Patent · US Expired

Method for examining a specimen in a particle beam instrument

US4954705A · kind A · utility

20Cited by

6References

13Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

Matthias Brunner · Tauberbischofsheim, DE
Burkhard Lischke · Munich, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Oct 2, 1989
Grant date	Sep 4, 1990
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Oct 2, 2009

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH01J2237/24592
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

For localization of the defects on mask and wafers generated by particle occupation, electron-optical imaging methods have been developed where the subject to be examined is scanned with a focused electron beam. Since the signal-to-noise ratio needed for a reliable defect recognition limits the scan rate, the throughput of inspected subjects remains low. It is therefore proposed that the subject be scanned with a line-shaped electron probe and that the triggered secondary electons be imaged onto a detector with the assistance of an electron optics comprising an immersion lens, whereby one line element of the surface region illuminated by the electron probe is assigned to each detector element.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.