Patent · US Active

Particle removing method, particle removing device, atomic force microscope, and charged particle beam apparatus

US8657962B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 13, 2008
Grant dateFeb 25, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 17, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01Q80/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Small tweezers having a pair of arms openable and closable is moved closer to a sample and grips a particle attached on a surface of the sample and carries it onto an adhesion member to attach it thereto. The small tweezers are opened to release the particle and brought away from the adhesion member to leave the particle on the adhesion member. A particle removing device includes small tweezers having a pair of arms openable and closable; an opening/closing driving unit that drives the arm or arms to open/close the small tweezers; a stage mounting an adhesion member that attaches thereto a particle to withdraw the particle; and a moving mechanism that moves the small tweezers between the sample and the adhesion member mounted on the stage. Also, an atomic force microscope and a charged ion beam apparatus that include the particle removing device are disclosed.

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