Method of inspecting a sample with a charged particle beam device, and charged particle beam device

US10345250B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Bernhard Mueller · Finsing, DE
• Kulpreet Singh VIRDI · Munich, DE
• Bernhard Schuler · Austin, US
• Robert Trauner · Pliening, DE
• Ludwig Ledl · Drolshagen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 12, 2017
• Grant date: Jul 9, 2019
• Expiry date: Oct 12, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J2237/2817
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of inspecting a sample with a charged particle beam device is described. The method comprises arranging the sample on a stage, determining a first focusing strength of an objective lens adapted to focus a charged particle beam on a first surface region of the sample that is arranged at a first distance from the objective lens in a direction of an optical axis, calculating a difference between the first distance and a predetermined working distance based on the determined first focusing strength, adjusting a distance between the first surface region and the objective lens by the calculated difference, and inspecting the first surface region. According to a further aspect, a charged particle beam device configured to be operated according to the above method is described.