Particle-optical systems and arrangements and particle-optical components for such systems and arrangements

• US 9,224,576 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Limited (Applied Materials Incorporated), Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Knippelmeyer, Rainer, Kienzle, Oliver, Kemen, Thomas, Mueller, Heiko, Uhlemann, Stephan, Haider, Maximilian, Casares, Antonio, Rogers, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Souw, Bernard E
• Application Number:
  US14/165,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20140158902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 250/306, 250/307, 250309-311, 250/396.R, 250/396.ML, 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 250/492.3, 250/492.22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0435 Multi-aperture
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0453 multiple apertures
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/047 Changing particle velocity
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/04735 with electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/04756 with electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/06 Sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/14 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2817 Pattern inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31774 Multi-beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/04 Arrangements of electrodes and associated parts for generating or controlling the discharge, e.g. electron-optical arrangement, ion-optical arrangement electron or ion-optical systems for localised treatment of materials H01J37/3007; discharge control means in gas filled discharge tubes H01J37/32009
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/09 Diaphragms; Shields associated with electron or ion-optical arrangements; Compensation of disturbing fields
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/10 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/14 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/153 Electron-optical or ion-optical arrangements for the correction of image defects, e.g. stigmators
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3007 Electron or ion-optical systems electron or ion-optical details H01J37/06 - H01J37/153
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3177 Multi-beam, e.g. fly's eye, comb probe

Abstract

A particle-optical arrangement comprises a charged-particle source for generating a beam of charged particles; a multi-aperture plate arranged in a beam path of the beam of charged particles, wherein the multi-aperture plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein in a predetermined first array pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the beam of charged particles downstream of the multi-aperture plate, and wherein a plurality of beam spots is formed in an image plane of the apparatus by the plurality of beamlets, the plurality of beam spots being arranged in a second array pattern; and a particle-optical element for manipulating the beam of charged particles and/or the plurality of beamlets; wherein the first array pattern has a first pattern regularity in a first direction, and the second array pattern has a second pattern regularity in a second direction electron-optically corresponding to the first direction, and wherein the second regularity is higher than the first regularity.

Claims

1. A particle-optical arrangement comprising:

at least one charged-particle source for generating at least one beam of charged particles;

at least one multi-aperture plate arranged in a beam path of the at least one beam of charged particles, wherein the at least one multi-aperture plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein in a predetermined first array pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the at least one beam of charged particles downstream of the multiaperture plate, and wherein a plurality of beam spots is formed in an image plane of the particle-optical arrangement by the plurality of charged-particle beamlets; and

wherein a shape of at least one group of the apertures is an elliptical shape.

2. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least one particle-optical element for manipulating at least one of the at least one beam of charged particles, and the plurality of charged-particle beamlets;

wherein the shape of the at least one group of the apertures is of the elliptical shape for compensating an astigmatism of the at least one focusing lens.

3. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 2, wherein an ellipticity of the elliptical shape of the apertures increases in dependence of a distance of the aperture from a center of the first pattern.

4. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 2, wherein a long axis of the elliptical shapes of the apertures is radially oriented with respect to a center of the first pattern.

5. The particle-optical arrangement according to 2, wherein a long axis of the elliptical shapes of the apertures is oriented under an angle of more than 10°

with respect to a radial direction from a center of the first pattern.

6. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the angle increases in dependence of a distance of the respective aperture from the center of the first pattern.

7. A multi-electron-beamlet inspection system, comprising:

a stage for mounting an object to be inspected;

at least one electron source for generating at least one electron beam;

a multi-aperture plate comprising a pattern of multiple apertures substantially in a plane perpendicular to the at least one electron beam, the multi-aperture plate dividing the at least one electron beam into an array of electron beamlets;

an objective lens for focusing the array of electron beamlets on the object to be inspected; and

a detector arrangement for detecting secondary electrons from the object generated by the array of electron beamlets, to produce an array of signals corresponding to the secondary electrons generated by substantially a single electron beamlet in the array of electron beamlets;

wherein a shape of at least one group apertures of the multiple apertures is an elliptical shape.

8. A method of multi-electron-beamlet inspection of a substrate, the method comprising:

generating at least one electron beam;

illuminating at least one multi-aperture plate with the at least one electron beam using at least one first electron optical component;

dividing the at least one electron beam into an array of beamlets with the multi-aperture plate comprising a pattern of multiple apertures substantially in a plane perpendicular to the at least one electron beam; and

forming an array of electron beam spots with the array of beamlets on the substrate using at least one second charged-particle optical component;

wherein a shape of at least one group apertures of the multiple apertures is an elliptical shape.

9. A charged-particle multi-beamlet lithography system for writing a pattern on a resist coated object, the system comprising:

a stage for mounting the object;

at least one charged-particle source for generating at least one charged-particle beam;

a multi-aperture plate comprising a pattern of multiple apertures substantially in a plane perpendicular to the at least one charged-particle beam, the multi-aperture plate dividing the at least one charged-particle beam into an array of charged-particle beamlets; and

an objective lens for focusing the array of charged-particle beamlets on the object; and

wherein a shape of at least one group apertures of the multiple apertures is an elliptical shape.

10. A method of writing a pattern on a resist coated object, the method comprising:

generating at least one electron beam;

illuminating at least one multi-aperture plate with the at least one electron beam using at least one first electron optical component;

dividing the at least one electron beam into an array of beamlets with the multi-aperture plate comprising a pattern of multiple apertures substantially in a plane perpendicular to the at least one electron beam; and

forming an array of electron beam spots on the resist coated object with the array of beamlets using at least one second charged-particle optical component;

wherein a shape of at least one group apertures of the multiple apertures is an elliptical shape.