Charged particle microscope

• US 6,855,940 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2003
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc. (Hitachi High- Tech Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc. (Hitachi High- Tech Corporation)
• Inventors: Mutou, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSTON, PHILLIP A
• Application Number:
  US10/395,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20030183775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 250/440.11
• US Class Current: 250/440.11
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/20214 Rotation
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/20 Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support

Abstract

In a charged particle microscope equipped with a sample stage having an inclination function, the invention provides a construction that prevents inclination driving of the sample stage from affecting other peripheral devices to be additionally installed such as an optical microscope. In the charged particle microscope according to the invention, a sample stage having an inclination mechanism includes a rotation support portion of the inclination mechanism on sidewalls of a vacuum chamber, and at least a detection portion of other peripheral devices additionally installed such as (1) an optical microscope, (2) a laser scattering microscope and (3) an optical height detection system is fitted to the rotation support portion inside the chamber in such a fashion as to be capable of moving with a rotary shaft of the inclination mechanism, and members that cannot be arranged in vacuum are installed outside the chamber.

Claims

1. A charged particle apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a sample stage provided in the vacuum chamber for supporting a sample;

a charged particle beam source for irradiating a charged particle beam toward the sample stage;

an inclination mechanism provided in the vacuum chamber for varying an angle of inclination of the sample stage; and

a laser level meter comprising a laser projector and a laser reciever fitted to the vacuum chamber for indexing a reference height of a sample surface provided in the vacuum chamber and mounted to the inclination mechanism to undergo inclination movement therewith to maintain a constant position relative to the sample independent of an inclination angle of the sample stage.

2. A charged particle microscope comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a sample stage having an inclination mechanism provided in the vacuum chamber for supporting a sample;

a charged particle barrel attached to an upper wall of the vacuum chamber over the sample stage for irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam used for observation of sample surface characteristics;

a rotary shaft mechanism attached to a side wall of the vacuum chamber for angularly displacing the inclination mechanism on an axis thereof to vary an inclination angle of the sample stage; and

optical height detecting means comprising a laser projector and a laser receiver mounted to the rotary shaft mechanism to undergo angular displacement along with the rotary shaft mechanism for maintaining a constant position relative to the sample independent of the inclination angle of the sample stage.

3. A charged particle microscope comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a sample stage having an inclination mechanism provided in the vacuum chamber for supporting a sample;

a charged particle barrel attached to an upper wall of the vacuum chamber over the sample stage for irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam used for observation of sample surface characteristics;

a rotary shaft mechanism attached to a side wall of the vacuum chamber for angularly displacing the inclination mechanism on an axis thereof to vary an inclination angle of the sample stage;

a rotation mechanism provided in the vacuum chamber for rotating the sample stage;

a driving mechanism provided in the vacuum chamber for moving the sample stage along at least one axis; and

an optical observation microscope attached to the rotary shaft mechanism to undergo angular displacement along with the rotary shaft mechanism to maintain a constant position relative to the sample independent of the inclination angle of the sample stage.

4. A charged particle microscope according to claim 3;

wherein the driving mechanism comprises a z-axis driving mechanism for moving the sample stage along a z-axis direction, a Y-axis driving mechanism for moving the sample stage along a y-axis direction, and an x-axis driving mechanism for moving the sample stage along an x-axis direction.