introduced as a mediator between the aperture body and the heat generated by charged particles, absorbing heat from the aperture body and transporting it away, thus managing thermal load during high-productivity flooding operations
2Productivity
If the aperture opening is made larger to allow more charged particles through, then the throughput is improved, but the Coulomb interactions between particles increase
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture body features a specific geometric configuration with optimized opening size and shape that allows sufficient particle throughput while maintaining local particle density control, thus reducing harmful Coulomb interactions while preserving productivity
3Reliability
If the aperture body is made more robust to withstand heat loads, then the reliability is improved, but the thermal conditioning efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture body incorporates segmented cooling channels that divide the thermal management system into multiple efficient pathways, allowing robust heat load handling while maintaining effective thermal conditioning through optimized heat transfer surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture body geometry is optimized with specific dimensional parameters that balance mechanical robustness for heat load withstand capability while maintaining efficient thermal conditioning through optimized heat transfer characteristics
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution improves defect detection sensitivity and throughput by effectively managing the charged particle beam, reducing heat loads and Coulomb interactions, and allowing for efficient thermal conditioning, thereby enhancing the overall yield and efficiency in semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
the up-beam facing surface is configured to deflect at least some of the charged particles in the beam path onto a surface of the chamber portion
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an aperture body for passing a portion of a charged particle beam propagating along a beam path comprising an axis, the aperture body comprising: an up-beam facing surface; a chamber portion comprising an up-beam end, a down-beam end and an up-beam plate, wherein the up-beam plate extends radially inwards from the up-beam end and the up-beam plate is configured to define an entrance opening around the beam path; wherein: the up-beam facing surface extends radially inwards from the down-beam end; the up-beam facing surface comprises an aperture portion that is configured to define an opening around the beam path; and the opening defined by the aperture portion is smaller than the entrance opening.