Stage for charged particle microscopy system

• US 6,252,705 B1
• Filed: 05/25/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technologies Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Bui, Daniel N., Lo, Chiwoei Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THONG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/318,400
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 359/368, 359/391-398, 250/308-312, 250/397, 250/548, 250/559.3, 250/440.11, 250/441.11, 250/442.11, 355/53, 355/72, 356/399-40
• US Class Current: 359/393
• CPC Class Codes: G12B 5/00 Adjusting position or attitude, e.g. level, of instruments or other apparatus, or of parts thereof levels per se G01C9/00; Compensating for the effects of tilting or acceleration, e.g. for optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/20278 Motorised movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/20 Means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support introducing the objects H01J37/18

Abstract

A stage assembly for holding a work-piece in a charged particle microscopy system includes a magnetic motor (e.g., brushless linear servo motor) for driving an X-platform riding on a base along the X axis, a non-magnetic linear motor (e.g., piezoelectric motor) for driving a Y-platform riding on the X-platform along the Y axis, and a non-magnetic rotary motor (e.g., piezoelectric motor) for rotating a rotary platform over the Y-platform, wherein the duty cycle of the magnetic motor is substantially greater than the duty cycle of the non-magnetic linear and rotary motors. This along with the particular arrangement of the motors and the platforms yields a compact, durable, and vacuum compatible stage which has minimal mechanical vibrations, minimal interference with the charged particle microscope, minimal particle generation, and high speed area coverage.

Claims

1. A stage assembly comprising:

a stage for holding a work-piece, the stage including a first platform and a second platform;

a magnetic motor coupled to the first platform to drive the first platform along a first axis; and

a non-magnetic motor coupled to the second platform to drive the second platform along a second axis.

2. The stage assembly of claim 1 wherein during stage movement, an operational duty cycle of the magnetic motor is substantially greater than an operational duty cycle of the non-magnetic motor.

3. The stage assembly of claim 2 wherein a constant distance is maintained between the magnetic motor and a microscope located to observe the work-piece.

4. The stage assembly of claim 2 wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

5. The stage assembly of claim 2 wherein the magnetic motor is a vacuum compatible linear servo motor and the non-magnetic motor is a vacuum compatible linear piezoelectric motor.

6. The stage assembly of claim 2 wherein during its operational duty cycle the non-magnetic motor moves the stage for non-inspection functions.

7. The stage assembly of claim 2 further comprising a non-magnetic rotary motor coupled to the stage to rotate stage in a plane defined by the first and second axes, wherein an operational duty cycle of the magnetic motor is substantially greater than an operational duty cycle of the non-magnetic rotary motor.

8. The stage assembly of claim 7 wherein the stage, the magnetic motor, the non-magnetic motor for driving the second platform along the second axis, and the non-magnetic rotary motor are housed in a vacuum enclosure.

9. The stage assembly of claim 2 wherein the first platform is movable on a base along the first axis the second platform is movable on the first platform along the second axis.

10. The stage assembly of claim 9 wherein the non-magnetic motor is fixed to the first platform and is enclosed by the first and second platforms.

11. The stage assembly of claim 9 further comprising a rotary table capable of rotating on the second platform.

12. The stage assembly of claim 11 wherein the rotary table is coupled to and rotated by a non-magnetic motor.

13. The stage assembly of claim 12 wherein the non-magnetic motor coupled to the rotary table is a vacuum compatible piezoelectric motor.

14. The stage assembly of claim 11 wherein the rotary table is adapted to carry the work-piece which is a semiconductor wafer.

15. The stage assembly of claim 11 wherein the first platform, the second platform, and the rotary table are at least partly comprised of aluminum.

16. The stage assembly of claim 11 further comprising:

a first linear bearing rail on which the first platform rides to move on the base;

a second linear bearing rail on which the second platform rides to move on the first platform; and

a rotary bearing on which the rotary table rides to rotate on the second platform.

17. The stage assembly of claim 16 wherein the second linear bearing rail and rotary bearing are comprised of low permeability non-magnetic material.

18. The stage assembly of claim 16 wherein each of the second linear bearing rail and rotary bearing are comprised of hardened beryllium copper, or phosphor bronze, or ceramic.

19. The stage assembly of claim 16 wherein the first linear bearing rail is comprised of hardened steel.

20. The stage assembly of claim 16 wherein the first and second linear bearing rails and the rotary bearing each include a mirror finished hardened surface.

21. The stage assembly of claim 16 wherein a constant distance is maintained between the first linear bearing rail and a microscope located to observe the work-piece.

22. The stage assembly of claim 9 further comprising a microscope fixed to the base and located to observe the work-piece.

23. The stage assembly of claim 22 wherein the magnetic motor includes a magnet track assembly which is stationary relative to the microscope.

24. The stage assembly of claim 22 wherein a magnet track assembly is fixed to the base.

25. The stage assembly of claim 24 wherein the magnet track assembly defines an opening for receiving a coil assembly, the opening facing away from the microscope.

26. The stage assembly of claim 25 wherein the coil assembly is fixed to the first platform.

27. The stage assembly of claim 22 wherein during its operational duty cycle the non-magnetic motor moves the stage to bring an area of the work-piece to within a field of view of the microscope.

28. The stage assembly of claim 2 further comprising a non-magnetic motor coupled to the stage to drive the stage along a third axis, the third axis being perpendicular to the first and second axes.

29. The stage assembly of claim 28 wherein the non-magnetic motor for driving the stage along the third axis is a piezoelectric motor.

30. The stage assembly of claim 29 wherein the non-magnetic motor for driving the stage along the third axis adjusts a distance between the work-piece and a microscope to observe the work-piece.

31. A stage assembly comprising:

a stage for holding a work-piece, the stage including a first platform and a second platform, the second platform being carried by the first platform and movable with respect to the first platform;

a microscope coupled to the stage for viewing the work-piece; and

a magnetic motor coupled to the first platform, the magnetic motor driving the first platform along a first axis to move the stage during inspection of an area of the work-piece; and

a non-magnetic motor coupled to the second platform, the non-magnetic motor driving the second platform along a second axis to position an area of the work-piece under the microscope.

32. The stage assembly of claim 31 wherein during movement of the stage, an operational duty cycle of the magnetic motor is substantially greater than an operational duty cycle of the non-magnetic motor.

33. The stage assembly of claim 32 wherein the work-piece is inspected along a linear area of its surface, the non-magnetic motor moving the stage to position a first portion of the linear area under the microscope, and the magnetic motor moving the stage during inspection of the linear area.

34. The stage assembly of claim 33 wherein a width of the linear area is defined by a field of view of the microscope.

35. The stage assembly of claim 32 wherein the work-piece is rotated so that two areas of the work-piece are aligned along a line parallel to an axis along which the magnetic motor moves the stage, and corresponding sub-areas in the two areas are then compared to one another.

36. The stage assembly of claim 35 wherein the work-piece is rotated by a non-magnetic rotary motor coupled to the stage, an operational duty cycle of the magnetic motor being substantially greater than an operational duty cycle of the non-magnetic rotary motor.

37. The stage assembly of claim 31 wherein the magnetic motor is a linear servo motor and the non-magnetic motor is a linear piezoelectric motor.

38. A method for operating a stage for a holding a work-piece, the stage including a first platform and a second platform, comprising:

driving the first platform of the stage along a first axis by a magnetic motor; and

driving the second platform of the stage along a second axis by a non-magnetic motor,

wherein the second platform is carried by the first platform, and driving the first platform includes moving the second platform along the first axis.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein an operational duty cycle of the magnetic motor is substantially greater than an operational duty cycle of the non-magnetic motor.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

locating the work-piece on the stage under a microscope;

moving an area of the work-piece to be inspected to within a field of view of the microscope during the duty cycle of the non-magnetic motor; and

inspecting the area of the work-piece during the duty cycle of the magnetic motor.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the area is a linear area, a width of the linear area being defined by the field of view of the microscope.

42. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

locating the work-piece on the stage under a microscope;

rotating the work-piece so that two areas of the work-piece are aligned along a line parallel to the first axis; and

comparing corresponding sub-areas in the two areas to one another.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the comparing act comprises the acts of:

acquiring a first data from a sub-area of a first area;

moving to a corresponding sub-area of a second area during the duty cycle of the magnetic motor;

acquiring a second data from the sub-area of the second area; and

comparing the first and second data.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the acquiring act comprise the acts of:

moving a strip of a sub-area to within a field of view of the microscope during the duty cycle of the non-magnetic motor; and

acquiring data from the strip during the duty cycle of the magnetic motor,

wherein a width of the strip is defined by the field of view of the microscope.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the rotating act is performed by a non-magnetic rotary motor, an operational duty cycle of the magnetic motor being substantially greater than an operational duty cycle of the non-magnetic rotary motor.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the magnetic motor is a vacuum compatible linear servo motor.