High accuracy beam placement for local area navigation
US8358832B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 31, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jan 22, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 31, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An improved method of high accuracy beam placement for local area navigation in the field of semiconductor chip manufacturing. This invention demonstrates a method where high accuracy navigation to the site of interest within a relatively large local area (e.g. an area 200 μm×200 μm) is possible even where the stage/navigation system is not normally capable of such high accuracy navigation. The combination of large area, high-resolution scanning, digital zoom and registration of the image to an idealized coordinate system enables navigation around a local area without relying on stage movements. Once the image is acquired any sample or beam drift will not affect the alignment. Preferred embodiments thus allow accurate navigation to a site on a sample with sub-100 nm accuracy, even without a high-accuracy stage/navigation system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.