Abstract: Deflection of a secondary beam, and astigmatism correction of a primary beam or of the secondary beam are carried out using a multi-pole electromagnetic deflector which deflects the path of the secondary beam toward a detector.

Abstract: When adjusting optical axes of a multi-beam charged particle beam device, because parameters of optical systems are inter-dependent, the time required to adjust the parameters increases. Thus, the present invention provides a charged particle beam device provided with an optical parameter setting unit for setting parameters of optical systems for emitting a plurality of primary charged particle beams to a sample, detectors for individually detecting a plurality of secondary charged particle beams discharged from the sample, a plurality of memories for storing signals detected by the detectors and converted into digital pixels in the form of images, evaluation value derivation units for deriving evaluation values of the primary charged particle beams from the images, and a GUI capable of displaying the images and receiving an input from a user, wherein the GUI displays the images and evaluation results based on the evaluation values and changes various optical parameters in real-time.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor device for use with a steering wheel is provided. The steering wheel includes a rim and a spoke that is connected to the inner side of the rim, and the sensor device is provided on the spoke. The sensor device includes an electrode configured to be capacitively coupleable to an object to be detected, and includes a controller configured to detect a change in capacitance of the electrode, and determine whether the object is in proximity to the rim or the spoke based on the change in the capacitance of the electrode. The change in the capacitance occurs in response to the object being in proximity to the rim or the spoke.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device that can specify irradiation conditions for primary charged particles that can obtain a desired charged state without adjusting the acceleration voltage. The charged particle beam device according to the present invention specifies the irradiation conditions for a charged particle beam in which the charged state of a sample is switched between a positive charge and a negative charge, and adjusts the irradiation conditions according to the relationship between the specified irradiation conditions and the irradiation conditions when an observation image of the sample has been acquired (see FIG. 8).

Abstract: A charged particle beam device for irradiating a sample arranged in a sample chamber to be observed with an electron beam includes: a plasma generation device to which a bias voltage is applicable to generate plasma containing charged particles for applying charges onto a side wall of a pattern of the sample; and a guide that guides the charged particles in the plasma generated by the plasma generation device to the pattern of the sample.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device includes: a plasma generation device attached to a sample chamber through a connecting member; a guide including a hollow portion configured to guide a plasma generated by the plasma generation device in a direction toward a stage; a first voltage source configured to apply a voltage to the stage; and a second voltage source configured to adjust the plasma generation device and the guide to a predetermined potential, in which the guide is disposed to avoid an opening of an objective lens through which a charged particle beam passes and to position a tip of the guide between the objective lens and the stage.

Abstract: The scanning charged particle beam microscope according to the present application is characterized in that, in acquiring an image of the FOV (field of view), interspaced beam irradiation points are set, and then, a deflector is controlled so that a charged particle beam scan is performed faster when the charged particle beam irradiates a position on the sample between each of the irradiation points than when the charged particle beam irradiates a position on the sample corresponding to each of the irradiation points (a position on the sample corresponding to each pixel detecting a signal). This allows the effects from a micro-domain electrification occurring within the FOV to be mitigated or controlled.

Abstract: Provided are a charged particle detector and a radiation detector capable of obtaining an observation image with correct contrast without saturation even when the number of signal electrons incident on a detector is increased due to an increase in the current of a primary electron beam. The charged particle detector is characterized by having a scintillator (109) having a signal electron detection surface (109a) for detecting signal electrons emitted when a specimen is irradiated with primary electrons and converting the signal electrons into light, a light detector (111) having a light detection surface (111a) for detecting the light emitted from the scintillator (109), and a light guide (110) disposed between the scintillator (109) and the light detector (111), wherein the area of the light detection surface (111a) is larger than the area of the signal electron detection surface (109a).

Abstract: To stabilize an emitted electron beam, a thermoelectric field emission electron source includes: an electron source having a needle shape; a metal wire to which the electron source is fixed and configured to heat the electron source; a stem fixed to an insulator and configured to energize the metal wire; a first electrode having a first opening portion and arranged such that a tip of the electron source protrudes from the first opening portion; a second electrode having a second opening portion; and an insulating body configured to position the first electrode and the second electrode such that a central axis of the first opening portion and a central axis of the second opening portion coincide with each other, and to provide electrical insulation between the first and second electrodes, so as to provide a structure that reduces an amount of gas released when the first electrode is heated.

Abstract: To provide a charged particle beam device including a booster electrode and an object lens that generates a magnetic field in a vicinity of a sample, and capable of preventing ion discharge, an insulator is disposed between a magnetic field lens and the booster electrode. A tip of the insulator protrudes to a tip side of an upper magnetic path from a tip of a lower magnetic path of the magnetic field lens. The tip on a lower side of the insulator is above the lower magnetic path, and a non-magnetic metal electrode is embedded between the upper magnetic path and the lower magnetic path.

Abstract: The invention provides a charged particle beam device capable of reducing a positional shift between secondary beams generated in a beam separator. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam source configured to irradiate a sample with a plurality of primary beams, a plurality of detectors configured to detect secondary beams emitted from the sample in correspondence to the primary beams, and a beam separator configured to deflect the secondary beams in a direction different from that of the primary beams. The charged particle beam device further includes a deflector provided between the beam separator and the detector to correct a positional shift between the secondary beams generated in the beam separator.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device for which deterioration in throughput in the event of abnormality of multiple beams can be prevented. The charged particle beam device includes: a stage 11 on which a sample is mounted; a charged particle optical system configured to irradiate the sample with multiple beams including multiple primary beams; a detector 15 configured to detect secondary beams generated by interactions between the primary beams and the sample and output detection signals; and a control unit 17 configured to control the stage and the charged particle optical system to generate image data based on the detection signals from the detector obtained by scanning the sample with the multiple beams using a first scanning method.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device includes a plurality of detectors configured to detect one or more signal charged particle beams caused by irradiation on a sample with one or more primary charged particle beams, and a control system. The control system is configured to measure an intensity distribution of the one or more signal charged particle beams detected by the plurality of detectors, and correct the intensity distribution by using a correction function. The control system is configured to generate an image based on the corrected intensity distribution.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to use brightness images acquired under different energy conditions to estimate the size of a defect in the depth direction in a simple manner. A charged-particle beam device according to the present invention determines the brightness ratio for each irradiation position on a brightness image while changing parameters varying the signal amount, estimates the position of the defect in the depth direction on the basis of the parameters at which the brightness ratio is at a minimum, and estimates the size of the defect in the depth direction on the basis of the magnitude of the brightness ratio (see FIG. 5).

Abstract: A multi-beam scanning electron microscope (charged particle beam device) 100 includes an electron gun (charged particle irradiation source) 101 configured to irradiate a sample 104 with an electron beam (charged particle beam) 103, a detector 106 having a detection region corresponding to the charged particle beam 103 and configured to output an electrical signal 107 corresponding to a reaching position when secondary particles 105 generated from the sample 104 by irradiating the sample 104 with the charged particle beam 103 reach the detection region, and a signal processing block 115 configured to perform measurement of a charge amount of the sample 104 by the charged particle beam 103 and generation of an inspection image of the sample 104 in parallel based on the electrical signal 107 output from the detector 106.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus capable of acquiring an observation image having a high contrast in a sample whose light absorption characteristic depends on a light wavelength. The charged particle beam apparatus according to the invention irradiates the sample with light, generates an observation image of the sample, changes an irradiation intensity per unit time of the light, and then generates a plurality of the observation images having different contrasts (see FIG. 4).

Abstract: When adjusting optical axes of a multi-beam charged particle beam device, because parameters of optical systems are inter-dependent, the time required to adjust the parameters increases. Thus, the present invention provides a charged particle beam device provided with an optical parameter setting unit for setting parameters of optical systems for emitting a plurality of primary charged particle beams to a sample, detectors for individually detecting a plurality of secondary charged particle beams discharged from the sample, a plurality of memories for storing signals detected by the detectors and converted into digital pixels in the form of images, evaluation value derivation units for deriving evaluation values of the primary charged particle beams from the images, and a GUI capable of displaying the images and receiving an input from a user, wherein the GUI displays the images and evaluation results based on the evaluation values and changes various optical parameters in real-time.

Abstract: The scanning charged particle beam microscope according to the present application is characterized in that, in acquiring an image of the FOV (field of view), interspaced beam irradiation points are set, and then, a deflector is controlled so that a charged particle beam scan is performed faster when the charged particle beam irradiates a position on the sample between each of the irradiation points than when the charged particle beam irradiates a position on the sample corresponding to each of the irradiation points (a position on the sample corresponding to each pixel detecting a signal). This allows the effects from a micro-domain electrification occurring within the FOV to be mitigated or controlled.

Abstract: Deflection of a secondary beam, and astigmatism correction of a primary beam or of the secondary beam are carried out using a multi-pole electromagnetic deflector which deflects the path of the secondary beam toward a detector.

Abstract: To stabilize an amount of electron beam emitted from a thermoelectric field emission electron source. A thermoelectric field emission electron source includes: an electron source 301 having a needle shape; a metal wire 302 to which the electron source is fixed and configured to heat the electron source; a stem 303 fixed to an insulator and configured to energize the metal wire; a first electrode 304 having a first opening portion 304a and arranged such that a tip of the electron source protrudes from the first opening portion; a second electrode 306 having a second opening portion 306a; and an insulating body 307 configured to position the first electrode and the second electrode such that a central axis of the first opening portion and a central axis of the second opening portion coincide with each other, and provide electrical insulation between the first electrode and the second electrode, so as to provide a structure in which an amount of gas released when the first electrode is heated is reduced.