Abstract: A superconducting radiation detector relies upon the abruptness of a superconducting transition edge to converts a slight heat generated by an X-ray into a high signal current and uses an electrothermal self-feedback mechanism to provide a high energy resolution and a high counting rate. A calorimeter incorporating such a radiation detector has an absorber for absorbing X-rays, a resistor formed of a superconductor provided under the absorber and having a resistance value that varies with heat generated in the absorber, superconducting wires for connecting the resistor to an external current detector, a membrane on which the resistor is provided, and an insulating film provided between the resistor and the absorber and having at least one hole penetrating therethrough, the resistor and the absorber being in contact through the hole.

Abstract: An analysis apparatus has a measurement head for measuring characteristics of a sample, a calibration conditions file comprising at least one calibration condition obtained by carrying out device calibration for the measurement head in advance, and a measurement head controller for designating one of the calibration conditions within the calibration conditions file. Measurement sequence data comprised of a sequence of measurement steps has measurement conditions for carrying out measurements by the measurement head and the calibration conditions designated by the measurement head controller. A measurement device refers to each measurement step of the measurement sequence data and carries out measurement after inputting the measurement conditions and the calibration conditions for each measurement step to the measurement head.

Abstract: A magnetic pole of a magnetic field type lens is divided into a first magnetic pole section that is at ground potential, and a second magnetic pole section facing a sample and to which a negative high voltage is applied, the first magnetic pole section and the second magnetic pole section 212 being electrically insulated from each other, and an electric field type bi-potential lens is made up of an electrode attached to the first magnetic pole section so as to surround an electron beam path. High resolution observation with small chromatic aberration factor Cs, Cc is made possible without forming a positive high voltage section inside an electron beam path of a lens barrel.

Abstract: A method is provided for repairing a phase shift mask. The phase shift mask has a substrate and a shifter containing a defect and disposed on the substrate. An ion beam is irradiated onto the defect while a region of the shifter that includes the defect is supplied with a first gas containing silicon, an oxidizing second gas, and a third gas for controlling an amount of ions from the ion beam which penetrate the region of the shifter to form a silicon thin film on the defect and thereby repair the phase shift mask.

Abstract: An apparatus determines the thickness and composition of a multi-layered sample comprised of at least a copper layer and a tin-copper alloy plating layer disposed on the copper layer. The sample is irradiated with primary X-rays and an energy-dispersive X-ray detector detects fluorescent X-rays and diffracted X-rays emitted from the sample. An X-ray spectrum of the detected fluorescent X-rays and diffracted X-rays is generated. The concentration of copper in the tin-copper alloy plating layer of the sample is determined utilizing peak intensities of the diffracted X-rays in the X-ray spectrum. The thickness of the tin-copper alloy plating layer of the sample is determined utilizing peak intensities of the fluorescent X-rays in the X-ray spectrum and the determined copper concentration.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing and observing a sample has a sample stage for supporting a sample at a preselected location thereof, a focused ion beam irradiation system for irradiating the sample with a focused ion beam along an optical axis to cut out a portion from the sample, and a side entry stage disposed over the sample stage and extending slantingly with respect to the optical axis of the focused ion beam irradiated by the focused ion beam irradiation system. The side entry stage has a microscope sample holder for picking up the cut-out sample portion directly from the preselected location of the sample and for supporting the sample portion. The microscope sample holder is configured to be removed from the side entry stage while supporting the sample portion and to be connected to an entry stage of a microscope device for observing the sample portion.

Abstract: A light probe microscope has a probe having a tip, a mechanism for positioning the probe tip closely to a sample surface and causing two-dimensional scanning movement between the probe tip and the sample, a light source for emitting light to an area proximate the probe tip and the sample, a two-dimensional image sensor for receiving the light radiated from the sample and producing a two-dimensional image of the sample in accordance therewith, and a device for producing a light image based on a signal intensity of light in a detection region of the two-dimensional image.

Abstract: A probe for a scanning probe microscope has a cantilever portion and a microscopic probe portion formed of a solid columnar tip at a distal end of the cantilever portion by deposition using an organic gas decomposed by a focused ion beam inside a vacuum chamber. The probe is sufficiently narrow and has high abrasion resistance and rigidity. The tip may be grown to extend from the cantilever portion at an angle shifted by an angle at which the cantilever portion is inclined during scanning of the probe portion across a sample surface, so that the columnar tip is perpendicular to the sample surface during the scanning. The tip may be formed of a conductive material such as tungsten of diamond-like carbon by FIB-CVD.

Abstract: In a charged particle microscope equipped with a sample stage having an inclination function, the invention provides a construction that prevents inclination driving of the sample stage from affecting other peripheral devices to be additionally installed such as an optical microscope. In the charged particle microscope according to the invention, a sample stage having an inclination mechanism includes a rotation support portion of the inclination mechanism on sidewalls of a vacuum chamber, and at least a detection portion of other peripheral devices additionally installed such as (1) an optical microscope, (2) a laser scattering microscope and (3) an optical height detection system is fitted to the rotation support portion inside the chamber in such a fashion as to be capable of moving with a rotary shaft of the inclination mechanism, and members that cannot be arranged in vacuum are installed outside the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention sets out to provide a scanning charged particle microscope equipped with a rapid control function capable of extrapolating an in-focus point from image information for a single frame and an automatic focusing system capable of reliably and precisely carrying out a focusing operation for a horizontal pattern image. The automatic focusing system provided in the scanning charged particle microscope of the present invention is provided with means for changing a focal point each raster scan line, and control means for comparing image information each scanning line and extrapolating focusing positions. The scanning line can then be made to be an inclined scanning line that is a combination of a horizontal component and a vertical component with respect to a chip array on a semiconductor wafer. Further, a method is adopted comprising a first step of reliably taking in a coarse in-focus point and a second step of detecting the in-focus point with a high degree of precision.

Abstract: In a fluorescent X-ray analysis apparatus, a diffraction X-ray is removable from a sample even if it is formed of a mixture of fine crystals. A movable collimator mechanism capable of detecting only a collimate component of an X-ray optical flux is provided in a secondary X-ray path extending between a sample and an X-ray detector. Spectrum measurement is conducted on the same sample when the collimator mechanism is inserted and removed from the secondary X-ray path.

Abstract: A system and method for synthesizing nanopowder which provides for precursor material ablation from two opposing electrodes that are spaced apart within a gaseous atmosphere, where a plasma is created by a high power pulsed electrical discharge between the electrodes, such pulse being of short duration to inertially confine the plasma, thereby creating a high temperature and high density plasma having high quench and/or reaction rates with the gaseous atmosphere for improved nanopowder synthesis.

Abstract: An ion beam processing device has a sample holder for fixing a sample on which a section has been formed by irradiation of a specified focused ion beam from a surface side, and gas ion beam irradiation device for irradiating a gas ion beam to a region of the sample fixing using the holder member that contains the section to remove a damage layer on the section. The gas ion beam from the gas ion beam irradiation device irradiates the section from a rear surface side of the sample at a specified incident angle.

Abstract: A fine stencil structure correction device has a charged particle beam microscope lens-barrel which scans and corrects shapes of defect portions of a fine stencil structure sample using an etching or deposition function, and the fine stencil structure correction device further comprises transmitted beam detecting means for detecting a transmitted beam which is the charged particle beam penetrating the sample provided on a sample stage when the sample is scanned by the charged particle beam.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus has a storage vessel for storing a liquefied gas and an evaporated gas produced by evaporation of the liquefied gas, a cooling head cooled by the evaporated gas to approximately a boiling temperature of the liquefied gas, piping for conveying the evaporated gas from the storage vessel to the cooling head, and a gas collection port provided at one end portion of the piping above a liquid level of the liquefied gas for collecting only the evaporated gas from the storage vessel. Thus, contamination of a gas line, needle valve, or the like, can be avoided. In addition, a liquid level sensor may be provided in the storage vessel for sensing the liquid level of the liquefied gas, so that the gas collection port may be vertically moved within the storage vessel to collect cooled gas close to the liquid level.

Abstract: An X-ray fluorescence film thickness measuring device has an X-ray generating system generating and irradiating primary X-rays. A focusing system focuses primary X-rays irradiated from the X-ray generating system onto microscopic measurement regions in a sample. A sample observation optical system is used to observe the sample during focusing of the primary X-rays for use in positioning of the microscopic measurement regions relative to the primary X-rays. A first sensor with low counting efficiency but high energy resolution detects X-ray fluorescence generated from a sample having the microscopic measurement regions. A second sensor has low energy resolution but high counting efficiency compared to the first sensor. Each of a pair of pre-amplifiers receives a signal from a respective one of the first and second sensors.

Abstract: An analyzer system of the present invention is capable of customizing arbitrary setting of display/non-display input possible/input impossible setting for items used in condition setting or parameter input in a user interface such as a dialog box one at a time, and storing customized conditions for each user, and is capable of restoring setting conditions desired by each user as a result of the user reading out the stored information at the time of use.

Abstract: According to the invention, in selecting an analyzed area of a scanning atom probe (SAP), there is adopted a method of using a tip of the lead-out electrode of SAP as a scanning probe of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and drawing a surface shape of a sample to thereby select the analyzed area and with regard to the tip of the lead-out electrode of SAP, there is formed an exclusive probe in a needle-like shape by a CVD micromaching technology or a lithographic method using focused ion beam in order to promote accuracy of the scanning probe of STM. Further, a conical dome of a conductive material is formed at the tip of the conical electrode mechanically formed by using a CVD fabricating method using focused ion beam and the tip is shaped by sputter etching to thereby form the lead-out electrode near to an ideal shape.

Abstract: In order to provide a single, small apparatus capable of elemental and structural analysis of inorganic matter by utilizing X-rays having non-obstructive and non-contact characteristics there is provided a small, energy distribution type X-ray detector for detecting X-ray fluorescence and subjecting the X-ray fluorescence to elemental and quantative analysis, and a CCD line sensor for performing structural analysis. An X-ray tube target structure that is a Cu layer on an Mo layer is adopted. When excitation is performed using a low accelerating voltage, this is made monochromatic by using a Cu filter to filter the Cu—K lines and the continuous X-rays generated, with the radiation quality (Cu—K lines) thus generated then being utilized in X-ray diffraction.

Abstract: In the processing method of the present invention, there is implemented irradiation with a charged particle beam in such a manner that, when executing processing in a uniform manner, when deposition processing or etching processing of a prescribed pattern is carried out using a charged particle beam apparatus, a region of the pattern to be processed is divided up into microscopic regions corresponding to the diameter of the beam, and regulation is performed by scanning circuits etc. with processing proceeding simultaneously for a plurality of patterns within the scanning region in such a manner that the dose amount for each microscopic region becomes equal.