Electron-Optical Stack Aperture Pairing for Beam Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electron-optical stacks and devices suffer from manufacturing imperfections that reduce their performance, leading to defects in semiconductor IC chips due to optical effects and incidental particles, affecting yield and throughput in the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
An electron-optical stack is designed with a plurality of plates having aligned channels with differently shaped apertures on adjacent major surfaces, forming matching aperture pairs along the beam path to enhance beam control and alignment, improving the electron-optical performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional electron-optical stacks are manufactured using conventional processes, then manufacturing is simpler and faster, but manufacturing imperfections occur that reduce performance and create defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining aperture shapes on both major surfaces of each plate before assembly. The apertures are designed with specific shapes (e.g., circular, rectangular, triangular, polygonal) that match between corresponding plates, ensuring consistent beam control without requiring complex adjustments during manufacturing or operation. This pre-planning of aperture geometries resolves the contradiction by establishing precision upfront while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by allowing different aperture shapes at different locations within the electron-optical stack. Each plate can have apertures with shapes tailored to specific beam control requirements at that location. This enables optimized local beam manipulation while maintaining overall system performance, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and precision by allowing localized customization without complex global manufacturing processes.
2Reliability
If aperture shapes are made different between adjacent surfaces to correct manufacturing imperfections, then beam control improves, but alignment precision between plates becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally creating different aperture shapes on adjacent major surfaces of plates. Corresponding apertures on opposite surfaces of the same plate have different shapes (e.g., one circular, one rectangular), and these asymmetric shapes are designed to compensate for manufacturing imperfections and improve electron beam control. This asymmetric design resolves the contradiction by improving reliability through deliberate shape variation while maintaining manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of manufacturing imperfections into a benefit by designing asymmetric aperture shapes that deliberately account for and compensate for these imperfections. The different aperture shapes on adjacent surfaces are specifically configured to correct for expected manufacturing variations, transforming what would normally be detrimental deviations into advantageous corrections that improve overall electron-optical performance and alignment tolerance.
3Manufacturing precision
If matching aperture pairs are implemented across multiple plates, then beam path control improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the electron-optical system into multiple discrete plates, each with its own set of apertures defined on both major surfaces. Each plate can be independently manufactured with matching aperture pairs, and then assembled into the complete stack. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by improving beam path alignment through modular matching aperture pairs while managing device complexity through independent, standardized plate units that can be manufactured and assembled separately.
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 enhances the performance of electron-optical stacks and devices, enabling high-throughput defect detection and identification of micro and nano-scale defects in IC chips, thereby improving yield and reducing the need for operator intervention.
Implementation Method 1
electron-optical stack for manipulating one or more charged particle beams... the plates define a set of channels configured to be aligned along a beam path of a charged particle beam to allow the charged particle beam to pass through the plates via the channels
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an electron-optical stack for manipulating one or more charged particle beams and associated apparatus and methods. In one arrangement, a plurality of electron-optical plates have major surfaces on opposite sides of the plates. The plates define a set of channels configured to be aligned along a beam path of a charged particle beam to allow the charged particle beam to pass through the plates via the channels. Each channel defines apertures in the two major surfaces of the plate that defines the channel. The apertures have different shapes from each other. The plates are oriented such that the apertures comprise one or more matching aperture pairs along the beam path. The or each matching aperture pair consists of apertures having the same shape defined in adjacent major surfaces of adjacent plates.