Charged particle beam apparatus, specimen observation system and operation program

• US 10,020,163 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Konishi, Yayoi, Sato, Mitsugu, Takano, Masaki, Tamayama, Shotaro, Nishimura, Masako, Watanabe, Shunya, Konomi, Mami
• Primary Examiner(s): McCormack, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUCK, SEAN M
• Application Number:
  US15/225,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20160343542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2806 Secondary charged particle
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/222 Image processing arrangements associated with the tube
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/265 Controlling the tube; circuit arrangements adapted to a particular application not otherwise provided, e.g. bright-field-dark-field illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a memory coupled to a processor, the memory storing executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to;

display a first screen, on a display device, including a first button and a plurality of observation target setting buttons for changing an observation condition for a specimen, the observation condition comprising a combination of parameter setting values of the charged particle beam apparatus,

upon receiving a selection of one of the observation target setting buttons and a selection of the first button, control the charged particle beam apparatus to acquire information of the specimen by irradiating a primary electron beam on the specimen according to the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons,

upon receiving the selection of one of the observation target setting buttons and the selection of the first button, transition the first screen to a background screen and display a second screen over the first screen on the display device, the second screen simultaneously including a schematic diagram screen indicating a current irradiation status of the irradiation of the specimen by the primary electron beam in a schematic diagram, and a progress screen indicating a current irradiation progress of the irradiation of the specimen by the primary electron beam.

2. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is further configured to:

upon initiation of the irradiation of the primary electron beam, display the second screen.

3. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the second screen simultaneously includes the schematic diagram screen, the progress screen, and an observation condition screen showing the observation condition corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

4. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the observation condition screen includes the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

5. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second screen simultaneously includes the schematic diagram screen, the progress screen, and an observation condition screen showing the observation condition corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

6. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the observation condition screen includes the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

7. A specimen observation system comprising:

a charged particle beam apparatus;

an image display device; and

a computer configured to control the charged particle beam apparatus and the image display device,

the computer comprising a processor configured to;

display a first screen, on a display device, including a first button and a plurality of observation target setting buttons for changing an observation condition for a specimen, the observation condition comprising a combination of parameter setting values of the charged particle beam apparatus,

upon receiving a selection of one of the observation target setting buttons and a selection of the first button, control the charged particle beam apparatus to acquire information of the specimen by irradiating a primary electron beam on the specimen according to the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons,

upon receiving the selection of one of the observation target setting buttons and the selection of the first button, transition the first screen to a background screen and display a second screen over the first screen on the display device, the second screen simultaneously including a schematic diagram screen indicating a current irradiation status of the irradiation of the specimen by the primary electron beam in a schematic diagram, and a progress screen indicating a current irradiation progress of the irradiation of the specimen by the primary electron beam.

8. The specimen observation system according to claim 7,

wherein the processor is further configured to:

upon initiation of the irradiation of the primary electron beam, display the second screen.

9. The specimen observation system according to claim 8,

wherein the second screen simultaneously includes the schematic diagram screen, the progress screen, and an observation condition screen showing the observation condition corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

10. The specimen observation system according to claim 9,

wherein the observation condition screen includes the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

11. The specimen observation system according to claim 7,

wherein the second screen simultaneously includes the schematic diagram screen, the progress screen, and an observation condition screen showing the observation condition corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

12. The specimen observation system according to claim 11,

wherein the observation condition screen includes the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an operation program for operating a charged particle beam apparatus, the operation program causing a computer to execute steps, comprising:

displaying a first screen, on a display device, including a first button and a plurality of observation target setting buttons for changing an observation condition for a specimen, the observation condition comprising a combination of parameter setting values of the charged particle beam apparatus,

upon receiving a selection of one of the observation target setting buttons and a selection of the first button, controlling the charged particle beam apparatus to acquire information of the specimen by irradiating a primary electron beam on the specimen according to the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons,

upon receiving the selection of one of the observation target setting buttons and the selection of the first button, transitioning the first screen to a background screen and displaying a second screen over the first screen on the display device, the second screen simultaneously including a schematic diagram screen indicating a current irradiation status of the irradiation of the specimen by the primary electron beam in a schematic diagram, and a progress screen indicating a current irradiation progress of the irradiation of the specimen by the primary electron beam.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13,

wherein the processor is further configured to:

upon initiation of the irradiation of the primary electron beam, display the second screen.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14,

wherein the second screen simultaneously includes the schematic diagram screen, the progress screen, and an observation condition screen showing the observation condition corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15,

wherein the observation condition screen includes the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13,

wherein the second screen simultaneously includes the schematic diagram screen, the progress screen, and an observation condition screen showing the observation condition corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17,

wherein the observation condition screen includes the combination of parameter setting values corresponding to the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.