Apparatus for analyzing and/or processing a sample with a particle beam and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12586755-B2
Application number	US-202318121755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2023
Priority date	Sep 17, 2020
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

An apparatus for analyzing and/or processing a sample with a particle beam includes a providing unit for providing the particle beam, and a shielding element for shielding an electric field (E) generated by charges (Q) accumulated on the sample. The shielding element has a through opening for the particle beam to pass through towards the sample. The apparatus further includes a detecting unit configured to detect an actual position of the shielding element, and an adjusting unit for adjusting the shielding element from the actual position into a target position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for analyzing and/or processing a sample with a particle beam, comprising:
a providing unit for providing the particle beam; a shielding element for shielding an electric field (E) generated by charges (Q) accumulated on the sample when the shielding element is at a distance from the sample of at most 100 μm, wherein the shielding element has a through opening for the particle beam to pass through towards the sample; a detecting unit configured to detect an actual position of the shielding element; an adjusting unit for adjusting the shielding element from the actual position into a target position; and a securing device for securing the shielding element in a frictionally locking manner, and wherein the adjusting unit is configured to move the shielding element from the actual position thereof into the target position thereof while overcoming the frictional locking.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a vacuum housing for providing a vacuum within same, wherein at least the shielding element and the adjusting unit are arranged in the vacuum housing.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the detecting unit comprises an electron microscope, in particular a scanning electron microscope.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting unit is able to be operatively connected to the shielding element.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , furthermore comprising an engagement element and a receiving element, which are able to be engaged with one another in a releasable manner in order to provide an operative connection, wherein the adjusting unit comprises one element from the engagement element and the receiving element and the shielding element or a holder holding the shielding element comprises the respective other element from the engagement element and the receiving element.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , furthermore comprising an engagement element and a receiving element, wherein the engagement element is embodied as a pin and/or the receiving element is embodied as a hole, in particular as a hole in the shielding element or a holder.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the engagement element forms a force transmission element for providing an operative connection between the adjusting unit and the shielding element, wherein a mechanical stability of the force transmission element is chosen such that a force transmission along the operative connection is limited to a predefined measure.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a further detecting unit configured to detect a position of an engagement element in relation to a receiving element.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the further detecting unit comprises a camera and/or records an image with the aid of a deflection mirror.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the engagement element projects from a deflection mirror.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting unit has a sample stage for holding the sample and/or a sample.

12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting unit is configured to displace the shielding element in a direction transversely with respect to the particle beam.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a circulating plate for providing process gases, wherein the shielding element, in terms of its actual and target positions, is in each case secured to the circulating plate in a releasable manner.

14 . A method for setting a position of a shielding element in an apparatus for analyzing and/or processing a sample with a particle beam, wherein the shielding element is for shielding an electric field (E) generated by charges (Q) accumulated on the sample when the shielding element is at a distance from the sample of at most 100 μm, and wherein the method comprises the following steps:
a) mounting the shielding element in a vacuum housing of the apparatus, wherein the shielding element is secured in a frictionally locking manner;
b) producing the vacuum in the vacuum housing;
c) detecting an actual position of the shielding element; and
d) adjusting the shielding element from the actual position into a target position in the presence of vacuum while overcoming the frictional locking.

15 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the adjusting unit is able to be operatively connected to the shielding element.

16 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the adjusting unit is able to be operatively connected to the shielding element.

17 . The apparatus of claim 2 , furthermore comprising an engagement element and a receiving element, which are able to be engaged with one another in a releasable manner in order to provide an operative connection, wherein the adjusting unit comprises one element from the engagement element and the receiving element and the shielding element or a holder holding the shielding element comprises the respective other element from the engagement element and the receiving element.

18 . The apparatus of claim 3 , furthermore comprising an engagement element and a receiving element, which are able to be engaged with one another in a releasable manner in order to provide an operative connection, wherein the adjusting unit comprises one element from the engagement element and the receiving element and the shielding element or a holder holding the shielding element comprises the respective other element from the engagement element and the receiving element.

19 . The apparatus of claim 2 , furthermore comprising an engagement element and a receiving element, wherein the engagement element is embodied as a pin and/or the receiving element is embodied as a hole, in particular as a hole in the shielding element or a holder.

20 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the engagement element forms a force transmission element for providing the operative connection between the adjusting unit and the shielding element, wherein a mechanical stability of the force transmission element is chosen such that a force transmission along the operative connection is limited to a predefined measure.

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh
• Hoinkis Elke

Inventors

• Hoinkis Ottmar
• Guentner Jan
• Rhinow Daniel
• Marbach Hubertus
• Auth Nicole

Classifications

• H01J37/261

  Details · CPC title

• H01J37/244

  Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor · CPC title

• H01J37/224

  Luminescent screens or photographic plates for imaging; Apparatus specially adapted therefor, e. g. cameras, TV-cameras, photographic equipment or exposure control; Optical subsystems specially adapted therefor, e. g. microscopes for observing image on luminescent screen · CPC title

• H01J37/16

  Vessels; Containers · CPC title

• H01J37/147

  Arrangements for directing or deflecting the discharge along a desired path ({H01J37/045 take precedence;} lenses H01J37/10) · CPC title