Patent · US Active

Sample height regulating method, sample observing method, sample processing method and charged particle beam apparatus

US7423266B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
7References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 23, 2006
Grant dateSep 9, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 1, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/31745
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a sample height regulating method, an area including the observation point on the sample is scan-irradiated with a first charged particle beam to obtain a first secondary electron image including the observation point. An area including the observation point on the sample is then scan-irradiated with a second charged particle beam to obtain a second secondary electron image including the observation point. Thereafter, based on magnifications of the first secondary electron image and the second secondary electron image and a distance between the observation point in the first secondary electron image and the observation point in the second secondary electron image, a height of the sample required for focusing the first charged particle beam and the second charged particle beam on the observation point is calculated. A sample stage supporting the sample is then displaced so as to position the sample at the calculated sample height.

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