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: There is provided an apparatus and a method capable of preparing a standardized probe without need for working skill of probe processing.

Abstract: Provided are a device and method capable of machining a machining target such as a sample, a probe, or a sample table without requiring a high degree of device operation skill. First, a shape generation process of determining a shape of a machining target on the basis of an ion beam scanning signal and an absorption current of the machining target is performed. Next, a machining pattern positioning process of positioning a machining pattern over an image of the machining target is performed. Further, an ion beam stopping process of stopping ion beam irradiation is performed from a result of comparison between the image of the machining target and the machining pattern while the machining target is machined through the ion beam irradiation.

Abstract: Separation and the like of an excised specimen from a specimen are automatically performed. Marks for improving image recognition accuracy are provided in a region that becomes an excised specimen in a specimen and a region other than said region, or in a transfer means for transferring the excised specimen and a specimen holder capable of holding the excised specimen, and the relative movement of the excised specimen and the specimen, and the like are recognized with high accuracy by image recognition. In the sampling of a minute specimen using a focused ion beam, the detection of an end point of processing for separation of the excised specimen from the specimen, and the like are automatically performed. Thus, for example, unmanned specimen excision becomes possible, and preparation of a lot of specimens becomes possible.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus of the present invention comprises a transmission electron detector (113; 206) having a detection portion divided into multiple regions (201 to 205; 301 to 305), wherein a film thickness of a sample is calculated by detecting a transmission electron beam (112) generated from the sample when the sample is irradiated with an electron beam (109), as a signal of each of the regions in accordance with scattering angles of the transmission electron beam, and thereafter calculating the intensities of the individual signals. According to the above, there is provided a charged particle beam apparatus capable of performing accurate film thickness monitoring while suppressing an error due to an external condition and also capable of processing a thin film sample into a sample having an accurate film thickness, which makes it possible to improve the accuracy in structure observations, element analyses and the like.

Abstract: Provided are a device and method capable of machining a machining target such as a sample, a probe, or a sample table without requiring a high degree of device operation skill. First, a shape generation process of determining a shape of a machining target on the basis of an ion beam scanning signal and an absorption current of the machining target is performed. Next, a machining pattern positioning process of positioning a machining pattern over an image of the machining target is performed. Further, an ion beam stopping process of stopping ion beam irradiation is performed from a result of comparison between the image of the machining target and the machining pattern while the machining target is machined through the ion beam irradiation.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is related to detecting of a detection signal at an optimum position in such a case that a sample plane is inclined with respect to a charged particle beam. The present invention is related to a charged particle beam apparatus for irradiating a charged particle beam to a sample, in which a detector is moved to a plurality of desirable positions around the sample so as to optimize positions of the detector. In accordance with the present invention, since it is possible to obtain an optimum detection signal in response to an attitude and a shape of the sample, a highly accurate sample observation, for instance, an SEM observation, an STEM observation, and an FIB observation can be carried out. Moreover, in an FIB-SEM apparatus, it is possible to highly accurately detect an end point of an FIB process.

Abstract: Disclosed is an operation for an optical system which achieves observation of focused ion beam processing equivalent to that in a case wherein a sample stage is tilted mechanically. In a focused ion beam optical system, an aperture, a tilting deflector, a beam scanner, and an objective lens are controlled so as to irradiate an ion beam tilted to the optical axis of the optical system, thereby achieving thin film processing and a cross section processing without accompanying adjustment and operation for a sample stage. The thin film processing and the cross section processing with a focused ion beam can be automated, and yield can be improved. For example, by applying the present invention to a cross section monitor to detect an end point, the cross section processing can be easily automated.

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: There is provided an apparatus and a method capable of preparing a standardized probe without need for working skill of probe processing.

Abstract: Disclosed is an operation for an optical system which achieves observation of focused ion beam processing equivalent to that in a case wherein a sample stage is tilted mechanically. In a focused ion beam optical system, an aperture, a tilting deflector, a beam scanner, and an objective lens are controlled so as to irradiate an ion beam tilted to the optical axis of the optical system, thereby achieving thin film processing and a cross section processing without accompanying adjustment and operation for a sample stage. The thin film processing and the cross section processing with a focused ion beam can be automated, and yield can be improved. For example, by applying the present invention to a cross section monitor to detect an end point, the cross section processing can be easily automated.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus of the present invention comprises a transmission electron detector (113; 206) having a detection portion divided into multiple regions (201 to 205; 301 to 305), wherein a film thickness of a sample is calculated by detecting a transmission electron beam (112) generated from the sample when the sample is irradiated with an electron beam (109), as a signal of each of the regions in accordance with scattering angles of the transmission electron beam, and thereafter calculating the intensities of the individual signals. According to the above, there is provided a charged particle beam apparatus capable of performing accurate film thickness monitoring while suppressing an error due to an external condition and also capable of processing a thin film sample into a sample having an accurate film thickness, which makes it possible to improve the accuracy in structure observations, element analyses and the like.

Abstract: Separation and the like of an excised specimen from a specimen are automatically performed. Marks for improving image recognition accuracy are provided in a region that becomes an excised specimen in a specimen and a region other than said region, or in a transfer means for transferring the excised specimen and a specimen holder capable of holding the excised specimen, and the relative movement of the excised specimen and the specimen, and the like are recognized with high accuracy by image recognition. In the sampling of a minute specimen using a focused ion beam, the detection of an end point of processing for separation of the excised specimen from the specimen, and the like are automatically performed. Thus, for example, unmanned specimen excision becomes possible, and preparation of a lot of specimens becomes possible.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is related to detecting of a detection signal at an optimum position in such a case that a sample plane is inclined with respect to a charged particle beam. The present invention is related to a charged particle beam apparatus for irradiating a charged particle beam to a sample, in which a detector is moved to a plurality of desirable positions around the sample so as to optimize positions of the detector. In accordance with the present invention, since it is possible to obtain an optimum detection signal in response to an attitude and a shape of the sample, a highly accurate sample observation, for instance, an SEM observation, an STEM observation, and an FIB observation can be carried out. Moreover, in an FIB-SEM apparatus, it is possible to highly accurately detect an end point of an FIB process.

Abstract: A plastic optical fiber low in attenuation in a high order mode and small in mode dispersion, is presented. The plastic optical fiber comprises at least a core and a clad surrounding the core, characterized in that the core has a refractive index which gradually decreases from the core center towards the outside in the radial direction of the plastic optical fiber, and the refractive index of the clad is lower than the refractive index of the core center and higher than the refractive index of the core periphery.

Abstract: A plastic optical fiber low in attenuation in a high order mode and small in mode dispersion, is presented. The plastic optical fiber comprises at least a core and a clad surrounding the core, characterized in that the core has a refractive index which gradually decreases from the core center towards the outside in the radial direction of the plastic optical fiber, and the refractive index of the clad is lower than the refractive index of the core center and higher than the refractive index of the core periphery.

Abstract: A plastic optical fiber which is a graded index optical fiber having a concentric inner/outer at least two layer structure, wherein the inner layer has a graded index structure made of a non-crystalline fluoropolymer (a) having substantially no C—H bond, and the outer layer has a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the outermost portion of the inner layer and is made of a fluoropolymer material (c) selected from the following 1) and 2): 1) a fluoropolymer (d) containing the same polymerized units as the polymerized units in the fluoropolymer (a), and 2) a mixture (f) of a fluoropolymer (a) with another fluoropolymer (e).

Abstract: A plastic optical fiber which is a graded index optical fiber having a concentric inner/outer at least two layer structure, wherein the inner layer has a graded index structure made of a non-crystalline fluoropolymer (a) having substantially no C—H bond, and the outer layer has a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the outermost portion of the inner layer and is made of a fluoropolymer material (c) selected from the following 1) and 2):

Abstract: A cylindrical base material having an outer and inner at least two layer structure is produced by using a cylindrical molded body made of a low-refractive-index material as a mold, and forming at least one layer made of a layer-forming material having a relatively high refractive index in the inner surface of the cylindrical molded body by the rotational molding, wherein the centrifugal force during the rotational molding is changed.

Abstract: Synthetic resin is extruded through a die on a window panel along its peripheral portion to form a resin frame having a specific shape; air is blown to a lip portion extending from the resin frame toward the outer peripheral side of the window panel to maintain or change the shape of the resin frame, and the resin frame is solidified to connect integrally with the window panel.