Charged particle beam apparatus, specimen observation system and operation program

• US 9,443,694 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUCK, SEAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/385,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20150076348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 processor configured to have an image display screen, in an image display device, display a set of 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 processor controls the image display screen to 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,

wherein the processor responds to a selection of an observation target setting button by comparing a selected image to be observed corresponding to the selected observation target setting button with a standard image to be observed under a default observation condition so as to display a highlighted image corresponding to the selected image with emphasis on the difference between the selected image and the standard image, and

wherein, the specimen is irradiated with a charged particle beam in accordance with the selected observation target setting button.

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 set of 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 set of 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 processor controls the image display screen to display a highlighted image with emphasis 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 processor 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 processor configured to have an image display screen, in an image display device, display a set of 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 processor controls the image display screen to 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,

wherein the processor responds to a selection of an observation target setting button by comparing a selected image to be observed corresponding to the selected observation target setting button with a standard image to be observed under a default observation condition so as to display a highlighted image corresponding to the selected image with emphasis on the difference between the selected image and the standard image, and

wherein, the specimen is irradiated with a charged particle beam accordance with the selected observation target setting button.

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 processor configured to control an image display screen, in an image display device, to display a set of 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 processor controls the image display screen to display a highlighted image on or near each of observation target setting buttons, the highlighted image including emphasis on an image change due to a change of the observation condition,

wherein the processor responds to a selection of an observation target setting button by comparing a selected image to be observed corresponding to the selected observation target setting button with a standard image to be observed under a default observation condition so as to display a highlighted image corresponding to the selected image with emphasis on the difference between the selected image and the standard image, and

wherein the specimen is irradiated with a charged particle beam in accordance with the selected observation target setting button.

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

wherein when the controller implements a control for displaying, on an image display screen, in an image display device, a set of observation target setting buttons for changing an observation condition comprising a combination of parameter setting values of the charged particle beam apparatus,

wherein the controller implements a control for displaying a highlighted image on or near each of observation target setting buttons, the highlighted image including emphasis on an image change due to a change of the observation condition,

wherein the processor responds to a selection of an observation target setting button by comparing a selected image to be observed corresponding to the selected observation target setting button with a standard image to be observed under a default observation condition so as to display a highlighted image corresponding to the selected image with emphasis on the difference between the selected image and the standard image, and

wherein the specimen is irradiated with a charged particle beam in accordance with the selected observation target setting button.

14. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to control an image display screen, in an image display device, to display a set of 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 processor controls the image display screen to display a highlighted image on or near each of observation target setting buttons, the highlighted image including emphasis on an image change due to a change of the observation condition,

wherein the processor responds to a selection of an observation target setting button by comparing a selected image to be observed corresponding to the selected observation target setting button with a standard image to be observed under a default observation condition so as to display a highlighted image corresponding to the selected image with emphasis on the difference between the selected image and the standard image,

wherein, the specimen is irradiated with a charged particle beam in accordance with the selected observation target setting button.

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 device, and

wherein when one of the observation target setting buttons is selected with an input device, the processor 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 processor acquires an image of the specimen under a preset observation condition, and has the observation target setting buttons displayed on the image display screen based on image quality of the acquired image and a current observation condition, and

when the observation condition is changed with an input device, the processor repeats processing of reacquiring an image under a changed observation condition and displaying the observation target setting buttons on the image display screen 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 device.

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

wherein the processor controls the image display screen to display information 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 processor controls the image display screen to display a 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 processor controls the image display screen to display an operation screen displaying operation items of the charged particle beam apparatus, and the processor 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 processor 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 processor controls to make an image shift operable and a stage movement inoperable when a magnification is a predetermined value or more, and the processor controls to make 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 processor 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 processor controls the image display screen to display an operation screen representing an operation item of the charged particle beam apparatus,

wherein the processor controls the image display screen to display information indicating a current operation step 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 processor controls the image display screen to display an operation screen representing an operation item of the charged particle beam apparatus,

wherein the processor controls the image display screen to display the acquired image on the operation screen, and

wherein the processor controls the image display screen to display at least one of a magnification adjustment slider, a focus adjustment slider, a focus X adjustment slider and a focus Y adjustment slider near the image displayed on the image display screen.