Abstract: A method of manufacturing a split probe tip on a cantilever comprises providing a cantilever having a surface on which is formed a probe that projects outwardly from the surface at one end of the cantilever, irradiating and scanning a tip of the probe with a focused particle beam directed in a direction that is inclined relative to the surface of the cantilever to obtain an image of the probe tip, and determining the center of the probe tip from the image of the probe tip. Then a first channel is formed in the probe tip at the center thereof by irradiating and scanning the center of the probe tip with a focused particle beam to form a split probe tip having two spaced-apart probe tip parts.

Abstract: In order to provide a simple method for manufacturing a more finely detailed split probe with less damage being incurred, by tilting the whole of the microcantilever 6, it is possible to easily determine the center of the probe tip and decide processing position. Channel processing 1 and 2 is carried out using a small focused ion beam current over an extremely narrow range of the processing position. A channel 3 spanning a broad range connected to the channels 1 and 2 is processed using a focused ion beam current larger than the aforementioned focused ion beam current used at the channel processing of the channels 1 and 2, and the electrodes are cut.

Abstract: A cross-section is obtained in which a sample shape is clearly delineated by forming a covering layer of a material different from that of the sample surface on the sample surface, forming a protective layer on the covering layer forming a hole in the protective and covering layers and the sample surface to expose the cross-section, and tilting the sample and scanning the cross-section with a focused ion beam so as to obtain a microscopic image of the cross-section. By forming the covering layer of a material different from that of the sample surface, the shape of the sample can be clearly viewed in the obtained image.

Abstract: The present invention adopts a TEM sample slicing process for observation of a specified point on a cross section of a wafer shaped sample, comprising a step of depositing a thick protection film on the sample surface at regions of the cross section to be observed, a step of hollowing out a large hole in front of the regions of the cross section to be observed, a step of forming hollowing out a hole behind the regions of the cross section to be observed and forming slicing process sections, and following on from that, executing slicing processing by setting irradiation regions at regions including the center of the slicing process section and irradiating a focused ion beam from above the sample surface, using angle of incidence characteristics of etching rate due to a focused ion beam.

Abstract: The present invention adopts a TEM sample slicing process for observation of a specified point on a cross section of a wafer shaped sample, comprising a step of depositing a thick protection film on the sample surface at regions of the cross section to be observed, a step of hollowing out a large hole in front of the regions of the cross section to be observed, a step of forming hollowing out a hole behind the regions of the cross section to be observed and forming slicing process sections, and following on from that, executing slicing processing by setting irradiation regions at regions including the center of the slicing process section and irradiating a focused ion beam from above the sample surface, using angle of incidence characteristics of etching rate due to a focused ion beam.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide technology for processing and observing a cross-section using a focussed ion beam method for obtaining a microscopic image where an original sample surface shape is clearly depicted at the sample surface in a cross-section processing step. The present invention achieves this object by first forming a covering layer of a different material to the material of a sample surface at the surface of the as-yet unprocessed sample. A protective layer is then formed by deposition and this portion is subjected to cross-section processing. A covering layer of a different material then exists at the boundary of the original sample surface and the protective layer deposited by deposition. The presence of the covering layer of a different substance in a microscopic image then enables the shape of the original sample surface to be clearly depicted.