The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 28, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 22, 2001
Yuko Iwabuchi, Mito, JP;
Hideo Todokoro, Nishitama, JP;
Hiroyoshi Mori, Hitachinaka, JP;
Mitsugu Sato, Hitachinaka, JP;
Yasutsugu Usami, Tokyo, JP;
Mikio Ichihashi, Kodaira, JP;
Satoru Fukuhara, Hitachinaka, JP;
Hiroyuki Shinada, Chofu, JP;
Yutaka Kaneko, Hachioji, JP;
Atsuko Takafuji, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Toyama, Hachioji, JP;
Katsuya Sugiyama, Kashiwa, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection method using an electron beam and an inspection apparatus therefor, which are capable of enhancing the resolution, improving the inspection speed and reliability, and realizing miniaturization the apparatus. To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an inspection method using an electron beam, including the steps of; applying a voltage on a sample via a sample stage; converging an electron beam on the sample; scanning the sample with the converged electron beam and simultaneously, continuously moving the sample stage; detecting charged particles generated from the sample; and detecting a defect on the sample on the basis of the detected charged particles; wherein a distance between the sample and the shield frame is determined on the basis of a critical discharge between the sample stage and the shield frame; coils of at least hexapoles for correcting the shape of an electron beam are provided; the electron beam is deflected for blanking during movement of the sample with the crossover of the electron beam taken as a fulcrum of blanking; or the magnitude of the voltage applied to the sample may be determined depending on the kind of sample.