Analyzer and analysis method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12566115-B2
Application number	US-202117189940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2021
Priority date	Jul 15, 2020
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

An analysis system includes a stage that supports a sample. The analysis system includes a first supplier configured to provide a hydrophobic material on the sample, and surround an inspection region on the sample with the hydrophobic material. The analysis system includes a second supplier configured to provide an inspection liquid over the inspection region. The analysis system includes a collector configured to collect the inspection liquid. The analysis system includes an analyzer configured to analyze a component contained in the collected inspection liquid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An analysis system, comprising:
a stage that supports a sample having a surface; a first supplier configured to supply a hydrophobic material on the surface of the sample to form a hydrophobic material inner edge of an inspection region having a rectangular shape when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sample to define the inspection region, the inspection region being a part of the surface of the sample; a second supplier configured to supply an inspection liquid on the inspection region, the supplied inspection liquid being accumulated on the inspection region while being dammed up by the hydrophobic material inner edge; a collector configured to collect the inspection liquid accumulated on the inspection region within the hydrophobic material inner edge; an analyzer configured to analyze a component contained in the collected inspection liquid; and wherein the first supplier supplies the hydrophobic material on a first place of the surface of the sample to form a first hydrophobic material inner edge having the rectangular shape to define a first inspection region, after supply of the hydrophobic material on the first place, the first supplier supplies the hydrophobic material on a second place of the sample to form a second hydrophobic material inner edge having the rectangular shape to define a second inspection region, the second place being different from the first place, and supply of the hydrophobic material on the second place overlaps in time with supply or collection of the inspection liquid on or from the first inspection region.

2 . The analysis system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory that stores coordinate information of the first inspection region on the sample; and a first drive mechanism that moves the first supplier to surround the first inspection region with the hydrophobic material, based upon the coordinate information.

3 . The analysis system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second drive mechanism that moves at least one of the second supplier or the collector above the first inspection region, based upon the coordinate information.

4 . The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the second supplier and the collector share a same nozzle.

5 . The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein
the analyzer is configured to detect a metal component contained in the inspection liquid.

6 . The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic material has hydrophobicity.

7 . The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the inspection liquid includes at least one of: a liquid containing HF and H 2 O; a liquid containing HF and H 2 O 2 ; a liquid containing HF, HCl, and H 2 O 2 ; or a liquid containing HF, HNO 3 , and HCl.

8 . The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein
the hydrophobic material is a liquid or a solid containing 1-bromopropane (CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 Br).

9 . The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein
a contact angle between the inspection liquid and the surface of the sample including the hydrophobic material is between about 45 degrees and about 60 degrees.

10 . An analysis method using an analyzer including a stage, a first supplier configured to supply a hydrophobic material over a sample having a surface, a second supplier configured to supply an inspection liquid on the surface of the sample, a collector configured to collect the inspection liquid, and an analyzer configured to analyze a component contained in the inspection liquid, the method comprising:
placing the sample on the stage; supplying the hydrophobic material on the surface of the sample to form a hydrophobic material inner edge of an inspection region having a rectangular shape when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sample to define the inspection region, the inspection region being a part of the surface of the sample; supplying the inspection liquid on the inspection region, the supplied inspection liquid being accumulated on the inspection region while being dammed up by the hydrophobic material inner edge; collecting the inspection liquid accumulated on the inspection region within the hydrophobic material inner edge; analyzing a component contained in the collected inspection liquid; and wherein the hydrophobic material is supplied on a first place of the surface of the sample to form a first hydrophobic material inner edge having the rectangular shape to define a first inspection region, after supply of the hydrophobic material on the first place, the first supplier supplies the hydrophobic material on a second place of the sample to form a second hydrophobic material inner edge having the rectangular shape to define a second inspection region, the second place being different from the first place, and supply of the hydrophobic material on the second place overlaps in time with supply or collection of the inspection liquid on or from the first inspection region.

11 . The analysis method according to claim 10 using the analyzer further including a first drive mechanism that moves the first supplier, and a second drive mechanism that moves at least one of the second supplier or the collector, the method further comprising:
surrounding the first inspection region with the hydrophobic material based upon coordinate information of the first inspection region on the sample, wherein the inspection liquid is supplied to the first inspection region to allow the inspection liquid to stay in the first inspection region, and the inspection liquid is not supplied to an outside of the first inspection region.

12 . The analysis method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
drying the hydrophobic material after the hydrophobic material is provided over the sample and before the inspection liquid is supplied.

13 . The analysis method according to claim 10 , wherein the component includes a metal component.

14 . The analysis method according to claim 13 , wherein the first inspection region includes a metal forming region of the sample.

15 . The analysis method according to claim 10 , wherein the hydrophobic material has hydrophobicity.

16 . The analysis method according to claim 10 , wherein the inspection liquid includes at least one of: a liquid containing HF and H 2 O; a liquid containing HF and H 2 O 2 ; a liquid containing HF, HCl, and H 2 O 2 ; or a liquid containing HF, HNO 3 , and HCI.

17 . The analysis method according to claim 10 , wherein
the hydrophobic material is a liquid or a solid containing 1-bromopropane (CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 Br).

18 . The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the first supplier applies the hydrophobic material to a metal forming region of the sample.

Assignees

• Kioxia Corp

Inventors

• Takimoto Miki

Classifications

• H01J49/0409

  Sample holders or containers (containers for retaining a material to be analyzed, B01L3/50, for DNA, C12Q1/6834, for biological materials, G01N33/543) · CPC title

• G01N2001/1031

  Sampling from special places · CPC title

• G01N2001/002

  Devices for supplying or distributing samples to an analysing apparatus · CPC title

• H01J49/0431

  for liquid samples (interfaces to liquid chromatographs G01N30/7233) · CPC title

• G01N2001/028

  Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising · CPC title