A laser processing system includes a wavelength tunable laser apparatus capable of changing the wavelength of pulsed laser light to be outputted, an optical system irradiating a workpiece with the pulsed laser light, a reference wavelength acquisition section acquiring a reference wavelength corresponding to photon absorption according to the material of the workpiece, a laser processing controller controlling the wavelength tunable laser apparatus to perform preprocessing before final processing performed on the workpiece, changes the wavelength of the pulsed laser light over a predetermined range containing the reference wavelength, and performs wavelength search preprocessing at a plurality of wavelengths, a processed state measurer measuring a processed state on a wavelength basis achieved by the wavelength search preprocessing performed at the plurality of wavelengths, and an optimum wavelength determination section assessing the processed state on a wavelength basis to determine an optimum wavelength used in the final processing.

Methods for in-situ and real-time chamber condition monitoring is provided. For example, in one embodiment, for each wafer in a chamber, a frequency and wavelength of the free radicals in the chamber is monitored in-situ. The frequency and wavelength of the free radicals are associated with at least one selected chemical. The associated free radicals are compared to an index. The index includes a target range for each chemical in the at least one selected chemical.

Provided is a method of etching a silicon-containing film made of at least one of silicon oxide and silicon nitride. The etching method includes: (i) preparing a workpiece having a silicon-containing film and a mask provided on the silicon-containing film in a chamber body of a plasma processing apparatus, in which an opening is formed in the mask; and (ii) etching the silicon-containing film, in which plasma is produced in the chamber body from processing gas containing fluorine, hydrogen, and iodine in order to etch the silicon-containing film, and a temperature of the workpiece is set to a temperature of 0 C. or less.

A system for determining various parameters of an ion beam is disclosed. A test workpiece may be modified to incorporate a detection pattern. The detection pattern may be configured to measure the height of the ion beam, the uniformity of the ion beam, or the central angle of the ion beam. In certain embodiments, the amount of current striking the detection pattern may be measured using an optical emission spectrometer (OES) system. In other embodiments, a power supply used to bias the workpiece may be used to measure the amount of current striking the detection pattern. Alternative, the detection patterns may be incorporated into the workpiece holder.

By switching between a plurality of image transfer units based on a state of a stage and using the switched image transfer unit, traceability of stage movement and tolerance to communication failure can be improved. A first image transfer protocol is a protocol of which reliability is higher than reliability of a second image transfer protocol, and a switch unit may select a first image transfer unit in a case where it is determined that a state of a stage is a state in which the stage is stopping. A second image transfer unit is a protocol of which a transfer speed is higher than a transfer speed of the first image transfer protocol, and the switch unit may select the second image transfer unit in a case where it is determined that the state of the stage is a state in which the stage is moving.

A system for determining various parameters of an ion beam is disclosed. A test workpiece may be modified to incorporate a detection pattern. The detection pattern may be configured to measure the height of the ion beam, the uniformity of the ion beam, or the central angle of the ion beam. In certain embodiments, the amount of current striking the detection pattern may be measured using an optical emission spectrometer (OES) system. In other embodiments, a power supply used to bias the workpiece may be used to measure the amount of current striking the detection pattern. Alternative, the detection patterns may be incorporated into the workpiece holder.

A method and a system for monitoring a plasma chamber are provided. The method includes receiving process chamber characteristics from the plasma chamber; determining whether one or more variables associated with the process chamber characteristics are within predetermined specification. The method further includes updating a status of the plasma chamber to failure when the chamber characteristics are not within the predetermined specification. The method generates a warning notification when the chamber characteristics are within predetermined specification and when an operation status of the plasma chamber received from a fault detection system indicates a failure.

An ion collector includes a plurality of segments and a plurality of integrators. The plurality of segments are physically separated from one another and spaced around a substrate support. Each of the segments includes a conductive element that is designed to conduct a current based on ions received from a plasma. Each of the plurality of integrators is coupled to a corresponding conductive element. Each of the plurality of integrators is designed to determine an ion distribution for a corresponding conductive element based, at least in part, on the current conducted at the corresponding conductive element. An example benefit of this embodiment includes the ability to determine how uniform the ion distribution is across a wafer being processed by the plasma.

Charging areas in electron microscopy are identified by comparing images obtained in different frames. A difference image or one or more optical flow parameters can be used for the comparison. If charging is detected, electron dose is adjusted, typically just in specimen areas associated with charging. Dose is conveniently adjusted by adjusting electron beam dwell time. Upon adjustment, a final image is obtained, with charging effects eliminated or reduced.

The present invention relates to a device for detecting charged particles (e.g., ions). The device includes components arranged to neutralize or strip the charges of ions generated from a sample material, in which the charge stripping events produce signals that can be detected subsequently by a detector. A method for detecting charged particles generated from a sample material using the device is also provided.