Multi-aperture Charged Particle System for Throughput-Resolution Trade-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for high-resolution inspection and manufacturing of microstructures requires advanced charged particle systems that can efficiently handle and deflect multiple charged particle beamlets, while maintaining high throughput and resolution, especially as critical dimensions decrease and complexity increases.
Innovation Solution
A charged particle inspection method and system that utilize two modes of operation to direct different numbers of primary charged particle beamlets onto an object surface, generating secondary beamlets for detection, allowing for the examination of surface phenomena and enabling better resolution by minimizing Coulomb interactions through selective switching of electrical or magnetic fields and aperture configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a multitude of charged particle beamlets are used for inspection, then throughput is improved, but resolution deteriorates due to increased Coulomb interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the inspection process into two distinct modes: a first mode using a multitude of charged particle beamlets for high-throughput inspection, and a second mode using a single or few beamlets for high-resolution reference inspection. This segmentation allows the system to optimize for either throughput or resolution depending on the operational mode, resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between two operational modes based on inspection requirements. The controller can transition from the first mode (multiple beamlets, high throughput) to the second mode (single/few beamlets, high resolution) and vice versa, allowing adaptive optimization of both throughput and resolution throughout the inspection process.
2Measurement precision
If a single charged particle beamlet is used for inspection, then resolution is improved by minimizing Coulomb interactions, but throughput deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection process is segmented into two modes: using a single or few beamlets for high-resolution reference inspection, and using a multitude of beamlets for high-throughput inspection. This segmentation enables the system to achieve both high resolution and high throughput by appropriately assigning tasks to each mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of active beamlets based on inspection requirements, switching between single-beamlet mode for reference data acquisition and multi-beamlet mode for production inspection, thereby optimizing both resolution and throughput at different stages.
3Productivity
If two modes of operation are implemented to switch between single and multiple beamlets, then both resolution and throughput requirements are met, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charged particle system is designed with multi-functionality, capable of operating in two distinct modes using the same hardware infrastructure. The system can perform both high-resolution inspection (single beamlet mode) and high-throughput inspection (multi-beamlet mode) without requiring separate dedicated systems, thereby managing complexity while achieving multiple objectives.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic mode switching capability that allows transition between single-beamlet and multi-beamlet operations using a unified hardware platform. This dynamic adaptability enables the system to meet both resolution and throughput requirements without duplicating entire subsystems, thus controlling overall device complexity.
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
This approach enables the examination of microstructure processes with improved resolution and throughput by adjusting the number of charged particle beamlets and their deflection, providing useful information for new applications and reducing beamlet blurring, thus enhancing the development and testing of charged particle inspection methods.
Implementation Method 1
the single charged particle beamlets experiences less Coulomb interaction than a charged particle beamlet amidst a plurality of charged particle beamlets and is thus less blurred
Implementation Method 2
selective switching of electrical or magnetic fields
Implementation Method 3
selective switching of electrical or magnetic fields
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a charged particle system comprising: a charged particle source; a first multi aperture plate; a second multi aperture plate disposed downstream of the first multi aperture plate, the second multi aperture plate; a controller configured to selectively apply at least first and second voltage differences between the first and second multi aperture plates; wherein the charged particle source and the first and second multi aperture plates are arranged such that each of a plurality of charged particle beamlets traverses an aperture pair, said aperture pair comprising one aperture of the first multi aperture plate and one aperture of the second multi aperture plate, wherein plural aperture pairs are arranged such that a center of the aperture of the first multi aperture plate is, when seen in a direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multi aperture plate, displaced relative to a center of the aperture of the second multi aperture plate. The invention further pertains to a particle-optical component configured to change a divergence of a set of charged particle beamlets and a charged particle inspection method comprising inspection of an object using different numbers of charged particle beamlets.