Convergent charged particle beam apparatus and inspection method using same

• US 6,885,012 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Watanabe, Masahiro, Hiroi, Takashi, Tanaka, Maki, Ninomiya, Taku, Shinada, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells, Nikita
• Application Number:
  US10/851,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 250/491.1, 250/492.2, 250/492.22, 250/310, 250/397, 250/398
• US Class Current: 250/491.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2893 Preparing calibration standards
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2817 Pattern inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/304 Controlling tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/21 Means for adjusting the focus adjusting the focus while observing the image by photographic or optical means H01J37/22; means for observing the object or the point of impact on the object in tubes for the localised treatment of materials H01J37/3005

Abstract

A convergent charged particle beam apparatus includes an electron beam system which emits a converged electron beam, a vacuum chamber which is connected to the electron beam system, and a stage which mounts a specimen and moves at least in one direction inside of the vacuum chamber. An electron beam image observation unit observes an electron beam image of a surface of the specimen. A height detector optically detects a height of the specimen mounted on the stage by illuminating the surface of said specimen with light and by detecting reflected light of the illumination reflected from the surface of the specimen, and a controller controls a focus position of the electron beam in accordance with an output from the height detector while the stage is moving at least in one direction.

Claims

1. A convergent charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

an electron beam system which emits a converged electron beam;

a vacuum chamber which is connected to the electron beam system;

a stage which mounts a specimen and moves at least in one direction inside of the vacuum chamber;

an electron beam image observation unit which observes an electron beam image of a surface of the specimen mounted on the stage by irradiation of the electron beam emitted from the electron beam system and scanned over the surface of the specimen;

a height detector which optically detects a height of the specimen mounted on the stage by illuminating the surface of the specimen with light and by detecting reflected light of the illumination reflected from the surface of the specimen; and

a controller which controls a focus position of the electron beam in accordance with an output from the height detector utilizing calibration data based on a relation between a focal point and a control current of the electron beam system while the stage is moving at least in one direction.

2. A convergent charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image processing unit which receives the electron beam image from the electron beam image observation unit and processes the received electron beam image.

3. A convergent charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height detector obliquely illuminates the surface of the specimen with light and detects light reflected from the specimen with a sensor.

4. A convergent charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the specimen has a pattern formed thereon, and the light illuminating the surface of the specimen has a slit shape.

5. A convergent charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calibration data is obtained utilizing a standard step-pattern.