# US 10,768,126 B2 · Multiple charged particle beam inspection apparatus and multiple charged particle beam inspection method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,126 B2 - Document ID: US10768126B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/419,598 - Filed: 2019-05-22 - Published: 2019-11-28 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-22 - Assignees: NuFlare Technology, Inc. - Applicants: NuFlare Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Riki Ogawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768126B2 ## CPC - G01N 23/2251: using incident electron beams, e.g. scanning electron microscopy [SEM] - G01N 23/04: and forming images of the material - H01J 37/141: Electromagnetic lenses - H01J 37/1474: {Scanning means} - H01J 37/22: Optical {, image processing} or photographic arrangements associated with the tube - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - G01N 2223/3301: beam is modified for scan, e.g. moving collimator - G01N 2223/6116: semiconductor wafer - H01J 2237/2817: Pattern inspection - H01J 2237/2826: Calibration - H01J 2237/31798: detecting pattern defects - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A multi-charged particle beam inspection apparatus includes a movable stage to place thereon an inspection substrate where plural dies each with the same pattern are arranged in a predetermined direction, a pitch acquisition circuit to acquire an arrangement pitch of plural dies, a magnification control circuit to control, when imaging the inspection substrate with multi-charged particle beams while continuously moving the stage, magnification of the multi-charged particle beams to be a controlled magnification such that the arrangement pitch of the plural dies becomes a natural number (2 or greater) multiple of an imaging region cycle in the predetermined direction of plural imaging regions to be individually imaged by each beam at each arrangement position of the multi-charged particle beams, and an acquisition mechanism to acquire inspection images of the plural dies on the inspection substrate, using the multi-charged particle beams whose magnification has been controlled to be the controlled magnification. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multiple charged particle beam inspection apparatus comprising: a stage configured to be movable and place thereon an inspection substrate where a plurality of dies on each of which a same pattern has been formed are arranged in a predetermined direction; a die pitch acquisition circuit configured to acquire an arrangement pitch of the plurality of dies; a magnification control circuit configured to control, in a case of imaging the inspection substrate by using multiple charged particle beams while continuously moving the stage, magnification of the multiple charged particle beams to be a controlled magnification such that the arrangement pitch of the plurality of dies becomes a natural number (2 or greater) multiple of an imaging region cycle in the predetermined direction of a plurality of imaging regions to be individually imaged by each beam at each arrangement position of the multiple charged particle beams; an inspection image acquisition mechanism configured to acquire inspection images of the plurality of dies arranged on the inspection substrate, using the multiple charged particle beams whose magnification has been controlled to be the controlled magnification; and a comparison circuit configured to compare the inspection images of the plurality of dies. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a magnification correction coefficient k for acquiring the controlled magnification is defined by an equation of k=Pd·M/(n·N·Pb) using an arrangement pitch Pd of the plurality of dies, an arrangement number N in the predetermined direction of the multiple charged particle beams, a reference arrangement pitch Pb in the predetermined direction of the multiple charged particle beams on the inspection substrate, a division number M (M being an integer of 2 or greater) used for dividing the reference arrangement pitch Pb, and a natural number n. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection image acquisition mechanism includes an electromagnetic lens for refracting the multiple charged particle beams in order to adjust to the controlled magnification. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection image acquisition mechanism includes an individual deflector array for individually deflecting the each beam of the multiple charged particle beams to a position corresponding to the controlled magnification. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multiple charged particle beams are N×N′ charged particle beams arranged two-dimensionally in the predetermined direction and in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, and a plurality of small regions each having a size in the direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction longer than a size in the predetermined direction are individually irradiated with corresponding charged particle beams of the multiple charged particle beams. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a value obtained by dividing a reference arrangement pitch Pb in the predetermined direction of the multiple charged particle beams on the inspection substrate by a number M (M being an integer of 2 or greater) is used as the size in the predetermined direction, and a value of the reference arrangement pitch Pb is used as the size in the direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a stage control circuit configured to control movement of the stage such that the stage moves by N/M·Pb by continuous movement while a plurality of small regions, each of which is surrounded by a size of a value obtained by dividing the reference arrangement pitch Pb in the predetermined direction by the division number M and a size of a value of the reference arrangement pitch Pb in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, are irradiated with corresponding charged particle beams of the multiple charged particle beams. ### Claim 8 A multiple charged particle beam inspection method comprising: acquiring an arrangement pitch of a plurality of dies, on each of which a same pattern has been formed, arranged in a predetermined direction on an inspection substrate; controlling, in a case of imaging the inspection substrate by using multiple charged particle beams while continuously moving a stage, magnification of the multiple charged particle beams to be a controlled magnification such that the arrangement pitch of the plurality of dies becomes a natural number (2 or greater) multiple of an imaging region cycle in the predetermined direction of a plurality of imaging regions to be individually imaged by each beam at each arrangement position of the multiple charged particle beams; acquiring inspection images of the plurality of dies arranged on the inspection substrate, using the multiple charged particle beams whose magnification has been controlled to be the controlled magnification; and comparing the inspection images of the plurality of dies to output a comparison result. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the controlling the magnification includes using a magnification correction coefficient k defined by an equation of k=Pd·M/(n·N·Pb) using an arrangement pitch Pd of the plurality of dies, an arrangement number N in the predetermined direction of the multiple charged particle beams, a reference arrangement pitch Pb in the predetermined direction of the multiple charged particle beams on the inspection substrate, a division number M (M being an integer of 2 or greater) used for dividing the reference arrangement pitch Pb, and a natural number n. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising: controlling movement of the stage such that the stage moves by N/M·Pb by continuous movement while a plurality of small regions, each of which is surrounded by a size of a value obtained by dividing the reference arrangement pitch Pb in the predetermined direction by the division number M and a size of a value of the reference arrangement pitch Pb in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, are irradiated with corresponding charged particle beams of the multiple charged particle beams.