Electron gun and electron microscope
AssigneesKLA Corporation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
InventorsYung-Ho Alex Chuang, Yinying Xiao-Li, Edgardo García Berríos, John Fielden, Lavinia Ghirardini, Masayoshi Nagao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electron gun for an electron microscope or similar device includes a field emitter cathode having a field emitter protrusion extending from the output surface of a monocrystalline silicon substrate, and electrodes configured to enhance the emission of electrons from a tip portion of the field emitter protrusion to generate a primary electron beam. A contiguous TiN layer is disposed directly on at least the tip portion of the field emitter protrusion using a process that minimizes oxidation and defects in the TiN layer.
Claims18
An electron gun including a field emitter configured to generate a primary electron beam, wherein the field emitter comprises:
- a monocrystalline silicon substrate having opposing first and second surfaces and including at least one integral field emitter protrusion, the field emitter protrusion having a fixed portion integrally connected to the silicon substrate and extending from the second surface to a tip portion;
- and
- a titanium nitride (TiN) layer hermetically disposed at least on the tip portion of the field emitter protrusion such that, during operation, electrons leaving the monocrystalline silicon substrate through the tip portion to form the primary electron beam only pass through the TiN layer, wherein the TiN layer comprises at least 75 atomic percent TiN, and wherein a portion of the TiN layer located within a radius of 100 nm from the tip portion comprises less than 10 atomic percent carbon.
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) comprising:
- an electron gun including a field emitter configured to generate a primary electron beam;
- electron optics configured to de-magnify and focus the primary electron beam onto a sample;
- and
- a detector configured to detect at least one of back-scattered electrons and secondary electrons transmitted from the sample in response to the primary electron beam;
- wherein the field emitter comprises:
- a monocrystalline silicon substrate having opposing first and second surfaces and including at least one integral field emitter protrusion, the field emitter protrusion having a fixed portion integrally connected to the silicon substrate and extending from the second surface to a tip portion;
- and
- a titanium nitride (TiN) layer hermetically disposed at least on the tip portion the field emitter protrusion such that, during operation, electrons leaving the monocrystalline silicon substrate through the tip portion to form the primary electron beam only pass through the TiN layer, wherein the TiN layer comprises at least 75 atomic percent TiN, and wherein a portion of the TiN layer located within a radius of 100 nm from the tip portion comprises less than 10 atomic percent oxygen and less than 10 atomic percent carbon.
A device including an electron gun, the electron gun including a field emitter configured to generate a primary electron beam, wherein the field emitter comprises:
- a monocrystalline silicon substrate having opposing first and second surfaces and including at least one integral field emitter protrusion, the field emitter protrusion having a fixed portion integrally connected to the silicon substrate and extending from the second surface to a tip portion;
- and
- a titanium nitride (TiN) layer hermetically disposed at least on the tip portion the field emitter protrusion such that, during operation, electrons leaving the monocrystalline silicon substrate through the tip portion to form the primary electron beam only pass through the TiN layer, wherein the TiN layer comprises at least 75 atomic percent TiN, and wherein a portion of the TiN layer located within a radius of 100 nm from the tip portion comprises less than 10 atomic percent oxygen and less than 10 atomic percent carbon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.