Patent · US Expired

Scanning electron microscope and sample observing method using it

US6963067B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
6References
16Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateJan 5, 2004
Grant dateNov 8, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 5, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/28
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention provides a sample observation method capable of understanding the three-dimensional shape of a sample in a wider range. The observation method of the invention calculates heights (height differences) in the whole domain of an image, from plural sheets of images of different field-of-view angles, being in focus over the whole image, attained by means of the focal depth expanding function to thereby create a map (Z map) of the height information by each pixel, and displays a three-dimensional image as a bird's-eye view. The method also displays to superpose a Z map attained from image signals reflecting the surface structure on a Z map attained from image signals reflecting the composition information with different colors, which makes it possible to clearly understand the spatial distribution of a substance of unique composition inside the sample.

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