IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,953,804
Granted Patent B2
US 9,953,804 · App. 15/135,841 · Granted Apr 24, 2018

High-voltage supply unit and circuit arrangement for generating a high voltage for a particle beam apparatus

Inventors: Edgar Fichter (Unterkochen, DE); Joerg Fober (Heuchlingen, DE); Dirk Preikszas (Oberkochen, DE); Christian Hendrich (Westhausen, DE); Michael Schnell (Rechberghausen, DE); Momme Mommsen (Oberkochen, DE)
Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
H01J37/241H01J37/28H01J2237/002
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,953,804
App. No.
15/135,841
Granted
Apr 24, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The system described herein relates to a high-voltage supply unit for providing an output voltage for a particle beam apparatus, wherein the particle beam apparatus is embodied as, for example, an electron beam apparatus and/or an ion beam apparatus. The system described herein is based on the fact that it was recognized that a bipolar voltage supply unit can be formed by means of a unipolar first current source and a unipolar second current source, said bipolar voltage supply unit enabling a load current in two directions. The high-voltage supply unit according to the system described herein can be operated in the 4-quadrant operation. In the 4-quadrant operation, a first voltage source for supplying the first current source and a second voltage source for supplying the second current source are embodied as different voltage sources.

Claims (131)

1. A high-voltage supply unit for providing an output voltage for a particle beam apparatus, comprising

at least one current source for providing a first current,

at least one first voltage source connected to the first current source by way of a first line,

at least one second current source for providing a second current, wherein the second current source is linked to the first current source by way of a second line,

at least one second voltage source linked to the second current source by way of a third line,

at least one adjustment and/or control loop for adjusting and/or regulating the output voltage, wherein the adjustment and/or control loop is linked to the first current source and/or the second current source by way of an optical and/or electronic coupling device, and comprising

at least one feedback resistor, through which a third current flows, wherein the feedback resistor is linked to the adjustment and/or control loop by way of a fourth line, the feedback resistor is linked to the first current source by way of a fifth line, the feedback resistor is linked to the second current source by way of a sixth line, and wherein the feedback resistor, the first current source, and the second current source are linked to a high-voltage connector by way of a seventh line, through which a fourth current flows.

2. The high-voltage supply unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the feedback resistor is embodied as a resistance sequence.

3. The high-voltage supply unit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein

the feedback resistor has n resistors, wherein n is an integer and the n resistors are switched in series,

the feedback resistor has a holder, on which the n resistors are arranged, and wherein

the feedback resistor has a cooling unit, wherein the cooling unit is thermally coupled to the n resistors for a temperature flow between the n resistors and the cooling unit such that a same temperature sets-in between each resistor and the cooling unit.

4. The high-voltage supply unit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein at least one thermally conductive insulation is arranged between the holder and the cooling unit, wherein the thermally conductive insulation is not electrically conductive.

5. The high-voltage supply unit as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the cooling unit is arranged at the thermally conductive insulation in such a way that the cooling unit touches the thermally conductive insulation.

6. The high-voltage supply unit as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the thermally conductive insulation touches each one of the n resistors.

7. The high-voltage supply unit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein each one of the n resistors has an identical embodiment.

8. A resistor circuit arrangement for a high-voltage supply unit of a particle beam apparatus, comprising:

n resistors, wherein n is an integer and the n resistors are switched in series,

a holder, on which the n resistors are arranged, and

a cooling unit, wherein the cooling unit is thermally coupled to the n resistors for a temperature flow between the n resistors and the cooling unit and wherein the cooling unit has a virtually identical thermal resistance to each one of the n resistors such that a same temperature sets-in between each resistor and the cooling unit.

9. The resistor circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the holder is embodied as a printed circuit board or in the form of free wiring.

10. The resistor circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 8 , wherein at least one thermally conductive insulation is arranged between the holder and the cooling unit.

11. The resistor circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the cooling unit is arranged at the thermally conductive insulation in such a way that the cooling unit touches the thermally conductive insulation.

12. The resistor circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the thermally conductive insulation touches each one of the n resistors.

13. The resistor circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each one of the n resistors has an identical embodiment.

14. A particle beam apparatus for analyzing and/or processing an object, comprising

at least one beam generator for generating a particle beam with charged particles,

at least one objective lens for focusing the particle beam onto the object,

at least one detector for detecting interaction particles and/or interaction radiation, wherein the interaction particles and/or the interaction radiation arise/arises due to an interaction of the particle beam with the object, and comprising

at least one high-voltage component at which a high voltage is present, wherein the particle beam apparatus furthermore comprises one of the following features:

(i) at least one high-voltage supply unit having at least one current source for providing a first current, at least one first voltage source connected to the first current source by way of a first line, at least one second current source for providing a second current, wherein the second current source is linked to the first current source by way of a second line, at least one second voltage source linked to the second current source by way of a third line, at least one adjustment and/or control loop for adjusting and/or regulating the output voltage, wherein the adjustment and/or control loop is linked to the first current source and/or the second current source by way of an optical and/or electronic coupling device, and comprising at least one feedback resistor, through which a third current flows, wherein the feedback resistor is linked to the adjustment and/or control loop by way of a fourth line, the feedback resistor is linked to the first current source by way of a fifth line, the feedback resistor is linked to the second current source by way of a sixth line, and wherein the feedback resistor, the first current source, and the second current source are linked to a high-voltage connector by way of a seventh line, through which a fourth current flows;

(ii) at least one circuit arrangement having at least one high-voltage supply unit for providing an output voltage, and comprising at least one noise suppression unit, which is linked to the high-voltage supply unit by way of at least one link line for guiding the output voltage of the high-voltage supply unit into the noise suppression unit, wherein the noise suppression unit comprises: at least one noise measurement device for registering noise of the output voltage, at least one amplifier-filter unit, wherein the amplifier-filter unit is linked to the noise measurement device by way of an eighth line, at least one control loop, wherein the control loop is linked to the amplifier-filter unit by a ninth line and wherein the control loop is linked to the noise measurement device by a tenth line, and comprises at least one high-voltage connector, at which the high voltage is present, wherein the high-voltage connector is linked to the control loop by way of an eleventh line; and

(iii) at least one resistor circuit arrangement having n resistors, wherein n is an integer and the n resistors are switched in series, a holder, on which the n resistors are arranged, and comprising a cooling unit, wherein the cooling unit is thermally coupled to the n resistors for a temperature flow between the n resistors such that a same temperature sets-in between each resistor and the cooling unit.

15. The particle beam apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the particle beam apparatus is embodied as an electron beam apparatus and/or ion beam apparatus.

16. The high-voltage supply unit as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the output voltage is given by:

U

a

=

U

f

·

(

-

(

R

m

+

1

+

R

m

+

2

+

…

+

R

n

)

R

1

+

R

2

+

…

+

R

m

)

=

-

U

f

·

(

n

-

m

m

)

where m is an integer less than n and U f is a predetermined voltage.

17. The high-voltage supply unit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the output voltage is given by:

U

a

=

U

f

·

(

-

(

R

m

+

1

+

R

m

+

2

+

…

+

R

n

)

R

1

+

R

2

+

…

+

R

m

)

=

-

U

f

·

(

n

-

m

m

)

where m is an integer less than n and U f is a predetermined voltage.

18. The method of claim 8 , wherein the n resistors constitute a feedback resistor of a high voltage supply unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2016
From: FICHTER, EDGAR; FOBER, JOERG; PREIKSZAS, DIRK, DR.; HENDRICH, CHRISTIAN, DR.; SCHNELL, MICHAEL, DR.; MOMMSEN, MOMME
To: CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY GMBH
Reel/Frame 038861/0103 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2015 207 484 · Apr 23, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160314931A1 · Oct 27, 2016