US 12,609,264 B2 · Apparatus using enhanced deflectors to manipulate charged particle beams

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first charged particle beam manipulator positioned in a first layer configured to influence a charged particle beam and a second charged particle beam manipulator positioned in a second layer configured to influence the charged particle beam. The first and second charged particle beam manipulators may each include a plurality of electrodes having a first set of opposing electrodes and a second set of opposing electrodes. A first driver system electrically connected to the first set may be configured to provide a plurality of discrete output states to the first set. A second driver system electrically connected to the second set may be configured to provide a plurality of discrete output states to the second set. The first and second charged-particle beam manipulators may each comprise a plurality of segments; and a controller having circuitry configured to individually control operation of each of the plurality of segments.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a first charged particle beam manipulator positioned at a first layer and configured to influence a charged particle beam directed toward a sample;
and
a second charged particle beam manipulator positioned at a second layer and configured to influence the charged particle beam, wherein the first and second charged particle beam manipulators each comprise:
a plurality of electrodes having a first set of opposing electrodes and a second set of opposing electrodes;
a first driver system electrically connected to the first set of opposing electrodes and configured to provide a plurality of first discrete output states to the first set of opposing electrodes;
and
a second driver system electrically connected to the second set of opposing electrodes and configured to provide a plurality of second discrete output states to the second set of opposing electrodes,
wherein each of the first and the second driver system comprises a power supply and corresponding one or more switches.

5 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium including a set of instructions that is executable by one or more processors of a controller to cause the controller to perform a method for deflecting a charged particle beam to scan a sample, the method comprising:

instructing a first driver system, connected to a first set of opposing electrodes, to control a first set of discrete output states to cause the first set of opposing electrodes of a first charged particle beam manipulator to influence a charged particle beam directed toward a sample;
and
instructing a second driver system, connected to a second set of opposing electrodes, to control a second set of discrete output states to cause the second set of opposing electrodes of the first charged particle beam manipulator to influence the charged particle beam,
wherein the first driver system, the first set of opposing electrodes, the second driver system and the second set of opposing electrodes are implemented in a first layer, and
wherein each of the first and the second driver system comprises a power supply and corresponding one or more switches.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus using enhanced deflectors to manipulate charged particle beams

Life of this patent

Apparatus using enhanced deflectors to manipulate charged particle beams

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20