Patent · US Expired

Inspection system by charged particle beam and method of manufacturing devices using the system

US7241993B2 · kind B2 · utility

31Cited by
38References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 27, 2001
Grant dateJul 10, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 11, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/2817
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device 70 having an electron-optical system for irradiating the object with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron image projected by the electron-optical system; a stage system 50 for holding and moving the object relative to the electron-optical system; a mini-environment chamber 20 for supplying a clean gas to the object to prevent dust from contacting to the object; a working chamber 31 for accommodating the stage device, the working chamber being controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; at least two loading chambers 41, 42 disposed between the mini-environment chamber and the working chamber, adapted to be independently controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; and a loader 60 for transferring the object to the stage system through the loading chambers.

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