Patent · US Expired

Image-formation apparatus using charged particle beams under various focus conditions

US6538249B1 · kind B1 · utility

64Cited by
13References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 7, 2000
Grant dateMar 25, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 7, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/2817
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to obtain an image which is focused on all portions of a sample and to provide a charged particle beam apparatus capable of obtaining a two-dimensional image which has no blurred part over an entire sample. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises means for changing a focus condition of a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle source, a charged particle detector for detecting charged particles irradiated from a surface portion of said sample in response to the emitted charged particle beam, and means for composing a two-dimensional image of the surface portion of the based on signals on which said charged particle beam is focused, said signals being among signals output from the charged particle detector.

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