Shimadzu Corporation

Yasuhiro Yamakage

Shinji Nagamachi

Ryohei Kokawa

Makoto Shinohara

A film inspecting apparatus is used for inspecting fine roughness and particle state on a surface of a thin film. In inspecting the thin film surface, shape data of the thin film are obtained by a scanning type probe microscope. The obtained shape data are analyzed to identify individual particles, and the fine roughness and particle state on the thin film surface are inspected based on the particle data obtained by the shape data analysis. The film inspecting apparatus includes a particle analyzing device for inspecting the fine roughness and particle state on the thin film surface by using the shape data obtained by the scanning type probe microscope. The particle analyzing device includes a particle extracting device for extracting the particles on the film surface from the shape data, and a particle data calculating device for calculating the particle data based on the data extracted by the particle extracting device.

Film inspecting apparatus

An apparatus for effecting micro fabrication of wafer surfaces by emitting a focused ion beam thereto, in which a gas is jetted through a gas introducing pipe to an ion emitter whereby the gas is adsorbed to an emitter surface. A potential difference is applied between the emitter and an extraction electrode to extract ions. The ions are then accelerated and focused into a focused ion beam having an etching function. The focused ion beam is deflected by a deflecting electrode to form a predetermined pattern. The focused ion beam is decelerated by action of a decelerating electrode prior to impingement on a wafer under treatment. Consequently, a wafer surface is etched to define the predetermined pattern without damage to the wafer surface.

Focused ion beam etching apparatus

A focused ion beam apparatus which includes an ion source, an extraction electrode for extracting ion beams from the ion source, a condenser lens for focusing the ion beam, a mass spectrometer for separating a desired ion species from the extracted ion beams, a target stage adapted to support a target, deflection electrodes for deflecting the ion beam taken from the mass spectrometer, and guiding same to the target on the stage, wherein the condenser lens group includes an objective lens located immediately before the target stage, and including a decelerating field circuit for forming a decelerating field between the target stage and the outermost electrode of the objective lens, the deflection electrode having a two-stage structure consisting of a first and second group of deflection electrodes in the advancing direction of ion beam, wherein the ion beam deflected by the deflection electrodes is caused to pass through the center of the objective lens irrespective of the amount of beam deflection.

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Kyoto, Japan

Yasuhiro Yamakage