Optics for In-Situ Scanning Electron Microscope Repair

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025087450-A1
Application number	US-202318542072-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2023
Priority date	Sep 13, 2023
Publication date	Mar 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus is loaded into a scanning electron microscope (SEM) through a load lock of the SEM and onto a stage of the SEM. The apparatus includes a substrate and also includes optics, mechanically coupled to the substrate, to direct light upward away from the substrate. With the apparatus on the stage of the SEM, the optics are used to direct the light upward through an aperture of the SEM onto an electron detector in the SEM.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a substrate; and optics, mechanically coupled to the substrate, to direct light upward away from the substrate into an aperture of a scanning electron microscope (SEM); wherein the apparatus is loadable into the SEM and unloadable from the SEM through a load lock of the SEM.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optics comprise:
a mirror to direct the light upward away from the substrate; and a lens to guide the light to the mirror along an optical path substantially parallel to the substrate.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the lens is to focus the light into the aperture of the SEM.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a light source, mechanically coupled to the substrate, to generate the light and provide the light to the optics.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the light source is a laser or a light-emitting diode (LED).

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the light source is to generate the light in a wavelength range between 250 nm and 600 nm; and the light source is to generate the light with power in a range between 1 mW and 100 mW.

7 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising electronics, mechanically coupled to the substrate and electrically coupled to the light source, to control the light source, wherein:
the electronics are to switch the light source between a plurality of states; the plurality of states comprises a first on state, a second on state, and an off state; and the light to be generated by the light source in the first on state is higher power than the light to be generated by the light source in the second on state.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a battery, mechanically coupled to the substrate and electrically coupled to the electronics and the light source, to power the electronics and the light source.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a battery charger, mechanically coupled to the substrate and electrically coupled to the battery, to charge the battery; and a plug, mechanically coupled to the substrate and electrically coupled to the battery charger, to receive power for the battery charger when the apparatus is not in the SEM.

10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising an electrical connector, mechanically coupled to the substrate and electrically coupled to the electronics and the light source, to receive power from a power supply of the SEM and to provide the power to the electronics and the light source.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus does not include a light source to generate the light.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a container that contains the optics, wherein:
the container is reticle-shaped; the substrate is a bottom surface of the container; the optics are disposed within the container; and the container has a top opening to allow the optics to direct the light upward into the aperture.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrate is wafer-shaped; and the optics are mounted on top of the substrate.

14 . A method, comprising:
loading an apparatus into a scanning electron microscope (SEM) through a load lock of the SEM and onto a stage of the SEM, the apparatus comprising:
a substrate; and
optics, mechanically coupled to the substrate, to direct light upward away from the substrate; and
with the apparatus on the stage of the SEM, using the optics to direct the light upward through an aperture of the SEM onto an electron detector in the SEM.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising, after directing the light upward through the aperture onto the electron detector, unloading the apparatus from the SEM through the load lock.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the optics comprise a lens and a mirror; and using the optics to direct the light upward through the aperture comprises:
guiding the light to the mirror along an optical path substantially parallel to the substrate, using the lens;
directing the light upward toward the aperture, using the mirror; and
focusing the light into the aperture, using the lens.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the apparatus further comprises a light source mechanically coupled to the substrate; and the method further comprises generating the light and providing the light to the optics using the light source.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the light is light of a first power; and the method further comprises, before generating, providing, guiding, directing, and focusing the light of the first power:
generating light of a second power and providing the light of the second power to the optics, wherein the second power is lower power than the first power, and wherein the mirror directs the light of the second power upward away from the substrate; and
aligning the mirror with the aperture and the electron detector, using the light of the second power.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the SEM is configured to image reticles; the container is reticle-shaped; the substrate is a bottom surface of the container; the optics are disposed within the container, the container has a top opening; and using the optics to direct the light upward comprises directing the light through the top opening.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the SEM is configured to image semiconductor wafers; the substrate is wafer-shaped; and the optics are mounted on top of the substrate.

Assignees

• Kla Corp

Inventors

• Plettner Tomas
• Osorio Lesther Moreira
• Leedle Kenneth
• Wahba Hamada
• Hijazi Joseph
• Jensen Earl
• Ogden Rush
• Yueksek Oersan
• Mukhtar Maseeh

Classifications

• H01J37/20

  Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support · CPC title

• H01J37/28 Primary

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

• H01J37/21

  Means for adjusting the focus · CPC title

• H01J37/228

  whereby illumination or light collection take place in the same area of the discharge · CPC title

• H01J37/1475

  magnetic · CPC title