US 2024/0177962 A1 · USING LASER BEAM FOR SEM BASE TOOLS, WORKING DISTANCE MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL WORKING DISTANCE SEM TO TARGET

Abstract

A system for processing a sample comprising: a vacuum chamber having a window formed along one of its walls; a sample support configured to hold a sample within the vacuum chamber during a sample processing operation and move the substrate within the vacuum chamber along the X, Y and Z axes; a charged particle beam column configured to direct a charged particle beam into the vacuum chamber and focus the beam to collide with a region of interest on the sample; an optical distance measurement device configured to generate and direct electromagnetic radiation into the vacuum chamber through the window, detect photons from the electromagnetic radiation reflected off the sample, and determine a working distance between the sample and charged particle column based on the generated electromagnetic radiation and the detected photons; and one or more mirrors disposed within the vacuum chamber and positioned to direct the electromagnetic radiation generated by the optical distance measurement system to a measured location on the sample that is in close proximity to the region of interest, the one or more mirrors comprising at least one mirror positioned directly under a portion of the charged particle column.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for processing a sample, the system comprising:

a vacuum chamber having a window formed along one of its walls;
a sample support configured to hold a sample within the vacuum chamber during a sample processing operation and move the substrate within the vacuum chamber along the X, Y and Z axes;
a charged particle beam column configured to direct a charged particle beam into the vacuum chamber and focus the beam to collide with a region of interest on the sample;
an optical distance measurement device configured to generate and direct electromagnetic radiation into the vacuum chamber through the window, detect photons from the electromagnetic radiation reflected off the sample, and determine a working distance between the sample and charged particle column based on the generated electromagnetic radiation and the detected photons;
and
one or more mirrors disposed within the vacuum chamber and positioned to direct the electromagnetic radiation generated by the optical distance measurement system to a measured location on the sample that is in close proximity to the region of interest, the one or more mirrors comprising at least one mirror positioned directly under a portion of the charged particle column.

3 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores instructions for processing a sample in a vacuum chamber with a charged particle column by:

positioning the sample on a sample support in the vacuum chamber such that a region of interest is directly under a tip of the charged particle column;
directing electromagnetic radiation to a measured location on the sample in close proximity to the region of interest and directly under a portion of the charged particle column;
detecting photons reflected from the measured location;
and
determining a working distance between the charged particle column and the sample at the measured location based on the emitted electromagnetic radiation and the detected photons;
wherein the electromagnetic radiation is generated by a device outside the vacuum chamber and directed through a window of the vacuum chamber to the measured location by one or more mirrors at least one of which is positioned directly under a portion of the charged particle column.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Using laser beam for sem base tools, working distance measurement and control working distance sem to target

Life of this patent

Using laser beam for sem base tools, working distance measurement and control working distance sem to target

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20