Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080203299 | Charged Particle Beam Apparatus - It is an object of this invention to improve contact precision and probe operability. This invention controls sample stage movement and probe movement on an observation image using a single coordinate system, thereby allowing positioning using a sample stage stop error as a probe control movement amount. This invention also figures out the position of the tip of a probe using the observation image and stores the coordinates of the probe at a reference position on the image. This invention facilitates precise probe contact operation to a sample position of the order of microns. | 08-28-2008 |
20080210866 | Motioning Equipment for Electron Column - Provided is motioning equipment which provides relative motion between electron column emitting electron beam and a sample on which the electron beam is irradiated. The motioning equipment includes multi-microcolumn for emitting electron beams on the sample, supports for supporting the multi-microcolumns, and driving means for driving the supports to move the multi-microcolumns. | 09-04-2008 |
20080217533 | CHARGED PARTICLE SPIN POLARIMETER, MICROSCOPE, AND PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPE - The present invention provides a charged particle spin polarimeter capable of resolving with high efficiency the magnetic moment of a charged particle. The charged particle spin polarimeter has a pair of convex and concave magnetic poles to apply a magnetic field with gradient to an incident charged particle and a pair of plain plate electrodes to apply, to a charged particle, an electric field for canceling a Lorenz force that the charged particle receives from the magnetic field. The magnetic moment in the magnetic field direction of a charged particle is resolved by the interaction between the gradient of the magnetic field and the magnetic moment of the charged particle. | 09-11-2008 |
20080217534 | Scanning Electron Microscope - An object of the present invention is to provide a scanning electron microscope capable of facilitating the cleaning of an electrostatic chuck and also reducing unavailable time due to contamination of the electrostatic chuck. To solve the above problems, there is a proposal of an electron microscope in which a sample is loaded via an auxiliary evacuated chamber in order to carry out measurements and observations using an electron beam, the electron microscope including an electrostatic chuck replacement chamber that is different from the auxiliary evacuated chamber, and a vacuum pump for evacuating the replacement chamber. This configuration eliminates the need to restore a sample chamber to atmospheric pressure for the electrostatic chuck, and also enables effective cleaning of the electrostatic chuck. | 09-11-2008 |
20080217535 | Method of forming a sample image and charged particle beam apparatus - An object of the present invention is to provide a sample image forming method and a charged particle beam apparatus which are suitable for realizing suppressing of the view area displacement with high accuracy while the influence of charging due to irradiation of the charged particle beam is being suppressed. | 09-11-2008 |
20080224038 | METHOD OF DETERMINING THE POWER TRANSFER OF NUCLEAR COMPONENT WITH A LAYER OF MATERIAL PLACED UPON A HEATING SURFACE OF THE COMPONENT - A method to characterize the power transfer of a nuclear component is provided including the steps of obtaining a sample of a deposit layer on a side of a nuclear component, obtaining a scanning electron microscope image of an outside surface of the sample, obtaining a scanning electron microscope image of an inside surface of the sample, analyzing the scanning electron microscope images of the outside and inside surfaces of the sample for a presence of capillaries and steam chimneys, and calculating the power transfer of the component based on a number of steam chimneys in the deposit layer. | 09-18-2008 |
20080224039 | Scanning electron microscope with length measurement function and dimension length measurement method - A scanning electron microscope with a length measurement function includes an electron gun emitting an electron beam, a measurement target region setting unit for setting a measurement region for a pattern formed on a sample, a storing unit for storing the designated measurement region, a beam blanker unit for controlling an irradiation of the electron beam depending on the measurement region, and a control unit for extracting the designated measurement region from the storing unit, interrupting the electron beam with the beam blanker unit in a region other than the measurement region, irradiating the electron beam passed through the beam blanker unit onto the sample in the measurement region, capturing an image of the measurement region, and measuring the pattern. The measurement region may be represented by a pair of measurement regions, and the respective regions may have the same areas as each other. | 09-18-2008 |
20080230697 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus that can achieve both high defect-detection sensitivity and high inspection speed for a sample with various properties in a multi-beam type semiconductor inspection apparatus. The allocation of the primary beam on the sample is made changeable, and furthermore, the beam allocation for performing the inspection at the optimum inspection specifications and at high speed is selected based on the property of the sample. In addition, many optical parameters and apparatus parameters are optimized. Furthermore, the properties of the selected primary beam are measured and adjusted. | 09-25-2008 |
20080251718 | ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS AND SAMPLE OBSERVATION METHOD USING THE SAME - The electron beam apparatus is provided with a stage for mounting a sample thereon, a primary optical system for generating an electron beam having an irradiation area and irradiating the electron beam onto the sample, a secondary optical system for detecting electrons which have been generated through the irradiation of the electron beam onto the sample and have acquired structural information of the sample and acquiring an image of the sample about a viewing area and an irradiation area changing section for changing the position of the irradiation area with respect to the viewing area. | 10-16-2008 |
20080258058 | Interferometer - A double-biprism electron interferometer is an optical system which dramatically increases the degree of freedom of a conventional one-stage electron interferometer. The double-biprism electron interferometer, however, is the same as the optical system of the single electron biprism interferometer in terms of the one-dimensional shape of an electron hologram formed by filament electrodes, the direction of an interference area and the azimuth of the interference fringes. In other words, the longitudinal direction of the interference area is determined corresponding to the direction of the filament electrodes, and the azimuth of the interference fringes only coincides with and is in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the interference area. | 10-23-2008 |
20080258059 | Scanning Probe Microscope System - A scanning probe microscope system capable of identifying an element with atomic scale spatial resolution comprises: an X-ray irradiation means for irradiating a measurement object with high-brilliance monochromatic X-rays having a beam diameter smaller than 1 mm; a probe arranged to oppose to the measurement object; a processing means for detecting and processing a tunneling current through the probe; and a scanning probe microscope having an alignment means for relatively moving the measurement object, the probe, and the incident position of the high-brilliance monochromatic X-rays to the measurement object. | 10-23-2008 |
20080258060 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus is provided, which comprises a charged particle beam column for generating a primary charged particle beam; a focusing assembly, such as a charged particle lens, e.g., an electrostatic lens, for focusing the primary charged particle beam on a specimen; a detector for detecting charged signal particles which are emerging from the specimen; and a deflector arrangement for deflecting the primary charged particle beam. The deflector arrangement is arranged downstream of the focusing assembly and is adapted for allowing the charged signal particles passing therethrough. The detector is laterally displaced with respect to the optical axis in a deflection direction defined by the post-focusing deflector arrangement. | 10-23-2008 |
20080265158 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam instrument is offered which comprises an irradiation mechanism for irradiating a sample with a charged particle beam (FIB/EB), a detection mechanism for detecting secondary charged particles produced by the irradiation by the charged particle beam, a storage portion for previously storing three-dimensional data about the irradiation mechanism and detection mechanism in an interrelated manner to the stage coordinate system W, a conversion portion for converting three-dimensional data about the sample into the stage coordinate system, and a decision portion for simulating the positional relationships among the sample, irradiation mechanism, and detection mechanism based on data converted by the conversion portion and on data stored in the storage portion when a certain position on the sample is placed into a measurement point and for previously making a decision as to whether the sample will interfere and making a report of the result of the decision. | 10-30-2008 |
20080265159 | Sample surface inspection apparatus and method - The present invention provides a surface inspection method and apparatus for inspecting a surface of a sample, in which a resistive film is coated on the surface, and a beam is irradiated to the surface having the resistive film coated thereon, to thereby conduct inspection of the surface of the sample. In the surface inspection method of the present invention, a resistive film having an arbitrarily determined thickness t | 10-30-2008 |
20080272298 | Inspection Equipment for Fine Pattern and Morphology Using Microcolumn - Inspection equipment using a microcolumn is disclosed. The inspection equipment of the present invention can conduct inspection of a fine circuit, which could not be conducted using conventional optical inspection equipment. Furthermore, the present invention can rapidly inspect a display, having a relatively large area, and can have a precise inspection function and a repair function. The inspection equipment of the present invention includes a plurality of microcolumns, a shaft, to which the microcolumns are coupled, and which is disposed in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which an object is moved, and a detector for detecting electron beams radiated from the microcolumns onto the object to determine whether errors exist in a circuit of the object. | 11-06-2008 |
20080272299 | Probe System Comprising an Electric-Field-Aligned Probe Tip and Method for Fabricating the Same - A mechanically stable and oriented scanning probe tip comprising a carbon nanotube having a base with gradually decreasing diameter, with a sharp tip at the probe tip. Such a tip or an array of tips is produced by depositing a catalyst metal film on a substrate ( | 11-06-2008 |
20080272300 | Charged particle beam apparatus - When conditions for an electron gun mainly represented by extraction voltage V | 11-06-2008 |
20080277583 | Charged particle beam apparatus - Electrification affected on a surface of a sample which is caused by irradiation of a primary charged particle beam is prevented when plural frames are integrated to obtain an image of a predetermined area of the sample in a charged particle beam apparatus. The predetermined area of the sample is scanned with a primary electron beam from an electron gun, and plural frames are generated and integrated while detecting generated secondary electrons with a detector to obtain the image of the predetermined area. If it is determined by a detection signal of the detector that an electrification amount at the predetermined area becomes a specified value when generating plural frames, an electricity removal voltage is applied to a boosting electrode to remove or reduce the electrification, prior to generation of the next frame. Accordingly, the signal-to-noise ratio of the image obtained by integrating plural frames can be improved. | 11-13-2008 |
20080283747 | Scanning Electron Microscope and Three-Dimensional Shape Measuring Device That Used It - In three-dimensional shape measurement, a backscattered electron detection signal and selection signal generator in a control section controls, by selection signal, a signal switching section and a frame memory so that: detection signals from respective semiconductor elements are sequentially switched in the signal switching section in synchronization with a scanning frame of an electron beam on a sample; and the detection signals from the respective semiconductor elements can be sequentially recorded in recording addresses in the frame memory which correspond to the respective semiconductor elements. After four electron beam scanning sessions, each image data for three-dimensional shape measurement is recorded in the frame memory, and processed in a computing processing section for three-dimensional shape measurement, and the result can be displayed in a display section. The backscattered electron detection signal and selection signal generator in the control section is configured to include, for example, a counter updated in frame scanning units, and can be composed of a very simple circuit or software. | 11-20-2008 |
20080302961 | SAMPLE RELOCATION METHOD IN CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS AS WELL AS SAMPLE FOR TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - In a chamber of a charged particle beam apparatus, the sample on the sample substrate is gripped and carried to the sample holder, and there is controlled the attitude of the sample when the sample is fixed on the sample holder. There possesses a marking process applying, in the chamber, a marking to a surface of the sample Wb existing on the sample substrate by a beam, a carriage process gripping the sample by a sample gripping means and carrying it from the sample substrate to the sample holder, and an attitude control process controlling, when fixing the sample to the sample holder, the attitude of the sample while observing the marking applied to the surface of the sample. | 12-11-2008 |
20080302962 | Charged particle beam apparatus - The invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus capable of preventing image errors in a display image and capturing a clear display image. A display image displayed on a display unit has a rectangular shape having sides that are substantially parallel to coordinate axes of a rectangular coordinate system determined by wafer alignment. A charged particle beam is radiated onto an area including a display image in a direction that is not parallel to the coordinate axes of the reference rectangular coordinate system to scan the area. Then, among image information obtained by scanning, only information of a position within the display image is displayed on the image display unit. In this way, a clear display image without brightness variation is obtained. | 12-11-2008 |
20080302963 | SHEET BEAM-TYPE TESTING APPARATUS - An electron beam apparatus such as a sheet beam based testing apparatus has an electron-optical system for irradiating an object under testing with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and projecting an image of a secondary electron beam emitted by the irradiation of the primary electron beam, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron beam image projected by the electron-optical system; specifically, the electron beam apparatus comprises beam generating means | 12-11-2008 |
20080302964 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PATTERN - A circuit pattern inspection method and an apparatus therefor, in which the whole of a portion to be inspected of a sample to be inspected is made to be in a predetermined changed state, the portion to be inspected is irradiated with an image-forming high-density electron beam while scanning the electron beam, secondary charged particles are detected at a portion irradiated with the electron beam after a predetermined period of time from an instance when the electron beam is irradiated, an image is formed on the basis of the thus detected secondary charged particle signal, and the portion to be inspected is inspected by using the thus formed image. | 12-11-2008 |
20080308731 | Specimen Holder, Specimen Inspection Apparatus, Specimen Inspection Method, and Method of Fabricating Specimen Holder - A specimen holder, a specimen inspection apparatus, and a specimen inspection method permitting a specimen consisting of cultured cells to be observed or inspected. Also, a method of fabricating the holder is offered. The holder has an open specimen-holding surface. At least a part of this surface is formed by a film. A specimen cultured on the specimen-holding surface of the film can be irradiated via the film with a primary beam for observation or inspection of the specimen. Consequently, the cultured specimen (e.g., cells) can be observed or inspected in vitro. Especially, if an electron beam is used as the primary beam, the specimen in vitro can be observed or inspected by SEM. Because the specimen-holding surface is open, a manipulator can gain access to the specimen. A stimulus can be given to the specimen using the manipulator. The reaction can be observed or inspected. | 12-18-2008 |
20080315093 | Electron beam inspection method and electron beam inspection apparatus - An electron beam inspection apparatus images reflected electrons and cancels negative charging derived from electron-beam irradiation. Ultraviolet rays are irradiated and an irradiated area of ultraviolet rays is displayed as a photoelectron image. The photoelectron image and a reflected-electron image are displayed on a monitor while being superposed on each other, to easily grasp the positional relationship between the images and the difference in size between them. Specifically, the shape of the irradiated area of an electron beam includes the shape of the irradiated area of ultraviolet rays on a display screen. The intensity of the ultraviolet rays in the irradiated area of the electron beam is adjusted while the reflected-electron imaging conditions for the reflected-electron image are sustained. Moreover, an amount-of-ultraviolet ray adjustment mechanism is controlled on the monitor so that an amount of the ultraviolet rays is adjusted while observing a reflected-electron image obtained during ultraviolet irradiation. | 12-25-2008 |
20080315094 | CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION DEVICES - A charged particle detector consists of a plurality independent light guide modules assembled together to form a segmented in-lens on-axis annular detector, with a center hole for allowing the primary charged particle beam to pass through. One side of the assembly facing the specimen is coated with or bonded to scintillator material as the charged particle detection surface. Each light guide module is coupled to a photomultiplier tube to allow light signals transmitted through each light guide module to be amplified and processed separately. A charged particle detector is made from a single block of light guide material processed to have a cone shaped circular cutout from one face, terminating on the opposite face to an opening to allow the primary charged particle beam to pass through. The opposite face is coated with or bonded to scintillator material as the charged particle detection surface. The outer region of the light guide block is shaped into four separate light guide output channels and each light guide output channel is coupled to a photomultiplier tube to allow light signal output from each channel to be amplified and processed separately. | 12-25-2008 |
20080315095 | Electron beam apparatus, a device manufacturing method using the same apparatus, a pattern evaluation method, a device manufacturing method using the same method, and a resist pattern or processed wafer evaluation method - An object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam apparatus, in which a plurality of electron beams, e.g., four electron beams, is produced for one optical axis with a relatively high current achieved for each electron beam. | 12-25-2008 |
20090001267 | Charged particle beam apparatus and specimen inspection method - In a multi-charged-particle-beam apparatus, when an electric field and voltage on a surface of a specimen are varied according to characteristics of the specimen, a layout of plural primary beams on the surface of the specimen and a layout of plural secondary beams on each detector vary. Then, calibration is executed to adjust the primary beams on the surface of the specimen to an ideal layout corresponding to the variation of operating conditions including inspecting conditions such as an electric field on the surface and voltage applied to the specimen. The layout of the primary beams on the surface of the specimen is acquired as images displayed on a display of reference marks on the stage. Variance with an ideal state of the reference marks is measured based upon these images and is corrected by the adjustment of a primary electron optics system and others. | 01-01-2009 |
20090008550 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS, ABERRATION CORRECTION VALUE CALCULATION UNIT THEREFOR, AND ABERRATION CORRECTION PROGRAM THEREFOR - A charged particle beam apparatus includes: a correction image acquisition part | 01-08-2009 |
20090014649 | ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS - Secondary electrons emitted from a sample (W) by an electron beam irradiation is deflected by a beam separator ( | 01-15-2009 |
20090014650 | DETECTOR FOR ELECTRON COLUMN AND METHOD FOR DETECTING ELECTRONS FOR ELECTRON COLUMN - In a conventional micro-channel plate (MCP), a secondary electron (SE) detector or a semi-conductor detector the number of the electrons is amplified through its own structure. For such amplification a small voltage difference is applied externally or generated due to its own structure and material. The electric current of electrons undergoing the above-described procedure is amplified by an external amplification circuit. In the present invention electrons—resulting from the collision of the electron beam generated by a microcolumn—are detected by surrounding conductive wiring. The detected electrons are amplified using an amplification circuit on the outside similar to a conventional detection method. | 01-15-2009 |
20090020698 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS, AND SAMPLE PROCESSING AND OBSERVATION METHOD - An object of the present invention relates to realizing the processing of a sample by charged particle beams and the monitoring of the processed cross-section with a high throughput. | 01-22-2009 |
20090020699 | MICROSTRUCTURED PATTERN INSPECTION METHOD - The edges of the reticle are detected with respect to the microstructured patterns exposed by the stepper, and the shapes of the microstructured patterns at the surface and at the bottom of the photoresist are detected. The microstructured patterns are evaluated by calculating, and displaying on the screen, the dislocation vector that represents the relationship in position between the detected patterns on the surface and at the bottom of the photoresist. Furthermore, dislocation vectors between the microstructured patterns at multiple positions in a single-chip or single-shot area or on one wafer are likewise calculated, then the sizes and distribution status of the dislocation vectors at each such position are categorized as characteristic quantities, and the corresponding tendencies are analyzed. Thus, stepper or wafer abnormality is detected. | 01-22-2009 |
20090026368 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING SAMPLE SURFACE - Provided is a defect inspection apparatus and an inspection (or evaluation) method with highly improved accuracy, which would not be provided by the prior art, in the defect inspection apparatus used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device. | 01-29-2009 |
20090026369 | Electron Beam Inspection System and an Image Generation Method for an Electron Beam Inspection System - An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection system using a scanning electron microscope that detects a high-precision electron beam image and at the same time, removes restrictions for a low sampling rate, which presents a problem at this point, of an AD converter element and an inspection method. | 01-29-2009 |
20090032708 | Inspection system by charged particle beam and method of manufacturing devices using the system - An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device | 02-05-2009 |
20090039261 | Pattern Inspection Method and Pattern Inspection System - A pattern data examination method and system capable of accurately and speedily examining a circuit pattern without failing to extract pattern contour data are provided. While pattern comparison is ordinarily made by using a secondary electron image, a contour of a pattern element is extracted by using a backscattered electron image said to be suitable for observation and examination of a three dimensional configuration of a pattern element, and pattern inspection is executed by using the extracted contour of the pattern element. More specifically, pattern inspection is executed by comparing a contour of a pattern element with design data such as CAD data to measure a difference between the contour and the data, and by computing, for example, the size of the circuit pattern element from the contour of a pattern. From two or more backscattered electron images formed by detecting backscattered electrons at two or more different spatial positions, pattern contour data contained in the backscattered electron images may be obtained. | 02-12-2009 |
20090039262 | ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE USING THE APPARATUS - The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus for irradiating a sample with primary electron beams to detect secondary electron beams generated from a surface of the sample by the irradiation for evaluating the sample surface. In the electron beam apparatus, an electron gun has a cathode for emitting primary electron beams. The cathode includes a plurality of emitters for emitting primary electron beams, arranged apart from one another on a circle centered at an optical axis of a primary electro-optical system. The plurality of emitters are arranged such that when the plurality of emitters are projected onto a straight line parallel with a direction in which the primary electron beams are scanned, resulting points on the straight line are spaced at equal intervals. | 02-12-2009 |
20090045337 | Charged-Particle Beam Instrument - A charged-particle beam instrument (such as a transmission electron microscope) which facilitates modifying the diameters of aperture stops installed above and below (on the beam entrance and exit sides) the specimen chamber and exchanging the aperture stops. The instrument has bottom and bottom polepieces forming the specimen chamber, aperture stops each having plural holes, pushing mechanisms for pushing the aperture stops against the polepieces and supporting the stops, and stop drive mechanisms for sliding the aperture stops in a direction perpendicular to the path of the beam in response to a manipulation performed outside the electron optical column. The aperture stops are made of a metal foil or sheet and provide a cover over the opening of at least one beam passage hole in the polepieces that faces into the specimen chamber. | 02-19-2009 |
20090045338 | Inspection method and apparatus using an electron beam - An inspection method and apparatus irradiates a sample on which a pattern is formed with an electron beam, so that an inspection image and a reference image can be generated on the basis of a secondary electron or a reflected electron emitted by the sample. An abnormal pattern is determined based on a difference in halftone values of each pixel between the inspection image and the reference image. A plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern are obtained from an image of the abnormal pattern, and, based on the distribution of the plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern, a range for classifying the type of the abnormal pattern is designated. Thus, a desired defect can be extracted from many defects extracted by inspection. | 02-19-2009 |
20090050803 | Charged particle beam device - The charged particle beam device of this invention separately detects secondary signal particles emitted from the surface of a sample, dark field signal particles scattered within and transmitted through the sample, bright field signal particles transmitted through the sample without being scattered within the sample, and thereby allows the operator to observe the image with an optimum contrast according to applications. In order to detect only the dark field transmitted signal particles scattered within the sample, among the transmitted signal particles obtained by the primary charged particle beams having transmitted through the thin film sample, the device includes a transmitted signal conversion member having an opening through which the bright field transmitted signal particles not being scattered within the sample can pass, and a detection means for detecting signals colliding against the conversion member. | 02-26-2009 |
20090057555 | Scanning electron microscope - A scanning electron microscope is provided. The scanning electron microscope includes an electron beam source generating a primary electron beam, a condenser lens converging the primary electron beam, a base plate with a diamond film formed on the surface thereof having an aperture for passing of the primary electron beam, and a scanning unit two-dimensionally scanning a specimen with the primary electron beam. | 03-05-2009 |
20090057556 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF AN INSPECTION SYSTEM USING AN ELECTRON BEAM - Problems encountered in the conventional inspection method and the conventional apparatus adopting the method are solved by the present invention using an electron beam by providing a novel inspection method and an inspection apparatus adopting the novel method which are capable of increasing the speed to scan a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer. | 03-05-2009 |
20090057557 | Localized static charge distribution precision measurement method and device - A charged particle beam device including a function for measuring localized static charges on a sample. A primary charged particle beam scans a sample positioned in a mirror state to acquire an image. The acquired image may be an image of the sample or may be an image of a structural component in the charged particle optical system. The acquired image is compared with a standard sample image and the localized static charge is measured. | 03-05-2009 |
20090065693 | Method And Apparatus For Probing Nuclear Material By Photofission - The invention relates to a method and a system for using photofission to probe an article containing potentially radiation-emitting elements. The article is bombarded by a beam of electrons of sufficient energy, and they are converted into photons by bremsstrahlung directly within the article to be probed, which article is likely to contain photofissile material. No target is added to the package to perform this conversion. Preferably, the article to be probed is a package of radioactive waste, in which the container is made of thick absorbent concrete. | 03-12-2009 |
20090065694 | Scanning electron microscope - An object of the invention is to reduce the beam drift in which the orbit of the charged particle beam is deflected by a potential gradient generated by a nonuniform sample surface potential on a charged-particle-beam irradiation area surface, the nonuniform sample surface potential being generated by electrification made when observing an insulating-substance sample using a charged particle beam. | 03-12-2009 |
20090072138 | Test Apparatus - A scan control unit for generating two-dimensional coordinates for performing a scan with an electron beam of an electron scanning microscope is provided with first and second transforming units for transforming coordinates in the horizontal (X) direction and the vertical (V) direction. An area to be tested in a sample is scanned with an electron beam in an arbitrary direction. As the first and second transforming units, small-capacity transformation tables (LUTs) capable of operating at high speed in each of the horizontal (X) direction and the vertical (Y) direction are used. By also using a large-capacity transformation table (LUT) that stores coordinate transformation data corresponding to plural scan types, a test apparatus compatible with the plural scan types, having multiple functions, and capable of performing high-speed scan control is realized. | 03-19-2009 |
20090072139 | Substrate inspection apparatus, substrate inspection method and method of manufacturing semiconductor device - A substrate inspection apparatus includes: an electron beam irradiation device which emits an electron beam and causes the electron beam to irradiate a substrate to be inspected as a primary beam; an electron beam detector which detects at least one of a secondary electron, a reflected electron and a backscattered electron that are generated from the substrate that has been irradiated by the electron beam, and which outputs a signal that forms a one-dimensional or two-dimensional image of a surface of the substrate; a mapping projection optical system which causes imaging of at least one of the secondary electron, the reflected electron and the backscattered electron on the electron beam detector as a secondary beam; and an electromagnetic wave irradiation device which generates an electromagnetic wave and causes the electromagnetic wave to irradiate a location on the surface of the substrate at which the secondary beam is generated. | 03-19-2009 |
20090078868 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A HIGH-RESOLUTION THREE DIMENSIONAL CONFOCAL SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A confocal scanning transmission electron microscope which includes an electron illumination device providing an incident electron beam propagating in a direction defining a propagation axis, and a precision specimen scanning stage positioned along the propagation axis and movable in at least one direction transverse to the propagation axis. The precision specimen scanning stage is configured for positioning a specimen relative to the incident electron beam. A projector lens receives a transmitted electron beam transmitted through at least part of the specimen and focuses this transmitted beam onto an image plane, where the transmitted beam results from the specimen being illuminated by the incident electron beam. A detection system is placed approximately in the image plane. | 03-26-2009 |
20090084955 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM EQUIPMENT AND CHARGED PARTICLE MICROSCOPY - On the basis of a displacement of the field of view before and after a deflection of a charged particle beam, extracted from a first specimen image, including a displacement of the field of view recorded by causing a charged particle beam to deflect by a predetermined amount by a beam deflector in an image in which a specimen image is captured at a first magnification calibrated by using a specimen enlarged image of a specimen as a magnification standard, and also a displacement of the field of view before and after a deflection of the charged particle beam, extracted from a second specimen image, including a displacement of the field of view recorded by causing a charged particle beam to deflect by the predetermined amount by the beam deflector in an image in which a specimen image is captured at a second magnification, the second magnification is calibrated. | 04-02-2009 |
20090101816 | Testing apparatus using charged particles and device manufacturing method using the testing apparatus - A system for further enhancing speed, i.e. improving throughput in a SEM-type inspection apparatus is provided. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate produces a crossover from electrons emitted from an electron beam source | 04-23-2009 |
20090101817 | CHARGED PARTICLE APPLICATION APPARATUS - The present invention provides a highly sensitive, thin detector useful for observing low-voltage, high-resolution SEM images, and provides a charged particle beam application apparatus based on such a detector. The charged particle beam application apparatus includes a charged particle irradiation source, a charged particle optics for irradiating a sample with a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle irradiation source, and an electron detection section for detecting electrons that are secondarily generated from the sample. The electron detection section includes a diode device that is a combination of a phosphor layer, which converts the electrons to an optical signal, and a device for converting the optical signal to electrons and subjecting the electrons to avalanche multiplication, or includes a diode device having an electron absorption region that is composed of at least a wide-gap semiconductor substrate with a bandgap greater than 2 eV. | 04-23-2009 |
20090108199 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DETERMINE FOCUS PARAMETERS DURING AN ELECTRON BEAM INSPECTION - This invention relates to apparatus and method to fast determine focus parameters in one pre-scan during an e-beam inspection practice. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method that provide accurate focus tuning after primary focusing has been done. | 04-30-2009 |
20090121133 | IDENTIFICATION OF NUCLEIC ACIDS USING INELASTIC/ELASTIC ELECTRON TUNNELING SPECTROSCOPY - The present invention relates to a method for identifying a nucleotide in a nucleic acid including stretching a nucleic acid to an extended conformation, subjecting a nucleotide of the stretched nucleic acid to electron tunneling spectroscopy, and obtaining a current-voltage curve or a current derivative-voltage curve as a result of the stretching to provide a resonance signature of the nucleotide in the nucleic acid. The present invention also relates to a method for sequencing a nucleic acid. The method includes stretching a nucleic acid to an extended conformation, the nucleic acid including a plurality of nucleotides, subjecting each nucleotide of the stretched nucleic acid to electron tunneling spectroscopy, and obtaining a current-voltage curve or a current derivative-voltage curve as a result of said subjecting to provide a resonance signature of each nucleotide in the stretched nucleic acid. | 05-14-2009 |
20090121134 | Tool-To-Tool Matching Control Method And its System For Scanning Electron Microscope - A system for controlling a tool-to-tool disparity between a plurality of scanning electron microscopes includes a measuring unit for measuring a tool-to-tool disparity between plural scanning electron microscopes based on information extracted from secondary electron images which are captured by imaging a reference pattern formed on a wafer, a tool state monitoring unit for monitoring tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes, and an output unit for displaying on a screen a relationship between the tool-to-tool disparity between the plural scanning electron microscopes and tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes monitored by the tool state monitoring unit. The tool state monitoring unit monitors the tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes while imaging the reference pattern formed on the wafer by using each of the plural scanning electron microscopes. | 05-14-2009 |
20090146055 | Apparatus for thermal control in the analysis of electronic devices - A heat spreader comprising a sheet of transparent diamond with an aperture therein that accommodates a solid-immersion lens (SIL). The heat spreader may be mounted within a clamp which allows the heat spreader to move freely across the Device Under Test (DUT) whilst maintaining a very high degree of planarity and contact between the diamond and the silicon substrate of the DUT. The DUT is secured to its electrical interface with a low profile clamp, the DUT may be held within the clamp by a mechanism that applies a pressure to the sides of the DUT package. | 06-11-2009 |
20090184243 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus having an aberration correction capability at high acceleration voltages. The charged particle beam apparatus comprises a charged particle beam source; an extraction electrode to extract charged particles from the charged particle beam source; a charged particle beam gun including a means for converging a charged particle beam; an acceleration means for accelerating a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle beam gun; and an aberration correction means disposed between the charged particle beam gun and the acceleration means, in which an aberration enough to cancel out an aberration of a charged particle beam on the specimen surface is provided to an extraction electrical potential or an equivalent beam at the initial acceleration stage. | 07-23-2009 |
20090206255 | SUBSTRATE INSPECTION DEVICE AND SUBSTRATE INSPECTION METHOD - Provided is a substrate inspection apparatus for inspecting defects of a pattern formed on a laminated structure on a substrate. The laminated structure includes a first and a second layer sequentially formed on the substrate, which have different compositions from each other. The substrate inspection apparatus includes: an electron emission unit for irradiating primary electrons onto the substrate; an electron detection unit for detecting secondary electrons generated by irradiating the primary electrons; a data processing unit for processing data of the secondary electrons detected by the electron detection unit; and a voltage control unit for controlling an acceleration voltage of the primary electrons. The voltage control unit controls the acceleration voltage such that the primary electrons irradiated to the exposed second layer arrive at the inside of the first layer or the second layer other than near an interface of the first layer and the second layer. | 08-20-2009 |
20090206256 | ELECTRON BEAM DEVICE - A multi-biprism electron interferometer is configured so as to arrange a plurality of biprisms in an imaging optical system of a specimen. This generally requires a plurality of ports for the electron biprisms in a magnifying optical system from an objective lens onward and also requires electromagnetic lenses, which are combined with the respective electron biprisms and operated in association therewith, to provide the interference optical system with a degree of freedom. As a result, not only the electron biprism ports but also electromagnetic lenses need to be additionally configured in the imaging optical system of a conventional electron microscope so as to display the performance as the multi-biprism electron interferometer. The present invention arranges an upper electron biprism upstream of the specimen in the traveling direction of the electron beam and forms an image of the electron biprism on the specimen (object plane) using an imaging action of a pre-field of the objective lens. A double-biprism interference optical system is constructed of a lower electron biprism disposed downstream of the objective lens up to the first image plane of the specimen. No new electromagnetic lens needs to be added in this optical system. | 08-20-2009 |
20090206257 | PATTERN INSPECTION METHOD AND INSPECTION APPARATUS - An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus and an inspection method excellent in that high-sensitivity defect detection performance is achieved without causing throughput degradation even if an adequate contrast of a defective region cannot be obtained due to characteristics of an inspected sample. To achieve the object, according to the present invention, an SEM pattern inspection apparatus for determining defective portions from an image generated based on secondary electrons or reflected electrons generated from the sample after causing an electron beam to repeatedly scan the inspected sample reciprocatingly on a line has a function to use a retrace of the electron beam for image acquisition, precharging, or discharging. | 08-20-2009 |
20090212213 | PROJECTION ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS AND DEFECT INSPECTION SYSTEM USING THE APPARATUS - A sample is evaluated at a high throughput by reducing axial chromatic aberration and increasing the transmittance of secondary electrons. Electron beams emitted from an electron gun | 08-27-2009 |
20090212214 | SAMPLE INSPECTION APPARATUS - The invention avoids charge up when creating a focus map for an electron beam apparatus for inspecting a sample. An auto-focus (AF) control apparatus controls to drive an actuator for moving a focus lens of an optical microscope while acquiring a contrast signal from the optical microscope for each of focus measurement points on a surface of a sample under control of a PC device, to automatically focus on the surface of the sample. The control apparatus detects a focus value of the optical microscope corresponding to a position (height) of the sample surface in an optical axis direction. The PC device receives the detected focus value, and converts the focus value into a voltage to be applied to an electrostatic lens of the electron beam device during actual sample inspection, and stores the converted value. | 08-27-2009 |
20090218491 | SAMPLE DIMENSION INSPECTING/MEASURING METHOD AND SAMPLE DIMENSION INSPECTING/MEASURING APPARATUS - One of principal objects of the present invention is to provide a sample dimension measuring method for detecting the position of an edge of a two-dimensional pattern constantly with the same accuracy irrespective of the direction of the edge and a sample dimension measuring apparatus. According to this invention, to accomplish the above object, it is proposed to correct the change of a signal waveform of secondary electrons which depends on the direction of scanning of an electron beam relative to the direction of a pattern edge of an inspection objective pattern. It is proposed that when changing the scanning direction of the electron beam in compliance with the direction of a pattern to be measured, errors in the scanning direction and the scanning position are corrected. In this configuration, a sufficient accuracy of edge detection can be obtained irrespective of the scanning direction of the electron beam. | 09-03-2009 |
20090230303 | DEFECT ANALYZER - The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for analyzing defects in an object such as a semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment, it provides a method of characterizing defects in semiconductor wafers during fabrication in a semiconductor fabrication facility. This method comprises the following actions. The semiconductor wafers are inspected to locate defects. Locations corresponding to the located defects are then stored in a defect file. A dual charged-particle beam system is automatically navigated to the vicinity defect location using information from the defect file. The defect is automatically identified and a charged particle beam image of the defect is then obtained. The charged particle beam image is then analyzed to characterize the defect. A recipe is then determined for further analysis of the defect. The recipe is then automatically executed to cut a portion of the defect using a charged particle beam. The position of the cut is based upon the analysis of the charged particle beam image. Ultimately, a surface exposed by the charged particle beam cut is imaged to obtain additional information about the defect. | 09-17-2009 |
20090242764 | SPIN-TORQUE PROBE MICROSCOPE - A spin-torque probe microscope and methods of using the same are described. The spin-torque probe microscope includes a cantilever probe body, a magnetic tip disposed at a distal end of the cantilever probe body, an electrically conductive sample disposed proximate to the magnetic tip, an electrical circuit providing a spin-polarized electron current to the electrically conductive sample, and a vibration detection element configured to sense vibration frequency of the cantilever probe body. The spin-polarized electron current is sufficient to alter a local electron spin or magnetic moment within the electrically conductive sample and be sensed by the magnetic tip. | 10-01-2009 |
20090250610 | SAMPLE INSPECTION APPARATUS - A sample inspection apparatus in which a fault in a semiconductor sample can be measured and analyzed efficiently. A plurality of probes are brought into contact with the sample. The sample is irradiated with an electron beam while a current flowing through the probes is measured. Signals from at least two probes are supplied to an image processing unit so as to form an absorbed electron current image. A difference between images obtained in accordance with a temperature change of the sample is obtained. A faulty point is identified from the difference between the images. | 10-08-2009 |
20090261251 | INSPECTION APPARATUS AND INSPECTION METHOD - Inspection apparatus and method adapted to inspect a sample by irradiating it with an electron beam and detecting defects on the sample from an image formed based on a secondary signal generated from the sample. The inspection apparatus includes: a scanning deflector for scanning the sample with a beam having an irradiation energy for imaging irradiation regions of the sample, a blanking deflector for blanking the beam to prevent it from irradiating the sample during scanning, a moving stage for continuously moving the sample during scanning such that the beam is deflected and scanned continuously from one side of the sample to the other, and a controller for sending a deflection command to the blanking deflector to blank the beam over nonirradiation regions of the scanning regions of the sample according to selection of irradiation regions of the sample. | 10-22-2009 |
20090278045 | Substrate-examining apparatus - The invention provides a substrate-examining apparatus which is capable of measuring the detailed shape of a contact hole and the state of a hole bottom. A substrate-examining apparatus includes an electron source ( | 11-12-2009 |
20090294664 | ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS - The present invention includes an electron beam device for examining defects on semiconductor devices. The device includes an electron source for generating a primary electron beam, wherein the total acceleration potential is divided and is provided across the ground potential. Also included is at least one condenser lens for pre-focusing the primary electron beam, an aperture for confining the primary electron beam to ameliorate electron-electron interaction, wherein the aperture is positioned right underneath the last condenser lens, and a SORIL objective lens system for forming immersion magnetic field and electrostatic field to focus the primary beam onto the specimen in the electron beam path. A pair of grounding rings for providing virtual ground voltage potential to those components within the electron beam apparatus installed below a source anode and above a last polepiece of the SORIL objective lens. | 12-03-2009 |
20090294665 | Scanning electron microscope and similar apparatus - To provide a scanning electron microscope that can detect with high efficiency the secondary electrons generated from the entire surface of a target, in a scanning electron microscope with an objective lens having a retarding electric field near a sample, at least two detectors are arranged with axial symmetry to electron optical axis, a target that causes secondary electrons or reflected electrons to collide with the target is disposed near the detectors, and at least one electrode member having a negative potential lower than a potential of the target is formed almost with axial symmetry to the electron optical axis. | 12-03-2009 |
20090302218 | ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE EVALUATION DEVICE, ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE EVALUATION METHOD, ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTORECEPTOR, AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An electrostatic latent image evaluation device includes an optical scanner configured to irradiate laser light of a wavelength of 400 nm-800 nm on a photoreceptor sample, and form an electrostatic latent image, an electron gun configured to irradiate a charged particle beam to the photoreceptor sample having the electrostatic latent image, and surface electric charge distribution or surface electric potential distribution, a detector configured to detect an electron emitted from the photoreceptor sample by the irradiation of the charged particle beam, and an electrostatic latent image evaluation section configured to calculate sizes of a plurality of electrostatic latent images formed by the laser light each having different exposure energy density according to a detection signal detected by the detector, and evaluate the electrostatic latent image according to a change in the calculated sizes. | 12-10-2009 |
20090309024 | Electron-beam device and detector system - An electron-beam device having a beam generator for generating an electron beam, an objective lens for focusing the electron beam on an object, and at least one detector for detecting electrons scattered on the object or emitted by the object. Furthermore, a detector system for detecting electrons is described. With an electron-beam device having a detector system according to the present invention, it is possible to make a selection in a simple manner, in particular according to backscattered and secondary electrons. At the same time, as many electrons as possible may be detected using the detector system. For this purpose, the electron-beam device exhibits at least one adjustable diaphragm which is allocated to the detector. The detector system exhibits a detector on which a reflector for reflecting electrons onto the detector is accommodated. | 12-17-2009 |
20100006756 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM IMAGE - When the surface of a semiconductor wafer, a photomask or the like sample is charged by irradiation with a charged particle beam, the charging is liable to hamper image observation, inspection and handling. Therefore, the sample and the surface or vicinity of the sample being charged by an electron beam or the like is held in an atmosphere or a reduced pressure atmosphere or in a predetermined gaseous atmosphere within a preliminary evacuation chamber, a sample chamber or the like, containing a soft X-ray generator which irradiates the sample or the vicinity thereof with soft X-rays which are controlled to generate positive ions and negative ions and remove charges on the surface of the sample. | 01-14-2010 |
20100019149 | MAPPING-PROJECTION-TYPE ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING SAMPLE BY USING ELECTRONS EMITTED FROM THE SAMPLE - An apparatus capable of detecting defects of a pattern on a sample with high accuracy and reliability and at a high throughput, and a semiconductor manufacturing method using the same are provided. The electron beam apparatus is a mapping-projection-type electron beam apparatus for observing or evaluating a surface of the sample by irradiating the sample with a primary electron beam and forming on a detector an image of reflected electrons emitted from the sample. An electron impact-type detector such as an electron impact-type CCD or an electron impact-type TDI is used as the detector for detecting the reflected electrons. The reflected electrons are selectively detected from an energy difference between the reflected electrons and secondary electrons emitted from the sample. To eliminate charge-up caused on the sample surface by irradiation with the primary electron beam, the surface of the sample is covered with a cover placed above the sample and a gas is supplied to the space above the sample covered with the cover. The gas is brought into contact with the sample surface to reduce charge-up on the sample surface. | 01-28-2010 |
20100019150 | Method And Apparatus For Reviewing Defects - A method of inspecting defects of a sample includes a first step for, on a basis of position information of defects on a sample placed on a movable table which is previously detected and obtained by an other inspection system, driving the table so that the defects come into a viewing field of an optical microscope having a focus which is adjusted, a second step for re-detecting the defects to obtain a first detection result, a third step for correcting the position information of defects on a basis of position information of defects re-detected of the first detection result, and a fourth step for reviewing the defects whose position information is corrected to obtain a second detection result. The method includes classifying types of defects on basis of the first detection result and the second detection result. | 01-28-2010 |
20100025579 | APPARATUS AND METHOD INCLUDING A DIRECT BOMBARDMENT DETECTOR AND A SECONDARY DETECTOR FOR USE IN ELECTRON MICROSCOPY - An apparatus for use with an electron beam for imaging a sample. The apparatus has a down-conversion detector configured to detect an electron microscopy signal generated by the electron beam incident on the sample, a direct bombardment detector adjacent to the down-conversion detector and configured to detect the electron microscopy signal, and a mechanism selectively exposing the down-conversion detector and the direct bombardment detector to the electron microscopy signal. A method using the apparatus is also provided. | 02-04-2010 |
20100044565 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE HAVING A MONOCHROMATOR - A scanning electron microscope having a monochromator that can automatically adjust an electron beam entering the monochromator and operating conditions of the monochromator. The scanning electron microscope having a monochromator is equipped with, between an electron source and the monochromator, a first focusing lens for adjusting focusing of the electron beam entering the monochromator and a first astigmatism correcting lens for correcting astigmatism of the electron beam entering the monochromator. The microscope further includes a means of obtaining an image of an electron-beam adjustment sample disposed where the electron beam in the monochromator is focused, and based on the obtained image, driving the first focusing lens and the first astigmatism correcting lens so that the focusing and astigmatism of the electron beam entering the monochromator are adjusted. | 02-25-2010 |
20100051806 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus is provided which has high resolving power and a wide scanning region (observation field of view). The apparatus has a unit for adjusting the focus, a unit for adjusting astigmatism, a unit for controlling and detecting scanning positions and a controller operative to control the focus adjustment and astigmatism adjustment at a time in interlocked relation to the scanning positions, thereby assuring compatibility between the high resolving power and the observation view field of a wide area. | 03-04-2010 |
20100078555 | Electron Beam Apparatus And Method Of Generating An Electron Beam Irradiation Pattern - High-contrast exposure is performed by use of a small dose of electron beams, a pattern is formed on a wafer with high accuracy, and high-precision inspection is performed. In pattern formation, proximity effect correction processing is performed. Moreover, exposure of electron beams is performed based on a result of filtering using an inverse characteristic of exposure characteristics of the electron beams. Furthermore, in pattern inspection, electron beams are irradiated based on a result of filtering for obtaining a peripheral region of an edge of the pattern formed. | 04-01-2010 |
20100078556 | Electron Beam Apparatus And Method of Generating An Electron Beam Irradiation Pattern - High-contrast exposure is performed by use of a small dose of electron beams, a pattern is formed on a wafer with high accuracy, and high-precision inspection is performed. In pattern formation, proximity effect correction processing is performed. Moreover, exposure of electron beams is performed based on a result of filtering using an inverse characteristic of exposure characteristics of the electron beams. Furthermore, in pattern inspection, electron beams are irradiated based on a result of filtering for obtaining a peripheral region of an edge of the pattern formed. | 04-01-2010 |
20100084554 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING PARTICLE ABSORPTION ON A WAFER SAMPLE BEING INSPECTED BY A CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM IMAGING SYSTEM - A method of controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample being inspected by a charged particle beam imaging system prevents particle absorption by grounding the wafer sample and kept electrically neutral during the transfer-in and transfer-out process. | 04-08-2010 |
20100090109 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A scanning electron microscope includes an irradiation optical system for irradiating an electron beam to a sample; a sample holder for supporting the sample, arranged inside a sample chamber; at least one electric field supply electrode arranged around the sample holder; and an ion current detection electrode. | 04-15-2010 |
20100096550 | PROJECTION ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS AND DEFECT INSPECTION SYSTEM USING THE APPARATUS - A sample is evaluated at a high throughput by reducing axial chromatic aberration and increasing the transmittance of secondary electrons. Electron beams emitted from an electron gun | 04-22-2010 |
20100102226 | PATTERNING DEVICE HOLDING APPARATUS AND APPLICATION THEREOF - A patterning device holding apparatus includes a support platform unit with a plurality of first positioning projections and a gripper unit. The gripper unit includes a head portion and a plurality of second positioning projections disposed on the head portion, and a rolling member set at a base portion. The grapping and releasing of the patterning device is achieved by the rotation of the gripper unit about a pivot substantially parallel with the center axis of the rolling member. The first and second positioning projections corporately abut against the edges of a patterning device to fix the patterning device in place. | 04-29-2010 |
20100116986 | Specimen Inspection Equipment and How to Make the Electron Beam Absorbed Current Images - An object of the present invention is to obtain a clear absorbed current image without involving the difference in gain of amplifier between inputs, from absorbed currents detected by using a plurality of probes and to improve measurement efficiency. | 05-13-2010 |
20100127170 | ELECTRON BEAM CONTROL METHOD, ELECTRON BEAM GENERATING APPARATUS, APPARATUS USING THE SAME, AND EMITTER - Provided is a Schottky emitter having the conical end with a radius of curvature of 2.0 ÎĽm on the emission side of an electron beam. Since a radius of curvature is 1 ÎĽm or more, a focal length of an electron gun can be longer than in a conventional practice wherein a radius of curvature is in the range of from 0.5 ÎĽm to not more than 0.6 ÎĽm. The focal length was found to be roughly proportional to the radius of the curvature. Since the angular current intensity (the beam current per unit solid angle) is proportional to square of the electron gun focal length, the former can be improved by an order of magnitude within a practicable increase in the emitter radius. A higher angular current intensity means a larger beam current available from the electron gun and the invention enables the Schottky emitters to be used in applications which require relatively high beam current of microampere regime such as microfocus X-ray tube, electron probe micro-analyzer, and electron beam lithography system. | 05-27-2010 |
20100133433 | ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS - A plurality of primary beams are formed from a single electron source, the surface charge of a sample is controlled by at least one primary beam, and at the same time, the inspection of the sample is conducted using a primary beam other than this. Also, for an exposure area of the primary beam for surface charge control and an exposure area of the primary beam for the inspection, the surface electric field strength is set individually. Also, the current of the primary beam for surface charge control and the interval between the primary beam for surface charge control and the primary beam for inspection are controlled. | 06-03-2010 |
20100148065 | ELECTRON BEAM STERILIZATION MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A medical container sterilization apparatus includes: an electron beam generator; a probe placed in proximity to an electron plume projected from the generator; and electronics configured to accept a signal carried by the probe, the signal, the signal indicative of a sterilization level of the electron plume, the electronics further configured to indicate if the sterilization level is not sufficient. A medical container sterilization method includes: (i) collecting electrons from a sterilizing electron plume; (ii) generating a signal from the collected electrons; and (iii) determining from the signal whether the electron plume is sufficient to properly sterilize the medical container. | 06-17-2010 |
20100155597 | PARTICLE OPTICAL DEVICE WITH MAGNET ASSEMBLY - A particle optical apparatus has a particle source for generating at least one beam of charged particles, and a magnet arrangement having two pole plates, which are arranged spaced apart from one another, such that the at least one beam of charged particles in operation passes through the pole plates, wherein trenches are provided in the pole plates, in which trenches coil wires are arranged. The trenches, when viewed in a cross section transverse to an extension direction of the trenches, have a smaller width in a region of a surface of the pole plates, than in a region arranged at a distance from the surface. | 06-24-2010 |
20100163728 | Electron microscope device - The present invention provides an electron microscope device | 07-01-2010 |
20100163729 | Electron microscope device - The present invention provides an electron microscope device, comprising a scanning electron microscope | 07-01-2010 |
20100171037 | COMPACT SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A compact electron microscope uses a removable sample holder having walls that form a part of the vacuum region in which the sample resides. By using the removable sample holder to contain the vacuum, the volume of air requiring evacuation before imaging is greatly reduced and the microscope can be evacuated rapidly. In a preferred embodiment, a sliding vacuum seal allows the sample holder to be positioned under the electron column, and the sample holder is first passed under a vacuum buffer to remove air in the sample holder. | 07-08-2010 |
20100176297 | ION BEAM PROCESSING APPARATUS - An ion beam processing apparatus includes an ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiate a rectangular ion beam to a sample held on a first sample stage, an electron beam irradiation optical system that irradiates an electron beam to the sample, and a second sample stage on which a test piece, extracted from the sample by a probe, is mounted. An angle of irradiation of the ion beam can be tilted by rotating the second sample stage about a tilting axis. A controller controls the width of skew of an intensity profile representing an edge of the rectangular ion beam in a direction perpendicular to a first direction in which the tilting axis of the second sample stage is projected on the second sample stage surface so that the width will be smaller than the width of skew of an intensity profile representing another edge of the ion beam in a direction parallel to the first direction. | 07-15-2010 |
20100181479 | Particle-optical systems and arrangements and particle-optical components for such systems and arrangements - A particle-optical arrangement comprises a charged-particle source for generating a beam of charged particles; a multi-aperture plate arranged in a beam path of the beam of charged particles, wherein the multi-aperture plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein in a predetermined first array pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the beam of charged particles downstream of the multi-aperture plate, and wherein a plurality of beam spots is formed in an image plane of the apparatus by the plurality of beamlets, the plurality of beam spots being arranged in a second array pattern; and a particle-optical to element for manipulating the beam of charged particles and/or the plurality of beamlets; wherein the first array pattern has a first pattern regularity in a first direction, and the second array pattern has a second pattern regularity in a second direction electron-optically corresponding to the first direction, and wherein the second regularity is higher than the first regularity. | 07-22-2010 |
20100181480 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - According to the present invention, a charged particle beam device has an unlimitedly rotatable sample stage and an electric field control electrode for correcting electric field distortion at a sample peripheral part. A voltage is applied to a sample on the unlimitedly rotatable sample stage through a retarding electrode that is in contact with a holder receiver at a rotation center of a rotary stage. An equipotential plane on the electric field control electrode is varied by applying a voltage to the electric field control electrode, and following this the equipotential plane at a sample edge is corrected, which enables the sample to be observed as far as its edge. | 07-22-2010 |
20100187416 | DEFECT INSPECTION AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - In a defect inspection apparatus which combines a plurality of probes for measuring electric properties of a specimen including a fine circuit line pattern with a charged particle beam apparatus, the charged particle beam apparatus reduces a degradation in resolution even with an image-shift of ±75 μm or more. The defect inspection apparatus has a CAD navigation function associated with an image-shift function. The CAD navigation function uses coordinates for converting an image-shift moving amount to a DUT stage moving amount in communications between an image processing unit for processing charged particle beam images and a memory for storing information on circuit line patterns. The defect inspection provides the user with significantly improved usability. | 07-29-2010 |
20100193687 | FIELD EMISSION TYPE ELECTRON GUN COMPRISING SINGLE FIBROUS CARBON ELECTRON EMITTER AND OPERATING METHOD FOR THE SAME - Means for achieving the purpose of the present invention includes an field emission type cathode composed of a single fibrous carbon substance and a conductive substrate supporting the same; an extraction apparatus for causing field emission of electrons; and an accelerator for accelerating electrons, wherein the aforementioned field emission type electron gun is further contains means for heating the aforementioned field emission cathode, and means for applying the voltage of the polarity that does not allow the aforementioned field emission type cathode to field-emit electrons. | 08-05-2010 |
20100200750 | Particle beam system - A particle beam system comprises a particle beam source | 08-12-2010 |
20100213370 | Electron Beam Apparatus - The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus which can capture images at high speeds even using an area sensor which senses a small number of frames per second, by deflecting a primary electron beam by a deflector to irradiate each of sub-visual fields which are formed by dividing an evaluation area on a sample surface, and detecting secondary electrons containing information on the sample surface in each of the sub-visual fields by a detecting device. For this purpose, the detecting device | 08-26-2010 |
20100213371 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A technique executes autofocus adjustment stably even when a plurality of patterns or foreign matter capable of being imaged only by a specific detector are included independently. Such an image as a concavo-convex image having a weak contrast can be picked up. The technique can automatically focus such an image even when it is difficult to find a focus position in the image. A scanning electron microscope includes a plurality of detectors for detecting secondary signals from a specimen when irradiated with an electron beam, and a calculation unit for combining the signals obtained from the detectors. At least two of the detectors are provided to be symmetric with respect to the electron beam. The focus of the electron beam is adjusted based on the signals of the detectors or on a signal corresponding to a combination of the signals. | 08-26-2010 |
20100230590 | Compact Scanning Electron Microscope - A compact electron microscope is robust, simple to operate, and preferably requires no special utilities. Imaging can begin shortly after a sample is inserted. A preferred simplified design includes permanent magnets for focusing, lack a vacuum controller and vacuum gauge, and uses a backscattered electron detector and no secondary electron detector. | 09-16-2010 |
20100230591 | TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A transmission electron microscope has a target body position on the electron optical axis of the microscope, and an electrically conductive body off the axis of the microscope. The microscope also has an electron source for producing an axial electron beam. In use, the beam impinges upon a target body located at the target body position. The microscope further has a system for simultaneously producing a separate off-axis electron beam. In use, the off-axis electron beam impinges on the electrically conductive body causing secondary electrons to be emitted therefrom. The electrically conductive body is located such that the emitted secondary electrons impinge on the target body to neutralise positive charge which may build up on the target body. | 09-16-2010 |
20100230592 | Sample Transfer Unit and Sample Transferring Method - There is provided a mini environment type transfer unit which can efficiently transfer a sample to a critical dimension scanning electron microscope (CD-SEM) even in the case of use of a SMIF pod which can store only one photomask. In addition to a load port, a stocker which can store a plurality of photomasks is provided in the mini environment type transfer unit. A mask storage slot in which a plurality of storage units are stacked is provided in the stocker, and one photomask is stored in each storage unit. A sensor is provided in each storage unit to determine whether or not the photomask is normally stored. Additionally, a sensor is provided in each storage unit to detect whether or not the photomask exists. | 09-16-2010 |
20100237243 | Testing apparatus using charged particles and device manufacturing method using the testing apparatus - A system for further enhancing speed, i.e. improving throughput in a SEM-type inspection apparatus is provided. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate produces a crossover from electrons emitted from an electron beam source | 09-23-2010 |
20100252734 | POWER SUPPLY FOR ELECTRON GUN AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPE HAVING THE SAME - A power supply for supplying an electric power to an electron gun, which is used in an electron microscope, and an electron microscope having the same are disclosed. The power supply includes a base board, and at least one sub-board vertically mounted on the base board to supply an electric power to an anode electrode, a filament for emitting electrons, and a grid. The at least one sub-board can include a first sub-board to supply an accelerating voltage to the anode electrode, a second sub-board to supply a heating current to the filament, and a third sub-board to supply a grid voltage to the grid. | 10-07-2010 |
20100258722 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM IMAGING ASSEMBLY AND IMAGING METHOD THEREOF - A method for enhancing the quality of a charged particle microscopic image of a sample is disclosed. The image is formed by a charged particle beam imaging system. The method comprising: scanning, using a first scanning beam, a surface of the sample in at least one first scan line; and scanning, using a second scanning beam, the sample surface in at least one second scan line, wherein said second scanning beam is scanned across said sample surface during a time interval between the end of said first scan lines and the beginning of the next said first scan lines. Application of the proposed method as a charged particle beam imaging system is also disclosed. | 10-14-2010 |
20100258723 | Scanning Electron Microscope Having Time Constant Measurement Capability - In a scanning electron microscope, an optimum scanning method for reducing the amount of deflection of a primary electron beam and secondary electrons is determined to acquire stable images. An energy filter is used to discriminate between energy levels. The change in yield of obtained electrons is used to measure the variation in specimen potential. The time constant of charging created during electron beam irradiation is extracted. The scanning method is optimized based on the extracted time constant to reduce the distortion and magnification variation that appear in a SEM image. | 10-14-2010 |
20100264309 | METHOD FOR ESTIMATION OF PROBE SHAPE IN CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM INSTRUMENTS - A method for estimation of a probe shape, in a scanning electron microscope provided with an aberration corrector, and the method is designed so as to obtain a probe image, by inputting to a computer an image taken in a just-focused state and an image taken in a de-focused state, as an image data; preparing a correlation window by automatically determining a size of a correlation window image, based on an input data size and an output data size; executing cross-correlation calculation between the correlation window and a reference area; and repeating this calculation while shifting the reference area, so as to obtain a cross-correlation matrix, in order to stably obtain the probe image, without receiving effects of use conditions or noises. | 10-21-2010 |
20100270467 | METHOD FOR VENTING GAS INTO CLOSED SPACE AND GAS SUPPLY ASSEMBLY THEREOF - A method for venting a gas into a closed space is disclosed. At the beginning of the venting process the flow rate of the venting gas starts from zero and then increases at a substantially differential incremental rate for at least a certain period of time. When a predefined saturation pressure inside the closed space is reached, the flow rate of the venting gas is maintained or increased to speed up the venting process. | 10-28-2010 |
20100270468 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM - System and method for charged particle beam. According an embodiment, the present invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus. The apparatus includes a charged particle source for generating a primary charged particle beam. The apparatus also includes at least one condenser lens for pre-focusing the primary charge particle beam. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a compound objective lens for forming the magnetic field and the electrostatic field to focus the primary charged particle beam onto a specimen in the charged particle beam path. The specimen includes a specimen surface. The compound objective lens includes a conical magnetic lens, an immersion magnetic lens, and an electrostatic lens, the conical magnetic lens including an upper pole piece, a shared pole piece being electrically insulated from the upper pole piece, and an excitation coil. | 10-28-2010 |
20100276592 | Compact Scanning Electron Microscope - A slider bearing for use with an apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber ( | 11-04-2010 |
20100294931 | CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system for selectively detecting charged particles produced due to operation of a charged particle beam column irradiating a specimen, including a proximal grid being selectively electrically biasable and configured for controllably directing the charged particles by electrically focusing the charged particles to compel selected secondary charged particles, whereupon being selected from the charged particles, to be attracted thereto, and to repel unselected secondary charged particles therefrom, a distal grid spaced apart from the proximal grid and separated therefrom by a gap and being selectively electrically biasable and configured for attracting the selected secondary and/or tertiary charged particles, whereupon being selected from the charged particles, to the distal grid, and to repel unselected tertiary charged particles therefrom, and a charged particle detector configured for detecting selected secondary charged particles attracted to the proximal and/or distal grid and detecting selected tertiary charged particles attracted to the distal grid, that impinge thereupon. | 11-25-2010 |
20100308220 | INSPECTION STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR IN-LINE MONITORING WAFER - The method for in-line monitoring a wafer is described as follows. A wafer is provided, and at least one inspection structure is then formed on the wafer in the following steps. An N-well region and a P-well region are formed in the wafer, wherein the N-well region and the P-well region are separated from each other. A gate on each of the N-well region and the P-well region is formed. A P-type doped region is respectively formed in the N-well region and in the P-well region at both sides of the gates. A first contact plug is formed on each P-type doped region, and second contact plug is formed on each gate. Afterwards, a defect inspection is conducted utilizing an electron beam inspection (EBI) system, such that a short between each first contact plug and each gate is determined. | 12-09-2010 |
20100314541 | MICROSTRUCTURED PATTERN INSPECTION METHOD - The edges of the reticle are detected with respect to the microstructured patterns exposed by the stepper, and the shapes of the microstructured patterns at the surface and at the bottom of the photoresist are detected. The microstructured patterns are evaluated by calculating, and displaying on the screen, the dislocation vector that represents the relationship in position between the detected patterns on the surface and at the bottom of the photoresist. Furthermore, dislocation vectors between the microstructured patterns at multiple positions in a single-chip or single-shot area or on one wafer are likewise calculated, then the sizes and distribution status of the dislocation vectors at each such position are categorized as characteristic quantities, and the corresponding tendencies are analyzed. Thus, stepper or wafer abnormality is detected. | 12-16-2010 |
20100314542 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE INSPECTION APPARATUS - A semiconductor device inspection apparatus having a noise subtraction function includes an electron gun, a stage for holding a sample, a main detector for detecting a signal discharged from the sample, and at least one or more sub detector for detecting noise generated from the sample or apparatus so that there can be obtained an image in which the noise caused by discharge generated on the sample or in the apparatus is removed from the signal. The noise subtraction function subtracts the noise detected by the sub detector from the signal detected by the main detector to remove or reduce the noise from the signal. | 12-16-2010 |
20100320385 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A scanning electron microscope for digitally processing an image signal to secure the largest focal depth and the best resolution in accordance with the magnification for observation is disclosed. The angle of aperture of an optical system having a plurality of convergence lenses is changed by changing the convergence lenses and the hole diameter of a diaphragm. The angle α of aperture of the electron beam is changed in accordance with the visual field range corresponding to a single pixel, i.e. what is called the pixel size. | 12-23-2010 |
20110006209 | Electron Beam Apparatus - An electron beam apparatus has the electron optical column for releasing an electron beam from the front-end portion after the beam is emitted from an electron beam source located on a rear-end portion of the column, a specimen chamber connected to a front-end portion of the column, and an aperture member withdrawably disposed in the front-end portion of the column within the specimen chamber. The apparatus further includes a rotating mechanism for rotating the aperture member along a given plane lying along the direction of a path of the beam. Thus, the aperture member can be attached and detached to and from the front-end portion of the column. | 01-13-2011 |
20110024623 | DETECTOR AND INSPECTING APPARATUS - An inspecting apparatus for reducing a time loss associated with a work for changing a detector is characterized by comprising a plurality of detectors | 02-03-2011 |
20110068267 | Electron beam inspection method and electron beam inspection apparatus - An electron beam inspection apparatus images reflected electrons and cancels negative charging derived from electron-beam irradiation. Ultraviolet rays are irradiated and an irradiated area of ultraviolet rays is displayed as a photoelectron image. The photoelectron image and a reflected-electron image are displayed on a monitor while being superposed on each other, to easily grasp the positional relationship between the images and the difference in size between them. Specifically, the shape of the irradiated area of an electron beam includes the shape of the irradiated area of ultraviolet rays on a display screen. The intensity of the ultraviolet rays in the irradiated area of the electron beam is adjusted while the reflected-electron imaging conditions for the reflected-electron image are sustained. Moreover, an amount-of-ultraviolet ray adjustment mechanism is controlled on the monitor so that an amount of the ultraviolet rays is adjusted while observing a reflected-electron image obtained during ultraviolet irradiation. | 03-24-2011 |
20110095183 | ELECTRON BEAM MEASUREMENT APPARATUS - The present invention provides an electron beam measurement technique for measuring the shapes or sizes of portions of patterns on a sample, or detecting a defect or the like. An electron beam measurement apparatus has a unit for irradiating the patterns delineated on a substrate by a multi-exposure method, and classifying the patterns in an acquired image into multiple groups according to an exposure history record. The exposure history record is obtained based on brightness of the patterns and a difference between white bands of the patterns. | 04-28-2011 |
20110101223 | Electron Beam Apparatus And Electron Beam Inspection Method - An electron beam apparatus which includes a sample stage on which a sample is placed, and an electron optical system. The electron optical system includes an electron gun that generates a primary electron beam, an immersion objective lens that converges the primary electron beam on the sample, an ExB deflector that separates a secondary particle, which is generated from irradiation of the primary beam to the sample, from an optical axis of the primary beam, a reflecting member to which the secondary particle collides, an assist electrode which is located under the reflecting member, a plurality of incidental particle detectors that selectively detect a velocity component and an azimuth component of a ternary particle which is generated by the secondary particle colliding to the reflecting member, and a center detector that is located above the reflecting member. | 05-05-2011 |
20110133082 | Scanning electron microscope - Example embodiments are directed to a scanning electron microscope. The scanning electron microscope includes an electron gun to configured irradiate an electron beam on a sample, and a disc of a transparent material and including a through-hole through which the electron beam passes. The disc includes a scintillator layer formed at a surface thereof so as to generate photons based on the secondary electrons received from the sample. A reflecting layer is formed at an inner peripheral surface of the through-hole so as to reflect the photons, thereby preventing leakage of the photons via the through-hole. | 06-09-2011 |
20110133083 | COMPACT SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A compact electron microscope uses a removable sample holder having walls that form a part of the vacuum region in which the sample resides. By using the removable sample holder to contain the vacuum, the volume of air requiring evacuation before imaging is greatly reduced and the microscope can be evacuated rapidly. In a preferred embodiment, a sliding vacuum seal allows the sample holder to be positioned under the electron column, and the sample holder is first passed under a vacuum buffer to remove air in the sample holder. | 06-09-2011 |
20110139984 | Electron detection device and scanning electron microscope - An electron detection device including: one scintillator | 06-16-2011 |
20110139985 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus that can achieve both high defect-detection sensitivity and high inspection speed for a sample with various properties in a multi-beam type semiconductor inspection apparatus. The allocation of the primary beam on the sample is made changeable, and furthermore, the beam allocation for performing the inspection at the optimum inspection specifications and at high speed is selected based on the property of the sample. In addition, many optical parameters and apparatus parameters are optimized. Furthermore, the properties of the selected primary beam are measured and adjusted. | 06-16-2011 |
20110147585 | CHARGED PARTICLE ENERGY ANALYSERS - Charged particle energy analysers enabling simultaneous high transmission and energy resolution are described. The analysers have an electrode structure ( | 06-23-2011 |
20110147586 | Charged Particle Beam Device - The astigmatism control processing time is decreased to 1 second or less by improving the astigmatic difference measurement accuracy. A charged particle beam device includes: a stage on which a sample is loaded; a transport mechanism which carries the sample onto the stage; a charged particle beam optical system which irradiates the sample on the stage with a charged particle beam and detects secondary charged particles generated from the sample; and a controller which determines setup parameters for the charged particle beam optical system and controls the charged particle beam optical system. The controller registers and holds electro-optical system setup parameters for irradiation with a beam tilted from a normal line on the sample as the charged particle beam, compares observation images obtained by the tilted beam, measures the amount and direction of movement and calculates the amount of astigmatism correction from the amount of movement and the direction. | 06-23-2011 |
20110147587 | DIAGNOSIS DEVICE OF RECIPE USED FOR SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - Disclosed is a diagnosis device of a recipe used for a scanning electron microscope that quickly specifies an error causing factor of the recipe due to a process fluctuation or the like. Specifically disclosed is, a diagnosis device of a recipe to operate a scanning electron microscope is provided with a program to make a display device show shift in a score indicating the degree of pattern matching consistency, wherein a condition of the pattern matching is set in the recipe; a deviation of coordinates before and after the pattern matching; changes in information or the like on fluctuation amounts of a lens before and after the execution of automatic focuses. | 06-23-2011 |
20110163229 | HIGH THROUGHPUT SEM TOOL - A scanning charged particle beam device ( | 07-07-2011 |
20110163230 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - There is provided a substrate inspection device which uses a charged particle beam and is capable of more quickly extracting a defect candidate than ever before. The configuration of the substrate inspection device is such that a substrate having a circuit pattern is irradiated with a primary charged particle beam, the substrate is moved at a constant speed or at an increasing or a decreasing speed, a position resulting from the movement is monitored, the position of irradiation with the primary charged particle beam is controlled according to the coordinates of the substrate, an image in a partial region on the substrate is captured at a speed lower than the velocity of the movement, a defect candidate is detected based on the captured image, and the detected defect candidate is displayed in a map format. | 07-07-2011 |
20110174973 | High-Speed Molecular Analyzer System and Method - This invention relates to a device, in one example embodiment, for the determination of the sequence of nucleic acids and other polymeric or chain type molecules. The device analyzes a sample prepared by incorporating fluorescent dyes at the end of copies of varying lengths of the sample to be sequenced. The sample is then vaporized, charged and accelerated in an evacuated chamber. The individual molecules of the sample are accelerated to different velocities because of their different masses, which cause, in one embodiment, the molecules to be sorted by length as they travel along the evacuated chamber. Once sorted, the stream of molecules is illuminated causing the fluorescent dyes to emit light that is picked up by a detector. The output of the detector is then processed by a computer to yield of the sequence of the sample under analysis. Such an embodiment improves over the art by using photo-detection of the individual molecules instead of measuring the time of flight to a detector that measures collisions. Unlike mass spectrometry, the method of such an embodiment does not require the extreme sensitivity required to differentiate between very small mass differences in large molecules. Such an embodiment is therefore more robust than the art and well suited for high throughput sequencing of for example, various large nucleic acid molecules. | 07-21-2011 |
20110174974 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A MICROSAMPLE - An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage. | 07-21-2011 |
20110174975 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM SCANNING METHOD AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - In a method of scanning a charged particle beam which can position the scan position to a proper location inside a deflectable range of the scan position of charged particle beam, the scan position of charged particle beam is deflected to a plurality of target objects inside a scan position deflectable region and on the basis of a shift of a target object at a scan location after deflection, the deflection amount at the scan location is corrected. | 07-21-2011 |
20110180708 | Test Apparatus - A scan control unit for generating two-dimensional coordinates for performing a scan with an electron beam of an electron scanning microscope is provided with first and second transforming units for transforming coordinates in the horizontal (X) direction and the vertical (V) direction. An area to be tested in a sample is scanned with an electron beam in an arbitrary direction. As the first and second transforming units, small-capacity transformation tables (LUTs) capable of operating at high speed in each of the horizontal (X) direction and the vertical (Y) direction are used. By also using a large-capacity transformation table (LUT) that stores coordinate transformation data corresponding to plural scan types, a test apparatus compatible with the plural scan types, having multiple functions, and capable of performing high-speed scan control is realized. | 07-28-2011 |
20110204225 | ION Beam System and Machining Method - An ion beam machining system which performs a predetermined machining of a sample by irradiating the sample with an ion beam includes a beam spot former which forms a beam spot shape of the ion beam to be non-axially symmetric in a perpendicular plane with respect to an irradiation axis of the ion beam, and an axis orientator which orients one axis of the beam spot at the ion beam irradiation position on the sample in a predetermined direction. | 08-25-2011 |
20110204226 | APPARATUS FOR STEM SAMPLE INSPECTION IN A CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM INSTRUMENT - An apparatus for in-situ sample examination in a dual-beam FIB includes a cassette for holding probe tips inside the FIB, where the FIB has an X-Y plane and a port for a nano-manipulator probe shaft, and where the probe shaft is further capable of releasably holding a probe tip. The cassette has a base and at least one probe-tip station connected to the base. The probe-tip station has a slot for receiving a probe tip, where the probe-tip slot has an angle with respect to the base substantially equal to the angle of the port for the nano-manipulator probe shaft relative to the X-Y plane of the FIB. The cassette has a clamp with springy fingers located in the slot for receiving and releasably holding the probe tip. The apparatus is adapted to in-situ STEM examination of samples. | 08-25-2011 |
20110204227 | COUNTING INCLUSIONS IN ALLOYS BY IMAGE ANALYSIS - A method of counting and analyzing an alloy by image analysis. The method includes a) preparing a sample of the alloy; b) determining inclusion detection thresholds by observation, with magnification, of at least one field of the sample; c) detecting inclusions of the sample as a function of the threshold defined in b), and counting the inclusions; d) acquiring images of each of the inclusions detected in c) and determining a size of each of the inclusions; e) determining the chemical composition of each of the detected inclusions by chemically analyzing each of them; and f) making a map of the sample from the images acquired in d), the map showing spatial distribution of the inclusions, in which each of the detected inclusions is represented by a graphics element, a size of the graphics element being proportional to the size of the inclusion, and a color of the graphics element being correlated to the chemical composition of the inclusion. | 08-25-2011 |
20110204228 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - It has been difficult to obtain pattern contrast required for inspecting a specific layer of a circuit pattern in a charged particle beam apparatus which inspects, by using a charged particle beam, the position and type of a defect on a wafer having a circuit pattern which is in semiconductor manufacturing process. At the time of inspecting the position and type of a defect on a wafer having a circuit pattern which is in semiconductor manufacturing process by using a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle source ( | 08-25-2011 |
20110210248 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM INSTRUMENT COMPRISING AN ABERRATION CORRECTOR - A method for estimation of a probe shape, in a scanning electron microscope provided with an aberration corrector, and the method is designed so as to obtain a probe image, by inputting to a computer an image taken in a just-focused state and an image taken in a de-focused state, as an image data; preparing a correlation window by automatically determining a size of a correlation window image, based on an input data size and an output data size; executing cross-correlation calculation between the correlation window and a reference area; and repeating this calculation while shifting the reference area, so as to obtain a cross-correlation matrix, in order to stably obtain the probe image, without receiving effects of use conditions or noises. | 09-01-2011 |
20110210249 | Transmission Electron Microscope - A transmission electron microscope in which a sample is positioned in a sample plane | 09-01-2011 |
20110210250 | CALIBRATION STANDARD MEMBER, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE MEMBER AND SCANNING ELECTRONIC MICROSCOPE USING THE MEMBER - This invention provides a standard member allowing magnification calibration for use in an electron microscope to be performed with high precision. A (110) or (100) oriented silicon substrate including a magnification calibration pattern comprised of a constant pitch periodic pattern and a (110) or (100) oriented silicon substrate not including the constant pitch periodic pattern are bonded together by means of bonding without using an adhesive agent, while aligning the plane directions of the surfaces of the two substrates in the same orientation. Then, the thus bonded substrates are cleaved or diced so that their (111) surfaces or (110) surfaces become cross-section surfaces. Further, by selectively etching one side of the constant pitch periodic pattern, a standard member with no level difference and no damage to superlattice patterns and having a constant pitch concavity and convexity periodic pattern in a cross-section surface vertical to the substrate surface is created. | 09-01-2011 |
20110226949 | Inspection System - A combined inspection system for inspecting an object disposable in an object plane | 09-22-2011 |
20110233401 | Focused ion beam apparatus - Provided is a focused ion beam apparatus including: a storage section for storing, for each gas type, a set temperature of an emitter, a gas pressure of an ion source gas, an extraction voltage to be applied to an extraction electrode, a set value of a contrast, and a set value of a brightness; an input section for selecting and inputting a gas type; and a control section for reading out, from the storage section, the set temperature, the gas pressure, the extraction voltage, and the set value of the contrast and the set value of the brightness, which correspond to the input gas type, and respectively setting a heater, a gas control section, a voltage control section, and an adjustment section for an observation image. | 09-29-2011 |
20110240855 | ELECTRON BEAM DEVICE AND ELECTRON BEAM APPLICATION DEVICE USING THE SAME - To obtain a SEM capable of both providing high resolution at low acceleration voltage and allowing high-speed elemental distribution measurement, a SE electron source including Zr—O as a diffusion source is shaped so that the radius r of curvature of the tip is more than 0.5 μm and less than 1 μm, and the cone angle α of a conical portion at a portion in the vicinity of the tip at a distance of | 10-06-2011 |
20110266440 | SEM Imaging Method - A method of investigating a sample using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), comprising the following steps:
| 11-03-2011 |
20110272578 | CHARGED PARTICLE RADIATION DEVICE PROVIDED WITH ABERRATION CORRECTOR - There is provided a charged particle radiation device provided with an aberration corrector capable of correcting aberration with high precision in a short time by automatically setting an aberration coefficient measuring condition to thereby realize measurement with high precision. The charged particle radiation device has a feature that a value of defocus and a value of astigma, occurring owing to aberration at the time of the beam tilting, are estimated on the basis of results of aberration measurement, thereby adjusting an electron optical system on the basis of these values. | 11-10-2011 |
20110278453 | Tool-To-Tool Matching Control Method And Its System For Scanning Electron Microscope - A system for controlling a tool-to-tool disparity between a plurality of scanning electron microscopes includes a measuring unit for measuring a tool-to-tool disparity between plural scanning electron microscopes based on information extracted from secondary electron images which are captured by imaging a reference pattern, a tool state monitoring unit for monitoring tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes, and an output unit for displaying on a screen a relationship between the tool-to-tool disparity between the plural scanning electron microscopes and tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes monitored by the tool state monitoring unit. The tool state monitoring unit monitors the tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes while imaging the reference pattern by using each of the plural scanning electron microscopes. | 11-17-2011 |
20110284746 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - A charged particle beam device has a tilt detection unit that detects a tilt of a sample surface and an EĂ—B deflector in which an electric field and a magnetic field are overlapped with each other and which causes, according to the detected tilt of the sample surface, the sample surface to be perpendicularly irradiated with an irradiation charged particle beam while, at the same time, aligning the trajectory of the charged particle beam with the optical axis centers of an irradiation optical system and an imaging optical system; thereby, the charged particle beam device can prevent problems possibly occurring in cases where a sample stage is tilted or a sample surface is undulating and can enable an accurate image to be acquired. | 11-24-2011 |
20110291010 | CHARGED PARTICLE RADIATION DEVICE - The present invention provides a scanning charged particle beam device including a sample chamber ( | 12-01-2011 |
20110297827 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - An object of the present invention is related to detecting of a detection signal at an optimum position in such a case that a sample plane is inclined with respect to a charged particle beam. | 12-08-2011 |
20110303845 | ELECTRON BEAM DEVICE AND SAMPLE HOLDING DEVICE FOR ELECTRON BEAM DEVICE - An object of the invention is to provide an electron beam device and a sample holding device for the electron beam device that can observe the reaction between a sample and a gas at high resolution while a gas atmosphere is maintained even by using thin diaphragms. | 12-15-2011 |
20110315877 | Electron Microscope Device - The present invention provides an electron microscope device, comprising a scanning electron microscope | 12-29-2011 |
20120001069 | Magnifying Observation Apparatus - Observation fields of an electron microscope image and an optical magnifying observation image are smoothly switched. A magnifying observation apparatus includes: a pair of end-face plates closes end faces of a body portion; an electron beam imaging device mounted on a first position of a cylindrical shaped outer surface of the body portion; an optical imaging device mounted on a second position being different from the first position in the outer surface; a rotating device that rotates the both imaging devices along the outer surface such that a distance from each of the both imaging devices to a common rotation axis of the both imaging devices is kept constant and optical axes of the both imaging devices are oriented toward the rotation axis; a specimen stage that is disposed in the chamber, and arranged to a position that is substantially the same to a height of the rotation axis. | 01-05-2012 |
20120001070 | Magnifying Observation Apparatus - Work to obtain an optical and an electron microscope images at an identical display size is facilitated. A magnifying observation apparatus includes: an electron beam imaging device that obtains an electron microscope image in a chamber; an optical imaging device that obtains an optical image in the chamber; a moving device that moves the both devices such that an optical axis direction of one of the both devices is aligned with an optical axis direction of the other device; a display section that displays the electron microscope and the optical images; and a magnifying power conversion section that recognizes a magnifying power of an image obtained by one of the imaging devices and converts the magnifying power, which is used to obtain an image having a display size substantially identical to that of the image, by the other device into a magnifying power on a basis of the other device. | 01-05-2012 |
20120025077 | Particle Beam System - A particle beam system comprises a particle beam source | 02-02-2012 |
20120025078 | Particle Beam System - A particle beam system comprises a particle beam source | 02-02-2012 |
20120032079 | INSPECTION SYSTEM BY CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEVICES USING THE SYSTEM - An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device | 02-09-2012 |
20120043463 | COMPOSITE CHARGED PARTICLE RADIATION DEVICE - A composite charged particle beams apparatus of the present invention allows a sample ( | 02-23-2012 |
20120061566 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - An object of the present invention is to provide a scanning electron microscope suitable for monitoring apparatus conditions of the microscope itself, irrespective of the presence of charge-up, specimen inclination, and the like. In order to achieve the object, proposed is a scanning electron microscope including a function to monitor the apparatus conditions on the basis of information obtained with an electron beam reflected before reaching a specimen. Specifically, for example, while applying a negative voltage to the specimen to reflect the electron beam before the electron beam reaches the specimen, and simultaneously supplying a predetermined signal to a deflector for alignment, the scanning electron microscope monitors changes of the detected positions of the reflected electrons of the electron beam. If the above-mentioned predetermined signal is under the condition where an alignment is properly performed, the changes of the detected positions of the electrons reflect deviation of an axis. | 03-15-2012 |
20120080597 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO INSPECT DEFECT OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An apparatus and method to inspect a defect of a substrate. Since a recess of an under layer of a substrate is darker than a projection of a top layer, a ratio of a value of a secondary electron signal (of an SEM) of the under layer to a value of the top layer may be increased to improve a pattern image used to inspect an under layer defect. Several conditions under which electron beams are irradiated may be set, and the pattern may be scanned under such conditions. Secondary electron signals may be generated according to the conditions and converted into image data to display various pattern images. Scan information on the images may be stored with positional information on the substrate. Each of scan information on the pattern images may be calculated to generate a new integrated image. | 04-05-2012 |
20120104254 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - A charged particle beam device enabling prevention of degradation of reproducibility of measurement caused by an increase of the beam diameter attributed to an image shift and having a function of dealing with device-to-device variation. The charged particle beam device is used for measuring the dimensions of a pattern on a specimen using a line profile obtained by detecting secondary charged particles emitted from the specimen when the specimen is scanned with a primary charged particle beam converged on the specimen. A lookup table in which the position of image shift and the variation of the beam diameter are associated is prepared in advance by actual measurement or calculation and registered. When the dimensions are measured, image processing is carried out so as to correct the line profile for the variation of the beam diameter while the lookup table is referenced, and thereby the situation where the beam diameter is effectively equal is produced irrespective of the position of the image shift. Whit this, measurement by the charged particle beam excellent reproducibility can be carried out. | 05-03-2012 |
20120112068 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - The present invention provides a charged particle beam device in which the change of expansion/contraction of a specimen which is an observing object is restricted thereby eliminating position deviation of the observing object and significantly increasing its throughput. The present invention includes specimen holding means for holding a specimen, temperature regulation means which can regulate the temperature of the specimen, and temperature regulation means control means which can control the temperature regulation means based on various conditions. | 05-10-2012 |
20120119087 | CHARGED-PARTICLE MICROSCOPE - A charged-particle-beam device is characterized in having a control value for an aligner coil ( | 05-17-2012 |
20120126117 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING AN IMAGE OBTAINED BY THE SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - In the case where a specimen is imaged by a scanning electron microscope, it is intended to acquire an image of a high quality having a noise component reduced, thereby to improve the precision of an image processing. The intensity distribution of a beam is calculated on the basis of an imaging condition or specimen information, and an image restoration is performed by using a resolving power deterioration factor other than the beam intensity distribution as a target of a deterioration mode, so that a high resolving power image can be acquired under various conditions. In the scanning electron microscope for semiconductor inspections and semiconductor measurements, the restored image is used for pattern size measurement, defect detections, defect classifications and so on, so that the measurements can be improved in precision and so that the defect detections and classifications can be made high precise. | 05-24-2012 |
20120126118 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STABLY OBTAINING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM IMAGE - Since charging characteristics differ between the outer circumferential portion and the center portion of a sample to be inspected, equivalent inspection sensitivities cannot be obtained in the outer circumferential portion and the center portion of the sample to be inspected. A sample cover is provided in the outer circumferential portion of a sample holder on which the sample to be inspected is placed. Charging characteristics of the sample cover are changed according to charging characteristics of the sample to be inspected. Consequently, uniform charged states can be formed in the outer circumferential portion and the center portion of the sample. Inspection/observation of the outer circumferential portion of the sample can be realized at higher sensitivity than in the past. | 05-24-2012 |
20120126119 | Charged-Particle-Beam Device - To automatically measure patterns arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation on a sample by following predetermined procedures, a charged-particle-beam device of the present invention automatically rotates a template image to be used for template matching by an angle (θ | 05-24-2012 |
20120132801 | METHOD AND AN APPARATUS OF AN INSPECTION SYSTEM USING AN ELECTRON BEAM - Problems encountered in the conventional inspection method and the conventional apparatus adopting the method are solved by the present invention using an electron beam by providing a novel inspection method and an inspection apparatus adopting the novel method which are capable of increasing the speed to scan a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer. | 05-31-2012 |
20120132802 | GAS FIELD IONIZATION ION SOURCE APPARATUS AND SCANNING CHARGED PARTICLE MICROSCOPE EQUIPPED WITH SAME - A gas field ionization ion source apparatus is provided which is small-sized, has high-performance, and is capable of performing a tilt adjustment in a state in which an emitter tip position is maintained approximately constant. An emitter ( | 05-31-2012 |
20120132803 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE AND IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD - According to the present invention, in a charged particle beam device having a charged particle source, an objective lens for focusing a primary-charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source, a scan deflector for scanning the primary-charged particle beam on a sample, and a detector for detecting signal particles generated from the sample under scanning of the primary-charged particle beam, whereby a sample image is obtained by using the signal particles of the detector, the charged particle beam device comprises a deflector for deflecting an angle of irradiation of the primary-charged particle beam onto the sample, first and second independent power supplies for passing currents to the deflector, and a switch for switching over voltages applied from the two power supplies in unit of one line or one frame of scanning of the primary-charged particle beam. | 05-31-2012 |
20120138794 | DEVICE FOR DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF CARBON- AND NITROGEN- CONTAINING MATERIALS - A device for detection and identification of carbon- and nitrogen-containing materials is described. In particular, the device performs the detection and identification of carbon- and nitrogen-containing materials by photo-nuclear detection. The device may comprise a race-track microtron, a breaking target, and a water-filled Cherenkov radiation counter. | 06-07-2012 |
20120138795 | SPECIMEN OBSERVATION METHOD - It is an object of the present invention to provide a specimen observation method, an image processing device, and a charged-particle beam device which are preferable for selecting, based on an image acquired by an optical microscope, an image area that should be acquired in a charged-particle beam device the representative of which is an electron microscope. In the present invention, in order to accomplish the above-described object, there are provided a method and a device for determining the position for detection of charged particles by making the comparison between a stained optical microscope image and an elemental mapping image formed based on X-rays detected by irradiation with the charged-particle beam. | 06-07-2012 |
20120145898 | PARTICLE DETECTION SYSTEM - This invention provides a design to process a large range of detection beam current at low noise with a single detector. With such a design, the detection system can generate up to 10 | 06-14-2012 |
20120145899 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A seal member to be contacted with an observation object is provided at an open end of a lens barrel so that the observation object can be attracted to the lens barrel via the seal member and fixed in direct and close contact with the lens barrel when a vacuum is created in the lens barrel by a vacuum pump. In other words, instead of providing a sample chamber, the observation object is fixed in close contact with the lens barrel to prevent relative movement therebetween by a suction force even without a sample chamber. In this configuration, the interior of the lens barrel can be maintained in a vacuum state despite the absence of a sample chamber and no adverse effect occurs during observation because the lens barrel and the observation object are not moved relative to each other by vibration. | 06-14-2012 |
20120153146 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS INCLUDING ABERRATION CORRECTOR - A focused charged particle beam apparatus including an aberration corrector, capable of finding the absolute value of the aberration coefficient at high speed, and capable of making high-accuracy adjustments at high speed. A deflection coil tilts the input beam relative to the object point, and measures the defocus data and aberration quantity at high speed while the beam is tilted from one image, and perform least squares fitting on these results to find the absolute value of the aberration coefficient prior to tilting the beam, and to adjust the aberration corrector. | 06-21-2012 |
20120161000 | SECONDARY-ELECTRON DETECTOR AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A scintillator | 06-28-2012 |
20120187293 | Transmission Electron Microscope - A scanning transmission electron microscope using optical fibers as optical guiding media. The microscope obtains a high-angle scattering image or a dark-field image from electrons transmitted through a specimen. A scintillator converts electrons transmitted through the specimen into optical signals. The optical fibers couple outputs from the scintillator to the photodetector segments. The connections of the fibers with the photodetector segments are formed into arbitrary shapes. | 07-26-2012 |
20120187294 | SEM REPAIR FOR SUB-OPTIMAL FEATURES - A method and system for repairing photomasks is disclosed. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to identify, measure, and correct defects. The SEM is operated in multiple modes, including a measuring mode and a repair mode. The repair mode is of higher landing energy and exposure time than the measuring mode, and induces shrinkage in the photoresist to correct various features, such as vias that are too small. | 07-26-2012 |
20120193533 | Corrector - The invention concerns a corrector ( | 08-02-2012 |
20120199740 | Particle Beam System - Particle beam system, comprising: a particle beam, source for generating a particle beam; an objective lens for focusing the particle beam onto an object plane, wherein the objective lens comprises a focal length and an optical axis; and a scintillator arrangement, which comprises an electron receiving surface facing the object plane and which is arranged such that it is exposed to electrons, which emanate from the object plane, wherein the scintillator arrangement further comprises a light exit face, wherein the scintillator arrangement is configured such that light rays which are generated by electrons, which are incident on the electron receiving surface leave the scintillator arrangement at the light exit face. | 08-09-2012 |
20120211653 | PATTERN MEASURING METHOD AND PATTERN MEASURING DEVICE - A pattern measuring method and device are provided which set a reference position for a measuring point to be measured by a scanning electron microscope and the like, based on position information of a reference pattern on an image acquired from the scanning electron microscope and based on a positional relation, detected by using design data, between the measuring point and the reference pattern formed at a position isolated from the measuring point. | 08-23-2012 |
20120211654 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - There is provided a scanning electron microscope capable of achieving a size reduction of the device while at the same time suppressing the increase in column temperature as well as maintaining performance, e.g., resolution, etc. With respect to a scanning electron microscope for observing a sample by irradiating the sample with an electron beam emitted from an electron source and focused by condenser lenses, and detecting secondary electrons from the sample, the condenser lenses comprise both an electromagnetic coil-type condenser lens and a permanent magnet-type condenser lens. | 08-23-2012 |
20120217393 | Electron Microscope - A scanning electron microscope suppresses a beam drift by reducing charging on a sample surface while suppressing resolution degradation upon observation of an insulator sample. An electron microscope includes an electron source and an objective lens that focuses an electron beam emitted from the electron source, which provides an image using a secondary signal generated from the sample irradiated with the electron beam. A magnetic body with a continuous structure and an inside diameter larger than an inside diameter of an upper pole piece that forms the objective lens is provided between the objective lens and the sample. | 08-30-2012 |
20120223228 | MICROTOME UTILIZING A MOVABLE KNIFE IN A RETARDATION FIELD SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND A RETARDATION FIELD SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE INCLUDING THE SAME - A microtome for in situ residence within a chamber of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a SEM including the microtome is disclosed. The microtome includes a specimen holder for holding a specimen thereon at high voltage to produce a retardation field thereat and a movable knife. The SEM includes a backscatter electron detector disposed adjacent to specimen holder. The knife arranged is to be carried into engagement with the specimen on the specimen holder to slice a portion of the specimen away to expose a new face of the specimen without interfering with the high voltage on the specimen, and is mounted so that after having engaged the specimen to expose a new face of the specimen it is withdrawn to a retracted position whereupon it does not interfere with the retardation field. | 09-06-2012 |
20120228495 | METHOD OF ANALYZING A SUBSTANCE - An embodiment of the invention relates to a method of analyzing a substance comprising the steps of: fabricating a structure comprising said substance and at least one graphene layer; carrying out at least one measurement step with respect to said structure; and analyzing the measurement result of said measurement step to receive at least one analytical result concerning said substance. | 09-13-2012 |
20120235036 | INSPECTION DEVICE - An inspection device for inspecting a surface of an inspection object using a beam includes a beam generator capable of generating one of either charge particles or an electromagnetic wave as a beam, a primary optical system capable of guiding and irradiating the beam to the inspection object supported within a working chamber, a secondary optical system capable of including a first movable numerical aperture and a first detector which detects secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object, the secondary charge particles passing through the first movable numerical aperture, an image processing system capable of forming an image based on the secondary charge particles detected by the first detector; and a second detector arranged between the first movable numerical aperture and the first detector and which detects a location and shape at a cross over location of the secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object. | 09-20-2012 |
20120241609 | Electron Detecting Mechanism and Charged Particle Beam System Equipped Therewith - An electron detecting mechanism having a plate provided with an opening permitting passage of the primary beam, an energy filter, a first light detector, and a second light detector. The plate has first and second scintillating surface on its opposite sides. The first scintillating surface faces a sample. The second scintillating surface faces the energy filter. When the primary beam hits the sample, electrons are produced and some of them impinge as first electrons on the first scintillating surface. Consequently, first scintillation light is produced and detected by the first light detector. At the same time, some of the electrons produced from the sample pass through the opening of the plate, are repelled by the energy filter, and impinge as second electrons on the second scintillating surface. As a result, second scintillation light is produced and detected by the second light detector. | 09-27-2012 |
20120256087 | Scanning Electron Microscope - There is provided a technique that is capable of attracting a sample without making the voltage applied to an electrostatic chuck unnecessarily large. Attraction experiments with respect to the electrostatic chuck are performed using a testing sample whose degree of warp and pattern of warp are known, and a critical application voltage at which the attraction state changes from “bad” to “good” is found. When measuring an inspection target sample, the flatness of the inspection target sample is measured, and the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample are detected. Based on the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample and on the known critical application voltage, the application voltage for the electrostatic chuck is set. | 10-11-2012 |
20120261574 | Electron Beam Apparatus and Electron Beam Inspection Method - An electron beam apparatus which includes a sample stage on which a sample is placed, and an electron optical system. The electron optical system includes an electron gun that generates a primary electron beam, an immersion objective lens that converges the primary electron beam on the sample, an EĂ—B deflector that separates a secondary particle, which is generated from irradiation of the primary beam to the sample, from an optical axis of the primary beam, a reflecting member to which the secondary particle collides, an assist electrode which is located under the reflecting member, a plurality of incidental particle detectors that selectively detect a velocity component and an azimuth component of a ternary particle which is generated by the secondary particle colliding to the reflecting member, and a center detector that is located above the reflecting member. | 10-18-2012 |
20120273679 | X-RAY ANALYSER - An x-ray analyser for a transmission electron microscope is described. The analyser has a silicon drift detector moveable in use between an analysis position and a retracted position. The analyser has a housing having an end portion within which the silicon drift detector is retained. The end portion is formed from a material with a relative magnetic permeability of less than 1.004. The analyser also has an automatic retraction system adapted to move the silicon drift detector from the analysis position to the retracted position upon receipt of a trigger signal indicative of a condition in which the power level received by the silicon drift detector from impinging x-rays or electrons is above a predetermined threshold. | 11-01-2012 |
20120280125 | CHARGED PARTICLE SYSTEM FOR RETICLE / WAFER DEFECTS INSPECTION AND REVIEW - The present invention relates to a charged particle system for reticle or semiconductor wafer defects inspection and review, and more particularly, relates to an E-beam inspection tool for reticle or semiconductor wafer defects inspection and review without gravitational AMC settling. The charged particle system is an upside down electron beam inspection system with an electron beam aimed upward. The face down design may prevent AMC from gravitational settling on the inspected face of the specimen during inspection, thereafter having a cleaner result compared with conventional face-up inspection system. | 11-08-2012 |
20120280126 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS PERMITTING HIGH RESOLUTION AND HIGH-CONTRAST OBSERVATION - A lower pole piece of an electromagnetic superposition type objective lens is divided into an upper magnetic path and a lower magnetic path. A voltage nearly equal to a retarding voltage is applied to the lower magnetic path. An objective lens capable of acquiring an image with a higher resolution and a higher contrast than a conventional image is provided. An electromagnetic superposition type objective lens includes a magnetic path that encloses a coil, a cylindrical or conical booster magnetic path that surrounds an electron beam, a control magnetic path that is interposed between the coil and sample, an accelerating electric field control unit that accelerates the electron beam using a booster power supply, a decelerating electric field control unit that decelerates the electron beam using a stage power supply, and a suppression unit that suppresses electric discharge of the sample using a control magnetic path power supply. | 11-08-2012 |
20120286160 | CHARGED PARTICLE INSTRUMENT - A charged particle instrument including a controlling and operating unit for controlling a charged particle source, deflecting means, and focus changing means and making a data for an image by an electric signal detected by a detector, and a recording unit for preserving a correction coefficient registered at each image-acquisition, in which the controlling and operating unit acquires plural images while changing a focus, and controls an optical condition such that a landing angle of a charged particle beam becomes perpendicular when an image for measurement is acquired on the basis of a position shift amount of a mark in the image and a correction coefficient registered to the recording unit. | 11-15-2012 |
20120292508 | X-Ray Detection System - An X-ray detection system has an electron beam irradiation portion, a diffraction grating, a splitter for distributing the direction of propagation of the diffracted X-rays such that an imaging plane for the diffracted X-rays is assigned to plural positions spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the direction of energy dispersion of the diffracted X-rays, and image sensors different in energy sensitivity disposed respectively at the positions to which the imaging plane is assigned. | 11-22-2012 |
20120292509 | STRUCTURE FOR DISCHARGING EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET MASK - A structure for discharging an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for discharging an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and bottom. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUU mask is grounded. | 11-22-2012 |
20120298864 | Charged Particle Beam Apparatus - In order to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that can detect charged particle beam signals in discrimination into a plurality of energy bands, and obtain high-resolution images for each of the energy bands using the signals, the charged particle beam apparatus has a charged particle source ( | 11-29-2012 |
20120298865 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - Disclosed is a scanning electron microscope provided with a calculation device ( | 11-29-2012 |
20120305766 | LINEAR MOTOR, MOVABLE STAGE AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - It is an object to balance suppression of a leakage magnetic field and driving performance. In a linear motor including a stator including a first yoke having an open face and two rows of permanent magnets linearly arrayed inside the first yoke so that S-poles and N-poles are alternate and a movable element arranged between the two rows of permanent magnets and linearly moving, a second yoke is connected to an open end of the first yoke so as to cover the open end of the first yoke and the permanent magnets when viewed from the open face of the first yoke. | 12-06-2012 |
20120305767 | Pattern Inspection Method, Pattern Inspection Program, and Electronic Device Inspection System - It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique capable of accurately inspecting a circuit pattern in which the contrast of an observation image is not clear, like a circuit pattern having a multilayer structure. A pattern inspection method according to the present invention divides a circuit pattern using the brightness of a reflection electron image and associates the region in the reflection electron image belonging to each division with the region in a secondary electron image (see FIG. | 12-06-2012 |
20120305768 | Circuit-Pattern Inspection Device - Provided is a circuit-pattern inspection device which enables efficient inspection of a semiconductor wafer by selectively inspecting areas on the semiconductor wafer, such as boundaries between patterns thereon, where defects are likely to occur during the step of producing the semiconductor wafer while changing the beam scanning direction for each area. Two-dimensional beam-deflection control is employed for inspection operations in a continuous-stage-movement-type circuit-pattern inspection device in which only one-dimensional scanning has been employed conventionally. That is, by employing a combination of an electron-beam-deflection control in a first direction parallel to the stage-movement direction and an electron-beam-deflection control in a second direction intersecting the stage-movement direction, it is possible to obtain an image of any desired area for inspection that is set within a swath. The amplitude of deflection signals for the electron-beam-deflection and the rise and fall timings of the signals are suitably controlled according to inspection conditions. | 12-06-2012 |
20120305769 | ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND SAMPLE HOLDER - The electron beam apparatus sample holding means has a diaphragm which is placed on upper and lower sides of a sample to form a cell for separating a gas atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere of a sample chamber and sealing an ambient atmosphere of the sample; a gas supply means for supplying gas to an inside of the cell; and exhaust means for exhausting gas. The exhaust means includes a gas exhaust pipe provided in the inside of the cell and an openable/closable exhaust hole provided in a sidewall of the sample holding means so as to pass through the cell. The diaphragm is an amorphous film made of light elements which can transmit an electron beam, such as carbon films, oxide films, and nitride films. | 12-06-2012 |
20120318978 | Monochromator for Charged Particle Beam Apparatus - The monochromator for reducing energy spread of a primary charged particle beam in charged particle apparatus comprises a beam adjustment element, two Wien-filter type dispersion units and an energy-limit aperture. In the monochromator, a dual proportional-symmetry in deflection dispersion and fundamental trajectory along a straight optical axis is formed, which not only fundamentally avoids incurring off-axis aberrations that actually can not be compensated but also ensures the exit beam have a virtual crossover which is stigmatic, dispersion-free and inside the monochromator. The present invention also provides two ways to build a monochromator into a SEM, in which one is to locate a monochromator between the electron source and the condenser, and another is to locate a monochromator between the beam-limit aperture and the objective. The former provides an additional energy-angle depending filtering, and obtains a smaller effective energy spread. | 12-20-2012 |
20120326029 | X-Ray Scanners and X-Ray Sources Therefor - The present invention is directed toward an X-ray scanner that has an electron source and an anode. The anode has a target surface with a series of material areas spaced along it in a scanning direction. The material areas are formed from different materials. The electron source is arranged to direct electrons at a series of target areas of the target surface, in a predetermined order, so as to generate X-ray beams having different energy spectra. | 12-27-2012 |
20120326030 | Particle Beam Microscope - A particle beam microscope comprises a magnetic lens | 12-27-2012 |
20120326031 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR APPLYING DUAL ENERGY IMAGING - A medical imaging method comprising generating a radiation at a first energy level by a radiation source, generating a radiation at a second energy level different from the first energy level by the radiation source, emitting the generated radiations at an output of the radiation source towards a detector, and blocking or diverting the emitted radiations during at least one intermediate phase during which the radiation source switches in a transient way from one of the first energy level and the second energy level to the other of the first energy level and the second energy level. | 12-27-2012 |
20120326032 | Particle Beam Microscope - A particle beam microscope comprises a magnetic lens | 12-27-2012 |
20120326033 | METHOD FOR SUPERIMPOSING AND DISPLAYING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE IMAGE AND OPTICAL IMAGE - Firstly, displacement between an electron microscope image and an optical image is minimized; secondly, color information obtained by an optical image device having a digital picture function is added to an electron0 microscope image; and thirdly, a whole structure of equipment is simplified. The main character is that a mirror and backscattered electron detector is used and an electron beam to strike on a specimen and an optical axis from the optical image device coincide with each other. Addition of a function of an optical mirror to a backscattered electron detector permits a whole structure of equipment to be simplified, and a beam axis of an electron microscope and the optical axis of the optical image device to coincide with each other. | 12-27-2012 |
20130001419 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERECE SHIELDING FOR CRITICAL DIMENSION-SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - System and method for EMI shielding for a CD-SEM are described. One embodiment is a scanning electron microscope (“SEM”) comprising an electron gun for producing an electron beam directed toward a sample; a secondary electron (“SE”) detector for detecting secondary electrons reflected from the sample in response to the electron beam; and a dual-layer shield disposed around and enclosing the SE detector. The shield comprises a magnetic shielding lamina layer and a metallic foil layer. | 01-03-2013 |
20130001420 | Composite Charged-Particle-Beam Apparatus - There is provided a technology which allows SEM observation in real time without deteriorating the processing efficiency in FIB processing. In the present invention, a composite charged-particle-beam apparatus having a FIB column and a SEM column includes an SE3 detector which detects secondary electrons (referred to as tertiary electrons in this specification) discharged when back-scattered electrons generated by irradiating a sample with an electron beam collide with structures in a sample chamber. With use of the tertiary electrons, a SEM image is generated, and based on the SEM image, an ion beam processing state can be observed. | 01-03-2013 |
20130026362 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FAST DISCHARGING OF AN INSPECTED OBJECT - A modulator of a charged particle beam system is arranged to generate a modulation signal that is provided to an inductor, which receives the modulation signal and modulates, by inductance, a supply voltage signal for the charged particle beam system. Modulation of the supply voltage signal changes a focal length of a charged particle beam produced by the charged particle beam system. | 01-31-2013 |
20130032716 | ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS AND A DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD BY USING SAID ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS - An electron beam apparatus, in which an electron beam emitted from an electron gun having a cathode and an anode is focused and irradiated onto a sample, and secondary electrons emanated from the sample are directed into a detector, the apparatus further comprising means for optimizing irradiation of the electron beam emitted from the electron gun onto the sample, the optimizing means may be two-stage deflectors disposed in proximity to the electron gun which deflects and directs the electron beam emitted in a specific direction so as to be in alignment with the optical axis direction of the electron beam apparatus, the electron beam emitted in the specific direction being at a certain angle with respect to the optical axis due to the fact that, among the crystal orientations of said cathode, a specific crystal orientation allowing a higher level of electron beam emission out of alignment with the optical axis direction. | 02-07-2013 |
20130043388 | CHARGED PARTICLE RADIATION DEVICE - Disclosed is a charged particle radiation device having a charged particle source which generates a charged particle as a probe, a charged particle optical system, a sample stage, a vacuum discharge system, an aperture which restricts a probe, a conductive film, and a charged particle detector, wherein the conductive film is provided at a position excluding the optical axis of the optical system between the sample stage and the aperture; and the distance between the sensing surface of the surface of the charged particle detector and the sample stage is larger than the distance between the sample stage and the conductive film, so that the surface of the conductive film and the sensing surface of the detector are inclined. | 02-21-2013 |
20130043389 | METHOD FOR CORRECTING ELECTRONIC PROXIMITY EFFECTS USING OFF-CENTER SCATTERING FUNCTIONS - A method for projecting an electron beam, used notably in direct or indirect writing lithography and in electronic microscopy. Proximity effects created by the forward and backward scattering of the electrons of the beam in interaction with the target must be corrected. For this, the convolution of a point spread function with the geometry of the target is conventionally used. At least one of the components of the point spread function has its maximum value not located on the center of the beam. Preferably, the maximum value is instead located on the backward scattering peak. Advantageously, the point spread function uses gamma distribution laws. | 02-21-2013 |
20130056635 | XY-COORDINATE COMPENSATION APPARATUS AND METHOD IN SAMPLE PATTERN INSPECTION APPARATUS - Stage orthogonal error and position errors caused by mirror distortion are reduced. A CPU calculates a coordinate error (Δx,Δy) between a measured XY coordinate (x,y) of each of arbitrary reference points on a wafer W | 03-07-2013 |
20130056636 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - Sample drift in a scanning electron microscope is suppressed which is caused by a change in room temperature or associated with operation of motors for driving a sample stage. Supply currents to the motors during movement of the sample and a stop of the sample movement are controlled so that the supply currents have the same level or so that a maximum difference in level between the supply currents is 20%. This lessens any changes in the amounts of heat generated by the motors, thereby reducing sample drift during observation. | 03-07-2013 |
20130068949 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE PROVIDED WITH AUTOMATIC ABERRATION CORRECTION METHOD - Disclosed is an aberration measurement method of a charged particle beam device provided with an aberration corrector ( | 03-21-2013 |
20130075606 | COMPOSITE CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: a focused ion beam column ( | 03-28-2013 |
20130082176 | COMPOSITE CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: an FIB column ( | 04-04-2013 |
20130082177 | CIRCUIT PATTERN INSPECTION APPARATUS AND CIRCUIT PATTERN INSPECTION METHOD - High-speed inspection is performed with appropriate sensitivity according to the pattern density and pattern characteristic of a device. | 04-04-2013 |
20130087706 | FLEXIBLE CATHODOLUMINESCENCE DETECTION SYSTEM AND MICROSCOPE EMPLOYING SUCH A SYSTEM - The invention relates to a cathodoluminescence detection system comprising: a collecting optic ( | 04-11-2013 |
20130099116 | Integrated Backscattered Electron Detector with Cathodoluminescence Collection Optics - An apparatus for simultaneous detection of backscattered electrons and photons from a sample. The device includes a direct detection backscattered electron detector and a photon detector. The backscattered electron detector has a reflective surface that reflects photons emitted by the sample onto the photon detector. | 04-25-2013 |
20130105691 | PATTERN MEASUREMENT APPARATUS AND PATTERN MEASUREMENT METHOD | 05-02-2013 |
20130112872 | INSPECTION METHOD FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER AND APPARATUS FOR REVIEWING DEFECTS - An object of the present invention is to provide a suitable method of observing a wafer edge by using an electron microscope. The electron microscope includes a column which can take an image in being tilted, and thus allows a wafer edge to be observed from an oblique direction. | 05-09-2013 |
20130119252 | GAS FIELD ION SOURCE AND METHOD FOR USING SAME, ION BEAM DEVICE, AND EMITTER TIP AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME - To provide a gas field ion source having a high angular current density, the gas field ion source is configured such that at least a base body of an emitter tip configuring the gas field ion source is a single crystal metal, such that the apex of the emitter tip is formed into a pyramid shape or a cone shape having a single atom at the top, and such that the extraction voltage in the case of ionizing helium gas by the single atom is set to 10 kV or more. | 05-16-2013 |
20130126731 | Charged Particle Microscope and Ion Microscope - In order to provide a safe and environmentally-friendly charged gas particle microscope that exhibits a superior ionized gas-utilization efficiency and economic efficiency, the gas field ion source of a charged particle microscope is equipped with a vacuum chamber in which are provided a vacuum chamber evacuation mechanism, an acicular emitter tip, an extraction electrode disposed facing the emitter tip, and a mechanism for supplying a gas to the vicinity of the emitter tip, and is configured so that the gas in the region around the tip of acicular ion emitter is ionized and extracted as an ion beam. Therein, the evacuation mechanism and the gas supply mechanism are connected, and a material for adhering the gas to be ionized is disposed between the evacuation mechanism and the gas supply mechanism. | 05-23-2013 |
20130126732 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - An inspection device which carries out beam scanning on a stable scanning cycle by enabling flexible change of various scanning sequences according to inspection conditions thereof, and at the same time, eliminating as much unevenness as possible in scanning cycle which hinders stabilization of charging, is provided. | 05-23-2013 |
20130126733 | Charged Particle Beam Microscope - This charged particle beam microscope is characterized by being provided with selection means ( | 05-23-2013 |
20130140459 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SAMPLE ANALYSIS BY THREE DIMENSIONAL CATHODOLUMINESCENCE - A system is disclosed for obtaining layered cathodoluminescence images of a sample wherein the light collecting equipment is highly efficient and wherein the microtoming or Focused Ion Beam equipment does not interfere with the efficiency of the light collecting equipment and wherein the position of the sample with respect to the light collecting equipment is not disturbed in the microtoming or ion beam milling process. Embodiments are disclosed allowing simultaneous collection of cathodoluminescence images and collection of other electron based imaging signals such as backscattered and secondary electrons. | 06-06-2013 |
20130146766 | Electron Beam Apparatus - The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus comprising a means for visualizing an axial displacement of a retarding electric field, and a means for adjusting axial displacement. The axial displacement visualizing means includes a reflective plate ( | 06-13-2013 |
20130175445 | MICROELECTRONIC SUBSTRATE INSPECTION EQUIPMENT USING HELIUM ION MICROSCOPY - Microelectronic substrate inspection equipment includes a gas container which contains helium gas, a helium ion generator which is disposed in the gas container and converts the helium gas into helium ions and a wafer stage which is disposed under the gas container and on which a substrate to be inspected is placed. The equipment further includes a secondary electron detector which is disposed above the wafer stage and detects electrons generated from the substrate, a compressor which receives first gaseous nitrogen from a continuous nitrogen supply device and compresses the received first gaseous nitrogen into liquid nitrogen, a liquid nitrogen dewar which is connected to the compressor and stores the liquid nitrogen, and a cooling device that is coupled to the helium ion generator. The cooling device is disposed on the gas container, and cools the helium ion generator by vaporizing the liquid nitrogen. Related methods are also disclosed. | 07-11-2013 |
20130175446 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING LAMELLA - Provided is a lamella preparation apparatus including an EB column ( | 07-11-2013 |
20130175447 | Scanning Electron Microscope - Provided is a scanning electron microscope equipped with a high-speed and high-precision astigmatism measuring means to be used when both astigmatism generated by an electron-beam column and astigmatism generated from the surroundings of a measuring sample exist. This scanning electron microscope is characterized in controlling an astigmatism corrector ( | 07-11-2013 |
20130187046 | Particle-Optical Systems and Arrangements and Particle-Optical Components for such Systems and Arrangements - The present invention concerns a charged-particle multi-beamlet system that comprises a source of charged particles ( | 07-25-2013 |
20130206985 | 3D BACKSCATTER IMAGING SYSTEM - Systems and methods for imaging an object using backscattered radiation are described. The imaging system comprises both a radiation source for irradiating an object that is rotationally movable about the object, and a detector for detecting backscattered radiation from the object that can be disposed on substantially the same side of the object as the source and which can be rotationally movable about the object. The detector can be separated into multiple detector segments with each segment having a single line of sight projection through the object and so detects radiation along that line of sight. Thus, each detector segment can isolate the desired component of the backscattered radiation. By moving independently of each other about the object, the source and detector can collect multiple images of the object at different angles of rotation and generate a three dimensional reconstruction of the object. Other embodiments are described. | 08-15-2013 |
20130206986 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - There is proposed a charged particle beam apparatus including: a plurality of noise removal filters that remove noise of an electrical signal; a measurement unit that measures the contrast-to-noise ratio after applying one of the noise removal filters; and a determination unit that determines a magnitude relationship between the contrast-to-noise ratio measured by the measurement unit and a threshold value set in advance. | 08-15-2013 |
20130221218 | ELECTRON MICROSCOPE SYSTEM USING AUGMENTED REALITY - Provided is an electron microscope system using an augmented reality in that it recognizes a sample identification information by using an observation image generated through an electron microscope and the observation image is linked with the pre-set sample information according to the recognized sample identification information, so that an augmented reality image thereof is provided, thereby even the unskilled man can easily utilize the electron microscope and it can generate excitement about an education thereof. | 08-29-2013 |
20130228684 | DETECTOR AND INSPECTING APPARATUS - An inspecting apparatus for reducing a time loss associated with a work for changing a detector is characterized by comprising a plurality of detectors 11, 12 for receiving an electron beam emitted from a sample W to capture image data representative of the sample W, and a switching mechanism M for causing the electron beam to be incident on one of the plurality of detectors 11, 12, where the plurality of detectors 11, 12 are disposed in the same chamber MC. The plurality of detectors 11, 12 can be an arbitrary combination of a detector comprising an electron sensor for converting an electron beam into an electric signal with a detector comprising an optical sensor for converting an electron beam into light and converting the light into an electric signal. The switching mechanism M may be a mechanical moving mechanism or an electron beam deflector. | 09-05-2013 |
20130228685 | INSPECTION METHOD FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER AND APPARATUS FOR REVIEWING DEFECTS - An object of the present invention is to provide a suitable method of observing a wafer edge by using an electron microscope. The electron microscope includes a column which can take an image in being tilted, and thus allows a wafer edge to be observed from an oblique direction. | 09-05-2013 |
20130228686 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - Currently, there is no noise-proof cover, particularly noise-proof cover used in a clean room, which absorbs noise by a structure specialized for an estimated frequency of noise produced by environmental noise. Therefore, efficient noise absorption is still difficult. | 09-05-2013 |
20130240729 | SAMPLE ANALYSIS APPARATUS AND SAMPLE ANALYSIS PROGRAM - A sample is analyzed efficiently with combining a structural defect detection and a physical information measurement so as to determine whether a structural defect is the defect that degrades the device performance or not, not only by detecting the structural defect exists in the sample, but also by measuring a physical information that occurs due to the structural defect. It comprises a structural defect detection device | 09-19-2013 |
20130240730 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS AND SAMPLE TRANSPORTING APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus includes: a sample chamber; a sample stage; an electron beam irradiation system for irradiating the sample with an electron beam; a focused ion beam irradiation system for irradiating the sample with a focused ion beam; a sample stage drive unit having a rotational axis orthogonal to at least one of an irradiation axis of the electron beam irradiation system and an irradiation axis of the focused ion beam irradiation system; and a sample transporting mechanism for transporting the sample to the sample stage. The sample transporting mechanism includes a transportation path provided in the sample stage drive unit in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the sample stage drive unit, and is configured to transport the sample to the sample stage through the transportation path. | 09-19-2013 |
20130240731 | X-RAY DETECTOR FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - Multiple detectors arranged in a ring within a specimen chamber provide a large solid angle of collection. The detectors preferably include a shutter and a cold shield that reduce ice formation on the detector. By providing detectors surrounding the sample, a large solid angle is provided for improved detection and x-rays are detected regardless of the direction of sample tilt. | 09-19-2013 |
20130248710 | CROSS-SECTION PROCESSING AND OBSERVATION APPARATUS - Provided is a cross-section processing and observation apparatus, including a control portion for repeatedly executing a process including slice processing by an ion beam and acquisition of a SIM image by a secondary electron emitted from a cross-section formed by the slice processing, in which the control portion divides an observation image into a plurality of areas, and finishes the process when a change has occurred between an image in one area of the plurality of areas and an image in an area, which corresponds to the one area, of an observation image of another cross-section acquired by the process. | 09-26-2013 |
20130270438 | SWITCHABLE MULTI PERSPECTIVE DETECTOR, OPTICS THEREFOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - A secondary charged particle detection device for detection of a signal beam is described. The device includes a detector arrangement having at least two detection elements with active detection areas, wherein the active detection areas are separated by a gap (G), a particle optics configured for separating the signal beam into a first portion of the signal beam and into at least one second portion of the signal beam, and configured for focusing the first portion of the signal beam and the at least one second portion of the signal beam. The particle optics includes an aperture plate and at least a first inner aperture openings in the aperture plate, and at least one second radially outer aperture opening in the aperture plate, wherein the aperture plate is configured to be biased to one potential surrounding the first inner aperture opening and the at least one outer aperture opening. | 10-17-2013 |
20130270439 | MULTI CHANNEL DETECTOR, OPTICS THEREFOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - A secondary charged particle detection device for detection of a signal beam is described. The device includes a detector arrangement having at least two detection elements with active detection areas, wherein the active detection areas are separated by a gap, a particle optics configured for separating the signal beam in a first portion of the signal beam and in at least one second portion of the signal beam, configured for focusing the first portion of the signal beam, and configured for deflecting and focusing the at least one second portion of the signal beam, wherein the particle optics includes a first electrode and at least one second electrode. Therein, the first electrode is an inner electrode and the at least one second electrode is provided radially outward of the first electrode. | 10-17-2013 |
20130277554 | Charged Particle Beam Apparatus - The present invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus which employs LVSEM to inspect sample surface with a throughput much higher than the prior art. The high throughput is realized by providing a probe current and a FOV both several times of those of the prior art. Accordingly several means are proposed to avoid obvious degradation of image resolution due to the increases in Coulomb effect and geometric aberrations, and increase efficiency and uniformity of secondary charged particle collection. | 10-24-2013 |
20130284922 | Charged-Particle Beam Apparatus Having Micro Scale Management Function - There is implemented a scanning electron microscope or a charged-particle beam apparatus. The scanning electron microscope or the charged-particle beam apparatus is provided with a function capable of managing utilization states of a micro scale with ease. The utilization states include a radiation position and the number of utilizations. A map corresponding to the layout of cells on the micro cells is created. The apparatus user selects a cell on the micro scale as a cell to be actually used from cells displayed on the map. On the actual display, the number of utilizations is not displayed simply as numerical data. Instead, cells are displayed on the map in different colors each indicating a utilization state. In addition, the utilization states of the micro scale are classified properly into categories and each of the colors is assigned to one of the categories. | 10-31-2013 |
20130284923 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - With a scanning electron microscope (SEM) adopting a commonly available exhaust system such as a turbo-molecular pump, an ion pump, or a rotary pump, and so forth, there is realized an apparatus capable of safely executing observation, or adsorption of a target substance that is high in rarity. Further, there is realized a safe SEM low in the risk of an electrical discharge by providing the apparatus with a probe, a means for replacing an atmosphere in a specimen chamber, with a predetermined gas, and a means for forming an image by detection of an ion current, and detection of an absorption current. Further, there is provided a means for controlling the polarity of a voltage applied to the probe. Still further, there is provided a control means for controlling a value of the voltage applied to the probe according to a degree of vacuum. | 10-31-2013 |
20130284924 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - There is provided an apparatus which can accurately carry out focusing of an optical microscope mounted on a charged particle beam apparatus while restraining an increase in an apparatus cost and a reduction in a throughput. An approximate polynomial is formed based on a focus map of the optical microscope which is previously measured, and a control amount which adds a difference between a piece of wafer height information at that occasion and a piece of wafer height information in actual observation to the approximate polynomial is inputted as a focus control value of the optical microscope. | 10-31-2013 |
20130299698 | Electron Microscope with Integrated Detector(s) - An electron microscope including a vacuum chamber for containing a specimen to be analyzed, an optics column, including an electron source and a final probe forming lens, for focusing electrons emitted from the electron source, a specimen stage positioned in the vacuum chamber under the probe forming lens for holding the specimen, and an x-ray detector positioned within the vacuum chamber. The x-ray detector includes an x-ray sensitive solid-state sensor and a mechanical support system for supporting and positioning the detector, including the sensor, within the vacuum chamber. The entirety of the mechanical support system is contained within the vacuum chamber. Multiple detectors of different types may be supported within the vacuum chamber on the mechanical support system. The mechanical support system may also include at least one thermoelectric cooler element for thermo-electrically cooling the x-ray sensors. | 11-14-2013 |
20130299699 | STANDARD MEMBER FOR CALIBRATION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME AND SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE USING THE SAME - A standard member for automatically, stably, and highly accurately performing magnification calibration used in an electron microscope, the standard member including, on the same plane, a multilayer film cross section formed by alternately laminating materials different from each other, a plurality of first mark patterns arranged across a first silicon layer and in parallel to the multilayer film cross section, at least a pair of second mark patterns arranged across a second silicon layer thicker than the first silicon layer on the opposite side of the first mark patterns with respect to the multilayer film cross section and in parallel to the multilayer film cross section, and a silicon layer arranged on the outer side of the first mark patterns and the second mark patterns with respect to the multilayer film cross section. | 11-14-2013 |
20130306866 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - The present invention has an object to provide a scanning electron microscope which suppresses a potential gradient produced by preliminary charge without changing lens conditions of an electron microscope. As an aspect to achieve the above object, there is proposed a scanning electron microscope in which a scanning deflector is controlled so that a second beam is scanned to detect electrons released from a sample after scanning a first beam on the sample to charge the surface of the sample and the first beam is scanned so that charge density in a surrounding part within a scanned area by the first beam is increased relatively as compared with a center part within the scanned area by the first beam. | 11-21-2013 |
20130313431 | ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - Provided is an electron microscope capable of enhancing a magnetic shield function even though the structure thereof has an objective tens that projects into a sample chamber space. The electron microscope includes: an objective lens ( | 11-28-2013 |
20130320211 | INSPECTION SYSTEM USING SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - An inspection system using a scanning electron microscope includes a scanning electron microscope chamber inspecting an object to be inspected by using an electron beam and maintaining a vacuum condition, a stage positioned below the scanning electron microscope chamber to be separated therefrom and mounted with the object to be inspected, and a transverse guide transferring the scanning electron microscope chamber on the stage. Atmospheric conditions are maintained between the scanning electron microscope chamber and the object to be inspected. Accordingly, object to be inspected a large size of an object to be inspected may be inspected without damage to the object to be inspected such that a cost reduction and a yield improvement may be realized. | 12-05-2013 |
20130327939 | SEMICONDUCTOR INSPECTING APPARATUS - In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam. | 12-12-2013 |
20140014836 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - The charged particle beam apparatus having an opening formation member formed with an opening for passage of a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle source, and either a detector adapted to detect charged particles having passed through the passage opening or a detector adapted to detect charged particles resulting from bombardment on another member of the charged particles having passed through the opening, comprises an aligner for aligning charged particles discharged from the sample and a control unit for controlling the aligner, wherein the control unit controls the aligner to cause it to shift trajectories of the charged particles discharged from the sample so that length measurement may be executed on the basis of detection signals before and after the alignment by the aligner. | 01-16-2014 |
20140021348 | ELECTRON BEAM IRRADIATION APPARATUS - The present invention has for its object to provide an electron beam irradiation apparatus which can suppress influences the electric fields generated by a plurality of backscattered electron detectors have. To attain the above object, an electron beam irradiation apparatus equipped with a scanning deflector comprises a plurality of backscattered electron detectors, a power source for detectors which applies voltages to the plural backscattered electron detectors, respectively, and a controller device which adjusts application voltages the power source for detectors delivers, on the basis of an image shift when the voltages are applied to the plural backscattered electron detectors. | 01-23-2014 |
20140021349 | PATTERN MEASURING APPARATUS - An object of the present invention is to provide a pattern measuring apparatus which performs high-accuracy concavity/convexity determination (e.g., distinguishing between a line segment and space) while simultaneously reducing the dose of a beam falling onto a pattern to be measured. To attain the object, this invention proposes a pattern measuring apparatus which specifies a pattern in a measurement object area by scanning a tilted bean with respect to another area different from the measurement object area and then performs measurement based on the pattern-specifying result. With such arrangement, it becomes possible to perform measurement without the risk of wrong pattern designation while lowering the dose of a beam hitting the measurement object area. | 01-23-2014 |
20140021350 | PATTERN MEASURING APPARATUS - An object of the present invention is to provide a pattern measuring apparatus which performs high-accuracy concavity/convexity determination (e.g., distinguishing between a line segment and space) while simultaneously reducing the dose of a beam falling onto a pattern to be measured. To attain the object, this invention proposes a pattern measuring apparatus which specifies a pattern in a measurement object area by scanning a tilted bean with respect to another area different from the measurement object area and then performs measurement based on the pattern-specifying result. With such arrangement, it becomes possible to perform measurement without the risk of wrong pattern designation while lowering the dose of a beam hitting the measurement object area. | 01-23-2014 |
20140027634 | STRUCTURE FOR DISCHARGING EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET MASK - A structure for discharging an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for discharging an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and bottom. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUU mask is grounded. | 01-30-2014 |
20140034831 | INSPECTION SYSTEM BY CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEVICES USING THE SYSTEM - An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device | 02-06-2014 |
20140042317 | PARALLEL RADIAL MIRROR ANALYSER FOR SCANNING MICROSCOPES - A parallel radial mirror analyser (PRMA) ( | 02-13-2014 |
20140048707 | Optical Characterization Systems Employing Compact Synchrotron Radiation Sources - A compact synchrotron radiation source includes an electron beam generator, an electron storage ring, one or more wiggler insertion devices disposed along one or more straight sections of the electron storage ring, the one or more wiggler insertion devices including a set of magnetic poles configured to generate a periodic alternating magnetic field suitable for producing synchrotron radiation emitted along the direction of travel of the electrons of the storage ring, wherein the one or more wiggler insertion devices are arranged to provide light to a set of illumination optics of a wafer optical characterization system or a mask optical characterization system, wherein the etendue of a light beam emitted by the one or more wiggler insertion devices is matched to the illumination optics of the at least one of a wafer optical characterization system and the mask optical characterization system. | 02-20-2014 |
20140061465 | ELECTRON BEAM DETECTOR, ELECTRON BEAM PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ELECTRON BEAM DETECTOR - There is provided an electron beam detector including an electron beam scatterer which is disposed at a predetermined distance below a shield including a plurality of openings formed therein, and a beam detection element disposed at a predetermined distance below the scatterer and configured to convert an electron beam into an electric signal. In the electron beam detector, the scatterer is disposed at an equal distance from any of the openings in the shield, and the beam detection element is disposed at an equal distance from any of the openings in the shield. Thus, the electron beam detector can suppress a variation in detection sensitivity depending on the position of the opening. | 03-06-2014 |
20140077077 | DUAL-LENS-GUN ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGING WITH BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAM CURRENTS - One embodiment relates to an electron beam apparatus which includes a dual-lens electron gun for emitting an electron beam. The electron beam is a high beam-current electron beam in a first operating mode and a low beam-current electron beam in a second operating mode. The apparatus further includes a column aperture which is out of the path of the high beam-current electron beam in the first operating mode and is centered about an optical axis of the electron beam apparatus in the second operating mode. Another embodiment relates to an electron gun which includes a first gun lens, a beam limiting aperture, and a second gun lens. The first gun lens focuses the electrons before they pass through the beam-limiting aperture while the second gun lens focuses the electrons after they pass through the beam-limiting aperture. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. | 03-20-2014 |
20140077078 | INSPECTION APPARATUS - An inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The primary optical system includes a photoelectron generator having a photoelectronic surface. The base material of the photoelectronic surface is made of material having a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of quartz. | 03-20-2014 |
20140077079 | ELECTRON BEAM IRRADIATION APPARATUS - The present invention has for its object to provide an electron beam irradiation apparatus which can suppress influences the electric fields generated by a plurality of backscattered electron detectors have. To attain the above object, an electron beam irradiation apparatus equipped with, a scanning deflector comprises a plurality of backscattered electron detectors, a power source for detectors which applies voltages to the plural backscattered electron detectors, respectively, and a controller device which adjusts application voltages the power source for detectors delivers, on the basis of an image shift when the voltages are applied to the plural backscattered electron detectors. | 03-20-2014 |
20140084158 | Scanning Electron Microscope - A scanning electron microscope has a first condenser lens ( | 03-27-2014 |
20140084159 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND METHOD FOR PREPARING SPECIMEN - In related art, when a location to be analyzed is selected from inspection data, a relatively highly critical defect among entire defects is not selected as a defect to be analyzed. Further, when a mark is placed in a fixed position associated with a defect, the mark affects the defect itself depending on the shape and size of the defect, which is problematic in the following analysis made in an analysis apparatus. Moreover, in the case of a wafer with no pattern, a defect invisible to a SEM cannot be marked. | 03-27-2014 |
20140091216 | Sample Analyzer - A sample analyzer is offered which creates a ternary scatter diagram representing a concentration ratio distribution of three elements out of several elements to be analyzed. This three-dimensional graph is created by adding an axis to the ternary scatter diagram and representing concentration information about the two additional elements on the added axis. The sample analyzer performs elemental analysis of a sample by scanning a primary beam over the sample and detecting a signal emanating from the sample. The added axis intersects the plane of the ternary scatter diagram. | 04-03-2014 |
20140117234 | Mineral Identification Using Mineral Definitions Having Compositional Ranges - Determining the composition of a mineral sample entails comparing measurements of a sample to mineral definitions and determining a similarity metric. The mineral definition includes a subspace of compositional values defined by end members. The similarity metric is related to a projection of the measured data point onto the subspace or onto an extension of the subspace. | 05-01-2014 |
20140117235 | STANDARD WAFER AND ITS FABRICATION METHOD - A standard wafer is provided including a substrate; a first layer of semiconductor material formed on the substrate; a bar formed over the first layer of semiconductor material with an interlayer interposed therebetween; and a first sidewall spacer and a second sidewall spacer formed on the opposite sides of the bar respectively, in which the bar and the first layer of semiconductor material are formed of a same semiconductor material, and the interlayer interposed between the first layer of semiconductor material and the bar is formed of a first oxide, and the first sidewall spacer and the second sidewall spacer are formed of a second oxide. A corresponding fabrication method of the standard wafer is also provided. | 05-01-2014 |
20140124664 | DEVICE FOR CORRECTING DIFFRACTION ABERRATION OF ELECTRON BEAM - A diffraction aberration corrector formed by the multipole of the solenoid coil ring and having a function of adjusting the degree of orthogonality or axial shift of the vector potential with respect to the beam axis. In order to cause a phase difference, the diffraction aberration corrector that induces a vector potential, which is perpendicular to the beam axis and has a symmetrical distribution within the orthogonal plane with respect to the beam axis, is provided near the objective aperture and the objective lens. A diffracted wave traveling in a state of being inclined from the beam axis passes through the ring of the magnetic flux. Since the phase difference within the beam diameter is increased by the Aharonov-Bohm effect due to the vector potential, the intensity of the electron beam on the sample is suppressed. | 05-08-2014 |
20140124665 | RADIATION DETECTOR, RADIATION DETECTION APPARATUS, AND X-RAY ANALYZER - A radiation detector employed in a radiation detection apparatus and a fluorescent X-ray analyzer includes: a first circuit board on which a semiconductor radiation sensor is mounted and which is cooled by a Peltier device (an electronic cooling unit); and a second circuit board set apart from the first circuit board. A plurality of lead pins are joined to the second circuit board. Then, the first circuit board and the second circuit board are wire-bonded to each other. In comparison with conventional wire bonding performed onto the tips of lead pins, the work of connection is easy, the productivity is high, and the reliability of connection is high. Further, the second circuit board not requiring cooling is set apart so that cooling is concentrated on the first circuit board. This permits size reduction of the radiation detector. | 05-08-2014 |
20140124666 | Charged Particle Beam Device - Provided is a charged particle beam device to improve energy solution of its energy filter. In one embodiment, a charged particle beam device includes a deflector to deflect charged particles emitted from a sample to an energy filter, and a change in brightness value with the change of voltage applied to the energy filter is found for each of a plurality of deflection conditions for the deflector, and a deflection condition such that a change in the brightness value satisfies a predetermined condition is set as the deflection condition for the deflector. | 05-08-2014 |
20140124667 | System And Method For Electromagnetic Interference Shielding For Critical Dimension-Scanning Electron Microscope - System and method for EMI shielding for a CD-SEM are described. One embodiment is a scanning electron microscope (“SEM”) comprising an electron gun for producing an electron beam directed toward a sample; a secondary electron (“SE”) detector for detecting secondary electrons reflected from the sample in response to the electron beam; and a dual-layer shield disposed around and enclosing the SE detector. The shield comprises a magnetic shielding lamina layer and a metallic foil layer. | 05-08-2014 |
20140138542 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A scanning transmission electron microscope according to the present invention includes an electron lens system having a small spherical aberration coefficient for enabling three-dimensional observation of a 0.1 nm atomic size structure. The scanning transmission electron microscope according to the present invention also includes an aperture capable of changing an illumination angle; an illumination electron lens system capable of changing the probe size of an electron beam probe and the illumination angle; a secondary electron detector ( | 05-22-2014 |
20140151554 | System and Method for Controlling Charge-up in an Electron Beam Apparatus - The present invention provides means and corresponding embodiments to control charge-up in an electron beam apparatus, which can eliminate the positive charges soon after being generated on the sample surface within a frame cycle of imaging scanning. The means are to let some or all of secondary electrons emitted from the sample surface return back to neutralize positive charges built up thereon so as to reach a charge balance within a limited time period. The embodiments use control electrodes to generate retarding fields to reflect some of secondary electrons with low kinetic energies back to the sample surface. | 06-05-2014 |
20140151555 | ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - Provided is an electron microscope on which a specimen holder with high voltage applied is mountable. The specimen holder has safety (electric shock prevention means), and attention is paid to the specimen holder in terms of operability. | 06-05-2014 |
20140158886 | ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS - In an electron beam apparatus having a plurality of electron beam columns arranged in a dense arrangement, a transfer device is inserted to operate the electron beam column so that the function and repair may be enhanced. An outer housing of the electron beam column includes a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, and thus a gap may be formed near the small diameter portion. The transfer device penetrates the gap of the electron beam column at an outer periphery in a linear shape, and is connected to the electron beam column at a central portion. | 06-12-2014 |
20140175278 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus or charged particle microscope capable of observing an observation target sample in an air atmosphere or a gas environment without making significant changes to the configuration of a conventional high vacuum charged particle microscope. In a charged particle beam apparatus configured such that a thin film ( | 06-26-2014 |
20140175279 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus that easily discriminates the angles and energy of the SE or the BSE, and images information necessary for a sample to be observed. | 06-26-2014 |
20140197313 | CHARGED-PARTICLE MICROSCOPE - A charged-particle-beam device is characterized in having a control value for an aligner coil ( | 07-17-2014 |
20140246584 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - Provided is a scanning electron microscope capable of collecting electric charges accumulated on a sample. The scanning electron microscope includes a column unit configured to generate an electron beam and scan a sample with the electron beam, a chamber unit combined with the column unit, and including a sample stage spaced apart from an end of the column unit to accommodate the sample therein, a detection unit configured to detect signals emitted from the sample, a charge collecting unit disposed between the end of the column unit and the sample stage to collect electric charges, and a voltage supply unit configured to apply an optimum or, alternatively, desirable voltage to the charge collecting unit. | 09-04-2014 |
20140246585 | MEASURING METHOD, DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPE USING SAME - The objective of the invention is to provide a measuring method that can determine pattern contours and dimensions with high precision even if an object to be measured shrinks due to electron beam radiations. In order to achieve this objective, a method, which performs measurements by irradiating an electron beam onto a sample having a pattern formed on a primary coating thereof, prepares an SEM image and contour of the pattern (S | 09-04-2014 |
20140246586 | SOLID SCINTILLATOR AND ELECTRON BEAM DETECTOR USING THE SAME - The present invention provides a solid scintillator comprising a rare earth oxide sintered body, wherein: an afterglow time, which is the time required for a light output from the solid scintillator to degrease from a maximum value to 1/e of the maximum value, is 200 ns or shorter. The rare earth oxide sintered body preferably has a composition represented by a general formula (1): | 09-04-2014 |
20140264019 | ELECTRON GUN ARRANGEMENT - A gun arrangement configured for generating a primary electron beam for a wafer imaging system is described. The arrangement includes a controller configured for switching between a normal operation and a cleaning operation, a field emitter having an emitter tip adapted for providing electrons and emitting an electron beam along an optical axis, an extractor electrode adapted for extracting the electron beam from the emitter tip electrode, a suppressor electrode, and at least one auxiliary emitter electrode arranged radially outside the suppressor electrode, and provided as a thermal electron emitter for thermally emitting electrons towards the optical axis. | 09-18-2014 |
20140284476 | Energy Filter for Charged Particle Beam Apparatus - This invention provides a method for improving performance of a reflective type energy filter for a charged particle beam, which employs a beam-adjusting lens on an entrance side of a potential barrier of the energy filter to make the charged particle beam become a substantially parallel beam to be incident onto the potential barrier. The method makes the energy filter have both a fine energy-discrimination power over a large emission angle spread and a high uniformity of energy-discrimination powers over a large FOV. A LVSEM using this method in the energy filter can obviously improve image contrast. The invention also provides multiple energy-discrimination detection devices formed by using the advantages of the method. | 09-25-2014 |
20140284477 | CHARGED-PARTICLE RADIATION APPARATUS - In order to provide a charged-particle radiation apparatus capable of evaluating and distinguishing the analysis position in a sample subjected to X-ray analysis in the stage before performing X-ray elemental analysis, and also making it possible for an analyst to perform, in a short period of time and without reworking, analysis for which high reliability is ensured, the present invention provides a charged-particle radiation apparatus provided with an X-ray detector, wherein a first back scattered electron detector ( | 09-25-2014 |
20140291513 | AUTOMATIC FILTERING OF SEM IMAGES - A method, system, and computer program product to automatically evaluate a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image are described. The method includes obtaining a source image and the SEM image taken of the source image. The method also includes evaluating the SEM image based on comparing source contours extracted from the source image and SEM contours extracted from the SEM image to determine whether the SEM image passes or fails. | 10-02-2014 |
20140291514 | INSPECTION SYSTEM USING SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - An inspection system includes: an automated optical inspection device detecting a defect of an inspection object by using a light; a scanning electron microscope device for inspecting the defect of the inspection object by using an electron beam and including a vacuum chamber; a stage positioned below and spaced from the scanning electron microscope device and supporting the inspection object; and a transferring device connected to the scanning electron microscope chamber and the automated optical inspection and transferring the scanning electron microscope device and the automated optical inspection device to positions over the stage. Air is in a gap between the chamber and the inspection object. Accordingly, an inspection object of a large size may be inspected for analysis without damage to the inspection object. | 10-02-2014 |
20140291515 | INSPECTION SYSTEM, INSPECTION IMAGE DATA GENERATION METHOD, INSPECTION DISPLAY UNIT, DEFECT DETERMINATION METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM ON WHICH INSPECTION DISPLAY PROGRAM IS RECORDED - An inspection system includes a primary optical system configured to irradiate a charged particle or an electromagnetic wave as a beam, a movable unit configured to hold an inspection target and move the target through a position where the beam is irradiated, and a TDI sensor configured to integrate an amount of secondary charged particles in a predetermined direction to sequentially transfer the integrated amount. The secondary charged particles are obtained by irradiating the beam onto the target while moving the movable unit in the predetermined direction. The inspection system further includes a prevention module configured to prevent an arrival of the beam at the target side or an arrival of the secondary charged particles at the TDI sensor during a time period from one transfer to the following transfer after the elapse of a predetermined length of time from the one transfer and until the following transfer. | 10-02-2014 |
20140291516 | Methods and Systems for Measuring a Characteristic of a Substrate or Preparing a Substrate for Analysis - Methods and systems for measuring a characteristic of a substrate or preparing a substrate for analysis are provided. One method for measuring a characteristic of a substrate includes removing a portion of a feature on the substrate using an electron beam to expose a cross-sectional profile of a remaining portion of the feature. The feature may be a photoresist feature. The method also includes measuring a characteristic of the cross-sectional profile. A method for preparing a substrate for analysis includes removing a portion of a material on the substrate proximate to a defect using chemical etching in combination with an electron beam. The defect may be a subsurface defect or a partially subsurface defect. Another method for preparing a substrate for analysis includes removing a portion of a material on a substrate proximate to a defect using chemical etching in combination with an electron beam and a light beam. | 10-02-2014 |
20140291517 | Dynamic Focus Adjustment with Optical Height Detection Apparatus in Electron Beam System - The present invention generally relates to dynamic focus adjustment for an image system. With the assistance of a height detection sub-system, present invention provides an apparatus and methods for micro adjusting an image focusing according the specimen surface height variation by altering the field strength of an electrostatic lens between objective lens and sample stage/or a bias voltage applied to the sample surface. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to a scanning electron inspection system. But it would be recognized that the invention could apply to other system using charged particle beam as observation tool with a height detection apparatus. | 10-02-2014 |
20140291518 | X-RAY SPECTROMETRY DETECTOR DEVICE - An X-ray spectrometric detection device includes a dispersive crystal and a two-dimensional X-ray detector, spectrally resolves characteristic X-rays emitted from a micro analysis spot having a diameter of 100 ÎĽm or less on a surface of a sample irradiated with X-rays or an electron beam, and detects the resolved X-rays by wavelength. The dispersive crystal has a flat diffractive reflection surface for receiving the characteristic X-rays emitted from the micro analysis spot and diffracts and reflects a wavelength component corresponding to an incident angle to the diffractive reflection surface in wavelength components included in the characteristic X-rays, so as to spectrally resolve the characteristic X-rays by wavelength. The detector has a light-receiving surface for receiving the characteristic X-rays diffracted and reflected by the dispersive crystal, and generates data concerning an incident position and intensity of the characteristic X-rays incident on the light-receiving surface. | 10-02-2014 |
20140299768 | ION SOURCE AND ION BEAM DEVICE USING SAME - Provided is a charged particle beam microscope which has a small mechanical vibration amplitude of a distal end of an emitter tip, is capable of obtaining an ultra-high resolution sample observation image and removing shaking or the like of the sample observation image. A gas field ion source includes: an emitter tip configured to generate ions; an emitter-base mount configured to support the emitter tip; a mechanism configured to heat the emitter tip; an extraction electrode installed to face the emitter tip; and a mechanism configured to supply a gas to the vicinity of the emitter tip, wherein the emitter tip heating mechanism is a mechanism of heating the emitter tip by electrically conducting a filament connecting at least two terminals, the terminals are connected by a V-shaped filament, an angle of the V shape is an obtuse angle, and the emitter tip is connected to a substantial center of the filament. | 10-09-2014 |
20140299769 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - To provide a scanning electron microscope that can detect reflected electrons of any emission angle, the scanning electron microscope, which obtains an image by detecting electrons from a sample ( | 10-09-2014 |
20140306110 | SCANNING PARTICLE MICROSCOPE HAVING AN ENERGY SELECTIVE DETECTOR SYSTEM - The disclosure provides a scanning particle beam microscope for inspecting an object. The scanning particle beam microscope includes a particle optical system having an objective lens. The microscope further includes a detector system having a particle optical detector component configured to generate an electrostatic field in the beam path of particles emitted from the object. The detector system is configured to spatially filter the emitted particles after the emitted particles have passed through the electrostatic field and to detect a portion of the filtered emitted particles. The particle optical detector component is configured such that the spatial filtering filters the emitted particles according to a kinetic energy of the emitted particles. | 10-16-2014 |
20140312227 | INSPECTION APPARATUS - An inspection apparatus capable of facilitating reduction in cost of the apparatus is provided. The inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held on a movable stage in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The inspection apparatus further includes: a linear motor that drives the movable stage; and a Helmholtz coil that causes a magnetic field for canceling a magnetic field caused by the linear motor when the movable stage is driven. | 10-23-2014 |
20140319345 | INSPECTION APPARATUS - An inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The primary optical system includes a photoelectron generator having a photoelectronic surface. The base material of the photoelectronic surface is made of material having a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of quartz. | 10-30-2014 |
20140319346 | INSPECTION SYSTEM BY CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEVICES USING THE SYSTEM - An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device | 10-30-2014 |
20140326879 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS PERMITTING HIGH-RESOLUTION AND HIGH-CONTRAST OBSERVATION - A lower pole piece of an electromagnetic superposition type objective lens is divided into an upper magnetic path and a lower magnetic path. A voltage nearly equal to a retarding voltage is applied to the lower magnetic path. An objective lens capable of acquiring an image with a higher resolution and a higher contrast than a conventional image is provided. An electromagnetic superposition type objective lens includes a magnetic path that encloses a coil, a cylindrical or conical booster magnetic path that surrounds an electron beam, a control magnetic path that is interposed between the coil and sample, an accelerating electric field control unit that accelerates the electron beam using a booster power supply, a decelerating electric field control unit that decelerates the electron beam using a stage power supply, and a suppression unit that suppresses electric discharge of the sample using a control magnetic path power supply. | 11-06-2014 |
20140326880 | DEVICE FOR ANALISING A RADIATING MATERIAL USING A MICROPROBE - The invention relates to an analysis device comprising a main enclosure fitted with a secondary enclosure, a microprobe placed inside the main enclosure and fitted with an airlock and with a motion object, and a movable sample support that is movable from the secondary enclosure to the airlock and from the airlock to the motion object. Each of the airlock and the motion object includes a respective guide member for guiding the movable sample support and a respective sensor for detecting the presence of the movable sample support. | 11-06-2014 |
20140326881 | X-RAY ANALYZER - The X-ray analyzer repeats scanning of a sample by an electron beam from an electron gun (beam source), detects a characteristic X-ray from the sample by an X-ray detector, generates an element distribution image of the sample by a signal processor every scanning, and stores a plurality of element distribution images in a sequential order. Temporal changes of the element distribution image of the sample are obtained. Moreover, by moving a stage by a moving unit concurrently with the scanning, an element distribution image of the sample where the scanning position is varied is obtained. By generating the element distribution image while varying the scanning position, positioning of the range where the element distribution image is to be obtained on the sample can be quickly performed based on the element distribution image itself. | 11-06-2014 |
20140361167 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - To provide a low acceleration scanning electron microscope that can discriminate and detect reflected electrons and secondary electrons even with a low probe current, this scanning electron microscope is provided with an electron gun ( | 12-11-2014 |
20140361168 | ELECTRON BEAM APPARATUS - An electron beam apparatus includes at least one electron beam column. The at least one beam column includes an electron beam optical system to irradiate an electron beam on a surface of a sample, and a detection system to detect electrons generated from the electron beam. The electron beam optical system includes an object lens to focus the electron beam on a surface of the sample. The object lens includes an electrostatic lens having a first electrode to which a first voltage is applied, a second electrode that is grounded, a third electrode to which a second voltage is applied, and a fourth electrode that is grounded. The first through fourth electrodes sequentially arranged relative to the sample. | 12-11-2014 |
20150014529 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - Provided is a charged particle beam device with high sensitivity, capable of detecting charged particles emitted from a sample at high resolution. An absorption current detector arranged to contact with the sample makes an absorption current generated in the sample by an irradiated charged particle beam flow through the detector, thereby to detect the current. The charged particle beam scans the sample and the charged particle beam device acquires an absorption current image. In case the absorption current detector is arranged separated from the sample, the absorption current detector detects the incident charged particle beam as a signal current dependent on an angle θ formed in a direction from the irradiation position on the sample toward the absorption current detector relative to at least one of the normal line direction of the front surface of the sample and the incident direction of the charged particle beam. | 01-15-2015 |
20150021476 | MAGNETIC LENS FOR FOCUSING A BEAM OF CHARGED PARTICLES - A magnetic lens for focusing a beam of charged particles traveling along an optical axis includes
| 01-22-2015 |
20150028205 | SYSTEM FOR IN SITU REACTIVATION OF FLUORESCENCE MARKER - Vapor is provided locally at a sample surface to allow fluorescence of the fluorescent markers in a vacuum chamber. For example, a nanocapillary can dispense a liquid near a region of interest, the liquid evaporating to increase the vapor pressure near the fluorescent markers. The increase in vapor pressure at the fluorescent marker is preferably sufficiently great to prevent deactivation or to reactivate the fluorescent marker, while the overall pressure in the vacuum chamber is preferably sufficiently low to permit charged particle beam operation with little or no additional evacuation pumping. | 01-29-2015 |
20150034824 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - The purpose of the present invention is to provide a scanning electron microscope that achieves an increase in both resolution and pattern recognition capability. In order to achieve the purpose, the present invention proposes a scanning electron microscope provided with a monochromator that makes an electron beam monochromatic, the monochromator including a magnetic field generator that deflects the electron beam, and an energy selection aperture that passes a part of the electron beam deflected by the magnetic field generator. An aperture that passes some of electrons emitted from the sample and a detector that detects the electrons that have passed through the aperture are disposed on a trajectory to which the electrons emitted from the sample are deflected by a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator. | 02-05-2015 |
20150041649 | Pattern Dimension Measuring Device, Charged Particle Beam Apparatus, and Computer Program - The present invention aims at providing a pattern dimension measuring device that realizes the measurement of a dimension of a pattern difficult to set up a measurement box, or between patterns away from each other with high precision. In order to achieve the above object, a pattern dimension measuring device is proposed which moves a field of view with reference to a first pattern formed on the specimen on the basis of predetermined first distance information, acquires a first image, executes template matching with the use of the first image and a matching template, and calculates a distance between a second pattern included in the first image and the first pattern on the basis of second distance information obtained by the template matching, and the first distance information. | 02-12-2015 |
20150041650 | Gas Field Ionization Ion Source and Ion Beam Apparatus - In the case of a conventional gas field ionization ion source, it was not possible to carry out an analysis with a high S/N ratio and a high-speed machining process because the current amount of an ion beam is small. In view of these problems, the present invention has been devised, and its object is to obtain a large ion beam current, while suppressing a probability of damaging an emitter electrode. The present invention is characterized by a process in which an ion beam is emitted at least in two operation states including a first operation state in which, when a first extraction voltage is applied, with the gas pressure being set to a first gas pressure, ions are emitted from a first ion emission region at the apex of the emitter electrode, and a second operation state in which, when a second extraction voltage that is higher than the first extraction voltage is applied, with the gas pressure being set to a second gas pressure that is higher than the first gas pressure, ions are emitted from a second ion emission region that is larger than the first ion emission region. | 02-12-2015 |
20150060667 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - In a pattern inspection of a semiconductor circuit, to specify a cause of a process defect, not only a distribution on and across wafer of the number of defects but also more detailed, that is, the fact that how many defects occurred where on the semiconductor pattern is needed to be specified in some cases. Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide an apparatus capable of easily specifying a cause of a process defect based upon a positional relationship of a distribution of defect occurrence frequency and a pattern. The apparatus includes: a charged particle beam optical system for detecting secondary charged particles by irradiating the charged particle beam to the sample; an image processing unit for, based upon a plurality of images to be inspected that are obtained by the secondary charged particles, obtaining an occurrence frequency of defect candidates for each of predetermined regions inside the detected image; and a display unit for displaying the distribution of the occurrence frequency of the defect candidates so that a positional relationship to the pattern is recognized. | 03-05-2015 |
20150060668 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus for processing a tip end portion of a sample into a needle shape, includes an ion beam irradiation unit that irradiates the tip end portion with ion beams, an electron beam irradiation unit that irradiates the tip end portion with electron beams, a secondary electron detection unit that detects secondary electrons generated at the tip end portion by the irradiation with the electron beams, and an EBSD detection unit that detects diffracted electrons generated at the tip end portion by the irradiation with the electron beams. | 03-05-2015 |
20150060669 | Three-Dimensional Semiconductor Image Reconstruction Apparatus and Method - A system comprises an electron beam directed toward a three-dimensional object with one tilting angle and at least two azimuth angles, a detector configured to receive a plurality of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images from the three-dimensional object and a processor configured to calculate a height and a sidewall edge of the three-dimensional object. | 03-05-2015 |
20150069234 | ASYMMETRICAL DETECTOR DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY - A charged particle detection device has an active portion for configured to produce a signal in response secondary charged particles emitted from a sample landing on the active portion. The active portion is shaped to accommodate an expected asymmetric pattern of the secondary charged particles at a detector. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. | 03-12-2015 |
20150076348 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS, SPECIMEN OBSERVATION SYSTEM AND OPERATION PROGRAM - For a novice user to easily recognize a difference between imaging results caused by a difference between observation conditions, a computer has an operation screen display observation target setting buttons for changing an observation condition for a specimen including a combination of parameter setting values of a charged particle beam apparatus. The processing unit has the operation screen display a radar chart including a characteristic, indicated by three or more incompatible items, of an observation condition for each of the observation target setting buttons. The radar chart indicates at least items of high resolution, emphasis on surface structure and emphasis on material difference. | 03-19-2015 |
20150076349 | CHARGED PARTICLE RADIATION APPARATUS - A charged particle radiation apparatus includes a control device that switches between a first charged particle beam and a second charged particle beam, the first charged particle beam being scanned to acquire an image and a waveform signal, the second charged particle beam being scanned over a sample before the scan of the first charged particle beam and used to charge the sample more than the first charged particle beam; wherein the control device is configured to acquire at least one of signal waveform data and image data about a pattern formed on the sample in accordance with a scan performed on the sample by the second charged particle beam, and to stop, when the acquired data has proved to be indicative of a predetermined state, the scan of the second charged particle beam. | 03-19-2015 |
20150083909 | X-RAY ANALYZER - The X-ray analyzer generates a spectrum of X-rays obtained from an area on a sample where the intensity of X-rays whose energy is not included in an already set-up ROI is high and then, from the generated spectrum, identifies a new element for which an ROI is not set up. Further, the X-ray analyzer sets an ROI corresponding to the identified element and then obtains element distribution. The X-ray analyzer repeats generation of an X-ray spectrum, identification of an element, setting of an ROI, and obtaining element distribution. This avoids unintended omission of setting of an ROI and hence permits as-much-as-possible coverage of the elements in the sample. Further, distribution of a trace element is allowed to be obtained rapidly. | 03-26-2015 |
20150083910 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - Aiming for easily carrying out an energy discrimination or an angle discrimination of a secondary particle emitted from a sample or easily setting an optimal observation condition, a charged particle beam apparatus is provided with a charged particle source for emitting a charged particle beam, a lens for focusing the charged particle beam to a sample, a detector for detecting a secondary particle emitted from the sample, and an orbit simulator for calculating a position at which the secondary particle emitted from the sample arrives; and in this structure, the orbit simulator calculates an orbit of a secondary particle that satisfies a predetermined condition, and a sample image is formed by using a signal detected at a position where the secondary particle satisfying the predetermined condition arrives at the detector. | 03-26-2015 |
20150083911 | Method of Detecting Electrons, an Electron-Detector and an Inspection System - An electron-detector comprises a scintillator plate | 03-26-2015 |
20150083912 | Charged Particle Beam Apparatus - The present invention provides apparatuses to inspect small particles on the surface of a sample such as wafer and mask. The apparatuses provide both high detection efficiency and high throughput by forming Dark-field BSE images. The apparatuses can additionally inspect physical and electrical defects on the sample surface by form SE images and Bright-field BSE images simultaneously. The apparatuses can be designed to do single-beam or even multiple single-beam inspection for achieving a high throughput. | 03-26-2015 |
20150097116 | INSPECTION APPARATUS - An inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The primary optical system includes a photoelectron generator having a photoelectronic surface. The base material of the photoelectronic surface is made of material having a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of quartz. | 04-09-2015 |
20150102221 | Charged Particle Beam Device - Provided is a charged particle beam device to improve energy solution of its energy filter. In one embodiment, a charged particle beam device includes a deflector to deflect charged particles emitted from a sample to an energy filter, and a change in brightness value with the change of voltage applied to the energy filter is found for each of a plurality of deflection conditions for the deflector, and a deflection condition such that a change in the brightness value satisfies a predetermined condition is set as the deflection condition for the deflector. | 04-16-2015 |
20150129763 | Charged Particle Beam Device - A charged particle beam device ( | 05-14-2015 |
20150136979 | Charged Particle Beam Device - When a signal electron is detected by energy selection by combining and controlling retarding and boosting for observation of a deep hole, etc., the only way for focus adjustment is to use a change in magnetic field of an objective lens. However, since responsiveness of the change in magnetic field is poor, throughput reduces. A charged particle beam device includes: an electron source configured to generate a primary electron beam; an objective lens configured to focus the primary electron beam; a deflector configured to deflect the primary electron beam; a detector configured to detect a secondary electron or a reflection electron generated from a sample by irradiation of the primary electron beam; an electrode having a hole through which the primary electron beam passes; a voltage control power supply configured to apply a negative voltage to the electrode; and a retarding voltage control power supply configured to generate an electric field, which decelerates the primary electron beam, on the sample by applying the negative voltage to the sample, wherein the charged particle beam device performs focus adjustment while an offset between the voltage applied to the electrode and the voltage applied to the sample is being kept constant. | 05-21-2015 |
20150294833 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - In order to provide a charged particle beam apparatus capable of high resolution measurement of a sample at any inclination angle, a charged particle beam apparatus for detecting secondary charged particles ( | 10-15-2015 |
20150340193 | INSPECTION APPARATUS - An inspection apparatus capable of facilitating reduction in cost of the apparatus is provided. The inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held on a movable stage in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The inspection apparatus further includes: a linear motor that drives the movable stage; and a Helmholtz coil that causes a magnetic field for canceling a magnetic field caused by the linear motor when the movable stage is driven. | 11-26-2015 |
20150348747 | CHARGED-PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - This charged-particle beam device changes conditions for combining an intensity ratio between upper and lower deflectors and rotation angles of the deflectors in multiple ways when obtaining images having different pixel sizes in the vertical and horizontal directions. Then, the charged-particle beam device determines an optimal intensity ratio between the upper and lower deflectors and rotation angles of the deflectors on the basis of variations in size value measured in the larger pixel size direction (Y-direction) of the image. As a result, it is possible to extend the field of view in the Y-direction while reducing deflection aberrations when measuring at high precision in the X-direction. | 12-03-2015 |
20150357153 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM DEVICE - An objective of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device with which information based on a charged particle which is discharged from a bottom part of high-aspect structure is revealed more than with previous technology. To achieve the objective, proposed is a charged particle beam device comprising: a first orthogonal electromagnetic field generator which deflects charged particles which are discharged from a material; a second orthogonal electromagnetic field generator which further deflects the charged particles which are deflected by the first orthogonal electromagnetic field generator; an aperture forming member having a charged particle beam pass-through aperture; and a third orthogonal electromagnetic field generator which deflects the charged particles which have passed through the aperture forming member. | 12-10-2015 |
20150357154 | Charged Particle Beam Device - An object of the invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus capable of performing high-precision measurement even on a pattern in which a width of edges is narrow and inherent peaks of the edges cannot be easily detected. In order to achieve the above object, there is proposed a charged particle beam apparatus including an opening portion forming member having a passage opening of a charged particle beam and a detector for detecting charged particles emitted from a sample or charged particles generated by causing the charged particles to collide with the opening portion forming member, the charged particle beam apparatus including: a deflector for deflecting the charged particles emitted from the sample; and a control device for controlling the deflector, the control device performing pattern measurement with the use of a first detected signal in which a signal of one edge is emphasized relatively more than a signal of another edge among a plurality of edges on the sample and a second detected signal in which the signal of the another edge is emphasized relatively more than the signal of the one edge among the plurality of edges. | 12-10-2015 |
20150364296 | Composite Charged Particle Beam Detector, Charged Particle Beam Device, and Charged Particle Beam Detector - The present invention relates to modulating an irradiation condition of a charged particle beam at high speed and detecting a signal in synchronization with a modulation period for the purpose of extracting a signal arising from a certain charged particle beam when a sample is irradiated with a plurality of charged particle beams simultaneously or, for example, for the purpose of separating a secondary electron signal arising from ion beam irradiation and a secondary electron signal arising from electron beam irradiation in an FIB-SEM system. The present invention further relates to dispersing light emitted from two or more kinds of scintillators having different light emitting properties, detecting each signal strength, and processing a signal on the basis of a ratio of first signal strength when the sample is irradiated with a first charged particle beam alone to second signal strength when the sample is irradiated with a second charged particle beam alone, the ratio being set by a mechanism. The present invention enables extraction of only a signal arising from a desired charged particle beam even when the sample is irradiated with the plurality of charged particle beams simultaneously. The SEM observation can be performed in the middle of the FIB processing using the secondary electron in the FIB-SEM system, for example. | 12-17-2015 |
20150371816 | Sample Observation Device - A sample observation device of the invention includes: a charged particle optical column for irradiating a sample with charged particle beams at a first acceleration voltage, the sample having a target part to be observed which is a concave part; an image acquisition part for acquiring an image including the target part to be observed on the basis of signals obtained by irradiation with the charged particle beams; a memory part for memorizing in advance, at each of a plurality of acceleration voltages, information indicating a relationship between a brightness ratio of a concave part to a periphery part of the concave part in a standard sample and a value indicating a structure of the concave part in the standard sample; and an operation part for obtaining a brightness ratio of the concave part to a periphery part of the concave part in the image. The operation part judges appropriateness/inappropriateness of the first acceleration voltage with the use of the information indicating the relationship and the brightness ratio in the image. | 12-24-2015 |
20150371819 | MEASUREMENT AND INSPECTION DEVICE - The present invention relates to a measurement and inspection device of a scanning-type electron beam system, and provides a technique for achieving a measuring/inspecting process with high precision in accordance with a scanning speed. A secondary electron signal detection system in the present measurement and inspection device is suitably applicable to a scanning control with a plurality of scanning speeds, and the device is provided with a detector | 12-24-2015 |
20150380207 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A scanning electron microscope suitable for imaging samples in a non-vacuum environment, the scanning electron microscope including an electron source located within an enclosure maintained under vacuum, an electron permeable membrane disposed at an opening of the enclosure separating an environment within the enclosure which is maintained under vacuum and an environment outside the enclosure which is not maintained under vacuum, the electron permeable membrane not being electrically grounded and at least one non-grounded electrode operative as an electron detector. | 12-31-2015 |
20160061754 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING EDS ANALYSIS - The disclosure provides methods and systems for identifying materials using charged particle beam systems combined with x-ray spectroscopy systems. | 03-03-2016 |
20160063749 | BLEND MODES FOR MINERALOGY IMAGES - Optimized blending mode for mineralogy images. A luminosity value is determined for a pixel in a base layer or top layer mineralogy image. An image weighting value is determined from the luminosity value and an optional mixing parameter. A multiply value is determined by multiplying the base and top layer pixel values. An overlay value is determined from twice the multiply value if the value of one of the base layer or top layer pixel values is over a threshold, otherwise it is determined by inverting twice the product of the inverted top layer pixel value with the inverted base layer pixel value. A blended image pixel value is determined by adding the multiply value weighted with the image weighting value and the overlay value weighted with the inverted image weighting value. | 03-03-2016 |
20160086769 | SEMICONDUCTOR INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHODS OF INSPECTING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE USING THE SAME - A semiconductor inspection system including an ion beam milling unit configured to irradiate at least one cluster-ion beam onto a surface of a sample wafer and etch the surface of the sample wafer and an image acquisition unit configured to irradiate an electron beam onto the etched surface of the sample wafer and acquire an image of the etched surface may be provided. | 03-24-2016 |
20160093467 | CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS - A charged particle beam apparatus includes a stage for fixing a sample, a driving mechanism for driving the stage, a focused ion beam column, an electron beam column, a detector that detects a secondary charged particle emitted from the sample irradiated with a charged particle beam, a gas supplying device that supplies gas for forming a deposition film on a surface of the sample, and a control device that generates image data indicating the position distribution of the secondary charged particle detected by the detector. The control device irradiates the sample with the electron beam prior to irradiating the sample with a focused ion beam, recognizes an alignment mark provided in the sample in the image data by the electron beam, and performs positioning of an irradiation region of the sample using the alignment mark. | 03-31-2016 |
20160104597 | ELECTRON GUN, CHARGED PARTICLE GUN, AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS USING ELECTRON GUN AND CHARGED PARTICLE GUN - The purpose of the present invention is to provide a charged particle gun using merely an electrostatic lens, said charged particle gun being relatively small and having less aberration, and to provide a field emission-type charged particle gun having high luminance even with a high current. This charged particle gun has: a charged particle source; an acceleration electrode that accelerates charged particles emitted from the charged particle source; a control electrode, which is disposed further toward the charged particle source side than the acceleration electrode, and which has a larger aperture diameter than the aperture diameter of the acceleration electrode; and a control unit that controls, on the basis of a potential applied to the acceleration electrode, a potential to be applied to the control electrode. | 04-14-2016 |
20160104600 | Defect Detection Using Structural Information - Systems and methods for detecting defects on a specimen based on structural information are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for separating the output generated by a detector of an inspection subsystem in an array area on a specimen into at least first and second segments of the output based on characteristic(s) of structure(s) in the array area such that the output in different segments has been generated in different locations in the array area in which the structure(s) having different values of the characteristic(s) are formed. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for detecting defects on the specimen by applying one or more defect detection methods to the output based on whether the output is in the first segment or the second segment. | 04-14-2016 |
20160118217 | E-BEAM INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME ON VARIOUS INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIPS - The present invention discloses an e-beam inspection tool, and an apparatus for detecting defects. In one aspect is described an apparatus for detecting defects that includes a focusing column that accelerates the e-beam and separately, for each of the plurality of predetermined locations, focuses the e-beam to a predetermined non-circular spot that is within the predetermined surface area of each of the plurality of predetermined locations based upon the major axis, | 04-28-2016 |
20160148782 | Scanning Electron Microscope - This scanning electron microscope is provided with: a deceleration means that decelerates an electron beam ( | 05-26-2016 |
20160163500 | Charged Particle Source - This invention provides a charged particle source, which comprises an emitter and means of generating a magnetic field distribution. The magnetic field distribution is minimum, about zero, or preferred zero at the tip of the emitter, and along the optical axis is maximum away from the tip immediately. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic field distribution is provided by dual magnetic lens which provides an anti-symmetric magnetic field at the tip, such that magnetic field at the tip is zero. | 06-09-2016 |
20160172150 | Swing Objective Lens | 06-16-2016 |
20160172157 | IMAGE TYPE ELECTRON SPIN POLARIMETER | 06-16-2016 |
20160189923 | APPARATUS AND METHOD - An apparatus for imaging or fabrication using charged particles, the apparatus including: a charged particle source configured to generate a charged particle beam of ions or electrons; a sample holder mounted relative to the charged particle source to hold a sample in the charged particle beam for the imaging or fabrication; and an optical source system configured to generate an optical beam, wherein the optical source system is mounted relative to the sample holder to direct the optical beam onto the sample to modify an electric charge of the sample during the imaging or fabrication to improve spatial resolution of the imaging or fabrication. | 06-30-2016 |
20160203943 | Electron Microscope | 07-14-2016 |
20160203944 | Charged Particle Beam Apparatus and Sample Image Acquiring Method | 07-14-2016 |
20160203946 | Inspection Equipment | 07-14-2016 |
20160254120 | Near-field Optical Transmission Electron Emission Microscope | 09-01-2016 |
20160379795 | Charged Particle Beam Apparatus - An object of the invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus which can perform optimized adjustment of a focusing condition of a charged particle beam focused on a sample and optimized adjustment of an orbit of a charged particle emitted from the sample. In order to achieve the above-described object, there is provided a charged particle beam apparatus including a passage restriction member that partially restricts passage of a charged particle emitted from a sample, a first lens that is arranged between the passage restriction member and the sample, and that controls an orbit of the charged particle emitted from the sample, and a second lens that is arranged between the passage restriction member and the charged particle source, and that changes a focusing condition of the charged particle beam in accordance with a control condition of the first lens. | 12-29-2016 |
20180024082 | ELECTRON BEAM INSPECTION APPARATUS AND ELECTRON BEAM INSPECTION METHOD | 01-25-2018 |
20180025887 | SPARSE SAMPLING METHODS AND PROBE SYSTEMS FOR ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS | 01-25-2018 |