Systems and methods for charged particle flooding to enhance voltage contrast defect signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12494342-B2
Application number	US-202418431759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2024
Priority date	Aug 2, 2017
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A charged particle beam system comprising:
a charged particle source configured to emit a charged particle beam; a controller configured to cause the charged particle beam system (i) to perform a plurality of operation modes, including a flooding mode and an inspection mode, and (ii) to control a beam current level and a beam spot size of the charged particle beam; a plurality of electromagnetic lenses configured to manipulate the charged particle beam depending on an operation mode that the charged particle beam system is operating, wherein:
a first set of one or more of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are configured to adjust the beam current level to a first beam current level during the flooding mode and to a second beam current level during the inspection mode, and
a second set of one or more of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are configured to adjust the beam spot size to a first beam spot size during the flooding mode and to a second beam spot size during the inspection mode; and
a condenser lens configured to manipulate the charged particle beam, wherein the condenser lens is located between the charged particle source and the plurality of electromagnetic lenses.

2 . The charged particle beam system of claim 1 , wherein the first beam current level is higher than the second beam current level.

3 . The charged particle beam system of claim 1 , wherein the first beam spot size is larger than the second beam spot size.

4 . The charged particle beam system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are multi-pole lenses.

5 . The charged particle beam system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are quadrupole lenses.

6 . The charged particle beam system of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable aperture configured to allow the charged particle beam to pass therethrough and to provide a selected aperture size depending on the operation mode that the charged particle beam system is operating.

7 . The charged particle beam system of claim 6 , further comprising an objective lens configured to focus the charged particle beam into a beam spot on a sample, wherein the objective lens is located between the plurality of electromagnetic lenses and the sample.

8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of instructions that is executable by one or more processors of a charged particle beam system to cause the charged particle beam system to perform operations comprising:
controlling the charged particle beam system to switch between a plurality of operation modes, including a flooding mode and an inspection mode; providing a charged particle beam through a plurality of electromagnetic lenses configured to manipulate the charged particle beam depending on an operation mode that the charged particle beam system is operating; based on the operation mode, controlling a first set of one or more of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses to adjust a beam current level of the charged particle beam and controlling a second set of one or more of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses to adjust a beam spot size of the charged particle beam, wherein: in the flooding mode, the first set of one or more of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are controlled to set the beam current level to a first beam current level and the second set of one or more of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are controlled to set the beam spot size to a first beam spot size, and in the inspection mode, the first set of one or more of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are controlled to set the beam current level to a second beam current level and the second set of one or more of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are controlled to set the beam spot size to a second beam spot size; and controlling a condenser lens to manipulate the charged particle beam, wherein the condenser lens is located between a charged particle source and the plurality of electromagnetic lenses.

9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first beam current level is higher than the second beam current level.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first beam spot size is larger than the second beam spot size.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are multi-pole lenses.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of electromagnetic lenses are quadrupole lenses.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise controlling an adjustable aperture, configured to allow the charged particle beam to pass therethrough, to provide a selected aperture size depending on the operation mode that the charged particle beam system is operating.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise controlling an objective lens to focus the charged particle beam into a beam spot on a sample, wherein the objective lens is located between the plurality of electromagnetic lenses and the sample.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of instructions that is executable by one or more processors of a charged particle beam system to cause the charged particle beam system to perform operations for inspecting a sample, the operations comprising:
controlling the charged particle beam system to switch between a plurality of operation modes, including a flooding mode and an inspection mode; providing a charge particle beam by a charged particle source; based on the operation mode, controlling the charged particle beam system to adjust a beam current level of the charged particle beam and controlling the charged particle beam system to adjust a beam spot size of the charged particle beam, wherein:
in the flooding mode, the charged particle beam system is controlled to set the beam current level to a first beam current level and the beam spot size to a first beam spot size, and
in the inspection mode, the charged particle beam system is controlled to set the beam current level to a second beam current level and the beam spot size to a second beam spot size; and
controlling a condenser lens to manipulate the charged particle beam, wherein the condenser lens is located between a charged particle source and the plurality of electromagnetic lenses.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein controlling the charged particle beam system to adjust a beam current level comprises controlling a first set of one or more electromagnetic lenses.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein controlling the charged particle beam system to adjust a beam spot size comprises controlling a second set of one or more electromagnetic lenses.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the first set and second set of the one or more electromagnetic lenses are quadrupole lenses.

Assignees

• Asml Netherlands Bv

Inventors

• Zhang Frank Nan
• Chen Zhongwei
• Wang Yixiang
• Shen Ying Crystal

Classifications

• H01J2237/049

  Focusing means · CPC title

• H01J2237/0458

  movable, i.e. for changing between differently sized apertures · CPC title

• H01J2237/0453

  multiple apertures · CPC title

• H01J37/28

  with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01J37/045

  Beam blanking or chopping, i.e. arrangements for momentarily interrupting exposure to the discharge · CPC title