Abstract: An emitter of a Ga liquid metal ion source is constituted to include W12 of a base material and Ga9 of an ion source element covering a surface as construction materials. By making back-sputtered particles become elements (W and Ga) of the Ga liquid metal ion sour source, if back-sputtered particles attach to the Ga liquid metal ion source, contamination which may change physical characteristics of Ga9 does not occur. A W aperture is used as a beam limiting (GUN) aperture to place Ga of approx. 25 mg (of melting point of 30° C.) on a surface of a portion included in a beam emission region (Ga store). When emitting ions to the beam limiting (GUN) aperture, Ga in the emission region melts and diffuses on a surface of the beam emission region of the W aperture.

Abstract: In an aperture for use in an ion beam optical system having its surface coated with a liquid metal, instability of an ion source attributable to sputtering and re-deposition of an aperture base material is prevented. A focused ion beam apparatus using a liquid metal ion source has an aperture for limiting an ion beam diameter. The aperture has a vessel formed with a recess having, at its surface lowermost point, an aperture hole through which the ion beam passes and a liquid metal mounted on the recess, the liquid metal being used for the liquid metal ion source. Preferably, the aperture may be minimized in area of aperture entrance hole inner surface which exposes the base material by tapering an aperture hole portion, by which the ion beam passes, on the downstream side.

Abstract: An emitter of a Ga liquid metal ion source is constituted to include W12 of a base material and Ga9 of an ion source element covering a surface as construction materials. By making back-sputtered particles become elements (W and Ga) of the Ga liquid metal ion source, if back-sputtered particles attach to the Ga liquid metal ion source, contamination which may change physical characteristics of Ga9 does not occur. A W aperture is used as a beam limiting (GUN) aperture to place Ga of approx. 25 mg (of melting point of 30° C.) on a surface of a portion included in a beam emission region (Ga store). When emitting ions to the beam limiting (GUN) aperture, Ga in the emission region melts and diffuses on a surface of the beam emission region of the W aperture.

Abstract: In order to implement faster high precision milling and high resolution image observation in the structure analysis and failure analysis of the MEMS and semiconductor devices, a two-lens optical system is mounted on a focused ion beam apparatus, and in the optical system the distance from an emitter apex in an ion source to an earth electrode included in a condenser lens and disposed nearest to the ion source is in the range of 5 to 14 mm.

Abstract: An emitter of a Ga liquid metal ion source is constituted to include W12 of a base material and Ga9 of an ion source element covering a surface as construction materials. By making back-sputtered particles become elements (W and Ga) of the Ga liquid metal ion sour source, if back-sputtered particles attach to the Ga liquid metal ion source, contamination which may change physical characteristics of Ga9 does not occur. A W aperture is used as a beam limiting (GUN) aperture to place Ga of approx. 25 mg (of melting point of 30° C.) on a surface of a portion included in a beam emission region (Ga store). When emitting ions to the beam limiting (GUN) aperture, Ga in the emission region melts and diffuses on a surface of the beam emission region of the W aperture.

Abstract: For the sake of realizing high throughput and high processing position accuracy in an ion beam apparatus, two kinds of ion beams for processing are prepared of which one is a focusing ion beam for high image resolution and an edge processing ion beam of large beam current for permitting a sectional edge portion to be processed sharply, whereby high processing position accuracy can be ensured even with a large current ion beam.

Abstract: A specimen fabrication apparatus including a movable sample stage on which a specimen substrate is mounted, a probe connector for firmly joining a tip of a probe to a portion of the specimen substrate in a vicinity of an area on the specimen substrate to be observed in an observation apparatus, a micro-specimen separator for separating from the specimen substrate a micro-specimen to which the tip of the probe is firmly joined, the micro-specimen including the area on the specimen substrate to be observed and the portion of the specimen substrate to which the tip of the probe is firmly joined, a micro-specimen fixer for fixing the micro-specimen separated from the specimen substrate to a specimen holder of the observation apparatus, and a probe separator for separating the tip of the probe from the micro-specimen fixed to the specimen holder.

Abstract: A specimen fabrication apparatus including a movable sample stage on which a specimen substrate is mounted, a probe connector for firmly joining a tip of a probe to a portion of the specimen substrate in a vicinity of an area on the specimen substrate to be observed in an observation apparatus, a micro-specimen separator for separating from the specimen substrate a micro-specimen to which the tip of the probe is firmly joined, the micro-specimen including the area on the specimen substrate to be observed and the portion of the specimen substrate to which the tip of the probe is firmly joined, a micro-specimen fixer for fixing the micro-specimen separated from the specimen substrate to a specimen holder of the observation apparatus, and a probe separator for separating the tip of the probe from the micro-specimen fixed to the specimen holder.

Abstract: For the sake of realizing high throughput and high processing position accuracy in an ion beam apparatus, two kinds of ion beams for processing are prepared of which one is a focusing ion beam for high image resolution and an edge processing ion beam of large beam current for permitting a sectional edge portion to be processed sharply, whereby high processing position accuracy can be ensured even with a large current ion beam.

Abstract: A specimen fabrication apparatus including a movable sample stage on which a specimen substrate is mounted, a probe connector for firmly joining a tip of a probe to a portion of the specimen substrate in a vicinity of an area on the specimen substrate to be observed in an observation apparatus, a micro-specimen separator for separating from the specimen substrate a micro-specimen to which the tip of the probe is firmly joined, the micro-specimen including the area on the specimen substrate to be observed and the portion of the specimen substrate to which the tip of the probe is firmly joined, a micro-specimen fixer for fixing the micro-specimen separated from the specimen substrate to a specimen holder of the observation apparatus, and a probe separator for separating the tip of the probe from the micro-specimen fixed to the specimen holder.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for fabrication of a specimen including a semiconductor wafer or a semiconductor device chip and the tip of a probe firmly joined to the vicinity of an area to be observed on the specimen substrate which is mounted on a sample stage. A micro-specimen including the area to be observed is separated from the specimen substrate. Firmly joined to the tip of the probe, the micro-specimen separated from the specimen substrate is then transferred to a specimen holder of an apparatus for carrying out an observation, an analysis and/or a measurement on the micro-specimen to be fixed to the specimen holder. Subsequently, the tip of the probe is separated from the micro-specimen fixed to the specimen holder.

Abstract: For the sake of realizing high throughput and high processing position accuracy in an ion beam apparatus, two kinds of ion beams for processing are prepared of which one is a focusing ion beam for high image resolution and an edge processing ion beam of large beam current for permitting a sectional edge portion to be processed sharply, whereby high processing position accuracy can be ensured even with a large current ion beam.

Abstract: The track width of a magnetic head is specified by the interval between a pair of grooves in the slider surface that are formed by a projection ion beam. Specifically, the grooves are processed by projecting a mask having the pattern of the pair of grooves with a projection ion beam with reduction to a magnification of 1/10, for example. Although the peripheral strain of the pattern thus formed is large and the current distortion is not uniform when the projection ion beam batch irradiation area is limited, the increase in depth of the grooves formed at the periphery of the grooves does not affect the track narrowing process at the center portion of the projection ion beam since the strain thereof is negligibly small. As a result, a narrow track width is processed with high precision.