Abstract: As a technology for an observation device and an inspection device, a technology capable of reducing a work effort related to generation of a recipe including alignment information is provided. An observation device 1 includes an observation unit 103 that obtains an image for observing a sample 101 on a stage 102. A computer system 2 of the observation device 1 acquires the image from the observation unit 103, specifies a period of a pattern-formed unit region repeatedly formed on a surface of the sample 101 from the image, and generates a recipe including observation or inspection alignment positions of the sample 101 using the specified period.

Abstract: The charged particle beam apparatus automatically judges the good or bad of an observation object on the basis of information obtained from an image of the observation object on a wafer; displays a judgment result on a screen; displays the observation object, extracted from the judgment result, that requires to be corrected on the basis of the good or bad of the observation object from a user; and corrects the judgment result to the extracted and displayed observation object on the basis of an instruction from the user.

Abstract: A first object is to use both ADC (automatic defect classification) and MDC (manual defect classification) and reduce the amount of MDC operation. A second object is to prevent a DOI (defect of interest) from being missed. The first object is achieved by displaying judgment information on a screen. The judgment information is necessary when part of the classification is performed by ADC and part of the classification is performed by MDC and used to judge which classification is used, ADC or MDC. In the display operation, ADC classification results and MDC classification results are also displayed in the form of matrix. Further, a missed DOI rate is calculated for each classification threshold used in the defect classification and displayed on the screen.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device that prevents the increase in processing trouble caused by deterioration in the reviewing performance (e.g., overlooking of defects) by detecting an operation abnormality affecting the performance of the device or a possibility of such an abnormality in the middle of a processing sequence of a sample and giving a feedback in real time. In each processing step of the charged particle beam device, monitoring items representing the operating status of the device (control status of the electron beam, an offset amount at the time of wafer positioning, a defect coordinate error offset amount, etc.) are monitored during the processing sequence of a sample and stored as history information. In the middle of the processing sequence, a comparative judgment between the value of each monitoring item and the past history information corresponding to the monitoring item is made according to preset judgment criteria.

Abstract: An increase in the number of evaluation points of a semiconductor wafer is effective in improving evaluation accuracy of a manufacturing process. However, a method of automatically evaluating and classifying of these evaluation points by a defect review apparatus is lower in accuracy as compared with a manual work, and it is difficult to perfectly automate the method by these apparatuses. Therefore, the judgment as to whether the evaluation point is actually a defect is entrusted to manual evaluation, limiting the number of evaluable points. The present invention aims at lightening a burden of the manual work in process margin evaluation in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device that prevents the increase in processing trouble caused by deterioration in the reviewing performance (e.g., overlooking of defects) by detecting an operation abnormality affecting the performance of the device or a possibility of such an abnormality in the middle of a processing sequence of a sample and giving a feedback in real time. In each processing step of the charged particle beam device, monitoring items representing the operating status of the device (control status of the electron beam, an offset amount at the time of wafer positioning, a defect coordinate error offset amount, etc.) are monitored during the processing sequence of a sample and stored as history information. In the middle of the processing sequence, a comparative judgment between the value of each monitoring item and the past history information corresponding to the monitoring item is made according to preset judgment criteria.

Abstract: A first object is to use both ADC (automatic defect classification) and MDC (manual defect classification) and reduce the amount of MDC operation. A second object is to prevent a DOI (defect of interest) from being missed. The first object is achieved by displaying judgment information on a screen. The judgment information is necessary when part of the classification is performed by ADC and part of the classification is performed by MDC and used to judge which classification is used, ADC or MDC. In the display operation, ADC classification results and MDC classification results are also displayed in the form of matrix. Further, a missed DOI rate is calculated for each classification threshold used in the defect classification and displayed on the screen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for preparing travel-course data for an unmanned dump truck which can automatically prepare travel-course data with ease and improve the operability and operating efficiency. To this end, the preparing apparatus comprises a position measuring means (11), for measuring a current position of a loader; a loader controller (13), for transmitting by radio the current position, an automatic guiding mode switch (25), for selecting a mode of automatically traveling the unmanned dump truck to a new loading position; and a course preparing means (24), for preparing new travel-course data based on a new loading position and stored travel-course data by regarding the current position as a new loading position when a mode selection signal is inputted, wherein an automatic travel controller (6) rewrites the stored data as new travel-course data.

Abstract: Radiation-shielding transparent material comprising an aqueous solution of thallium formate with or without thallium malonate, the solution having a density of 2.5 to 4.3 g/cm.sup.3, a radiation length of 3.8 to 1.9 cm, and a transmission of not less than 93% for light of 400 nm wavelength. The material is produced by deoxidizing thallium formate and dissolving the deoxidized thallium formate in deoxidized distilled water.