Adaptive control for charged particle beam processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017002467-A1
Application number	US-201615201590-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 4, 2016
Priority date	Jul 2, 2015
Publication date	Jan 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An improved process control for a charged beam system is provided that allows the capability of accurately producing complex two and three dimensional structures from a computer generated model in a material deposition process. The process control actively monitors the material deposition process and makes corrective adjustments as necessary to produce a pattern or structure that is within an acceptable tolerance range with little or no user intervention. The process control includes a data base containing information directed to properties of a specific pattern or structure and uses an algorithm to instruct the beam system during the material deposition process. Feedback through various means such as image recognition, chamber pressure readings, and EDS signal can be used to instruct the system to make automatic system modifications, such as, beam and gas parameters, or other modifications to the pattern during a material deposition run.

First claim

We claim as follows:

1 . A method of forming a structure by charged particle beam processing of a work piece in a system having an ion beam column and an electron beam column, the method comprising:
a. providing a description of a three-dimension structure; b. converting the description of the three-dimensional structure into multiple two-dimensional bit maps; c. directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map or directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map; d. directing an electron beam toward the work piece to form an electron beam image of the work piece; e. comparing the electron beam image of the work piece with the description of the three-dimensional structure to identify discrepancies between the work piece as shown in the electron beam image and the description of the three-dimensional structure; f. determining, based on the identified discrepancies whether to use an ion beam or an electron beam to more closely conform the work piece as shown in the electron beam image to the description of the three-dimensional structure; g. directing a second charged particle beam toward the work piece to modify the work piece to more closely conform to the description of the three-dimensional structure, the second charged particle beam being either the electron beam or the ion beam, depending on the discrepancies identified.

2 . The method of claim 1 in which step c is repeated for each of the multiple two-dimensional bit maps.

3 . The method of claim 1 in which steps c through g are repeated for each of the multiple two-dimensional bit maps.

4 . The method of claim 1 in which steps d through and g are performed only after step c has been repeated for all of the multiple two-dimensional bit maps.

5 . The method of claim 1 in which steps d through and g are performed are repeated until the work piece to conforms to the description of the three-dimensional structure.

6 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map or directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map comprises directing a focused ion beam to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map.

7 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map or directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map comprises directing a focused ion beam to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map.

8 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map or directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map comprises directing an electron beam to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map.

9 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map or directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map comprises directing an electron to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map.

10 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a second charged particle beam toward the work piece surface to modify the work piece comprises directing a focused ion beam toward the work piece to etch the work piece.

11 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a second charged particle beam toward the work piece surface to the work piece comprises providing an etch precursor gas at the work piece and directing an electron beam toward the work piece to etch the work piece.

12 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a second charged particle beam toward the work piece surface to modify the work piece comprises providing a deposition precursor gas at the work piece surface and directing an electron beam toward the work piece to decompose the deposition precursor gas to deposit additional material onto the work piece.

13 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a second charged particle beam toward the work piece surface to modify the work piece comprises providing a deposition precursor gas at the work piece surface and directing an ion beam toward the work piece to decompose the deposition precursor gas to deposit additional material onto the work piece.

14 . The method of claim 1 in which directing a second charged particle beam toward the work piece surface to modify the deposit to more closely conform to the three-dimensional structure comprises directing the second charged particle beam after processing multiple two-dimensional bit maps in accordance with step c.

15 . The method of claim 1 in which:
directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map or directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map comprises directing a charged particle beam to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map; and
directing a second charged particle beam toward the work piece to modify the work piece to more closely conform to the description of the three-dimensional structure comprises directing the second charged particle beam to etch the work piece.

16 . The method of claim 1 in which:
directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to decompose a precursor gas to deposit a layer corresponding to the bit map or directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to etch a layer corresponding to the bit map comprises directing a first charged particle beam to points of one of the two-dimensional bit maps to etch a layer; and
directing a second charged particle beam toward the work piece to modify the work piece to more closely conform to the description of the three-dimensional structure comprises directing the second charged particle beam to decompose a precursor gas to deposit material onto the work piece.

17 . The method of claim 1 in which:
steps c comprises a deposition process;
converting the description of the three-dimensional structure into multiple two-dimensional bit maps comprises determining the sizes of features in each of the two-dimensional bit maps; and
further comprising adjusting the deposition process depending on the size of the feature being deposited.

18 . The method of claim 17 in which adjusting the deposition process depending on the size of the feature being deposited comprises applying a first beam current to at least some points on the work piece corresponding to bits on at least one of the two-dimensional bit maps and applying a second beam current to at least some points corresponding to bits on the same o

Assignees

• Fei Co

Inventors

• Straw Marcus
• Rue Chad
• Randolph Steven
• Botman Aurelien Philippe Jean Maclou
• Chandler Clive D
• Utlaut Mark W

Classifications

• C23C16/52 Primary

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01J37/3026

  Patterning strategy · CPC title

• H01J2237/31735

  Direct-write microstructures · CPC title

• H01J2237/30416

  Handling of data · CPC title

• H01J37/3023

  Program control · CPC title