Nikon Corporation

Ebara Corporation

Yoshiaki Kohama

Muneki Hamashima

Yukiharu Okubo

Yoichi Watanabe

Mamoru Nakasuji

Akihiro Goto

Nobuharu Noji

Tohru Satake

Shoji Yoshikawa

Toshifumi Kimba

Tsutomu Karimata

Hirosi Sobukawa

Mutsumi Saito

Shin Oowada

Kazuhiko Fukazawa

Futoshi Mori

Hiroshi Hirose

Shigeru Takemoto

Kaoru Ohmori

This invention relates to an object observation apparatus and observation method. The object observation apparatus is characterized by including a drivable stage on which a sample is placed, an irradiation optical system which is arranged to face the sample on the stage, and emits an electron beam as a secondary beam, an electron detection device which is arranged to face the sample, causes to project, as a primary beam, at least one of a secondary electron, reflected electron, and back-scattering electron generated by the sample upon irradiation of the electron beam, and generates image information of the sample, a stage driving device which is adjacent to the stage to drive the stage, and a deflector arranged between the sample and the electron detection device to deflect the secondary beam, the electron detection device having a converter arranged on a detection surface to convert the secondary beam into light, an array image sensing unit which is adjacent to the converter, has pixels of a plurality of lines each including a plurality of pixels on the detection surface, sequentially transfers charges of pixels of each line generated upon reception of light of an optical image obtained via the converter to corresponding pixels of an adjacent line at a predetermined timing, adds, every transfer, charges generated upon reception of light after the transfer at the pixels which received the charges, and sequentially outputs charges added up to a line corresponding to an end, and a control unit connected to the array image sensing unit to output a transfer signal for sequentially transferring charges of pixels of each line to an adjacent line, and the control unit having a stage scanning mode in which the array image sensing unit is controlled in accordance with a variation in projection position of the secondary beam projected on the electron detection device that is generated by movement of the stage device, and a deflector operation mode in which the array image sensing unit is controlled in accordance with a variation in projection position of the secondary beam projected on the detection device by the deflector.

Object observation apparatus and object observation

The purpose of the invention is to provide an improved electron beam apparatus with improvements in throughput, accuracy, etc. One of the characterizing features of the electron beam apparatus of the present invention is that it has a plurality of optical systems, each of which comprises a primary electron optical system for scanning and irradiating a sample with a plurality of primary electron beams; a detector device for detecting a plurality of secondary beams emitted by irradiating the sample with the primary electron beams; and a secondary electron optical system for guiding the secondary electron beams from the sample to the detector device; all configured so that the plurality of optical systems scan different regions of the sample with their primary electron beams, and detect the respective secondary electron beams emitted from each of the respective regions. This is what makes higher throughput possible. To provide high accuracy, the apparatus is configured such that the axes of its optical systems can be aligned, and aberrations corrected, by a variety of methods.

Electron beam apparatus and device production method using the electron beam apparatus

Electron beam apparatus and device fabrication method using the electron beam apparatus

An electron beam apparatus prevents a rapid increase of dosage caused by stoppage or deceleration of movement and protects the specimen when the specimen is irradiated with the electron beam while the specimen and the electron beam are being relatively moved. An electron beam source outputs the electron beam. The dosage of election beam irradiated per unit area of the specimen is measured. A storage section stores a predetermined dosage per unit area in memory for the specimen. A detector detects over exposure of the electron beam when the measured dosage per unit area is greater than the dosage per unit area stored in the storage section. A controller controls the electron beam source to reduce the dosage per unit area of the electron beam lower than the dosage per unit area stored in the storage section.

Electron beam apparatus, and inspection instrument and inspection process thereof

A scanning device and method includes a movable stage on which a specimen is positioned, an irradiating device for electron beam irradiation of the specimen, a detection device for generating a picture of the irradiation region by detecting a secondary beam including secondary or reflected electrons from the irradiation region, and imaging electron optical system for imaging the secondary beam on a detection surface. A secondary beam detector including a fluorescent unit arranged on the detection surface to convert the secondary beam into light, one-dimensional line sensors for forming electric charge by photoelectric conversion, an array imaging element for accumulating the electric charge in a predetermined line of the line sensors, and a two-dimensional imaging element which emits electric charge by means of photoelectric conversion. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

Scanning device and method including electric charge movement

An electron beam apparatus prevents a rapid increase of dosage caused by stoppage or deceleration of movement and protects the specimen when the specimen is irradiated with the electron beam while the specimen and the electron beam are being relatively moved. An electron beam source outputs the electron beam. The dosage of electron beam irradiated per unit area of the specimen is measured. A storage section stores a predetermined dosage per unit area in memory for the specimen. A detector detects over exposure of the electron beam when the measured dosage per unit area is greater than the dosage per unit area stored in the storage section. A controller controls the electron beam source to reduce the dosage per unit area of the electron beam lower than the dosage per unit area stored in the storage section.

New and improved scanning device and corresponding method that include and involve a movable stage on which a specimen is positioned, irradiation means which irradiates an electron beam onto an irradiation region of the specimen, secondary beam detection means used in generating a picture of the irradiation region by detecting a secondary beam which consists of at least one of secondary electrons or reflected electrons from the irradiation region of the electron beam, an imaging electron optical system which causes imaging of the secondary beam on a detection surface of the secondary beam detection means, and which is arranged between the specimen and the secondary beam detection means. The secondary beam detection means is equipped with a fluorescent unit which is arranged on the detection surface, and which converts the secondary beam into light, and one-dimensional line sensors which have a structure arrayed in two dimensions forming electric charge by photoelectric conversion, an array imaging element which continuously adds up the electric charge of the accumulated image in a predetermined line of the line sensors, and the electric charge of the line of the image which moves accompanying the movement of the stage, and a two-dimensional imaging element which emits electric charge by means of photoelectric conversion. The scanning device and corresponding method further include and involve changeover means for selectively irradiating the light converted by means of the fluorescent unit to an imaging element which is either one of the array imaging elements and the two-dimensional imaging element.

Scanning device and scanning method

This invention concerns an apparatus and a method for observing and inspecting a predetermined area in a surface of a sample by use of an electron beam. The apparatus according to this invention comprises an MCP for multiplying a secondary beam emerging from the surface of the sample. The apparatus and method employ a CCD TDI array in order to increase the lifetime of the MCP, and special scan control is carried out in the observation and inspection operation. In addition, the apparatus according to this invention has various structures for enabling correction for positional deviation of the sample and high-speed processing.

Apparatus and method for inspecting predetermined region on surface of specimen using electron beam

A stage on which a sample is placed is driven through feed screws rotated by pulse motors which are controlled by a micro-step drive control method. Backlash quantities and feed screw pitch errors have previously been obtained and stored in a memory, and when the stage is to be driven, a stage controller corrects the backlash and pitch errors.

Scanning electron microscope

A charged particle electron microscope comprises: a sample chamber to which a gas used for gas amplification is supplied; a charged particle irradiation means for irradiating a sample set in the sample chamber with a charged particle beam; at least one first electrode member provided inside the sample chamber to which a first voltage is applied; at least one second electrode member provided inside the sample chamber to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied; a high voltage power source control means for controlling the first and the second voltages; and a synthesizer for synthesizing a current signal obtained from the first electrode member and a current signal obtained from the second electrode member, wherein the sample is observed by using a synthetic signal output from the synthesizer as a picture signal.

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Kawasaki, Japan

Yoshiaki Kohama