Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes: a charged particle beam column configured to irradiate an irradiation target with a charged particle beam; a detector configured to detect secondary charged particles emitted from the irradiation target by the irradiation of the charged particle beam; a needle arranged in an irradiation area of the charged particle beam; a needle actuator configured to actuate the needle; and a controller configured to control the needle actuator to actuate the needle along a movement route that is configured by a preset target position and preset way points. The controller controls the needle actuator to set an actuating direction of the needle for each of the way points.

Abstract: A composite charged particle beam apparatus comprises an FIB column and an SEM column arranged so that the ion and the electron beam irradition axes intersect with each other substantially at a right angle. A sample stage mounts a sample, and a detector detects secondary particles generated from the sample when irradiated with the ion beam or the electron beam. An observation image formation portion forms an FIB image and an SEM image based on a detection signal of the detector. An optical microscope observes the sample, and a display portion displays the FIB image, the SEM image and an optical microscope image. A stage control portion changes the coordinate system of the sample stage to any selected one of the coordinate systems of the FIB image, the SEM image and the optical microscope image.

Abstract: To contribute to the improvement of catalytic activity of a lower hydrocarbon aromatization catalyst, which converts a lower hydrocarbon(s) to an aromatic compound(s), and to the improvement of compactability of the catalyst. The lower hydrocarbon aromatization catalyst is obtained by compacting a mixture obtained by mixing a metallosilicate supporting thereon a catalyst metal and having a large grain size with a metallosilicate supporting thereon a catalyst metal and having a small grain size. As the metallosilicate having a large grain size, one having a grain size of from 1.0 ?m to 5.0 ?m is used. As the metallosilicate having a small grain size, one having a grain size of from 0.1 ?m to 1.0 ?m is used. The percentage of the metallosilicate having a large grain size is adjusted to from 20% to 80%, relative to mass of the lower hydrocarbon aromatization catalyst.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus which is able to adjust charged particle optics easily in a short time with a high degree of accuracy and a method of adjusting charged particle optics are provided.

Abstract: Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: an electron beam column for irradiating a sample with an electron beam; an ion beam column for irradiating the sample with an ion beam to perform etching processing; a sample stage drive portion for moving a sample stage in an irradiation axis direction of the electron beam; and a column adjusting portion for moving the ion beam column relatively to a sample chamber such that the sample is irradiated with the ion beam at a position irradiated with the electron beam.

Abstract: A catalyst for aromatizing a lower hydrocarbon, in order to increase the amount of production of useful aromatic compounds, such as benzene and toluene, by improving the methane conversion rate, the benzene formation rate, the naphthalene formation rate and the BTX formation rate (or a total formation rate of benzene, toluene and xylene) is such that molybdenum and silver are loaded on a metallosilicate as a substrate. It is more preferable to obtain the aromatizing catalyst by loading molybdenum and silver after modifying a zeolite formed of the metallosilicate with a silane compound that has a molecular diameter larger than a pore diameter of the zeolite and that has an amino group, which selectively reacts at a Bronsted acid point of the zeolite, and a straight-chain hydrocarbon group.

Abstract: Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: an electron beam column for irradiating a sample with an electron beam; an ion beam column for irradiating the sample with an ion beam to perform etching processing; a sample stage drive portion for moving a sample stage in an irradiation axis direction of the electron beam; and a column adjusting portion for moving the ion beam column relatively to a sample chamber such that the sample is irradiated with the ion beam at a position irradiated with the electron beam.

Abstract: Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: an FIB column (1); an SEM column (2), which is arranged substantially at a right angle with respect to the FIB column (1); a sample stage (3) for mounting a sample (4); a secondary electron detector (5) for detecting a secondary particle generated from the sample (4); an observation image formation portion (8) for forming an FIB image and an SEM image based on a detection signal; and a display portion (9) for displaying the FIB image and the SEM image in which a horizontal direction of the sample in the FIB image and a horizontal direction of the sample in the SEM image are the same.

Abstract: Provided is a composite charged particle beam apparatus, including: a focused ion beam column (4); an electron beam column (6) orthogonal to the focused ion beam column (4); a sample stage (2) for moving a sample (11); an optical microscope (14) for observing the sample (11); a display portion (12, 13) capable of displaying a focused ion beam image, an electron beam image, and an optical microscope image, and a stage control portion (3) for moving the sample stage (2) in accordance with a coordinate system of each image.

Abstract: In manufacturing aromatic hydrocarbons by causing a contact reaction between a lower hydrocarbon and a catalyst, the aromatic hydrocarbons are stably produced over a long period of time while maintaining high aromatic hydrocarbon yields. The process includes a reaction process of initiating the contact reaction between the lower hydrocarbon and the catalyst thereby obtaining the aromatic hydrocarbons and hydrogen, and a regeneration process of regenerating the catalytic activity by bringing hydrogen into contact with the catalyst used in the reaction process. The reaction process and the regeneration process are repeated thereby producing the aromatic hydrocarbons and hydrogen. In the reaction process, carbon monoxide is added to the lower hydrocarbons and additionally a reaction temperature is set at higher than 800° C.

Abstract: There is provided a sample processing and observing method including irradiating a focused ion beam to a sample to form an observed surface, irradiating an electron beam to the observed surface to form an observed image, removing the surface opposite to the observed surface of the sample, forming a lamella including the observed surface and obtaining a transmission observed image for the lamella.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes a charged particle source, an aperture, an object lens, an observing unit, an aperture driving portion, and a control portion. The control portion includes a spot pattern forming portion that forms a plurality of spot patterns on a surface of a sample by irradiating a charged particle beam, an analyzing portion that calculates a position of a spot center of the spot pattern and a geometrical center position of a halo, and an adjusting position determining portion that calculates an adjusting position based on a position of intersecting lines connecting the positions of the spot centers of the respective spot patterns and the center position of the halo. In this manner, the position of the aperture can be easily and accurately adjusted in a short period of time by moving the center axis of the aperture to the adjusting position.

Abstract: [Task] To produce an aromatic hydrocarbon stably for a long time while maintaining a high aromatic hydrocarbon yield, when producing an aromatic hydrocarbon by a catalytic reaction of a lower hydrocarbon with a catalyst. [Solving Means] An aromatic hydrocarbon is produced by providing a reaction step to obtain an aromatic hydrocarbon by conducting a catalytic reaction of a lower hydrocarbon with a catalyst and a regeneration step to regenerate the catalyst used in the reaction step, and by repeating the reaction step and the regeneration step. In the reaction step, carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide is added to the lower hydrocarbon, and the reaction temperature is made to be higher than 800° C.

Abstract: There is provided a sample processing and observing method including irradiating a focused ion beam to a sample to form an observed surface, irradiating an electron beam to the observed surface to form an observed image, removing the surface opposite to the observed surface of the sample, forming a lamella including the observed surface and obtaining a transmission observed image for the lamella.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that precisely conduct ion beam etching to a sample having the properties of which easily change by electron beam irradiation with no loss of ease of operation and throughput. An apparatus includes an ion beam lens barrel and an electron beam lens barrel, which can observe or measure the conditions of a sample with an electron beam in the process of etching with an ion beam, wherein first, an observation image is obtained that includes the entire process area formed by secondary signals generated by an electron beam, secondly, an irradiation permit area and an irradiation inhibit area are defined in the observation image, and thirdly, electron beam irradiation is restricted only to the irradiation permit area.

Abstract: A catalyst for aromatizing a lower hydrocarbon, in order to increase the amount of production of useful aromatic compounds, such as benzene and toluene, by improving the methane conversion rate, the benzene formation rate, the naphthalene formation rate and the BTX formation rate (or a total formation rate of benzene, toluene and xylene) is such that molybdenum and silver are loaded on a metallosilicate as a substrate. It is more preferable to obtain the aromatizing catalyst by loading molybdenum and silver after modifying a zeolite formed of the metallosilicate with a silane compound that has a molecular diameter larger than a pore diameter of the zeolite and that has an amino group, which selectively reacts at a Bronsted acid point of the zeolite, and a straight-chain hydrocarbon group.

Abstract: There is provided a method of arranging, as a composite charged-particle beam system, a gas ion beam apparatus, an FIB and an SEM in order to efficiently prepare a TEM sample. The composite charged-particle beam system includes an FIB lens-barrel 1, an SEM lens-barrel 2, a gas ion beam lens-barrel 3, and a rotary sample stage 9 having an eucentric tilt mechanism and a rotating shaft 10 orthogonal to an eucentric tilt axis 8. In the composite charged-particle beam system, an arrangement is made such that a focused ion beam 4, an electron beam 5 and a gas ion beam 6 intersect at a single point, an axis of the FIB lens-barrel 1 and an axis of the SEM lens barrel 2 are orthogonal to the eucentric tilt axis 8, respectively, and the axis of the FIB lens-barrel 1, an axis of the gas ion beam lens-barrel 3 and the eucentric tilt axis 8 are in one plane.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus which is able to adjust charged particle optics easily in a short time with a high degree of accuracy and a method of adjusting charged particle optics are provided.

Abstract: There are provided a charged particle beam apparatus and a method of adjusting an axis of an aperture capable of adjusting a position of a center axis of the aperture easily and accurately in a short period of time. A charged particle beam apparatus 1 includes a charged particle source 9, an aperture 18, an object lens 12, observing means 32, an aperture driving portion 19, and a control portion 30.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that precisely conduct ion beam etching to a sample having the properties of which easily change by electron beam irradiation with no loss of ease of operation and throughput. An apparatus includes an ion beam lens barrel and an electron beam lens barrel, which can observe or measure the conditions of a sample with an electron beam in the process of etching with an ion beam, wherein first, an observation image is obtained that includes the entire process area formed by secondary signals generated by an electron beam, secondly, an irradiation permit area and an irradiation inhibit area are defined in the observation image, and thirdly, electron beam irradiation is restricted only to the irradiation permit area.