Charged particle beam device

• US 8,610,060 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Asai, Suyo, Onishi, Tsuyoshi, Agemura, Toshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells, Nikita
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Johnnie L
• Application Number:
  US13/202,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20110297827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 250/306, 250/310, 250/311, 250/492.21, 250/307
• US Class Current: 250/311
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/024 Moving components not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24455 Transmitted particle detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24475 Scattered electron detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/244 Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor
• 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

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.

The present invention is related to a charged particle beam apparatus for irradiating a charged particle beam to a sample, in which a detector is moved to a plurality of desirable positions around the sample so as to optimize positions of the detector. In accordance with the present invention, since it is possible to obtain an optimum detection signal in response to an attitude and a shape of the sample, a highly accurate sample observation, for instance, an SEM observation, an STEM observation, and an FIB observation can be carried out. Moreover, in an FIB-SEM apparatus, it is possible to highly accurately detect an end point of an FIB process.

Claims

1. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

an electron beam optical system for irradiating an electron beam, an ion beam optical system for irradiating an ion beam, a rotatable sample stage, and a detector for detecting a signal from a sample, wherein;

the sample is disposed at a cross point of the electron beam optical system and the ion beam optical system, said detector is disposed on a detector stage, which is equipped with a rotating mechanism, and by the rotating mechanism, said detector is movable to a detective position for detecting a transmission electron which has passed through the sample by irradiating the electron beam and a detective position for detecting a secondary signal which has been emitted from the sample by irradiating the ion beam.

2. A charged particle beam apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said detector is rotatable around a normal of a plane which is constituted by the electron beam optical system and the ion beam optical system.

3. A charged particle beam apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

the sample stage is rotated with respect to the electron beam optical system or the ion beam optical system, and said detector is moved in response to rotation of the sample stage.

4. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detector is movable along a rotational radius direction.

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

a detective surface of the detector is divided.

6. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the detector is movable to an evacuation position.