US RE50,540 E1
Method for inspecting a sample using an assembly comprising a scanning electron microscope and a light microscope
Jacob Pieter Hoogenboom, Delft (NL); Nalan Liv Hamarat, Delft (NL); and Pieter Kruit, Delft (NL)
Assigned to DELMIC IP B.V., Delft (NL)
Appl. No. 17/742,946
Filed by DELMIC IP B.V., Delft (NL)
PCT Filed Jul. 20, 2015, PCT No. PCT/NL2015/050528
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 23, 2017,
PCT Pub. No. WO2016/013930, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 28, 2016.
Application 17/742,946 is a reissue of application No. 15/328,439, filed on Jul. 20, 2015, granted, now 10,651,009, issued on May 12, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2013262 (NL), filed on Jul. 25, 2014.
Int. Cl. H01J 37/22 (2006.01); G01N 21/64 (2006.01); G01N 23/2251 (2018.01); G02B 21/24 (2006.01); G02B 21/34 (2006.01); G02B 21/36 (2006.01); H01J 37/20 (2006.01); H01J 37/21 (2006.01); H01J 37/28 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/228 (2013.01) [G01N 21/6458 (2013.01); G01N 23/2251 (2013.01); G02B 21/244 (2013.01); G02B 21/34 (2013.01); G02B 21/365 (2013.01); G02B 21/368 (2013.01); H01J 37/20 (2013.01); H01J 37/21 (2013.01); H01J 37/28 (2013.01); G01N 2223/408 (2013.01); H01J 2237/2003 (2013.01); H01J 2237/2826 (2013.01)] 37 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Method [ A method ] for inspecting a sample with an assembly comprising a scanning electron [ charged particle ] microscope and a light microscope, wherein the assembly comprises a sample holder for mounting a sample thereon, wherein the sample holder is arranged for inspecting the sample with both the scanning electron [ charged particle ] microscope and the light microscope, wherein the method comprising the steps of:
capturing a light microscopy image of the sample in its position for imaging with the scanning electron [ charged particle ] microscope [ , the light microscopy image being captured using an optical microscope objective lens of the light microscope] ;
determining a position and physical dimensions of a region of interest in the sample based on the light microscopy image;
determining values to which the scanning electron [ charged particle ] microscope parameters need to be set to image the sample on the sample holder at a desired resolution, wherein said values to image the sample on the sample holder at the desired resolution are at least partially based on the light microscope image; and
capturing a scanning electron [ charged particle ] microscope image of the region of interest in the sample, wherein the scan settings for recording the scanning electron [ charged particle ] microscope image are determined from said values and said position and physical dimensions of said region of interest before the scanning electron [ charged particle ] microscope image is captured,
wherein the scanning electron [ charged particle ] microscope image of the region of interest is captured using a first electron [ charged particle ] beam exposure of said region of interest.