US 12,272,519 B2
Method for area-wise inspecting a sample via a multi-beam particle microscope, computer program product and multi-beam particle microscope for semiconductor sample inspection, and its use
Dirk Zeidler, Oberkochen (DE); and Daniel Boecker, Aalen (DE)
Assigned to Carl Zeiss MultiSEM GmbH, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed by Carl Zeiss MultiSEM GmbH, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed on Jun. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/843,215.
Claims priority of application No. 102021116969.0 (DE), filed on Jul. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0005708 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. H01J 37/26 (2006.01); H01J 37/153 (2006.01); H01J 37/28 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/265 (2013.01) [H01J 37/153 (2013.01); H01J 37/28 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of area-wise inspecting a sample using a multi-beam particle microscope which generates a plurality of individual charged particle beams, the method comprising:
providing position data for a plurality of areas on the sample;
providing a first raster arrangement of the plurality of individual particle beams, a single field of view on the sample being assigned to each individual particle beam;
defining a position of a nominal scanning area in each individual field of view relative to the first raster arrangement, dimensions of the nominal scanning area being smaller than a complete single field of view;
assigning a nominal scanning area to an area to be inspected for at least one individual particle beam;
for the at least one individual particle beam, determining an individual position deviation between the nominal scanning area and the area to be inspected assigned to the at least one individual particle beam;
changing the first raster arrangement according to the determined individual position deviation to produce a second raster arrangement of the plurality of individual particle beams so that the assigned areas to be inspected are scannable in a targeted fashion; and
area-wise scanning the sample using the plurality of individual particle beams in the second raster arrangement.