Rotatable Sample Jig for Curtaining-Free Ion Beam Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Curtaining occurs during microfabrication of samples with charged particle beam devices, particularly when different structures are processed at varying rates, leading to uneven ion beam incidence and structure overlap.
Innovation Solution
A jig with a support portion, sample fixing portion, and stopper is designed to easily adjust the emission position of a charged particle beam relative to the sample. The sample fixing portion is rotatable and includes a mechanism to adjust the angle of the sample with respect to the ion beam, preventing curtaining by ensuring uniform ion beam incidence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the ion beam incidence direction overlaps with structure boundaries or patterns in the sample, then processing efficiency is improved, but curtaining occurs leading to degraded manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The jig enables dynamic adjustment of the sample's inclination angle relative to the ion beam incidence direction. By making the sample orientation adjustable rather than fixed, the system can optimize the angle to prevent structure boundary overlap during processing, thereby eliminating curtaining effects while maintaining processing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of sample orientation by providing an adjustable inclination mechanism. This parameter change allows the sample to be positioned at optimal angles that prevent the ion beam from aligning with structure boundaries or periodic patterns, thus preventing curtaining while preserving processing productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different structures in the sample are processed, then sample complexity is increased, but processing uniformity deteriorates due to varying processing rates
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable inclination mechanism allows dynamic adaptation of the sample orientation to accommodate different structure types within the sample. By adjusting the angle, the system can ensure uniform ion beam incidence across diverse structures, maintaining processing uniformity even when handling complex multi-structure samples.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality adjustment by enabling different inclination angles for different processing regions or structures within the sample. This allows optimization of the ion beam incidence angle for each specific structure type, ensuring uniform processing rates across diverse sample features.
3Device complexity
If the sample angle is fixed, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inability to adjust for different structures
Solution Approach 1:
The jig incorporates a rotatable sample fixing portion with an adjustable inclination mechanism, transforming the fixed sample holder into a dynamic, adjustable one. This addition enables operators to easily modify the sample angle for different structures while maintaining reasonable device complexity through a straightforward rotational mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A jig includes a support portion, a sample fixing portion, and a stopper. The support portion includes a wall portion extending in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The sample fixing portion is rotatable, and has a sample holding surface configured to allow a sample to be placed thereon and a sample holding mechanism. The stopper is provided on an upper surface of the wall portion and movable to a position where the sample fixing portion can come into contact therewith when the sample fixing portion is rotated.