Charged particle beam apparatus

• US 9,006,654 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Soichiro, Katagiri, Souichi, Kawano, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Souw, Bernard E
• Application Number:
  US14/447,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20150034835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 250/306, 250/307, 250309-311, 250/491.1, 2504921-4923, 250/492.22, 250/492.23
• US Class Current: 250/311
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0455 with variable aperture
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/06316 Schottky emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/065 Source emittance characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/1501 Beam alignment means or procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24465 Sectored detectors, e.g. quadrants
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24535 Beam current
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24542 Beam profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/06 Electron sources; Electron guns electron sources in general H01J1/02, H01J19/02; electron guns in general H01J3/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/09 Diaphragms; Shields associated with electron or ion-optical arrangements; Compensation of disturbing fields
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/147 Arrangements for directing or deflecting the discharge along a desired path H01J37/045 take precedence; lenses H01J37/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3045 Object or beam position registration

Abstract

An embodiment is to provide a technique that continuously applies a certain amount of an electron beam to a sample by selecting a beam applied to the sample from an electron beam emitted from an electron source in a scanning electron microscope. A charged particle apparatus is configured, including: a mechanism that detects the distribution of electric current strength with respect to the emitting direction of an electron beam emitted from an electron source; a functionality that predicts a fluctuation of an electric current applied to a sample by predicting the distribution of the electric current based on the detected result; a functionality that determines a position at which a beam applied to the sample is acquired based on the predicted result; and a mechanism that controls a position at which a probe beam is acquired based on the determined result.

Claims

1. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a distribution detecting unit configured to measure a distribution of an amount of an electric current with respect to an emitting direction of a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle beam emitter;

a fluctuation predicting unit configured to predict a fluctuation of an electric current applied to a sample from a distribution of an electric current of the charged particle beam measured by the distribution detecting unit;

a position determining unit configured to determine a position of the electric current applied to the sample based on a predicted result of the fluctuation predicting unit; and

a position control unit configured to control a position at which the charged particle beam applied to the sample is acquired based on a determination made by the position determining unit.

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

wherein:

the fluctuation predicting unit predicts a position of a dark ring appearing in the distribution of the amount of the electric current; and

the position control unit acquires the charged particle beam as avoiding a predicted position of the dark ring.

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

wherein the distribution detecting unit is configured of a two-dimensional charged particle beam detector configured to detect a charged particle beam applied to the sample.

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

further comprising a diaphragm configured to adjust an amount of an electric current by blocking the charged particle beam applied to the sample on an optical axis,

wherein the distribution detecting unit is configured of a two-dimensional charged particle beam detector disposed on a surface of the diaphragm.

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

further comprising a deflector configured to deflect a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle beam emitter,

wherein the deflector is configured of one of an electrode and a coil, the electrode deflecting the charged particle beam using an electric field, the coil deflecting the charged particle beam using a magnetic field.

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

wherein the deflector performs deflection in multiple stages using two or more of electrodes or two or more of coils.

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

further comprising a converging coil that converges the charged particle beam,

wherein two or more of electrodes or two or more of coils configuring the deflector are disposed in a stage previous to the converging coil.

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

further comprising a converging coil that converges the charged particle beam,

wherein two or more of electrodes or two or more of coils configuring the deflector are disposed in a stage previous to and a stage subsequent to the converging coil.

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

further comprising a converging coil that converges the charged particle beam,

wherein two or more of electrodes or two or more of coils configuring the deflector are disposed in a stage subsequent to the converging coil.

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

further comprising an objective lens disposed on the charged particle beam emitter side of the sample,

wherein the distribution detecting unit is disposed below the charged particle beam emitter and above the objective lens.

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

further comprising a display unit,

wherein a distribution of an electric current of the charged particle beam detected by the distribution detecting unit is displayed on the display unit.

12. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein a dark ring detected by the distribution detecting unit is displayed on the display unit.

13. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein a predicted position, a diameter, and a velocity of the dark ring predicted by the fluctuation predicting unit are displayed on the display unit.

14. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein a moving direction and traveling time of the dark ring predicted by the fluctuation predicting unit are displayed on the display unit.

15. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein an optimum position at which the charged particle beam is acquired, the position being determined by the position determining unit, is displayed on the display unit.