The present specification relates to an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising an X-ray reference object (18) for calibrating an electron beam unit in the additive manufacturing apparatus by detecting X-rays generated by sweeping an electron beam from the electron beam unit over a reference surface (19) of the X-ray reference object (18) and processing the detected signals, the X-ray reference object (18) comprising a support body (20) that has a top surface (21) and comprises a plurality of holes (22) in the top surface (21), The X-ray reference object (18) comprises a plurality of target members (23) inserted into the plurality of holes (22) of the support body (20). The present specification also relates to an X-ray detector to be used in the additive manufacturing apparatus, and to a method for calibrating such an additive manufacturing apparatus.

A beam calibration device is presented for calibrating a charged-particle beam in a charged-particle processing apparatus in relation to a positioning of the beam with respect to a target. The beam calibration device includes a detector for the charged particles that are arriving at a registering structure of said device. The beam is deflected from a designated target position towards the device, by means of a lateral initial deflection, thus allowing the beam to impinge on at least one of the registering structures. The beam is scanned over the beam calibration device, thus covering a pre-defined region on this device including the registering structure, and using the detector, an electric current is measured as a current signal and is evaluated, to determine a central relative position of the beam with respect to an optimal position predefined on the beam calibration device surface. Using this optimal position, the beam is deflected back to the designated target position by a reverse lateral deflection which is an inverse of said initial deflection combined with a deflection correction, which represents a correction of the lateral beam position to compensate the central relative position.

The present application discloses methods, systems and devices for using charged particle beam tools to pattern and inspect a substrate. The inventors have discovered that it is highly advantageous to use patterns generated using the Hadamard transform as alignment and registration marks (Hadamard targets) for multiple-column charged particle beam substrate processing and inspection tools. Hadamard targets can be written to a substrate using charged particle beams performing, for example, resist-based lithography or resist-less direct processing. High-order Hadamard targets can also be patterned and imaged to obtain superior column performance metrics for applications such as super-rapid beam calibration DOE, column matching, and column performance tracking. Hadamard target blocks can be written highly locally to electrically functional pattern portions, or integrated into said pattern portions, thereby enabling re-registration local and contemporaneous to writing and improving beam targeting accuracy following re-registration. Superior alignment and registration, and column parameter optimization, allow significant yield gains.

The present application discloses methods, systems and devices for using charged particle beam tools to pattern and inspect a substrate. The inventors have discovered that it is highly advantageous to use patterns generated using the Hadamard transform as alignment and registration marks (Hadamard targets) for multiple-column charged particle beam substrate processing and inspection tools. Hadamard targets can be written to a substrate using charged particle beams performing, for example, resist-based lithography or resist-less direct processing. High-order Hadamard targets can also be patterned and imaged to obtain superior column performance metrics for applications such as super-rapid beam calibration DOE, column matching, and column performance tracking. Hadamard target blocks can be written highly locally to electrically functional pattern portions, or integrated into said pattern portions, thereby enabling re-registration local and contemporaneous to writing and improving beam targeting accuracy following re-registration. Superior alignment and registration, and column parameter optimization, allow significant yield gains.

Various embodiments include measurement structures and methods for measuring integrated circuit (IC) images. In some cases, a measurement structure for use in measuring an image of an IC, includes: a first section having a positive shift spacing pattern; a second section, on an opposite side of the measurement structure, having a negative shift spacing pattern; and a third section having a reference spacing pattern for calibrating a measurement from at least one of the first section or the second section.

Various embodiments include measurement structures and methods for measuring integrated circuit (IC) images. In some cases, a measurement structure for use in measuring an image of an IC, includes: a first section having a positive shift spacing pattern; a second section, on an opposite side of the measurement structure, having a negative shift spacing pattern; and a third section having a reference spacing pattern for calibrating a measurement from at least one of the first section or the second section.

The present application discloses methods, systems and devices for using charged particle beam tools to pattern and inspect a substrate. The inventors have discovered that it is highly advantageous to use patterns generated using the Hadamard transform as alignment and registration marks (Hadamard targets) for multiple-column charged particle beam lithography and inspection tools. Further, superior substrate alignment and layer-to-layer pattern registration accuracy can be achieved using Hadamard targets patterned in edge-proximal portions of the substrate that are typically stripped bare of resist prior to lithography, in addition to Hadamard targets patterned in inner substrate portions. High-order Hadamard targets can also be patterned and imaged to obtain superior column performance metrics for applications such as super-rapid beam calibration DOE, column matching, and column performance tracking. Superior alignment and registration, and column parameter optimization, allow significant yield gains.