Abstract: An electron beam apparatus comprises an electron beam source, a unit for irradiating an electron beam on a specimen, a detector for secondary electrons, an electrode for generating an electric field sufficient to draw out secondary electrons in a recess in the specimen from the recess, and a unit for generating a magnetic field for focusing secondary electrons drawn out of the recess. With this construction, the secondary electrons drawn out of the recess by the electric field reach the detector without being attracted by the electrode. By adopting this construction, a contact hole of high aspect ratio formed in a semiconductor device and having a small diameter and a large depth can be observed.

Abstract: A plasma source mass spectrometer in which ions in a plasma generated in a high pressure (.ltoreq.1 atm) region are introduced into a low pressure (.ltoreq.10.sup.-5 Torr) region to analysis the ion mass includes a moderate pressure (.gtoreq.10.sup.-3 Torr) region which is provided between the high pressure region and the low pressure region. The plasma generated in the high pressure region is diffused to the moderate pressure region in order to produce a diffused plasma. Ions are extracted from the diffused plasma by an ion extraction electrode having an ion extraction opening. In the vicinity of the ion extraction opening a convex-shaped toward the diffused plasma whereby ion sheath is formed, whereby the ions can be extracted toward the low pressure region with a high efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma ion source mass spectrometer comprising an ion source in which a sample to be detected is ionized in plasma and a mass spectrometer which mass-separates and detects the ionized sample supplied from the ion source, characterized in that there is provided a gas introduction means for introducing into a region before the mass spectrometer a gas containing particles which can bring about a charge transfer reaction with background ions contained in particles supplied from the ion source or a gas containing particles which can bring about an energy transfer reaction with excited molecule contained in the particles supplied from the ion source. By providing such gas introduction means, background ions or excited molecule can be efficiently quenched and enhancement of sensitivity of plasma ion source mass spectrometer can be attained.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor is disclosed, which comprises a slider including a tabular vibrator in which a standing wave is excited, and a plurality of piezoelectric actuators securely mounted at the parts of the lower surface of the vibrator corresponding to the loop and node of the standing wave and adapted to be deformed in phase with the standing wave.

Abstract: A charged particle beam lithography system has a high-throughput and inexpensive system configuration. The system configuration is constituted by a plurality of charged particle optical systems each adapted to focus and deflect a beam of charged particles and irradiate the beam onto a specimen so that the beam draws a desired pattern on the specimen, a plurality of deflection distortion correcting circuits each associated with each of the charged particle optical systems for correcting a deflection distortion of each charged particle optical system, and a common pattern data control circuit for supplying data of a pattern to be drawn to each of the plurality of deflection distortion correcting circuits.

Abstract: An electron beam lithography apparatus comprises: a spot electron beam generator; device for exposing a desired pattern onto a wafer using the spot beam; device for dividing the pattern into small regions; and device for designating an origin of the small region and also digitally scanning the portion inside the small region by a fixed correction amount by use of the spot beam, and thereby to reduce the settling time of the D/A converter in association with the digital scanning.

Abstract: An apparatus for chopping a charged particle beam comprises: deflecting means for deflecting a charged particle beam by a high frequency voltage; deflecting means for deflecting the charged particle beam by a DC voltage or low frequency saw-tooth voltage in the same deflecting direction as the high frequency deflecting means does; and aperture means for taking out only a part of the charged particle beam deflected. The generation time point of the pulse beam which is generated at a high frequency is arbitrarily adjusted by the DC voltage or low frequency saw-tooth voltage.

Abstract: A cathode for an electron source according to this invention comprises an emitter tip made of an electron emissive material, a filament for holding the emitter tip, and a binder for binding the emitter tip and the filament, the filament and the binder being made of glassy carbon. The binder can have a carbide or boride powder incorporated therein. The cathode according to this invention can be produced by using a thermosetting resin of predetermined shape as the starting material of the filament, fixing the emitter tip to a predetermined position of the thermosetting resin with the adhesive agent made of the raw thermosetting resin, and heating the resultant assembly in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to carbonize the resinous portions. This cathode is structurally very simple. Moreover, the adhesion between the filament and the emitter tip is excellent, and the emitter tip can be heated to high temperatures above 2,000.degree. C. by causing current to flow through the cathode.

Abstract: Apparatus wherein an identical field of view of an object to-be-observed is imaged in two directions different from each other and wherein the image in one of the directions and the image in the other direction are reproduced and displayed as a left eye image and a right eye image respectively, thereby to perform the stereoscopic version of the object to-be-observed, comprising means to indicate one mark on each of the left eye image and the right eye image, and means to move both the marks to any desired positions on the respective images. The mark moving means has the function of interlockingly moving both the marks by equal distances in the same direction on the respective images, and the function of singly moving only the mark on one of the images as the position of the mark on the other image is kept fixed, and it is provided with means to control the change-over between the interlockingly moving state and the singly moving state.

Abstract: A field emission electron gun provided in a housing defining a vacuum chamber comprises a field emission tip as an electron source, an anode spaced from and facing the field emission tip, the field emission tip and the anode defining a space in which the field emission tip produces electrons. An evaporation source disposed in the vacuum chamber, the evaporating material from which forms evaporation layers on the inner surface of the vacuum chamber and the anode surface. A first voltage source is interconnected between the field emission tip and the anode, in order to accelerate the electrons from the tip toward the anode, and a second voltage source is connected with the evaporation source to supply a current for the evaporation. The evaporation layers are formed before the first voltage source is actuated, whereby reactive gases adhering to and embedded to the inner surface of the vacuum chamber and the anode are suppressed from being drawn out by electron bombardment.