• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.186-190
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• 2004

An electron beam microcolumn composed of an electron emitter, micro lenses, scan deflector, and focus lenses have been fabricated and tested in the STEM mode. In this paper, we report a technique of precisely aligning the electron lenses by the laser diffraction patterns instead of the conventional alignment method based on aligner and STM. STEM images of a standard Cu-grid were observed using a fabricated microcolumn under both the retarding and accelerating modes.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2008

Due to the modem MEMS technologies, the electron lenses that are used in the microcolumn can have much smaller optical aberrations compared with conventional electron lenses for the bulky electron columns. Since the electron lens system have great effect on the performance of the microcolumn, it is important to study the dependence of image quality on the configuration of the electronic imaging system, among which the source-lens part is most sensitive. In this work, we investigated the electron beam characteristics according to the shapes of extractor and limiting aperture that are elements of the source-lens part. By analyzing the data obtained, we proposed the optimum configuration of the electron lens system.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.127-130
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• 2010

We have developed an efficient electron beam (e-beam) source, a microcolumn, that can be used as a source module for of microscopy and its applications. To obtain a low operating voltage, a very sharp cold field electron emitter was developed by electrochemically etching a tungsten wire. Laser diffraction was used for the fabrication of high-quality electron lenses and for their precise alignment. The measurement of the e-beam currents, and SEM images captured by the microcolumn confirmed the potential of the device as a very good e-beam source.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.78-78
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• 1999

Experimental studies of laser micromachining on Mo metal using piezo Q-switched Nd:YAG laser have been performed. Miniaturized microcolumn electron gun arrays as a potential electron beam lithography or portable mini-scanning electron microscope application have recently extensively examined. For these purpose, the electro-static electron lens and deflector system called microcolumn has to be assembled. The conventional microcolumn fabrication technique would gave a limitation on the minimization of aberration. The current technique of a 1 $\mu$m misalignment would lead to ~1.3 nm coma. In order to reduce aberration, assembling the microcolumn component followed by laser drilling should be very beneficial. In this report, we will address the preliminary report of laser micromachining on Mo substrate using piezo Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The geometrical figures, such as the diameter and the depth of the frilled aperture are dependent upon the total energy of the laser pulse train, laser pulsewidth, and the diameter of laser beam in addition to the materials-dependent parameters.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.792-796
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• 2001

For electron beam lithography and SEM(scanning electron microscopy) applications, miniaturized electrostatic lenses called a microcolumn have been fabricated. In this paper, we report the fabrication technique for 20~30$\mu\textrm{m}$ apertures of electron lenses based on silicon and Mo membrane using an active Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Experimental conditions of laser micromachining for silicon and Mo membrane are improved. The geometrical structures, such as the diameter and the preciseness of the micron-size aperture are dependent upon the total energy of the laser pulse train, laser pulse width, and the diameter of laser spot.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.428-432
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• 2005

Microlens precisely fabricated by MEMS process, is a key component of the Microcolumn, Since, miniaturization can reduces aberrations, microcolumn is expected to have better performance than conventional columns. Depending on the fabrication techniques, the sectional view of micro lens has different shape. In the paper, the effect of the sectional shape of extractor lens and limiting aperture on the focusing property of microcolumns have been studied.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.52-61
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• 2023

We designed a novel ultra-miniaturized microcolumn structure having an stigmator to significantly improve throughput per unit time, which is the biggest disadvantage of microcolumns. We adopted the structure of the stigmator in the form of an electrostatic octupole electrode, and used an electrostatic quadrupole deflector with a relatively simple structure considering the increase in wiring due to the introduction of the stigmator. We have dramatically reduced the effect of astigmatism that occurs when the electron beam probe is scanned to the periphery of the target by introducing the stigmator between the control electrode and the deflector. As our numerical analysis simulation results, the field of view obtained as a result of this study is about 46.3% improved compared to our previous study, and the electron beam probe size of less than 10 nm was achieved in the entire field of view.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.235-238
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• 2005

A Multiple electron beam lithography system with arrayed microcolumns has been developed for high throughput applications. The small size of the microcolumn opens the possibility for arrayed operation on a scale commensurate. The arrayed microcolumns based on of Single Column Module (SCM) concept has been fabricated and successfully demonstrated. Low energy microcolumn lithography has been operated in the energy range from 250 eV to 300 eV for the generation of nano patterns. Probe beam current at the sample was measured about >1 nA at a total beam current of $0.5\;{\mu}A$ and a working distance of $\~1\;mm$. The magnitude of probe beam current is strong enough for the low energy lithography. The thin layers of PMMA resist have been employed. The results of nano-patterning by low energy microcolumn lithography will be discussed.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.29-37
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• 2021

A 7 nm technology node using extreme ultraviolet lithography with a wavelength of 13.5 nm has been recently developed and applied to the semiconductor manufacturing process. Furthermore, the development of sub-3 nm technology nodes continues to be required. In this study, design factors of an electrostatic deflector for an ultra-miniaturized microcolumn system that can realize an electron wavelength of below 1.23 nm with an acceleration voltage of above 1 eV were investigated using a three-dimensional simulator. Particularly, the optimal design of the electrostatic octupole floating deflector was derived by optimizing the design elements and improving the driving method of the 1 keV low energy ultra-miniaturized microcolumn deflector. As a result, the entire wide field of view greater than 330 ㎛ at a working distance of 4 mm was realized with an ultra-high-resolution electron beam spot smaller than 10 nm. The results of this study are expected to be a basis technology for realizing a wafer-scale multi-array microcolumn system, which is expected to innovatively improve the throughput per unit time, which is the biggest drawback of electron beam lithography.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.8 no.4A
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• pp.456-460
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• 1999

Experimental studies of laser micromachining on Mo diaphragm using piezo Q-switched Nd:YAZ laser have been performed. Application of miniaturized micorcolumn electron gun arrays as a potential electron beam lithography or portable mini-scanning electron microscope (SEM) application have recently extensively examined. The conventional microcolumn fabrication technique would give a limitation on the minimization of aberration, In this paper, we obtained 20~30 $\mu \textrm m$aperture of laser micromachining on Mo diaphragm using piezo Q-swithed Nd:YAG laser. The geometrical figures, such as the diameter and the preciseness of the drilled aperture are dependent upon the total energy of the laser pulse train, laser pulse width, and the diameter of laser spot in addition to the materials-dependent parameters.