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Particle beam inspector with independently-controllable beams

  • US 10,276,346 B1
  • Filed: 09/30/2016
  • Issued: 04/30/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A multi-beam inspection system, comprising:

  • one or more particle beam sources configured to generate two or more particle beams;

    a set of particle control elements configured to direct the two or more particle beams to independently selectable positions on a sample through a common focusing element, wherein the set of particle control elements are further configured to direct a first particle beam of the two or more particle beams to a first portion of the sample to emulate at least one of a voltage source or a current source, wherein the set of particle control elements is configured to concurrently direct one or more additional particle beams of the two or more particle beams across one or more additional portions of the sample, wherein the one or more additional portions of the sample include at least some structures electrically connected to the first portion of the sample;

    one or more detectors positioned to receive particles emanating from the sample in response to at least one of the two or more particle beams; and

    a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more detectors, the controller including one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to execute program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to;

    generate one or more inspection datasets associated with the particles received by the one or more detectors, wherein at least one of the one or more inspection datasets is associated with at least one of the one or more additional portions of the sample.

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