Electron microscope application apparatus and sample inspection method

• US 7,501,625 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Makino, Hiroshi, Sato, Mitsugu, Koyama, Hikaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman; Jack I
• Assistant Examiner(s): Logie; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/442,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20060289755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 250/306, 250/307, 250/310, 250/311, 250/398, 250/399, 250/400, 324/765, 324/751, 324/752
• US Class Current: 250/311
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0042 Deflection of neutralising particles
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0047 using electromagnetic radiations, e.g. UV, X-rays, light
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2817 Pattern inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/026 Means for avoiding or neutralising unwanted electrical charges on tube components

Abstract

A charge control electrode emitting photoelectrons is disposed just above a wafer (sample) in parallel thereto, and the electrode has a through hole so that ultraviolet light can be irradiated to the wafer through the charge control electrode. Specifically, a metal plate which is formed in mesh or includes one or plural holes is used as the charge control electrode. By disposing the charge control electrode just above the sample in parallel thereto, when negative voltage is applied to the electrode, electric field approximately perpendicular to the wafer is generated. Therefore, photoelectrons are efficiently absorbed in the wafer. Also, by using the charge control electrode having approximately the same size as that of the wafer, charges on a whole surface of the wafer can be removed collectively and uniformly. Therefore, time required for the process can be reduced.

Claims

1. An electron microscope application apparatus, comprising:

means for irradiating ultraviolet light to an electrode provided above a sample and said sample and controlling incidence of photoelectrons generated from said electrode and said sample by utilizing electric field applied between said electrode and said sample,

wherein charges of said sample can be set to an arbitrary potential.

2. An electron microscope application apparatus, comprising:

an electrode disposed above a sample and having at least one hole; and

an ultraviolet light source for irradiating ultraviolet light to said sample and said electrode,

wherein said ultraviolet light is irradiated on said sample through at least said hole in the electrode.

3. The electron microscope application apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein said electrode is formed in a mesh shape, and said ultraviolet light is irradiated to said sample through holes in the mesh.

4. The electron microscope application apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

means for controlling incidence of photoelectrons generated from said electrode and said sample by utilizing electric field applied between said electrode and said sample.

5. The electron microscope application apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, in order to control charges of said sample, a wavelength of said ultraviolet light is 177 nm or shorter, and said sample is a semiconductor wafer during manufacturing process.

6. The electron microscope application apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein compound with high quantum efficiency is deposited on said electrode.

7. A sample inspection method, comprising the steps of:

irradiating ultraviolet light to an electrode disposed above a sample and said sample;

controlling incidence of photoelectron generated from said electrode and said sample to said sample by utilizing electric field applied between said electrode and said sample; and

setting charges of said sample to an arbitrary potential.

8. The sample inspection method according to claim 7,

wherein said electrode is formed in a mesh, and said ultraviolet light is irradiated to said sample through holes in the mesh.

9. The sample inspection method according to claim 8,

wherein a negative voltage relative to said sample is applied to said electrode, and an electric field for pulling photoelectrons emitted from said electrode back to said sample is generated,

said ultraviolet light is irradiated through the holes in the mesh of said electrode, and

said sample is negatively charged by pulling the photoelectrons generated from said electrode back to said sample.

10. The sample inspection method according to claim 8,

wherein a positive voltage relative to said electrode is applied to said electrode, and an electric field for pulling photoelectrons emitted from said sample up from said sample is generated,

said ultraviolet light is irradiated through the holes in the mesh of said electrode, and

said sample is positively charged by pulling the photoelectrons generated from said sample up from said sample.

11. The sample inspection method according to claim 7,

wherein said electrode has a hole penetrating through an approximate center of the electrode, and

said ultraviolet light is irradiated to said sample through said hole.

12. The sample inspection method according to claim 7,

wherein compound with high quantum efficiency is deposited on said electrode.

13. The sample inspection method according to claim 7,

wherein charges remaining in said sample are removed before or after a measuring process utilizing charged particles in a manufacturing process of said sample.

14. The sample inspection method according to claim 7,

wherein, when a pattern on said sample is measured by forming an image through charged particle beam scanning, said ultraviolet light is irradiated to said sample in intervals between scans of charged particle beam, and said image is acquired while removing charges in an observation region on said sample.