Abstract: An electron beam emitted from an electron gun (G) forms a reduced image on a sample (S) through a non-dispersion Wien-filter (5-1), an electromagnetic deflector (11-1), a beam separator (12-1), and a tablet lens (17-1) as an objective lens. The beam separator (12-1) is configured such that a distance by which a secondary electron beam passes through the beam separator is approximately three times longer than a distance by which a primary electron beam passes through the beam separator. Therefore, even if a magnetic field in the beam separator is set to deflect the primary electron beam by a small angle equal to or less than approximately 10 degrees, the secondary electron beam can be deflected by approximately 30 degrees, so that the primary and secondary electron beams are sufficiently separated. Also, since the primary electron beam is deflected by a small angle, less aberration occurs in the primary electron beam.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device 70 having an electron-optical system for irradiating the object with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron image projected by the electron-optical system; a stage system 50 for holding and moving the object relative to the electron-optical system; a mini-environment chamber 20 for supplying a clean gas to the object to prevent dust from contacting to the object; a working chamber 31 for accommodating the stage device, the working chamber being controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; at least two loading chambers 41, 42 disposed between the mini-environment chamber and the working chamber, adapted to be independently controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; and a loader 60 for transferring the object to the stage system through the loading chambers.

Abstract: A substrate inspection apparatus 1-1 (FIG.

Abstract: A substrate inspection apparatus 1-1 (FIG.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus for irradiating a sample with primary electron beams to detect secondary electron beams generated from a surface of the sample by the irradiation for evaluating the sample surface. In the electron beam apparatus, an electron gun has a cathode for emitting primary electron beams. The cathode includes a plurality of emitters for emitting primary electron beams, arranged apart from one another on a circle centered at an optical axis of a primary electro-optical system. The plurality of emitters are arranged such that when the plurality of emitters are projected onto a straight line parallel with a direction in which the primary electron beams are scanned, resulting points on the straight line are spaced at equal intervals.

Abstract: An electron beam apparatus such as a sheet beam based testing apparatus has an electron-optical system for irradiating an object under testing with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and projecting an image of a secondary electron beam emitted by the irradiation of the primary electron beam, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron beam image projected by the electron-optical system; specifically, the electron beam apparatus comprises beam generating means 2004 for irradiating an electron beam having a particular width, a primary electron-optical system 2001 for leading the beam to reach the surface of a substrate 2006 under testing, a secondary electron-optical system 2002 for trapping secondary electrons generated from the substrate 2006 and introducing them into an image processing system 2015, a stage 2003 for transportably holding the substrate 2006 with a continuous degree of freedom equal to at least one, a testing chamber for the substrate 2006, a substrate transport mech

Abstract: A system for further enhancing speed, i.e. improving throughput in a SEM-type inspection apparatus is provided. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate produces a crossover from electrons emitted from an electron beam source 25•1, then forms an image under a desired magnification in the direction of a sample W to produce a crossover. When the crossover is passed, electrons as noises are removed from the crossover with an aperture, an adjustment is made so that the crossover becomes a parallel electron beam to irradiate the substrate in a desired sectional form. The electron beam is produced such that the unevenness of illuminance is 10% or less. Electrons emitted from the sample W are detected by a detector 25•11.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus which can capture images at high speeds even using an area sensor which senses a small number of frames per second, by deflecting a primary electron beam by a deflector to irradiate each of sub-visual fields which are formed by dividing an evaluation area on a sample surface, and detecting secondary electrons containing information on the sample surface in each of the sub-visual fields by a detecting device. For this purpose, the detecting device 26 of the electron beam apparatus comprises a plurality of unit detectors 24-1 each including an area sensor CCD 1 (˜CCD 14), a bundle of optical fibers 25 having one end coupled to a detection plane of the area sensor, an FOP coated on the other end of the bundle of optical fibers and formed with a scintillator, on which a secondary electron beam emitted from the sub-visual fields are focused.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus for evaluating a sample surface, which has a primary electro-optical system for irradiating a sample with a primary electron beam, a detecting system, and a secondary electro-optical system for directing secondary electron beams emitted from the sample surface by the irradiation of the primary electron beam to the detecting system.

Abstract: A system for further enhancing speed, i.e. improving throughput in a SEM-type inspection apparatus is provided. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate produces a crossover from electrons emitted from an electron beam source 25•1, then forms an image under a desired magnification in the direction of a sample W to produce a crossover. When the crossover is passed, electrons as noises are removed from the crossover with an aperture, an adjustment is made so that the crossover becomes a parallel electron beam to irradiate the substrate in a desired sectional form. The electron beam is produced such that the unevenness of illuminance is 10% or less. Electrons emitted from the sample W are detected by a detector 25•11.

Abstract: [Object] In the control of electron beam focusing of a pierce-type electron gun, any influences from the space charge effect and space charge neutralizing action within the electron gun are eliminated to attain complete control of an electron beam. [Solving Means] Feedback control of the pressure within the electron gun is performed by directly measuring temperature at an internal of the pierce-type electron gun. It is desirable that locations where the direct measurement of the temperature at the internal of the electron gun is performed are an anode (39) and a flow register (43). Further, the direct measurement can be performed at any one of a ring, an aperture and an exhaust pipe provided at an outlet or an inlet of any one of a cathode chamber (31), an intermediate chamber, and a scanning chamber (33).

Abstract: An apparatus capable of detecting defects of a pattern on a sample with high accuracy and reliability and at a high throughput, and a semiconductor manufacturing method using the same are provided. The electron beam apparatus is a mapping-projection-type electron beam apparatus for observing or evaluating a surface of the sample by irradiating the sample with a primary electron beam and forming on a detector an image of reflected electrons emitted from the sample. An electron impact-type detector such as an electron impact-type CCD or an electron impact-type TDI is used as the detector for detecting the reflected electrons. The reflected electrons are selectively detected from an energy difference between the reflected electrons and secondary electrons emitted from the sample.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus and a semiconductor device manufacturing method using the same. The inspection apparatus is used for defect inspection, line width measurement, surface potential measurement or the like of a sample such as a wafer. In the inspection apparatus, a plurality of charged particles is delivered from a primary optical system to the sample, and secondary charged particles emitted from the sample are separated from the primary optical system and introduced through a secondary optical system to a detector. Irradiation of the charged particles is conducted while moving the sample. Irradiation spots of the charged particles are arranged by N rows along a moving direction of the sample and by M columns along a direction perpendicular thereto. Every row of the irradiation spots of the charged particles is shifted successively by a predetermined amount in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the sample.

Abstract: A method of machining a cathode used in an electron gun. The method includes steps of placing an object to be machined, which is a material of the cathode, and a machining electrode in an electrically insulating oil; applying a discharge current to the machining electrode; and machining the object to be machined to have a shape corresponding to the shape of the machining electrode by means of electric discharge machining of the machining electrode. The machining electrode includes a disk, recesses formed on a front surface of the disk, a protrusion provided on a back surface of the disk, and a hole for mounting a lead wire for applying discharge current to the machining electrode. Bumps corresponding to the shape of the recesses of the machining electrode are formed on the object to be machined by means of the electric discharge machining.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of detecting defects of a pattern on a sample with high accuracy and reliability and at a high throughput, and a semiconductor manufacturing method using the same are provided. The electron beam apparatus is a mapping-projection-type electron beam apparatus for observing or evaluating a surface of the sample by irradiating the sample with a primary electron beam and forming on a detector an image of reflected electrons emitted from the sample. An electron impact-type detector such as an electron impact-type CCD or an electron impact-type TDI is used as the detector for detecting the reflected electrons. The reflected electrons are selectively detected from an energy difference between the reflected electrons and secondary electrons emitted from the sample.

Abstract: An electron beam emitted from an electron gun (G) forms a reduced image on a sample (S) through a non-dispersion Wien-filter (5-1), an electromagnetic deflector (11-1), a beam separator (12-1), and a tablet lens (17-1) as an objective lens. The beam separator (12-1) is configured such that a distance by which a secondary electron beam passes through the beam separator is approximately three times longer than a distance by which a primary electron beam passes through the beam separator. Therefore, even if a magnetic field in the beam separator is set to deflect the primary electron beam by a small angle equal to or less than approximately 10 degrees, the secondary electron beam can be deflected by approximately 30 degrees, so that the primary and secondary electron beams are sufficiently separated. Also, since the primary electron beam is deflected by a small angle, less aberration occurs in the primary electron beam.

Abstract: A sample is evaluated at a high throughput by reducing axial chromatic aberration and increasing the transmittance of secondary electrons. Electron beams emitted from an electron gun 1 are irradiated onto a sample 7 through a primary electro-optical system, and electrons consequently emitted from the sample are detected by a detector 12 through a secondary electro-optical system. A Wien filter 8 comprising a multi-pole lens for correcting axial chromatic aberration is disposed between a magnification lens 10 in the secondary electro-optical system and a beam separator 5 for separating a primary electron beam and a secondary electron beam, for correcting axial chromatic aberration caused by an objective lens 14 which comprises an electromagnetic lens having a magnetic gap defined on a sample side.

Abstract: An electron beam inspection system of the image projection type includes a primary electron optical system for shaping an electron beam emitted from an electron gun into a rectangular configuration and applying the shaped electron beam to a sample surface to be inspected. A secondary electron optical system converges secondary electrons emitted from the sample. A detector converts the converged secondary electrons into an optical image through a fluorescent screen and focuses the image to a line sensor. A controller controls the charge transfer time of the line sensor at which the picked-up line image is transferred between each pair of adjacent pixel rows provided in the line sensor in association with the moving speed of a stage for moving the sample.

Abstract: A system for further enhancing speed, i.e. improving throughput in a SEM-type inspection apparatus is provided. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate produces a crossover from electrons emitted from an electron beam source 25•1, then forms an image under a desired magnification in the direction of a sample W to produce a crossover. When the crossover is passed, electrons as noises are removed from the crossover with an aperture, an adjustment is made so that the crossover becomes a parallel electron beam to irradiate the substrate in a desired sectional form. The electron beam is produced such that the unevenness of illuminance is 10% or less. Electrons emitted from the sample W are detected by a detector 25•11.

Abstract: An electron beam apparatus comprises a TDI sensor 64 and a feed-through device 50. The feed-through device has a socket contact 54 for interconnecting a pin 52 attached to a flanged 51 for separating different environments and the other pin 53 making a pair with the pin 52, in which the pin 52, the other pin 53 and the socket contact 54 together construct a connecting block, and the socket contact 54 has an elastic member 61. Accordingly, even if a large number of connecting blocks are provided, the connecting force may be kept to such a low level as to prevent the breakage in the sensor. The pin 53 is connected with the TDI sensor 64, in which a pixel array has been adaptively configured based on the optical characteristic of an image projecting optical system. That sensor has a number of integration stages that can reduce the field of view of the image projecting optical system to as small as possible so that a maximal acceptable distortion within the field of view may be set larger.