Abstract: A composite charged particle beam apparatus comprises an FIB column and an SEM column arranged so that the ion and the electron beam irradition axes intersect with each other substantially at a right angle. A sample stage mounts a sample, and a detector detects secondary particles generated from the sample when irradiated with the ion beam or the electron beam. An observation image formation portion forms an FIB image and an SEM image based on a detection signal of the detector. An optical microscope observes the sample, and a display portion displays the FIB image, the SEM image and an optical microscope image. A stage control portion changes the coordinate system of the sample stage to any selected one of the coordinate systems of the FIB image, the SEM image and the optical microscope image.

Abstract: A cross section processing method and a cross section processing apparatus are provided in which it is possible to form a flat cross section in a sample composed of a plurality of substances having different hardness by a focused ion beam. The etching of a processing area is performed while variably controlling the irradiation interval, the irradiation time, or the like of a focused ion beam based on cross section information of an SEM image obtained by the observation of a cross section. In this way, even if a sample is composed of a plurality of substances having different hardness, it is possible to form a flat observation surface with a uniform etching rate.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus for processing a tip end portion of a sample into a needle shape, includes an ion beam irradiation unit that irradiates the tip end portion with ion beams, an electron beam irradiation unit that irradiates the tip end portion with electron beams, a secondary electron detection unit that detects secondary electrons generated at the tip end portion by the irradiation with the electron beams, and an EBSD detection unit that detects diffracted electrons generated at the tip end portion by the irradiation with the electron beams.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an electron beam irradiation unit irradiating a sample with electron beams having a first irradiation axis; a rotation stage holding the sample and having a rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the first irradiation axis; an ion beam irradiation unit irradiating the sample with ion beams having a second irradiation axis that is substantially parallel to the rotation axis; a detection unit detecting at least one of charged particles and X rays generated via the sample by the irradiation with the ion beams and electron beams; and a gaseous ion beam irradiation unit irradiating the sample with gaseous ion beams.

Abstract: A cross-section processing-and-observation method includes: a cross-section exposure step of irradiating a sample with a focused ion beam to expose a cross-section of the sample; a cross-sectional image acquisition step of irradiating the cross-section with an electron beam to acquire a cross-sectional image of the cross-section; and a step of repeatedly performing the cross-section exposure step and the cross-sectional image acquisition step along a predetermined direction of the sample at a setting interval to acquire a plurality of cross-sectional images of the sample. In the cross-sectional image acquisition step, a cross-sectional image is acquired under different condition settings for a plurality of regions of the cross-section.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes a sample stage, a focused ion beam column, a scattered electron detector that detects backscattered electrons generated from a cross-section of a sample, a crystal orientation information generation unit that generates crystal orientation information on a predetermined region of the cross-section, and an angle calculation unit that calculates attachment angles of the sample stage, corresponding to a direction of the cross-section. In response to receiving input of information indicating that the crystal orientation information on the region displayed on a display unit is changed to aimed second crystal orientation information, the angle calculation unit calculates the attachment angles corresponding to the direction of the cross-section for generating the second crystal orientation information, and the focused ion beam column performs etching processing on the cross-section at the calculated attachment angles.

Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus including: a focused ion beam irradiation mechanism forming first and second cross-sections; a first image generation unit generating a first image, including a reflected electron image or a secondary electron image, of the first and second cross-sections; a second image generation unit generating a second image, including an EDS image or a secondary ion image, of the first and second cross-sections; and a control section causing the second image generation unit to generate the second image of the second cross-section, in a case where the first and second images of the first cross-section are acquired, the first image of the second cross-section is acquired, and the first image of the second cross-section includes a region different from a region representing a specific composition in the first image of the first cross-section.

Abstract: A focused ion beam system includes a focused ion beam irradiation mechanism which irradiates a sample, on which a protective film is formed, with a focused ion beam from above the sample, a processing control unit which performs a removal process on both sides of a region to be a thin piece portion of the sample by the focused ion beam and sequentially forms observation surfaces parallel to an irradiation direction of the focused ion beam so as to achieve the thin piece portion, and an observation surface image generation unit which generates an observation surface image. The processing control unit terminates the removal process when a height of the protective film in the irradiation direction of the focused ion beam becomes a predetermined threshold value or less in the observation surface image.

Abstract: Provided is a focused ion beam apparatus including a control portion configured to: store in advance, in a condenser voltage table, a calculation value of a condenser voltage for obtaining a reference beam current for all each of a plurality of apertures; obtain an experimental value of the condenser voltage for obtaining the reference beam current for a reference aperture; obtain a correction value of the condenser voltage by subtracting the calculation value stored for the reference aperture from the experimental value for the reference aperture; obtain setting values of the condenser voltage by adding the correction value to the calculation values stored for each of the plurality of the apertures; and store the obtained setting value in the condenser voltage table.

Abstract: A cross-section processing and observation method performed by a cross-section processing and observation apparatus, the method comprising: a cross-section processing step of forming a cross-section by irradiating a sample with an ion beam; a cross-section observation step of obtaining an observation image of the cross-section by irradiating the cross-section with an electron beam; and repeating the cross-section processing step and the cross-section observation step so as to obtain observation images of a plurality of cross-sections, wherein, in a case where Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) measurement of the cross-section is performed and an X-ray of a specified material is detected, an irradiation condition of the ion beam is changed so as to obtain observation images of a plurality of cross-sections of the specified material, and the cross-section processing and observation of the specified material is performed.

Abstract: A composite charged particle beam apparatus includes: a FIB column irradiating a thin sample with FIB; a GIB column irradiating the thin sample with GIB; a sample stage on which the thin sample is placed; a first tilt unit for tilting the thin sample about a first tilt axis of the sample stage, the first tilt axis being orthogonal to an FIB irradiation axis and being located inside a first plane formed by the FIB irradiation axis and a GIB irradiation axis; and a second tilt unit for tilting the thin sample about an axis which is orthogonal to the FIB irradiation axis and the first tilt axis.

Abstract: Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: an electron beam column for irradiating a sample with an electron beam; an ion beam column for irradiating the sample with an ion beam to perform etching processing; a sample stage drive portion for moving a sample stage in an irradiation axis direction of the electron beam; and a column adjusting portion for moving the ion beam column relatively to a sample chamber such that the sample is irradiated with the ion beam at a position irradiated with the electron beam.

Abstract: Provided is a cross-section processing and observation apparatus, including a control portion for repeatedly executing a process including slice processing by an ion beam and acquisition of a SIM image by a secondary electron emitted from a cross-section formed by the slice processing, in which the control portion divides an observation image into a plurality of areas, and finishes the process when a change has occurred between an image in one area of the plurality of areas and an image in an area, which corresponds to the one area, of an observation image of another cross-section acquired by the process.

Abstract: An ion beam apparatus including: an ion source configured to emit an ion beam; a condenser lens electrode configured to condense the ion beam; a condenser lens power source configured to apply a voltage to the condenser lens electrode; a storage portion configured to store, a first voltage value, a second voltage value, a third voltage value, and a fourth voltage value; and a control portion configured to retrieve the third voltage value from the storage portion and set the retrieved third voltage value to the condenser lens power source when an observation mode is switched to a wide-range observation mode, and retrieve the fourth voltage value from the storage portion and set the retrieved fourth voltage value to the condenser lens power source when a processing mode is switched to the wide-range observation mode.

Abstract: Provided is a cross-section processing and observation apparatus, including a control portion for repeatedly executing a process including slice processing by an ion beam and acquisition of a SIM image by a secondary electron emitted from a cross-section formed by the slice processing, in which the control portion divides an observation image into a plurality of areas, and finishes the process when a change has occurred between an image in one area of the plurality of areas and an image in an area, which corresponds to the one area, of an observation image of another cross-section acquired by the process.

Abstract: Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: an electron beam column for irradiating a sample with an electron beam; an ion beam column for irradiating the sample with an ion beam to perform etching processing; a sample stage drive portion for moving a sample stage in an irradiation axis direction of the electron beam; and a column adjusting portion for moving the ion beam column relatively to a sample chamber such that the sample is irradiated with the ion beam at a position irradiated with the electron beam.

Abstract: Provided is a focused ion beam apparatus including a control portion configured to: store in advance, in a condenser voltage table, a calculation value of a condenser voltage for obtaining a reference beam current for all each of a plurality of apertures; obtain an experimental value of the condenser voltage for obtaining the reference beam current for a reference aperture; obtain a correction value of the condenser voltage by subtracting the calculation value stored for the reference aperture from the experimental value for the reference aperture; obtain setting values of the condenser voltage by adding the correction value to the calculation values stored for each of the plurality of the apertures; and store the obtained setting value in the condenser voltage table.

Abstract: Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: an FIB column (1); an SEM column (2), which is arranged substantially at a right angle with respect to the FIB column (1); a sample stage (3) for mounting a sample (4); a secondary electron detector (5) for detecting a secondary particle generated from the sample (4); an observation image formation portion (8) for forming an FIB image and an SEM image based on a detection signal; and a display portion (9) for displaying the FIB image and the SEM image in which a horizontal direction of the sample in the FIB image and a horizontal direction of the sample in the SEM image are the same.

Abstract: Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: a focused ion beam column (4); an electron beam column (6) orthogonal to the focused ion beam column (4); a sample stage (2) for moving a sample (11); an optical microscope (14) for observing the sample (11); a display portion (12, 13) capable of displaying a focused ion beam image, an electron beam image, and an optical microscope image, and a stage control portion (3) for moving the sample stage (2) in accordance with a coordinate system of each image.

Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing a sample piece for a transmission electron microscope, the sample piece for a transmission electron microscope including a substantially planar finished surface which can be observed with the transmission electron microscope and a grabbing portion which microtweezers can grab without contacting the finished surface.