Abstract: Provided are a thin film sample creation method and a charged particle beam apparatus capable of preventing a thin film sample piece from being damaged. The method includes a process of processing a sample by irradiating a surface of the sample with a focused ion beam (FIB) from a second direction that crosses a normal line to the surface of the sample to create a thin film sample piece and a connection portion positioned at and connected to one side of the thin film sample piece, a process of rotating the sample around the normal line, a process of connecting the thin film sample piece to a needle for holding the thin film sample piece, and a process of separating the thin film sample piece from the sample by irradiating the connection portion with a focused ion beam from a third direction that crosses the normal line.

Abstract: To automatically repeat an operation of isolating a sample piece, which is formed by processing a sample with an ion beam, and transferring the sample piece to a sample piece holder, a charged particle beam device includes a computer configured to perform control so that, without rotating a needle with which the sample piece is fixed to the sample piece holder, a deposition film deposited on the needle is irradiated with a charged particle beam from a charged particle beam irradiation optical system.

Abstract: Provided are a thin film sample creation method and a charged particle beam apparatus capable of preventing a thin film sample piece from being damaged. The method includes a process of processing a sample by irradiating a surface of the sample with a focused ion beam (FIB) from a second direction that crosses a normal line to the surface of the sample to create a thin film sample piece and a connection portion positioned at and connected to one side of the thin film sample piece, a process of rotating the sample around the normal line, a process of connecting the thin film sample piece to a needle for holding the thin film sample piece, and a process of separating the thin film sample piece from the sample by irradiating the connection portion with a focused ion beam from a third direction that crosses the normal line.

Abstract: This charged particle beam apparatus is provided with: a charged particle beam lens-barrel for irradiating a sample with a charged particle beams; a tilting base that has a first sample holding portion capable of holding the sample and that holds the first sample holding portion to be turnable about a first axis; a tilting base that has a second sample holding portion capable of holding the sample and that holds the second sample holding portion to be turnable about a second axis parallel to the first axis; and a driving force supplier that supplies to the tilting bases with a driving force for turning the tilting bases in association with each other.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus automatically prepares a sample piece from a sample. The apparatus includes a charged particle beam irradiation optical system that emits a charged particle beam. A sample stage with a sample placed thereon is movable relative to the charged particle beam irradiation optical system. A sample piece transferring device holds and transports a sample piece separated and extracted from the sample, and a holder fixing base holds a sample piece holder to which the sample piece is to be transferred. An electrical conduction sensor detects electrical conduction between the sample piece transferring device and an object, and a computer sets a time management mode when electrical conduction between the sample piece transferring device and the sample piece is not detected when the sample piece transferring device and the sample piece are connected to each other.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus which automatically prepares a sample piece from a sample, includes: a charged particle beam irradiation optical system configured to perform irradiation of a charged particle beam; a sample stage configured to move, the sample being placed on the sample stage; a sample piece relocation unit configured to hold and transport the sample piece which is separated and picked up from the sample; a holder fixing stage which holds a sample piece holder to which the sample piece is relocated; and a computer which performs positional control in relation to a target object based on a template and positional information which is obtained from an image of the target object, the template being generated based on an absorption current image of the target object which is acquired using the irradiation of the charged particle beam.

Abstract: (Task) To repeatedly perform an operation of extracting a sample piece formed by processing a sample with an ion beam and of transferring the extracted sample piece to a sample piece holder. (Problem Solving Means) A charged particle beam apparatus includes a computer that sets a shaping processing region including a bottom portion of sample piece in a thickness direction of the sample piece corresponding to a depth direction at the time of processing a sample after a needle holds the sample piece, and controls a focused ion beam irradiation optical system to irradiate the shaping processing region with a focused ion beam to thereby shape the sample piece.

Abstract: To automatically repeat an operation of isolating a sample piece, which is formed by processing a sample with an ion beam, and transferring the sample piece to a sample piece holder, a charged particle beam device includes a computer configured to perform control so that, without rotating a needle with which the sample piece is fixed to the sample piece holder, a deposition film deposited on the needle is irradiated with a charged particle beam from a charged particle beam irradiation optical system.

Abstract: (Task) To repeatedly perform an operation of extracting a sample piece formed by processing a sample with an ion beam and of transferring the extracted sample piece to a sample piece holder. (Problem Solving Means) A charged particle beam apparatus includes a computer that sets a shaping processing region including a bottom portion of s ample piece in a thickness direction of the sample piece corresponding to a depth direction at the time of processing a sample after a needle holds the sample piece, and controls a focused ion beam irradiation optical system to irradiate the shaping processing region with a focused ion beam to thereby shape the sample piece.

Abstract: A charged particle beam includes: a computer that controls a needle actuating mechanism so as to approach a needle to a sample piece using a template formed from an absorbed current image obtained by irradiating the needle with a charged particle beam and a tip coordinate of the needle acquired from a secondary electron image obtained by irradiating the needle with the charged particle beam.

Abstract: Provided is a technique capable of removing a damaged layer of a sample piece generated through an FIB fabrication sufficiently but at the minimum. A charged particle beam device includes a first element ion beam optical system unit (110) which performs a first FIB fabrication to form a sample piece from a sample, a second element ion beam optical system unit (120) which performs a second FIB fabrication to remove a damaged layer formed on a surface of the sample piece, and a first element detector (140) which detects an first element existing in the damaged layer. A termination of the second FIB fabrication is determined if an amount of the first element existing in the damaged layer becomes smaller than a predefined threshold value.

Abstract: Disclosed is a charged particle beam apparatus for automatically preparing a sample piece from a sample. The apparatus includes a charged particle beam irradiation optical system that irradiates a charged particle beam, a sample stage that moves with the sample placed thereon, a sample piece transferring device that holds and transports the sample piece separated and extracted from the sample, a holder fixing base that holds a sample piece holder to which the sample piece is transferred, and a computer that performs control of destroying the sample piece held by the sample piece transferring device when an abnormality occurs after the sample piece transferring device holds the sample piece.

Abstract: Disclosed is a charged particle beam apparatus for automatically preparing a sample piece from a sample. The apparatus includes a charged particle beam irradiation optical system configured to irradiate an object with a charged particle beam, a stage configured to move with the sample placed thereon, a sample piece transferring device configured to hold and transport the sample piece separated and extracted from the sample, a holder fixing base configured to hold a sample piece holder to which the sample piece is to be transferred, an electrical conduction sensor configured to detect electrical conduction between the sample piece transferring device and an object, and a computer configured to set a time management mode when electrical conduction between the sample piece transferring device and the sample piece is not detected when the sample piece transferring device and the sample piece are connected to each other.

Abstract: There is provided a control device for controlling a charged particle beam apparatus, wherein the beam apparatus comprises a workpiece stage having at least two turning axes which are not parallel to each other and an irradiation unit, and the control device comprises an angle calculation unit that based on a direction of a first processing in which a processed surface having a normal line not parallel to any of the turning axes is generated in the workpiece by the irradiation unit and a direction of a second processing to be processed by the irradiation unit from a direction different from the direction of the first processing with respect to the processed surface to be generated by the first processing, calculates turning angles about the turning axes that changes the direction of the stage from the direction of the first processing to the direction of the second processing.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus which automatically prepares a sample piece from a sample, includes: a charged particle beam irradiation optical system configured to perform irradiation of a charged particle beam; a sample stage configured to move, the sample being placed on the sample stage; a sample piece relocation unit configured to hold and transport the sample piece which is separated and picked up from the sample; a holder fixing stage which holds a sample piece holder to which the sample piece is relocated; and a computer which performs positional control in relation to a target object based on a template and positional information which is obtained from an image of the target object, the template being generated based on an absorption current image of the target object which is acquired using the irradiation of the charged particle beam.

Abstract: There is provided a control device for controlling a charged particle beam apparatus, wherein the beam apparatus comprises a workpiece stage having at least two turning axes which are not parallel to each other and an irradiation unit, and the control device comprises an angle calculation unit that based on a direction of a first processing in which a processed surface having a normal line not parallel to any of the turning axes is generated in the workpiece by the irradiation unit and a direction of a second processing to be processed by the irradiation unit from a direction different from the direction of the first processing with respect to the processed surface to be generated by the first processing, calculates turning angles about the turning axes that changes the direction of the stage from the direction of the first processing to the direction of the second processing.

Abstract: A charged particle beam includes: a computer that controls a needle actuating mechanism so as to approach a needle to a sample piece using a template formed from an absorbed current image obtained by irradiating the needle with a charged particle beam and a tip coordinate of the needle acquired from a secondary electron image obtained by irradiating the needle with the charged particle beam.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus automatically prepares a sample piece from a sample and includes a charged particle beam irradiation optical system that irradiates a charged particle beam to a sample placed on a movable sample stage. A sample piece transferring unit holds and transfers a sample piece separated and extracted from the sample, and a holder support holds a sample piece holder to which the sample piece is transferred. A computer controls a position of an object based on a template prepared from an image of the object acquired by irradition with the charged particle beam and position information acquired from the image of the object. The sample piece transferring unit includes a needle that transfers the sample piece separated and extrated from the sample, and a needle actuting mechanism that actuates the needle.

Abstract: The present invention enables a sample to be observed in a clean state directly after preparation of a final observation surface when preparing a sample for observing a material that is sensitive to heat.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device with high sensitivity, capable of detecting charged particles emitted from a sample at high resolution. An absorption current detector arranged to contact with the sample makes an absorption current generated in the sample by an irradiated charged particle beam flow through the detector, thereby to detect the current. The charged particle beam scans the sample and the charged particle beam device acquires an absorption current image. In case the absorption current detector is arranged separated from the sample, the absorption current detector detects the incident charged particle beam as a signal current dependent on an angle ? formed in a direction from the irradiation position on the sample toward the absorption current detector relative to at least one of the normal line direction of the front surface of the sample and the incident direction of the charged particle beam.