# US 12,505,974 B2 · Systems and methods for focusing charged—particle beams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,505,974 B2 - Document ID: US12505974B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/418,741 - Filed: 2019-12-19 - Published: 2022-03-03 - Granted: 2025-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-28 - Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V. - Applicants: ASML Netherlands B.V. - Inventors: Ying Luo; Zhonghua Dong; Xuehui Yin; Long Di; Nianpei Deng; Wei Fang; Lingling Pu; Ruochong Fei; Bohang Zhu; Yu Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12505974B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/1471: {for centering, aligning or positioning of ray or beam} - H01J 37/20: Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support - H01J 37/21: Means for adjusting the focus - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H01J 2237/0216: Means for avoiding or correcting vibration effects - H01J 2237/202: Movement - H01J 2237/20285: computer-controlled - H01J 2237/20292: Means for position and/or orientation registration - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract Systems and methods for irradiating a sample with a charged-particle beam are disclosed. The charged-particle beam system may comprise a stage configured to hold a sample and is movable in at least one of X-Y-Z axes. The charged-particle beam system may further comprise a position sensing system to determine a lateral and vertical displacement of the stage, and a beam deflection controller configured to apply a first signal to deflect a primary charged-particle beam incident on the sample to at least partly compensate for the lateral displacement, and to apply a second signal to adjust a focus of the deflected charged-particle beam incident on the sample to at least partly compensate for the vertical displacement of the stage. The first and second signals may comprise an electrical signal having a high bandwidth in a range of 10 kHz to 50 kHz, and 50 kHz to 200 kHz, respectively. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charged-particle beam system comprising: a stage configured to hold a sample and is movable in at least one of X-Y and Z axes; a position sensing system configured to determine a lateral and vertical displacement of the stage; and a controller configured to: apply a first signal to deflect a primary charged-particle beam incident on the sample to at least partly compensate for the lateral displacement of the stage; and apply a second signal to adjust a focus of a deflected charged-particle beam incident on the sample to at least partly compensate for the vertical displacement of the stage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal comprises an electrical signal affecting how the primary charged-particle beam is deflected in the at least one of X-Y axes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the electrical signal comprises a signal having a bandwidth in a range of 10 kHz to 50 kHz. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lateral displacement corresponds to a difference between a current position of the stage and a target position of the stage in the at least one of X-Y axes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to dynamically adjust at least one of the first signal or the second signal during scanning of the primary charged-particle beam on the sample. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal comprises a voltage signal applied to the stage, affecting how the deflected charged-particle beam incident on the sample is focused in the Z-axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the voltage signal comprises a signal having a bandwidth in a range of 50 kHz to 200 kHz. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vertical displacement corresponds to a difference between a current position of the stage and a target position of the stage in the Z-axis, and wherein the vertical displacement varies during scanning of the primary charged-particle beam on the sample to at least partly compensate for an angular rotation about at least one of X or Y axes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a stage motion controller, wherein the stage motion controller comprises a plurality of motors configured to be independently controlled by a third signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of motors are independently controlled to adjust a leveling of the stage, such that the stage is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the primary charged-particle beam. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the third signal comprises a plurality of control signals, each of the plurality of control signals corresponding to at least one of the plurality of motors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of motors comprises at least one of a piezoelectric motor, piezoelectric actuator, or an ultrasonic piezomotor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising: a first component configured to form an embedded control signal based on the plurality of control signals; and a second component configured to extract at least one of the plurality of control signals from the embedded control signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein adjusting the leveling of the stage is based on a geometric model of an actuation output of the stage. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that is executable by one or more processors of an apparatus to cause the apparatus to perform a method, wherein the apparatus includes a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and the method comprising: determining a lateral displacement of a stage, wherein the stage is movable in at least one of X-Y axes; and instructing a controller to apply a first signal to deflect the primary charged-particle beam incident on a sample on the stage to at least partly compensate for the lateral displacement. ### Claim 16 A charged-particle beam system comprising: a stage configured to hold a sample and is movable in at least one of X-Y and Z axes; a position sensing system configured to determine a lateral and vertical displacement of the stage; a controller configured to: apply a first signal to deflect a primary charged-particle beam incident on the sample to at least partly compensate for the lateral displacement of the stage; and apply a second signal to adjust a focus of a deflected charged-particle beam incident on the sample to at least partly compensate for the vertical displacement of the stage; a stage motion controller comprising a plurality of motors configured to be independently controlled by a plurality of control signals; a first component configured to form an embedded control signal based on the plurality of control signals; and a second component configured to extract at least one of the plurality of control signals from the embedded control signal.