Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for working a specimen

US5770861A · kind A · utility

16Cited by
7References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 18, 1996
Grant dateJun 23, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 18, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/31745
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a highly accurate three-dimensional image of a solid in the micro order is provided. The apparatus is composed of an ion column, an electron column, a specimen chamber, a specimen stage, a diluent gas ion column, a control system, and so on. The apparatus has the following advantages: (1) correct three-dimensional information can be provided even if a specimen is composed of composite materials; (2) since a worked dimension can be accurately measured, highly accurate three-dimensional observation can be achieved in the micron order; (3) since a plurality of images can be stored for an observed surface, a plurality of three-dimensional images can be produced from a single specimen; and (4) since a side entry stage is employed as a specimen stage, a working column and an observation column can be positioned close to a specimen, so that beams from the respective columns can be well converged, thus making it possible to produce highly accurate three-dimensional images.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.