Abstract: A sample positioning method that can easily and quickly position a target observation area of a sample, which is disposed on a sample stage in a sample chamber of a charged particle beam apparatus, into a field of view of a first charged particle beam.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sample positioning method that can easily and quickly position a target observation area of a sample into a field of view of a first charged particle beam. The method includes: displaying an image including the sample in a display screen; designating an attention point on the basis of the image in the display screen; aligning the position of the sample stage in the direction of an optical axis so that the attention point is positioned in an on-axis point tracer plane perpendicular to the optical axis through an on-axis target point on the optical axis; and moving the attention point to the on-axis target point by performing detection of deviation of the attention point from the on-axis target point and movement in the on-axis point tracer plane; and moving the attention point into a depth of a focus of an charged particle beam optics.

Abstract: A sample fabricating method of irradiating a sample with a focused ion beam at an incident angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the sample, eliminating the peripheral area of a micro sample as a target, turning a specimen stage around a line segment perpendicular to the sample surface as a turn axis, irradiating the sample with the focused ion beam while the incident angle on the sample surface is fixed, and separating the micro sample or preparing the micro sample to be separated. A sample fabricating apparatus for forming a sample section in a sample held on a specimen stage by scanning and deflecting an ion beam, wherein an angle between an optical axis of the ion beam and the surface of the specimen stage is fixed and formation of a sample section is controlled by turning the specimen stage.

Abstract: An ion beam machining and observation method relevant to a technique of cross sectional observation of an electronic component, through which a sample is machined by using an ion beam and a charged particle beam processor capable of reducing the time it takes to fill up a processed hole with a high degree of flatness at the filled area. The observation device is capable of switching the kind of gas ion beam used for machining a sample with the kind of a gas ion beam used for observing the sample. To implement the switch between the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample machining and the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample observation, at least two gas introduction systems are used, each system having a gas cylinder, a gas tube, a gas volume control valve, and a stop valve.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage.

Abstract: An ion beam machining and observation method relevant to a technique of cross sectional observation of an electronic component, through which a sample is machined by using an ion beam and a charged particle beam processor capable of reducing the time it takes to fill up a processed hole with a high degree of flatness at the filled area. The observation device is capable of switching the kind of gas ion beam used for machining a sample with the kind of a gas ion beam used for observing the sample. To implement the switch between the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample machining and the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample observation, at least two gas introduction systems are used, each system having a gas cylinder, a gas tube, a gas volume control valve, and a stop valve.

Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus, including: a sample holder provided with a fixing surface for fixing, via a deposition film, a micro-specimen extracted from a specimen using a method for fabrication by a focused ion beam, in which a width of the fixing surface is smaller than 50 microns; a specimen transferring unit having a probe to which the specimen can be joined through the deposition film, and transferring the micro-specimen extracted from the specimen by the focused ion-beam fabrication method, to the sample holder; and a sample chamber in which the sample, the sample holder and the probe are laid out, wherein, in the sample chamber, the micro-specimen extracted from the specimen by the focused ion-beam fabrication method is fixed to the fixing surface of the sample holder through the deposition film, and the micro-specimen fixed to the fixing surface is fabricated by irradiating the focused ion beam.

Abstract: There is provided a method and a device for accurately detecting the contact of a mechanical probe with a contact object. The contact detecting device comprises a mechanical probe movable for being in contact with a contacted object, a charged particle beam source which generates a charged particle beam applied to the contacted object, a detector for detecting secondary particles or reflected particles from the contacted object, a calculating device which calculates, from a detection signal from the detector, a feature quantity of a shadow of the mechanical probe projected on the contacted object, and a control device which controls the operation of the mechanical probe. The calculating device calculates, as the feature quantity of the shadow of the mechanical probe, a shadow depth S(x, y), and obtains an evaluation value J(z), showing a distance between the contacted object and the mechanical probe, based on the shadow depth S(x, y).

Abstract: An ion beam machining and observation method relevant to a technique of cross sectional observation of an electronic component, through which a sample is machined by using an ion beam and a charged particle beam processor capable of reducing the time it takes to fill up a processed hole with a high degree of flatness at the filled area. The observation device is capable of switching the kind of gas ion beam used for machining a sample with the kind of a gas ion beam used for observing the sample. To implement the switch between the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample machining and the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample observation, at least two gas introduction systems are used, each system having a gas cylinder a gas tube, a gas volume control valve, and a stop valve.

Abstract: An ion beam processing apparatus includes an ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiate a rectangular ion beam to a sample held on a first sample stage, an electron beam irradiation optical system that irradiates an electron beam to the sample, and a second sample stage on which a test piece, extracted from the sample by a probe, is mounted. An angle of irradiation of the ion beam can be tilted by rotating the second sample stage about a tilting axis. A controller controls the width of skew of an intensity profile representing an edge of the rectangular ion beam in a direction perpendicular to a first direction in which the tilting axis of the second sample stage is projected on the second sample stage surface so that the width will be smaller than the width of skew of an intensity profile representing another edge of the ion beam in a direction parallel to the first direction.

Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus, including: a specimen transferring unit having a probe to which a micro-specimen extracted from a specimen, can be joined through a joining deposition film, for transferring the micro-specimen to a sample holder; and wherein, the specimen transferring unit holds the probe which is joined through the joining deposition film to the micro-specimen extracted from the specimen, and the sample stage moves so that the sample holder mounted on the holder clasp is provided into an irradiated range of the focused ion beam, and the specimen transferring unit approaches the probe to the sample holder, and the gas nozzle supplies the deposition gas so that the micro-specimen is fixed to the sample holder through a fixing deposition film, and the ion beam irradiating optical system irradiates the focused ion beam to the micro-specimen fixed to the sample holder for various procedures.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage.

Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus, including: a sample holder provided with a fixing surface for fixing, via a deposition film, a micro-specimen extracted from a specimen using a method for fabrication by a focused ion beam, in which a width of the fixing surface is smaller than 50 microns; a specimen transferring unit having a probe to which the specimen can be joined through the deposition film, and transferring the micro-specimen extracted from the specimen by the focused ion-beam fabrication method, to the sample holder; and a sample chamber in which the sample, the sample holder and the probe are laid out, wherein, in the sample chamber, the micro-specimen extracted from the specimen by the focused ion-beam fabrication method is fixed to the fixing surface of the sample holder through the deposition film, and the micro-specimen fixed to the fixing surface is fabricated by irradiating the focused ion beam.

Abstract: A system for analyzing a semiconductor device, including: a first ion beam apparatus including: a sample stage to mount a sample substrate; a vacuum chamber in which the sample stage is placed; an ion beam irradiating optical system to irradiate the sample substrate; a specimen holder that accommodates a plurality of specimens separated from the sample substrate by the irradiation of the ion beam; and a probe to extract the separated specimen from the sample substrate, and to transfer the separated specimen to the specimen holder; a second ion beam apparatus that carries out a finishing process to the specimen; and an analyzer to analyze the finished specimen, wherein the first ion beam apparatus separates the specimen and the probe in a vacuum condition.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage.

Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus, including: a specimen transferring unit having a probe to which a micro-specimen extracted from a specimen, can be joined through a joining deposition film, for transferring the micro-specimen to a sample holder; and wherein, the specimen transferring unit holds the probe which is joined through the joining deposition film to the micro-specimen extracted from the specimen, and the sample stage moves so that the sample holder mounted on the holder clasp is provided into an irradiated range of the focused ion beam, and the specimen transferring unit approaches the probe to the sample holder, and the gas nozzle supplies the deposition gas so that the micro-specimen is fixed to the sample holder through a fixing deposition film, and the ion beam irradiating optical system irradiates the focused ion beam to the micro-specimen fixed to the sample holder for various procedures.

Abstract: There is provided a method and a device for accurately detecting the contact of a mechanical probe with a contact object. The contact detecting device comprises a mechanical probe movable for being in contact with a contacted object, a charged particle beam source which generates a charged particle beam applied to the contacted object, a detector for detecting secondary particles or reflected particles from the contacted object, a calculating device which calculates, from a detection signal from the detector, a feature quantity of a shadow of the mechanical probe projected on the contacted object, and a control device which controls the operation of the mechanical probe. The calculating device calculates, as the feature quantity of the shadow of the mechanical probe, a shadow depth S(x, y), and obtains an evaluation value J(z), showing a distance between the contacted object and the mechanical probe, based on the shadow depth S(x, y).

Abstract: A sample fabricating method of irradiating a sample with a focused ion beam at an incident angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the sample, eliminating the peripheral area of a micro sample as a target, turning a specimen stage around a line segment perpendicular to the sample surface as a turn axis, irradiating the sample with the focused ion beam while the incident angle on the sample surface is fixed, and separating the micro sample or preparing the micro sample to be separated. A sample fabricating apparatus for forming a sample section in a sample held on a specimen stage by scanning and deflecting an ion beam, wherein an angle between an optical axis of the ion beam and the surface of the specimen stage is fixed and formation of a sample section is controlled by turning the specimen stage.

Abstract: A sample fabricating method of irradiating a sample with a focused ion beam at an incident angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the sample, eliminating the peripheral area of a micro sample as a target, turning a specimen stage around a line segment perpendicular to the sample surface as a turn axis, irradiating the sample with the focused ion beam while the incident angle on the sample surface is fixed, and separating the micro sample or preparing the micro sample to be separated. A sample fabricating apparatus for forming a sample section in a sample held on a specimen stage by scanning and deflecting an ion beam, wherein an angle between an optical axis of the ion beam and the surface of the specimen stage is fixed and formation of a sample section is controlled by turning the specimen stage.