CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS, SPECIMEN OBSERVATION SYSTEM AND OPERATION PROGRAM

• US 20150076348A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 9,443,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/310
• 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 processing unit configured to have an image display unit in an image display device display 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,

wherein the processing unit has the image display unit display an observation condition characteristic indicator including a characteristic, indicated by three or more incompatible items, of an observation condition for each of the observation target setting buttons.

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

wherein the items in the observation condition characteristic indicator include high resolution, emphasis on surface structure and emphasis on material difference.

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

wherein the items in the observation condition characteristic indicator include items of charge-up suppression and/or beam damage suppression.

5. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the observation target setting buttons comprises:

a first button configured to change an observation condition to an observation condition for observing with the highest resolution;

a second button configured to change an observation condition to an observation condition having the most emphasis placed on a surface structure; and

a third button configured to change an observation condition to an observation condition having the most emphasis placed on a material difference.

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

wherein the observation target setting buttons further comprises:

a fourth button configured to change an observation condition to an observation condition having emphasis placed on the surface structure and the material difference; and

a fifth button configured for changing an observation condition to an observation condition that is most suitable for elemental analysis.

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

wherein the observation condition characteristic indicator comprises a radar chart.

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

wherein the processing unit has the image display unit display a highlighted image highlighted on a characteristic of an image obtained under the observation condition for each of the observation target setting buttons.

9. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the highlighted image serves as an image which schematically represents three or more materials different in shape and/or material quality.

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

wherein after acquiring an image of a new specimen under a standard observation condition, the processing unit changes the observation condition according to each of the observation target setting buttons.

11. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the standard observation condition serves as an observation condition for observing with the highest resolution.

2. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a processing unit configured to have an image display unit in an image display device display 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,

wherein the processing unit has the image display unit display an observation condition characteristic indicator including at least items of high resolution, emphasis on surface structure and emphasis on material difference which are indicated as a characteristic of an observation condition for each of the observation target setting buttons.

12. A specimen observation system comprising:

a charged particle beam apparatus; and

a computer configured to control the charged particle beam apparatus,

wherein the computer comprises a processing unit configured to have an image display unit in an image display device display 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,

wherein the processing unit has a highlighted image displayed on or near the observation target setting button, the highlighted image being highlighted on an image change due to a change of the observation condition.

13. A method for controlling a charged particle beam apparatus by a control unit,

wherein when the control unit implements a control for displaying, on an image display unit in an image display device, observation target setting buttons for changing an observation condition comprising a combination of parameter setting values of the charged particle beam apparatus, the control unit implements a control for displaying a highlighted image on or near each of the observation target setting buttons, the highlighted image being highlighted on an image change due to a change of the observation condition.

14. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a processing unit configured to have an image display unit in an image display device display 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,

wherein the processing unit has a highlighted image displayed on or near each of the observation target setting buttons, the highlighted image being highlighted on an image change due to a change of the observation condition.

15. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein respective one of the observation target setting buttons and corresponding one of observation conditions are associated with each other and stored in a storage unit, and

when one of the observation target setting buttons is selected with an input unit, the processing unit sets parameter setting values of the charged particle beam apparatus under an observation condition for the selected one of the observation target setting buttons.

16. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the processing unit acquires an image of the specimen under a preset observation condition, and has the observation target setting buttons displayed on the image display unit based on image quality of the acquired image and a current observation condition, and

when the observation condition is changed with an input unit, the processing unit repeats processing of reacquiring an image under a changed observation condition and displaying the observation target setting buttons on the image display unit based on image quality of the reacquired image and the current observation condition until an instruction to terminate the processing is inputted with the input unit.

17. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the processing unit has information displayed, the information being about confirmation of presence or absence of coating on the specimen or about pretreatment of the specimen, prior to acquisition of a first image of the specimen.

18. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein during processing standby time, the processing unit has a learning screen displayed, the learning screen representing at least one of a structure of an electron microscope, an operation procedure of the electron microscope and explanation of an operation item on an operation screen.

19. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the processing unit has the image display unit display an operation screen displaying operation items of the charged particle beam apparatus, and the processing unit has a predetermined operation item displayed on the operation screen hidden or deactivated.

20. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 19,

wherein the predetermined operation item comprises at least one of focus adjustment, X focus adjustment and Y focus adjustment.

21. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the processing unit limits functions of the charged particle beam apparatus according to the observation condition.

22. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 21,

wherein the processing unit has an image shift operable and a stage movement inoperable when a magnification is a predetermined value or more, and the processing unit has the stage movement operable and the image shift inoperable when the magnification is less than the predetermined value, thereby limiting the functions of the charged particle beam apparatus according to the observation condition.

23. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the processing unit has a predetermined observation target setting button hidden based on an operation history.

24. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the processing unit has the image display unit display an operation screen representing an operation item of the charged particle beam apparatus,

wherein the processing unit has information indicating a current operation step displayed on the operation screen, and

wherein the information indicating the current operation step includes a main item indicating a main operation step and a sub-item indicating a sub-operation step.

25. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the processing unit has the image display unit display an operation screen representing an operation item of the charged particle beam apparatus,

wherein the processing unit has the acquired image displayed on the operation screen, and

wherein the processing unit has at least one of a magnification adjustment slider, a focus adjustment slider, a focus X adjustment slider and a focus Y adjustment slider displayed near the image displayed on the image display unit.