Abstract: To realize a sample lifting and lowering device capable of easily responding to increase of a diameter of a sample with light weight and high rigidity as well as with less directional dependence of rigidity as the sample lifting lowering device arranged above a horizontal movement mechanism.

Abstract: To realize a sample lifting and lowering device capable of easily responding to increase of a diameter of a sample with weight and high rigidity as well as with less directional dependence of rigidity as the sample lifting lowering device arranged above a horizontal movement mechanism.

Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an electron microscope for properly applying a retarding voltage to a sample which is brought into electrical conduction.

Abstract: There is provided a technique that is capable of attracting a sample without making the voltage applied to an electrostatic chuck unnecessarily large. Attraction experiments with respect to the electrostatic chuck are performed using a testing sample whose degree of warp and pattern of warp are known, and a critical application voltage at which the attraction state changes from “bad” to “good” is found. When measuring an inspection target sample, the flatness of the inspection target sample is measured, and the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample are detected. Based on the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample and on the known critical application voltage, the application voltage for the electrostatic chuck is set.

Abstract: The charged particle beam device has a problem that a symmetry of equipotential distribution is disturbed near the outer edge of a specimen, an object being evaluated, causing a charged particle beam to deflect there. An electrode plate installed inside the specimen holding mechanism of electrostatic attraction type is formed of an inner and outer electrode plates arranged concentrically. The outer electrode plate is formed to have an outer diameter larger than that of the specimen. The dimensions of the electrode plates are determined so that an overlapping area of the outer electrode plate and the specimen is substantially equal to an area of the inner electrode plate. The inner electrode plate is impressed with a voltage of a positive polarity with respect to a reference voltage and of an arbitrary magnitude, and the outer electrode is impressed with a voltage of a negative polarity and of an arbitrary magnitude.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a column for irradiating a sample with a charged particle beam, a vacuum sample chamber to which the column is attached, moving tables disposed in the vacuum sample chamber to move the sample relatively to the column, and position detectors for detecting positions of the moving tables. The stage apparatus includes an attachment member disposed between the column and the vacuum sample chamber. The attachment member has an opening which restricts movement of the column in a same direction as directions of the moving tables. Reference mirrors in the position detectors for detecting the positions of the tables are attached to the attachment member. Each of the reference mirrors has an adjustment apparatus to adjust a relative angle between the reference mirror and the laser beam.

Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.

Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.

Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.

Abstract: There is provided a technique that is capable of attracting a sample without making the voltage applied to an electrostatic chuck unnecessarily large. Attraction experiments with respect to the electrostatic chuck are performed using a testing sample whose degree of warp and pattern of warp are known, and a critical application voltage at which the attraction state changes from “bad” to “good” is found. When measuring an inspection target sample, the flatness of the inspection target sample is measured, and the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample are detected. Based on the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample and on the known critical application voltage, the application voltage for the electrostatic chuck is set.

Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.

Abstract: The charged particle beam device has a problem that a symmetry of equipotential distribution is disturbed near the outer edge of a specimen, an object being evaluated, causing a charged particle beam to deflect there. An electrode plate installed inside the specimen holding mechanism of electrostatic attraction type is formed of an inner and outer electrode plates arranged concentrically. The outer electrode plate is formed to have an outer diameter larger than that of the specimen. The dimensions of the electrode plates are determined so that an overlapping area of the outer electrode plate and the specimen is substantially equal to an area of the inner electrode plate. The inner electrode plate is impressed with a voltage of a positive polarity with respect to a reference voltage and of an arbitrary magnitude, and the outer electrode is impressed with a voltage of a negative polarity and of an arbitrary magnitude.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an electron microscope for properly applying a retarding voltage to a sample which is brought into electrical conduction.

Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.

Abstract: A plasma processing system includes a first unit for plasma-processing a sample based on a recipe for plasma processing, and a second unit for modifying the recipe in accordance with a monitored value obtained during the plasma processing of the sample in the first unit. A next sample is plasma processed in the first unit based on the modified recipe.

Abstract: In the plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber for plasma-processing a processed substrate, plasma generating unit that generates plasma in the processing chamber, and a wafer stage which is mounted in the processing chamber and has an electrostatic chuck for holding the processed substrate, a current detector that detects a current value of leakage current flowing in a circuit formed of a power supply for electrostatic attraction, an electrostatic chuck, a substrate, plasma, a grounded line, and a controlling unit which sets an attraction condition to the current value and controls the applied voltage so that the leakage current reaches the set current value are included.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum processing apparatus for performing a multi-step processing operation for a sample, a sensor for monitoring process parameters during at least a first step of the processing operation, a signal compression unit for compressing a signal from the sensor to generate an apparatus state signal, a worked result estimate model unit which estimates a processed result on the basis of the apparatus state signal and a set processed-result estimation equation, an optimum recipe calculation model unit which calculates corrections to processing conditions so that the processed result becomes a target value, a usable recipe selecting unit which judges validity of an optimum recipe. At a next step of the processing operation, sample processing is performed under optimum conditions on the basis of the usable recipe selected by the selected usable recipe.

Abstract: A method of processing a semiconductor which includes providing a process gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to a sample stand to hold a sample in a process chamber and to the process chamber, successively supplying a plurality of samples of a lot to the process chamber to conduct an intra-lot successive process, predicting, before a lot process is started and according to sensor data detected by a state sensor to detect a state in the process chamber, intra-lot variation patterns of results of the intra-lot successive process, and changing, according to a result of the prediction by the intra-lot variation pattern prediction unit, a process condition applied to a sample of the lot and conducting the lot process.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is disclosed for removing the deposition film in the processing chamber and suppressing the corrosion of wall surface material. The plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma generating means, a monitor means for detecting the existence of a reaction product containing a material constituting an inner wall of the processing chamber, and an alarm means for notifying that the existence of the reaction product containing the material constituting the inner wall of the processing chamber has exceeded a predetermined amount. The plasma processing apparatus is configured such that plasma cleaning is performed for every arbitrary etching process, and a wall surface stabilization process is subsequently performed using O2 gas or F gas.