Laser thermal epitaxy in a charged particle microscope
AssigneeFEI Company
InventorsRudolf Geurink, Hugo Cornelis Van Leeuwen, Gerard Nicolass Anne Van Veen, Pleun Dona, Stephan Kujawa, Maarten Bischoff
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a charged particle microscope in which in-situ thermal laser epitaxy can be performed and the product analysed, methods of performing in-situ thermal laser epitaxy and analysis within the charged particle microscope and the combination of at least one cartridge and a laser for use in a charged-particle microscope to provide in-situ thermal laser epitaxy and analysis are also described.
Claims20
A charged particle microscope (CMP) comprising:
- a vacuum chamber, a particle-optical column configured to produce a charged particle beam and to direct it so as to irradiate a sample in the vacuum chamber;
- a cartridge holder for releasably holding at least one cartridge;
- an illuminator for directing the charged particle beam emitted from the particle column onto the sample;
- a detector for detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the sample in response to irradiation by said beam;
- and
- a laser;
- wherein the charged particle microscope further comprises a control unit configured to control operations of the charged particle microscope;
- wherein the sample and at least one vaporisation material/target are separately disposed in the at least one cartridge and the at least one cartridge is configured to allow movement of both the sample and the at least one vaporisation material/target in and out of the vacuum chamber and to permit in-situ heating of the at least one vaporisation material/target by the laser;
- and
- wherein the laser is configured to heat the at least one vaporisation material/target in-situ to produce an evaporated plume of material/target onto the sample.
A method of performing in-situ thermal laser epitaxy and sample analysis in a charged-particle microscope, the method comprising:
- providing a sample and at least one vaporisation material/target, separate and distinct from the sample, in at least one cartridge;
- loading the at least one cartridge into the vacuum chamber;
- and
- heating the at least one target with the laser, in situ, to provide a vapour plume of target material from the target toward the sample.
A cartridge, configured to receive a sample and at least one vaporisation material/target, separate and distinct from the sample, and configured to be releasably held in a cartridge holder, the cartridge holder being configured for disposing in a vacuum chamber of a charged particle microscope,
- wherein the cartridge is configured to allow movement of the sample and at least one vaporisation material/target in and out of the vacuum chamber, and to permit in-situ heating of the at least one vaporisation material/target by the laser, and wherein the cartridge holder orients the cartridge toward a laser, the laser being configured to heat the at least one vaporisation material/target in-situ to produce an evaporated stream of material/target onto the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.