Abstract: This invention relates to a photosensitive polyimide material having positive-type or negative-type photosensitivity, which may be developed with a high resolution with an irradiation energy having short wavelength such as ultraviolet light or electron beam. The positive-type photosensitive polyimide composition comprising a solvent-soluble polyimide which shows positive-type photosensitivity in the presence of a photoacid generator, which is obtained by polycondensation of at least one aliphatic tetracarboxylic dianhydride and/or alicyclic tetracarboxylic dianhydride and at least one aliphatic diamine and/or alicyclic diamine and/or diaminosiloxane; and the photoacid generator. Since the polyimide has negative-type photosensitivity when irradiated with electron beam in the absence of a photoacid generator, a method for forming negative-type polyimide pattern using the polyimide is also provided.

Abstract: A charged beam apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having a moving mechanism inside and a sample chamber, the sample chamber being used placed in an ultra-high vacuum atmosphere or a gas atmosphere, wherein a flat surface is formed on that surface of the moving mechanism which faces the sample chamber, and a flange having a flat open surface is mounted between the vacuum chamber and the sample chamber such that the open surface is opposed to the flat surface with a tiny gap being formed between the open surface and the flat surface for permitting vacuum venting without imposing any restrictions on the moving mechanism, whereby the apparatus operates without restricting the action of the moving mechanism.