IP Library Granted Patent US 11,682,538
Granted Patent B2
US 11,682,538 · App. 17/533,078 · Granted Jun 20, 2023

Optical system with compensation lens

Inventors: Jian Zhang (San Jose, CA); Zhiwen Kang (Milpitas, CA); Yixiang Wang (Fremont, CA)
Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
H01J37/226H01J37/244H01J2237/20292
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,682,538
App. No.
17/533,078
Granted
Jun 20, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical system used in a charged particle beam inspection system. The optical system includes one or more optical lenses, and a compensation lens configured to compensate a drift of a focal length of a combination of the one or more optical lenses from a first medium to a second medium.

Claims (48)

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a set of instructions that is executable by at least one processor of a system to cause the system to perform a method for operating an optical system used in a charged particle beam inspection system, the optical system including one or more optical lenses, the method comprising:

compensating, by a compensation lens in the optical system, a drift of a focal length of a combination of the one or more lenses from a first medium to a second medium;

assembling and calibrating the optical system in the first medium;

removing the compensation lens; and

placing the one or more optical lenses in the second medium.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is a position detection system, and wherein the set of instructions that is executable by the at least one processor of the system to cause the system to further perform:

projecting, by a projection module including a projection lens, a first light beam to a sample;

receiving, by a receiving module including a receiving lens, a second light beam reflected from the sample; and

detecting, by a detection module, a position of the sample based on the second light beam.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the one or more optical lenses include the projection lens included in the projection module and the receiving lens included in the receiving module.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the detection module is disposed in the first medium, and the projection module and the receiving module are disposed in the second medium.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is an imaging system, and wherein the set of instructions that is executable by the at least one processor of the system to cause the system to further perform:

projecting, by an illumination module, a first light beam to a sample;

conjugating, by an objective lens, a second light beam reflected from the sample; and

detecting, by a detection module, an image of the sample based on the second light beam.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the one or more optical lenses include the objective lens.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the detection module is disposed in the first medium, and the objective lens is disposed in the second medium.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is an illumination system, and wherein the set of instructions that is executable by the at least one processor of the system to cause the system to further perform:

projecting, by an illumination module, a first light beam to a portion of a sample under a charged particle beam;

conjugating, by an objective lens, a second light beam reflected from the sample; and

detecting, by a detection module, an image of the portion of the sample based on the second light beam.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more optical lenses include the objective lens.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the detection module is disposed in the first medium, and the objective lens is disposed in the second medium.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first medium is air, and the second medium is vacuum.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the charged particle beam inspection system is an electron beam inspection system.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the set of instructions that is executable by the at least one processor of the system to cause the system to further perform:

determining a focal length of the compensation lens based on a focal length of each one of the one or more lenses, a position of each one of the one or more lenses, and refractive indices of the first medium and the second medium.

14. An inspection system comprising: an optical system including one or more optical lenses configured to:

compensate, by a compensation lens in the optical system, a drift of a focal length of a combination of the one or more lenses from a first medium to a second medium;

assemble and calibrate the optical system in the first medium;

remove the compensation lens; and

place the one or more optical lenses in the second medium.

15. The inspection system of claim 14 , wherein the optical system is a position detection system and is further configured to:

project, by a projection module including a projection lens, a first light beam to a sample;

receive, by a receiving module including a receiving lens, a second light beam reflected from the sample; and

detect, by a detection module, a position of the sample based on the second light beam.

16. The inspection system of claim 14 , wherein the optical system is an imaging system and is further configured to:

project, by an illumination module, a first light beam to a sample;

conjugate, by an objective lens, a second light beam reflected from the sample; and

detect, by a detection module, an image of the sample based on the second light beam.

17. The inspection system of claim 14 , wherein the optical system is an illumination system and is further configured to:

project, by an illumination module, a first light beam to a portion of a sample under a charged particle beam;

conjugate, by an objective lens, a second light beam reflected from the sample; and

detect, by a detection module, an image of the portion of the sample based on the second light beam.

18. The inspection system of claim 14 , wherein the first medium is air, and the second medium is vacuum.

19. The inspection system of claim 14 , wherein the inspection system is an electron beam inspection system.

20. The inspection system of claim 14 , further configured to:

determine a focal length of the compensation lens based on a focal length of each one of the one or more lenses, a position of each one of the one or more lenses, and refractive indices of the first medium and the second medium.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: ZHANG, JIAN; KANG, ZHIWEN; WANG, YIXIANG
To: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.
Reel/Frame 063567/0754 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.
To: HERMES MICROVISION INCORPORATED B.V.
Reel/Frame 063568/0070 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: HERMES MICROVISION INCORPORATED B.V.
To: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 063568/0449 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16650815
Provisional Application 62564966 · Sep 28, 2017
Related Publication 20220084780A1 · Mar 17, 2022