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--- ebpg_graphic_manual [2025/02/09 12:32] – [EBPG Raith 100 Pictured Manual] fabian
+++ ebpg_graphic_manual [2025/11/06 23:50] (current) – [Defining the origin] fabian
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== EBPG Raith 100 Pictured Manual ======
-This is a pictured user's guide for the Raith 100 e-beam pattern generator (EBPG). The condensed version, which additionally is very useful as a checklist, can be found [[ebpg_raith-100|here]].
+This is a pictured user's guide for the Raith 100 e-beam pattern generator (EBPG). The condensed version can be found [[ebpg_raith-100|here]].
 ===== Control Software =====
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 ===== Vacuum control and turning on the e-beam =====
-Usually VegaTC is running continuously on the left screen. If it is not or if you have to reboot the computer, open it by clicking the shortcut on the desktop. You will see this window:
+==== Venting and pumping ====
-{{::images:cleanroom:software:vegatc_overview.png?600|}}
+Usually VegaTC is running continuously on the left screen. If it is not (or after a reboot), open it by clicking the shortcut on the desktop. You will see this window:
+{{::images:cleanroom:software:vegatc_overview.png?800|}}
 Note that the beam in the bottom right corner will be turned off when you start a new patterning session and after loading a sample.
@@ Line 17: / Line 19: @@
 In the centre you have the SEM image window, below that the measurement toolbar. If this toolbar isn't visible, you can make it show by **INSERT COMMAND HERE**. On the right side you have the control elements for the SEM, beam and vacuum. **Before venting the chamber**, note down the Column pressure in the log book, shown under ''Vacuum'' in the bottom right of the screen. It should show <9.0e-005 mbar if the chamber hasn't been vented in the past one or two hours. Then click ''VENT'' and confirm the dialogue to vent the chamber and load a sample.
-After loading the sample, close the door and click ''PUMP''. Make sure to push the door closed until you hear the sound of the roughing pump change. Otherwise the door won't seal properly and VegaTC will complain that it can't pull a vacuum after a while. Wait for the pressure to drop below 1.4e-004 mbar before you turn on the electron gun. A lower air pressure means higher life time of the electron gun's filament. Turn on the gun by clicking on ''HV'' on the bottom right which will automatically turn on ''HEAT'' as well.
+After loading the sample, close the door and click ''PUMP''. Make sure to push the door closed until you hear the sound of the roughing pump change. Otherwise the door won't seal properly and VegaTC will complain that it can't pull a vacuum after a while. Wait for the pressure to drop below 1.4e-004 mbar before you turn on the electron gun. A lower air pressure means higher life time of the electron gun's filament.
-Once in a while, VegaTC shows a message about auto-heating the filament after you click on ''HV''. If this happens before you have measured your beam current (see later in this guide), note down the heating percentage and emission current in the comments section of the log book and perform an AUTO heat. This will adjust how much current is sent through the emission filament of the electron gun and improves performance and life time if done regularly.
+==== Turning on the e-beam ====
+Once the pressure is below 2.5e-4mbar you can turn on the electron beam. If you have a little more time to spare (about 10 minutes more), turning on HV at lower pressures prolongs the filament life time. Turn on the gun by clicking on ''HV'' on the bottom right which will automatically turn on ''HEAT'' as well.
+Once in a while, VegaTC shows a message about auto-heating the filament after you click on ''HV''. If this happens before you have measured your beam current (see later in this guide), note down the current heating percentage and emission current in the comments section of the log book and perform an AUTO heat. This will adjust how much current is sent through the emission filament of the electron gun and improves performance and life time if done regularly. Also write down the new values.
+It is recommended to allow the gun to heat up for at least 30 minutes prior to patterning. If you notice large fluctuations in beam current (more than ±0.01nA) you might want to allow for even more time to heat up. Typically, 60 to 90 minutes does the trick **<CHECK WITH LUC OR MARCEL>**. You can use the warm-up time to do all the necessary preparations like finding your sample, defining the origin, focussing and write field (WF) alignment. These are not sensitive to the kind of fluctuations that occur during heating and often take more than 30 minutes anyway.
 ===== e_line =====
+e_line is the software you use to do all the patterning and moving around the stage. Double-click on the e-line logo on the desktop to start e_line. When you walk into the clean room and before loading your sample (i.e. venting), the stage of the EBPG should be in exchange position. In this position, the crosshair is are marked yellow in the top left of the wafer map.
+Two very important buttons in e_line are the beam blanker control and the imaging/ patterning control. The **beam blanker control** switches the beam from hitting the sample to hitting the blanker, thereby effectively turning on and off the electron beam. Keep in mind, however, that regardless of blanker setting the filament of the electron source is not switched - it can only be controlled in VegaTC.
+The **imaging/ patterning control** switches detector control between VegaTC and e_line. If in IMG mode, VegaTC shows an image in the SEM scanning window. If PAT is selected, no image is shown in VegaTC.
+{{:images:cleanroom:software:eline_overview.png?800|}}
+==== Crashes and startup problems ====
+e_line can be sensitive at times. If e_line is already open from another user, close it and wait for a couple of minutes (5 to 10 minutes). The software needs this time to fully shut down in the background. If you try to re-open it too quick it might crash and mandate a reboot.
+If e_line crashes and it doesn't start up again, the computer unfortunately has to be rebooted.
+===== Defining the origin =====
+Define the origin of the global coordinate system on your sample. Typically this is the lower left corner of your sample. To find the sample, CTRL + click on the schematic of the sample holder somewhere you know your sample won't be. Once the stage finished moving, turn on the electron beam by clicking on the blanker button in e_line. Should you accidentally see your sample already, immediately blank the electron beam again and move off your sample.
+Once you see an image in VegaTC, slowly move towards your sample's edge. Keep an eye on the scale bar at the bottom of the VegaTC image window and make sure not to accidentally overexpose too much of your sample once you find it. With your sample located, move to the bottom left corner of the sample. Go to a zoom level >1000x, turn on the cross hair in VegaTC and precisely locate the corner.
+----
+:!:This step is particularly important if you're planning to perform overlay patterning. The origin is the first point of reference for alignment.
+----
+In e_line, click on the XY-UV-tab (third tab from the top in the vertical tab bar). Select //Origin Correction//, then click //Adjust//. The corner is now the origin of your coordinate system. Distances are displayed with respect to this point.
+{{ :images:cleanroom:software:eline_coordinates.png?300 |}}