Electron microscope device

• US 8,791,415 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horiba Limited
• Original Assignee: Horiba Limited
• Inventors: Isozaki, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnston, Phillip A
• Application Number:
  US12/653,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20100163729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 250/310
• US Class Current: 250/310
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2445 Photon detectors for X-rays, light, e.g. photomultipliers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/226 Optical arrangements for illuminating the object; optical arrangements for collecting light from the object
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/244 Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides an electron microscope device, comprising a scanning electron microscope 2 provided with scanning means 10 for scanning an electron beam and an electron detector 12 for detecting an electron 11 issued from a specimen 8 where the electron beam is projected for scanning, wherein a scanning electron image is acquired based on a detection result from the electron detector, wherein the electron detector comprises a fluorescent substance layer for performing photoelectric conversion, a wavelength filter giving restriction so that all or almost all of wavelength ranges of fluorescent lights from the fluorescent substance layer can be transmitted, and a wavelength detecting element for receiving the fluorescent light transmitted through the wavelength filter and for performing photoelectric conversion.

Claims

1. An electron microscope device, comprising a scanning electron microscope which has scanning means for scanning an electron beam and an electron detector for detecting an electron issued from a specimen where the electron beam is projected for scanning, and acquires a scanning electron image based on a detection result from said electron detector, and comprising an optical microscope for projecting an illumination light to said specimen, for receiving a reflection light from said specimen, and for acquiring an optical image, wherein said electron detector comprises an arrangement of layers, one after another, that includes a fluorescent substance layer for performing photoelectric conversion, a wavelength filter giving restriction so that all or almost all of wavelength ranges of fluorescent lights from said fluorescent substance layer can be transmitted, and a wavelength detecting element for receiving said fluorescent light transmitted through said wavelength filter and for performing photoelectric conversion, wherein said illumination light is designed to have a wavelength deviated from a transmission wavelength range of said wavelength filter, and wherein said illuminating light and said electron beam are projected at the same time, and the optical image and the scanning electron image can be acquired at the same time.

2. An electron microscope device according to claim 1, further comprising a foreign object detecting device for projecting an inspection light to a surface of said specimen and for detecting a foreign object by detecting a scattered light from the foreign object, wherein said inspection light is designed to have a wavelength deviated from the transmission wavelength range of said wavelength filter.

3. An electron microscope device according to claim 1, further comprising an interferometer for projecting an interference light to the surface of said specimen and for detecting a position in height direction of said specimen by using a reflection of said interference light from the surface of said specimen, wherein said interference light is designed to have a wavelength deviated from the transmission wavelength range of said wavelength filter.

4. An electron microscope device according to claim 1, further comprising a foreign object detecting device for projecting an inspection light to the surface of said specimen and for detecting a foreign object by detecting a scattered light from the foreign object, and an interferometer for projecting an interference light to the surface of said specimen and for detecting a position in height direction of said specimen by using the reflection of said interference light from the surface of said specimen, wherein said inspection light, and said interference light have wavelengths deviated from the transmission wavelength range of said wavelength filter, and wherein said illumination light, said inspection light, and said interference light are designed to have wavelength bands different from each other.

5. An electron microscope device according to one of claims 1 and 2 to 4, wherein said illumination light is a white light, and a wavelength filter for allowing a light of wavelength range deviated from said transmission wavelength range of said wavelength filter to transmit is removably provided on an optical path of said illumination light, and when the scanning electron image is observed by said scanning electron microscope, said wavelength filter is inserted, and observation of an optical image can also be carried out at the same time, and when said scanning electron image is not observed, said wavelength filter is removed, and the optical image can be observed separately from the observation of the scanning electron image.

6. An electron microscope device according to one of claims 1 and 2 to 4, wherein said wavelength filter is removably mounted, and said wavelength filter is restricted so that all or almost all of wavelength ranges of the fluorescent lights from said fluorescent substance layer can be transmitted.