Abstract: A method of adjusting a charged particle optical system in a charged particle beam apparatus provided with the charged particle optical system including an aberration corrector in which multipole elements disposed in three or more stages and transfer optical systems are alternately disposed. The method includes adjusting aberration using at least two of the multipole elements without using at least one of the multipole elements, and adjusting parameters of the charged particle optical system other than aberration using at least one of the transfer optical systems that is not disposed between the at least two of the multipole elements used.

Abstract: An electron microscope includes an irradiation optical system that focuses electron beams and scans a specimen with the focused electron beams; a deflector that deflects the electron beams transmitted through the specimen; a detector that detects the electron beams transmitted through the specimen; and a control unit that controls the irradiation optical system and the deflector The control unit causes the irradiation optical system to scan the specimen with the electron beams so that the electron beams have a plurality of irradiation positions on the specimen. The control unit causes the deflector to repeatedly deflect the electron beams transmitted through each of the irradiation positions, so that a plurality of electron beams which have the same irradiation position and different incident angle ranges with respect to the specimen are caused to sequentially enter the detector.

Abstract: An electron microscope includes an electron source for emitting an electron beam, an illumination lens for focusing the beam, an aberration corrector for correcting aberrations, an illumination deflector assembly disposed between the illumination lens and the aberration corrector and operating to deflect the beam and to vary its tilt relative to a sample, a scanning deflector for scanning the sample with the beam, an objective lens, a detector for detecting electrons transmitted through the sample and producing an image signal, a control section for controlling the illumination deflector assembly, and an image generating section for receiving the image signal and generating a differential phase contrast (DPC) image. The tilt of the beam is varied by the illumination deflector assembly such that the image generating section generates a plurality of DPC images at different tilt angles of the beam and creates a final image based on the DPC images.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing method capable of generating an image representative of a magnetic field distribution. The method starts with acquiring phase images providing visualization of electromagnetic fields respectively in a plurality of columns. Then, each of the electromagnetic fields in the columns within the phase images is separated into magnetic field and electric field components. An image representative of a magnetic field distribution is created based on the separated magnetic field components. The step of separating each electromagnetic field includes separating the electromagnetic field in a first one of the columns into magnetic field and electric field components based on the electromagnetic field in a second one of the columns, the latter electromagnetic field having an electric field component oriented in the same direction as that in the first column.

Abstract: A method of acquiring a dark-field image for a scanning transmission electron microscope is provided. The scanning transmission electron microscope includes a dark-field detector having an annular detection region which is capable of detecting electrons scattered at a specimen in a predetermined angular range, an objective lens, and an imaging lens group disposed at a stage following the objective lens. The method includes reducing an influence of a geometrical aberration on the electrons scattered in the predetermined angular range by shifting a focus of the imaging lens group from a diffraction plane of the objective lens.

Abstract: An image acquisition method is provided for use in an electron microscope for scanning a sample by an electron probe and acquiring a scanned image. The method includes the steps of: raster scanning a region of the sample under observation with the electron probe and obtaining a first scanned image; raster scanning the region under observation with the electron probe and obtaining a second scanned image; and superimposing the first and second scanned images over each other. In the step of obtaining the first scanned image, each one of scan lines is drawn with the electron probe in a first direction and then moved in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In the step of obtaining the second scanned image, each one of the scan lines is drawn with the electron probe in the first direction and then moved in a third direction opposite to the second direction.

Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission electron microscope includes: causing a first magnetic field lens to generate a first magnetic field and causing a second magnetic field lens to generate a second magnetic field; causing the magnetic field applying unit to generate a magnetic field of a direction along an optical axis on a specimen mounting surface; and changing excitations of the first excitation coil and the second excitation coil to correct a deviation of a focal length of an objective lens due to the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field applying unit.

Abstract: There is provided a deflector that produces only a weak resulting combined hexapole field. The deflector (100) has first to sixth coils (11-16). The first to third coils (11-13) are equal in direction of energization. The fourth to sixth coils (14-16) are equal in direction of energization. The first coil (11) and fourth coil (14) are opposite in direction of energization. The first, third, fourth, and sixth coils (11, 13, 14, 16) are equal in electromotive force. The second coil (12) is equal in electromotive force to the fifth coil (15) and twice the electromotive force of the first coil (11).

Abstract: An image acquisition method is provided for use in an electron microscope for scanning a sample by an electron probe and acquiring a scanned image. The method includes the steps of: raster scanning a region of the sample under observation with the electron probe and obtaining a first scanned image; raster scanning the region under observation with the electron probe and obtaining a second scanned image; and superimposing the first and second scanned images over each other. In the step of obtaining the first scanned image, each one of scan lines is drawn with the electron probe in a first direction and then moved in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In the step of obtaining the second scanned image, each one of the scan lines is drawn with the electron probe in the first direction and then moved in a third direction opposite to the second direction.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing method capable of generating an image representative of a magnetic field distribution. The method starts with acquiring phase images providing visualization of electromagnetic fields respectively in a plurality of columns. Then, each of the electromagnetic fields in the columns within the phase images is separated into magnetic field and electric field components. An image representative of a magnetic field distribution is created based on the separated magnetic field components. The step of separating each electromagnetic field includes separating the electromagnetic field in a first one of the columns into magnetic field and electric field components based on the electromagnetic field in a second one of the columns, the latter electromagnetic field having an electric field component oriented in the same direction as that in the first column.

Abstract: A cold cathode field-emission electron gun includes: an emitter; an extraction electrode which extracts electrons from the emitter; and a biased electrode which is disposed closer to the emitter than the extraction electrode. A voltage applied to the biased electrode is variable.

Abstract: A method of acquiring a dark-field image for a scanning transmission electron microscope is provided. The scanning transmission electron microscope includes a dark-field detector having an annular detection region which is capable of detecting electrons scattered at a specimen in a predetermined angular range, an objective lens, and an imaging lens group disposed at a stage following the objective lens. The method includes reducing an influence of a geometrical aberration on the electrons scattered in the predetermined angular range by shifting a focus of the imaging lens group from a diffraction plane of the objective lens.

Abstract: There is provided a method of aberration measurement capable of reducing the effects of image drift. The novel method of aberration measurement is for use in an electron microscope. The method comprises the steps of: acquiring a first image that is a TEM (transmission electron microscope) image of a sample; scanning the illumination angle of an electron beam impinging on the sample and acquiring a second image by multiple exposure of a plurality of TEM images generated at different illumination angles; and calculating aberrations from the first and second images.

Abstract: An aberration measurement method for an objective lens in an electron microscope including an objective lens which focuses an electron beam that illuminates a specimen, and a detector which detects an electron beam having passed through the specimen, includes: introducing a coma aberration to the objective lens; measuring an aberration of the objective lens before introducing the coma aberration to the objective lens; measuring an aberration of the objective lens after introducing the coma aberration to the objective lens; and obtaining a position of an optical axis of the objective lens on a detector plane of the detector based on measurement results of the aberration of the objective lens before and after introducing the coma aberration.

Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission electron microscope includes: causing a first magnetic field lens to generate a first magnetic field and causing a second magnetic field lens to generate a second magnetic field; causing the magnetic field applying unit to generate a magnetic field of a direction along an optical axis on a specimen mounting surface; and changing excitations of the first excitation coil and the second excitation coil to correct a deviation of a focal length of an objective lens due to the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field applying unit.

Abstract: There is provided a deflector that produces only a weak resulting combined hexapole field. The deflector (100) has first to sixth coils (11-16). The first to third coils (11-13) are equal in direction of energization. The fourth to sixth coils (14-16) are equal in direction of energization. The first coil (11) and fourth coil (14) are opposite in direction of energization. The first, third, fourth, and sixth coils (11, 13, 14, 16) are equal in electromotive force. The second coil (12) is equal in electromotive force to the fifth coil (15) and twice the electromotive force of the first coil (11).

Abstract: Provided is a measurement method for measuring, in an electron microscope including a segmented detector having a detection plane segmented into a plurality of detection regions, a direction of each of the plurality of detection regions in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) image, the measurement method including: shifting an electron beam EB incident on a sample S under a state where the detection plane is conjugate to a plane shifted from a diffraction plane to shift the electron beam EB on the detection plane, and measuring a shift direction of the electron beam EB on the detection plane with the segmented detector; and obtaining the direction of each of the plurality of detection regions in the STEM image from the shift direction.

Abstract: There is provided a method of aberration measurement capable of reducing the effects of image drift. The novel method of aberration measurement is for use in an electron microscope. The method comprises the steps of: acquiring a first image that is a TEM (transmission electron microscope) image of a sample; scanning the illumination angle of an electron beam impinging on the sample and acquiring a second image by multiple exposure of a plurality of TEM images generated at different illumination angles; and calculating aberrations from the first and second images.

Abstract: A cold cathode field-emission electron gun includes: an emitter; an extraction electrode which extracts electrons from the emitter; and a biased electrode which is disposed closer to the emitter than the extraction electrode. A voltage applied to the biased electrode is variable.

Abstract: Provided is a measurement method for measuring, in an electron microscope including a segmented detector having a detection plane segmented into a plurality of detection regions, a direction of each of the plurality of detection regions in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) image, the measurement method including: shifting an electron beam EB incident on a sample S under a state where the detection plane is conjugate to a plane shifted from a diffraction plane to shift the electron beam EB on the detection plane, and measuring a shift direction of the electron beam EB on the detection plane with the segmented detector; and obtaining the direction of each of the plurality of detection regions in the STEM image from the shift direction.