Back to results
US 8,803,102 B2Granted
Retarding field analyzer integral with particle beam column
AssigneeFEI Company
InventorsDavid William Tuggle, James B. McGinn, Charles Otis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retarding field analyzer uses the existing components of a charged particle beam system eliminating the need for inserting a separate retarding field analyzer device. Using components of the existing column reduces the time required to analyze the beam. Using the imaging capabilities of the existing column facilitates alignment of the beam with the analyzer.
Claims25
A method of analyzing the energy of a charged particle beam in a particle optical column including a charged particle source and an electrostatic focusing lens, comprising:
- extracting charged particles from the charged particle source;
- directing the charged particles toward the electrostatic focusing lens;
- applying a voltage to an element of the electrostatic focusing lens to retard the charged particles;
- incrementally changing the voltage on the element to alter the number of charged particles that pass though the electrostatic lens;
- and
- detecting the charged particle beam current that passes the electrostatic focusing lens element to determine the energy or energy distribution of the charged particles in the beam.
3 more elements
A focused particle beam system, comprising:
- a source of charged particles;
- a focus column positioned to receive particles from the source, the focusing column including an electrostatic focusing lens for focusing the charged particles onto a work piece surface for processing the work piece;
- a voltage-adjustable power supply electrically connected to said electrostatic lens and being capable of adjusting the second electrostatic lens voltage in increments less than 0.5 volts;
- and
- a detector for measuring the charged particle beam current passing through electrostatic lens to determine the energy or energy distribution of the charged particles in the beam.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.