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US 12,494,339 B2Granted
High resolution, multi-electron beam apparatus
AssigneeKLA Corporation
InventorXinrong Jiang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For an electron beam system, a Wien filter is in the path of the electron beam between a transfer lens and a stage. The system includes a ground electrode between the Wien filter and the stage, a charge control plate between the ground electrode and the stage, and an acceleration electrode between the ground electrode and the charge control plate. The system can be magnetic or electrostatic.
Claims13
A system comprising:
- a transfer lens disposed in a path of an electron beam downstream of an intermediate image plane;
- a stage disposed in the path of the electron beam, wherein the stage is configured to hold a wafer;
- a Wien filter disposed in the path of the electron beam between the transfer lens and the stage;
- a ground electrode disposed in the path of the electron beam between the Wien filter and the stage;
- a charge control plate disposed in the path of the electron beam between the ground electrode and the stage;
- an acceleration electrode disposed in the path of the electron beam between the ground electrode and the charge control plate;
- an objective lens disposed in the path of the electron beam downstream of the transfer lens, wherein the objective lens includes an upper pole piece more proximate the transfer lens and a lower pole piece more proximate the stage, wherein the upper pole piece defines a first aperture that the electron beam is directed through, and wherein the second pole piece defines a second aperture that the electron beam is directed through, wherein the charge control plate is disposed in the second aperture, and wherein the ground electrode is disposed in the first aperture;
- and
- wherein the electron beam is configured to be directed through a crossover with a second electron beam, and wherein the crossover occurs at the acceleration electrode using the transfer lens.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating an electron beam;
- directing the electron beam through a transfer lens positioned downstream of an intermediate image plane;
- directing the electron beam through a Wien filter positioned downstream of the transfer lens;
- directing the electron beam through an objective lens positioned downstream of the transfer lens, wherein the objective lens includes an upper pole piece more proximate the transfer lens and a lower pole piece more proximate the stage, wherein the upper pole piece defines a first aperture that the electron beam is directed through, and wherein the second pole piece defines a second aperture that the electron beam is directed through;
- directing the electron beam through a ground electrode positioned downstream of the Wien filter;
- directing the electron beam through an acceleration electrode disposed downstream of the ground electrode, wherein the electron beam is directed through a crossover with a second electron beam, and wherein the crossover occurs at the acceleration electrode using the transfer lens;
- directing the electron beam through a charge control plate positioned downstream of the acceleration electrode;
- and
- directing the electron beam at a wafer on a stage positioned downstream of the charge control plate.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.