Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Hitachi High-tech Corporation

Shigeru Haneda

Naoki Sakamoto

Yasuyuki Momoi

Akito Tanokuchi

Kaname Takahashi

Masashi Shibahara

Mikio Tokuyama

Akira Ikeuchi

Eiichi Hazaki

Shinsuke Kawanishi

Osamu Yamada

Yoshinobu Hoshino

Koichiro Takeuchi

Junzo Azuma

A sample holder HL capable of efficiently applying a pressure to an observation surface of a sample SAM is provided. The sample holder HL includes a fixed electrode, a movable electrode, and a pressure applying memberattached to the movable electrodeand having a function to move the movable electrodein a horizontal direction. When the sample SAM is held between a side surface of the fixed electrodeand a side surface of the movable electrode, an upper surface of the sample SAM is located within a range of a width of the pressure applying memberat a position where the pressure applying memberis in contact with the movable electrodein the Z direction.

Sample holder and charged particle beam apparatus

In order to provide a sample holder capable of easily searching for an observation field of view, the sample holder includes a sample placement portion including a first top surface on which a counterbore part is formed and a rotational axis for rotating the first top surface horizontally, the counterbore part being aligned by being mounted with a sample supporting member having a pattern for alignment, a sample base portion including an opening through which the sample placement portion is capable of moving vertically and a second top surface around the opening, and a sample cover portion which has conductivity and is pressed down toward a direction of the second top surface of the sample base portion, so that a top surface of the sample supporting member placed on the sample placement portion and the second top surface of the sample base portion are flush with each other.

Charged particle beam device and sample holder

In order to provide a stage apparatus with high speed stability in addition to being able to achieve positioning with a high degree of accuracy, and a sample observation apparatus, such as an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope, including the stage apparatus, the stage apparatus and the sample observation apparatus of the present invention correct a command voltage value of standard waveform data or an output timing of a command voltage value such that a difference between a first time history response and a second time history response is reduced to zero, the first time history response for displacement or speed when the stage mechanism is driven with use of the standard waveform data showing the command voltage value at each predetermined time and the second time history response for displacement or speed when a speed of the stage mechanism is constant, to be set as drive waveform data to be outputted to a drive unit of the stage mechanism.

Stage apparatus and sample observation apparatus

This invention stabilizes positioning and provides improved positioning accuracy in a scanning electron microscope provided with stage-driving means utilizing an effect of rolling friction. In this scanning electron microscope that includes a sample stage equipped with an x-table, a y-table, a z-table, a rotation table, and a tilting table, and moved by means of stepping motors each connected to a ball screw via a coupling, a sliding friction element is disposed at a position close to the ball screw, between the x-table and the y-table and between a tilting base and the x-table.

Scanning electron microscope with a table being guided by rolling friction elements

In the present invention, a stage device is configured to: provide a marker on a specimen, a specimen holder or a rotary table that allows measurement of position and direction; perform a rotation and translation movement of a stage according to a predetermined operation pattern; measure the position and direction of the marker there; identify the rotation center position of the rotary table from the results of this measurement; further create a correction value table relative to a rotation angle by calculating rotation-angle correction value for correcting the rotation error, and translation correction value for correcting a positional variation of the rotation center position; obtain from the correction value table the correction values associated with either an inputted rotation-angle command value or an actual rotation angle; and control the stage device by correcting either the rotation-angle and translation-position command values inputted or a rotation-angle and translation-position detected.

Stage device and control method for stage device

A stage comprises a linear guide rail () for guiding a movable table (), a driven bar (), a linear drive actuator in contact with the driven bar () to transmit driving force to the driven bar (), and parallel plate springs () for holding opposite ends of the driven bar (). A drive transmitting surface of the linear drive actuator is provided so as to be separated from the movable table (), and this prevents the accuracy of positioning from being reduced. Also, the parallel springs () reduce deforming forces applied to sections supporting the driven bar (), and this prevents the driven bar from being damaged. The configuration makes the stage highly accurate and highly reliable.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Shigeru Haneda