Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080302974 | OPTICAL AUTO FOCUSING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRON BEAM INSPECTION TOOL - A method and system for inspecting a semiconductor wafer. The method includes providing an illumination flux through a pattern plate and a lens to a surface of a specimen to project a pattern onto the surface of the specimen. The pattern is associated with the pattern plate. Additionally, the method includes detecting the illumination flux reflected from the surface of the specimen with a detector, processing information associated with the detected illumination flux, and generating a first image based on at least information associated with the detected illumination flux. The first image includes a first image part for the pattern and a second image part for the specimen. Moreover, the method includes adjusting the lens to a state in order to achieve a first predetermined quality for the first image part, and moving the specimen to a first position. | 12-11-2008 |
20090121159 | CLUSTER E-BEAM LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEM - A hybrid lithography system is disclosed to achieve high throughput and high resolution of sub 32 nm lithography. The hybrid system contains an optical lithographer for expose pattern area where features above 32 nm, and a cluster e-beam lithography system for expose pattern area where features is sub 32 nm. | 05-14-2009 |
20100019462 | APPARATUS FOR INCREASING ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY TO A SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER SUBSTRATE WHEN EXPOSURE TO ELECTRON BEAM - An apparatus for increasing electric conductivity to a wafer substrate when exposures to electron beam irradiation is disclosed. More specifically, a more free mechanical contact between a wafer and electric contact pins (within an electrostatic chuck) is provided to significantly reduce the scratch and damage on the wafer backside. | 01-28-2010 |
20100103583 | WAFER GROUNDING METHODOLOGY - An apparatus for increasing electric conductivity to a wafer substrate, when exposed to electron beam irradiation, is disclosed. More specifically, a methodology to breakdown the insulating layer on wafer backside is provided to significantly reduce the damage on the wafer backside while proceeding with the grounding process. | 04-29-2010 |
20100140498 | OPERATION STAGE FOR WAFER EDGE INSPECTION AND REVIEW - The present invention relates to an operation stage of a charged particle beam apparatus which is employed in a scanning electron microscope for substrate (wafer) edge and backside defect inspection or defect review. However, it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides an operation stage for substrate edge inspection or review. The inspection region includes top near edge, to bevel, apex, and bottom bevel. The operation stage includes a supporting stand, a z-stage, an X-Y stage, an electrostatic chuck, a pendulum stage and a rotation track. The pendulum stage mount with the electrostatic chuck has the ability to swing from 0° to 180° while performing substrate top bevel, apex and bottom bevel inspection or review. In order to keep the substrate in focus and avoid a large position shift during altering the substrate observation angle by rotation the pendulum stage, one embodiment of the present invention discloses a method such that the rotation axis of the pendulum stage consist of the tangent of upper edge of the substrate to be inspected. The electrostatic chuck of the present invention has a diameter smaller than which of the substrate to be inspected. During the inspection process the substrate on the electrostatic chuck may be rotated about the central axis on the electrostatic chuck to a desired position, this design insures all position on the bevel and apex are able to be inspected. | 06-10-2010 |
20100150429 | E-BEAM DEFECT REVIEW SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a defect review system, and/or particularly, to an apparatus and method of defect review sampling, review method and classification on a semiconductor wafer or a pattern lithography reticle during integrated circuit fabrication. These objects are achieved in comparing a reviewed image with a reference image pick-up through a smart sampling filter. A clustering computer system base on high speed network will provide data cache and save operation time and memory. A smart review sampling filter automatically relocate abnormal pattern or defects and classify the device location extracted from design database and/or from golden die image on the same substrate. The column of the present defect review system is comprised of the modified SORIL type objective lens. This column provides solution of improving throughput during sample review, material identification better image quality, and topography image of defect. One embodiment of the present invent adopts an optical auto focusing system to compromise micro height variation due wafer surface topography. And another embodiment adopts surface charge control system to regulate the charge accumulation due to electron irradiation during the review process. | 06-17-2010 |
20100155596 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HEATING SUBSTRATE IN VACUUM ENVIRONMENT AND METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING DEFECTS ON SUBSTRATE - A method for heating a substrate in a vacuum environment and a system therefor is provided. The system includes a chamber capable of holding the substrate located in the vacuum environment and a light source capable of projecting a light beam only on a portion of the substrate. The method includes the following steps. First, the substrate is placed in the vacuumed chamber. Thereafter, the light beam emitted from the light source is projected on the portion of the substrate, such that the portion is significantly heated before whole the substrate is heated. When the light beam is a charged particle beam projected by a charged particle beam assembly and projected on defects located on the substrate, the defects are capable of being identified by an examination result provided by an examination assembly after termination of light beam projection. | 06-24-2010 |
20110051306 | WAFER GROUNDING AND BIASING METHOD, APPARATUS, AND APPLICATION - A wafer grounding apparatus and method adaptable to a charged particle beam apparatus is disclosed. A wafer substrate is supported by a wafer mount. A grounding pin is arranged to be in contact with a backside film formed on a backside of the wafer substrate. A grounding pulse generator provides at least one pulse to drive the grounding pin such that dielectric breakdown occurring at the backside film leads to establishment of a current path through the backside films. Accordingly, a current flows in the wafer substrate through this current path and then flows out of the wafer substrate via at least one current return path formed from capacitive coupling between the wafer substrate and the wafer mount. | 03-03-2011 |
20110260055 | Dynamic Focus Adjustment with Optical Height Detection Apparatus in Electron Beam system - The present invention generally relates to dynamic focus adjustment for an image system. With the assistance of a height detection sub-system, present invention provides an apparatus and methods for micro adjusting an image focusing according the specimen surface height variation by altering the field strength of an electrostatic lens between objective lens and sample stage/or a bias voltage applied to the sample surface. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to a scanning electron inspection system. But it would be recognized that the invention could apply to other system using charged particle beam as observation tool with a height detection apparatus. | 10-27-2011 |
20110260069 | PARTICLE DETECTION SYSTEM - This invention provides a design to process a large range of detection beam current at low noise with a single detector. With such a design, the detection system can generate up to 10 | 10-27-2011 |
20110291007 | Movable Detector for Charged Particle Beam Inspection or Review - The present invention generally relates to a detection unit of a charged particle imaging system. More particularly, portion of the detection unit can move into or out of the detection system as imaging condition required. With the assistance of a Wein filter (also known as an E×B charged particle analyzer) and a movable detector design, the present invention provides a stereo imaging system that suitable for both low current, high resolution mode and high current, high throughput mode. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to a scanning electron beam inspection system. But it would be recognized that the invention could apply to other system using charged particle beam as an observation tool. | 12-01-2011 |
20120145898 | PARTICLE DETECTION SYSTEM - This invention provides a design to process a large range of detection beam current at low noise with a single detector. With such a design, the detection system can generate up to 10 | 06-14-2012 |
20120280125 | CHARGED PARTICLE SYSTEM FOR RETICLE / WAFER DEFECTS INSPECTION AND REVIEW - The present invention relates to a charged particle system for reticle or semiconductor wafer defects inspection and review, and more particularly, relates to an E-beam inspection tool for reticle or semiconductor wafer defects inspection and review without gravitational AMC settling. The charged particle system is an upside down electron beam inspection system with an electron beam aimed upward. The face down design may prevent AMC from gravitational settling on the inspected face of the specimen during inspection, thereafter having a cleaner result compared with conventional face-up inspection system. | 11-08-2012 |
20130094017 | PHASE DETECTOR - This invention provides a phase detector with more than two detector units on a printed circuit layer. A detector set includes a pair of detector units or one detector unit, and a detector row includes a plurality of detector sets in one line. The phase detector includes a plurality of detector rows and each row has a detector set in one period, wherein all detector units are interleaved to have the same interval between any two adjacent detector units, which is defined as a pitch and the pitch is equal to one period dividing the detector pair number, which is the half sum of the number of one detector set for all rows. | 04-18-2013 |
20130327953 | PARTICLE DETECTION SYSTEM - This invention provides a design to process a large range of detection beam current at low noise with a single detector. With such a design, the detection system can generate up to 10 | 12-12-2013 |
20140291517 | Dynamic Focus Adjustment with Optical Height Detection Apparatus in Electron Beam System - The present invention generally relates to dynamic focus adjustment for an image system. With the assistance of a height detection sub-system, present invention provides an apparatus and methods for micro adjusting an image focusing according the specimen surface height variation by altering the field strength of an electrostatic lens between objective lens and sample stage/or a bias voltage applied to the sample surface. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to a scanning electron inspection system. But it would be recognized that the invention could apply to other system using charged particle beam as observation tool with a height detection apparatus. | 10-02-2014 |
20150049411 | WAFER GROUNDING AND BIASING METHOD, APPARATUS, ANDAPPLICATION - A wafer grounding apparatus and method adaptable to a charged particle beam apparatus is disclosed. A wafer substrate is supported by a wafer mount. A pulse current pin is arranged to be in contact with a backside film formed on a backside of the wafer substrate. A grounding pulse generator provides at least one pulse to drive the pulse current pin such that dielectric breakdown occurring at the backside film leads to establishment of a current path through the backside films. Accordingly, a current flows in the wafer substrate through this current path and then flows out of the wafer substrate via at least one current return path formed from capacitive coupling between the wafer substrate and the wafer mount. | 02-19-2015 |