Abstract: The invention relates to a trajectory correction method for a charged particle beam, and provides a low-cost, high accuracy and high-resolution converging optical system for use with a charged particle beam to solve problems with conventional aberration correction systems. To this end, the present invention uses a configuration which forms electromagnetic field which is concentrated towards a center of a beam trajectory axis, causes oblique of the beam to make use of lens effects and bend the trajectory, and consequently, cancels out large external side non-linear effects such a spherical aberration of the electron lens. Specifically, the configuration generates an electric field concentration in a simple manner by providing electrodes above the axis and applying voltages to the electrodes. Further, the above configuration can be realized trough operations using lenses and deflectors with incident axes and image formation positions that are normal.

Abstract: A lip categorizing method uses the size and shape of the lips as viewed from the front of the face as a first categorization index and the three-dimensional form of the lips as a second categorization index. The lip categorizing map is composed of a first coordinate axis showing the degree of the first categorization index and a second coordinate axis showing the degree of the second categorization index and has a coordinate system in which the first and second coordinate axes are orthogonal. It also generates makeup information for two-dimensionally correcting the lips of a subject based on preset reference by setting a plurality of points for determining the form features of lips on an image that depicts the lips, and judges the form features of the lips of the subject based on analytical values of the two-dimensional features of the lips measured from the set points.

Abstract: In a charged-particle beam apparatus having a high-accuracy and high-resolution focusing optical system for charged-particle beam, a group of coils are arranged along a beam emission axis to extend through the contour of radial planes each radiating from the beam emission axis representing a rotary axis and each having a circular arc which subtends a divisional angle resulting from division of a circumferential plane by a natural number larger than 2 so that a superposed magnetic field may be generated on the incident axis of the charged-particle beam and the trajectory of the charged-particle beam may be controlled by the superposed magnetic field.

Abstract: When conditions for an electron gun mainly represented by extraction voltage V1 and accelerating voltage V0 are changed, a charged particle beam is once focused on a fixed position by means of a condenser lens and a virtual cathode position is calculated from a lens excitation of the condenser lens at that time and the mechanical positional relation of the electron gun to set an optical condition. For more accurate setting of the optical condition, a deflecting electrode device is provided at a crossover position of the condenser lens and a voltage is applied to the deflecting electrode device at a constant period so as to control the lens excitation of the condenser lens such that the amount of movement of an image is minimized on an image display unit such as CRT.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus obtains an image by detecting a generation signal inclusively indicative of secondary electrons generated from a specimen. The apparatus has an input unit for inputting current and voltage values to be applied to a charged particle optical system through which the charged particle beam travels, a memory unit for storing shape, position and physical properties of the charged particle optical system and accuracy of the applied current or voltage, an electromagnetic field calculation unit for calculating an electromagnetic field near a path of the charged particle beam, a charged particle trajectory calculation unit for calculating a trajectory of the charged particle beam in the calculated electromagnetic field, a memory unit for storing a result of the trajectory calculation and a controller for controlling the charged particle optical system on the basis of the result of the trajectory calculation.

Abstract: When conditions for an electron gun mainly represented by extraction voltage V1 and accelerating voltage V0 are changed, a charged particle beam is once focused on a fixed position by means of a condenser lens and a virtual cathode position is calculated from a lens excitation of the condenser lens at that time and the mechanical positional relation of the electron gun to set an optical condition. For more accurate setting of the optical condition, a deflecting electrode device is provided at a crossover position of the condenser lens and a voltage is applied to the deflecting electrode device at a constant period so as to control the lens excitation of the condenser lens such that the amount of movement of an image is minimized on an image display unit such as CRT.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a sample using a scanning electron microscope includes a sample stage, a first electron-optical system to scan an electron beam of a first beam current on the sample, a second electron-optical system to scan an electron beam of a second beam current smaller than the first beam current on the sample, a mechanism to move the sample stage, a detector provided in each of the first and second electron-optical systems to detect a secondary electron. The first electron-optical system is operable in a first mode and the second electron-optical system is operable in a second mode with higher resolution than that of the first mode. In the first mode, the sample is observed while the sample stage is moved continuously, and in the second mode, the sample is observed by detecting a secondary electron using the detector while the sample stage is held stationary.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an orbit correction method for a charged particle beam, and aims to solve problems inherent in conventional aberration correction systems and to provide a low-cost, high-precision, high-resolution optical converging system for a charged particle beam. To this end, employed is a configuration in which a beam orbit is limited in ring zone form to form a distribution of electromagnetic field converging toward the center of a beam orbit axis. Consequently, a nonlinear action outwardly augmented, typified by spherical aberration of an electron lens, can be cancelled out. Specifically, this effect can be achieved by an electron disposed on the axis and subjected to a voltage to facilitate the occurrence of electrostatic focusing. For a magnetic field, this effect can be achieved by forming a coil radially distributed-wound on a surface equiangularly divided in the direction of rotation to control convergence of a magnetic flux density.

Abstract: In a method of scanning a charged particle beam which can position the scan position to a proper location inside a deflectable range of the scan position of charged particle beam, the scan position of charged particle beam is deflected to a plurality of target objects inside a scan position deflectable region and on the basis of a shift of a target object at a scan location after deflection, the deflection amount at the scan location is corrected.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer inspection tool and a semiconductor wafer inspection method capable of conducting an inspection under appropriate conditions in any one of an NVC (Negative Voltage Contrast) mode and a PVC (Positive Voltage Contrast) mode is provided. Primary electrons 2 are irradiated onto a wafer to be inspected 6 and the irradiation position thereof is scanned in an XY direction. Secondary electrons (or reflected electrons) 10 from the wafer to be inspected 6 are controlled by a charge control electrode 5 and detected by a sensor 11. An image processor converts a detection signal from the sensor 11 to a detected image, compares the detected image with a predetermined reference image, judges defects, an overall control section 14 selects inspection conditions from recipe information for each wafer to be inspected 6 and sets a voltage to be applied to the charge control electrode 5.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus obtains an image by detecting a generation signal inclusively indicative of secondary electrons generated from a specimen. The apparatus has an input unit for inputting current and voltage values to be applied to a charged particle optical system through which the charged particle beam travels, a memory unit for storing shape, position and physical properties of the charged particle optical system and accuracy of the applied current or voltage, an electromagnetic field calculation unit for calculating an electromagnetic field near a path of the charged particle beam, a charged particle trajectory calculation unit for calculating a trajectory of the charged particle beam in the calculated electromagnetic field, a memory unit for storing a result of the trajectory calculation and a controller for controlling the charged particle optical system on the basis of the result of the trajectory calculation.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus obtains an image by detecting a generation signal inclusively indicative of secondary electrons generated from a specimen. The apparatus has an input unit for inputting current and voltage values to be applied to a charged particle optical system through which the charged particle beam travels, a memory unit for storing shape, position and physical properties of the charged particle optical system and accuracy of the applied current or voltage, an electromagnetic field calculation unit for calculating an electromagnetic field near a path of the charged particle beam, a charged particle trajectory calculation unit for calculating a trajectory of the charged particle beam in the calculated electromagnetic field, a memory unit for storing a result of the trajectory calculation and a controller for controlling the charged particle optical system on the basis of the result of the trajectory calculation.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a sample using a scanning electron microscope includes a sample stage, a first electron-optical system to scan an electron beam of a first beam current on the sample, a second electron-optical system to scan an electron beam of a second beam current smaller than the first beam current on the sample, a mechanism to move the sample stage, a detector provided in each of the first and second electron-optical systems to detect a secondary electron. The first electron-optical system is operable in a first mode and the second electron-optical system is operable in a second mode with higher resolution than that of the first mode. In the first mode, the sample is observed while the sample stage is moved continuously, and in the second mode, the sample is observed by detecting a secondary electron using the detector while the sample stage is held stationary.

Abstract: A circuit pattern inspecting instrument includes an electron-optical system for irradiating an electron beam on a sample, an electron beam deflector, a detector for detecting secondary charged particles from the sample, and a mode setting unit for switching between a first mode and a second mode. An electron beam current is larger in the first mode than in the second mode, and an electron beam scanning speed is higher in the first mode than in the second mode. The circuit pattern inspecting instrument is configured so that first the sample is observed in the first mode, then a particular position on the sample is selected based on image data produced by an output of the detector in the first mode, and then the particular position on the sample is observed in the second mode.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus is provided which has high resolving power and a wide scanning region (observation field of view). The apparatus has a unit for adjusting the focus, a unit for adjusting astigmatism, a unit for controlling and detecting scanning positions and a controller operative to control the focus adjustment and astigmatism adjustment at a time in interlocked relation to the scanning positions, thereby assuring compatibility between the high resolving power and the observation view field of a wide area.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus obtains an image by detecting a generation signal inclusively indicative of secondary electrons generated from a specimen. The apparatus has an input unit for inputting current and voltage values to be applied to a charged particle optical system through which the charged particle beam travels, a memory unit for storing shape, position and physical properties of the charged particle optical system and accuracy of the applied current or voltage, an electromagnetic field calculation unit for calculating an electromagnetic field near a path of the charged particle beam, a charged particle trajectory calculation unit for calculating a trajectory of the charged particle beam in the calculated electromagnetic field, a memory unit for storing a result of the trajectory calculation and a controller for controlling the charged particle optical system on the basis of the result of the trajectory calculation.

Abstract: When conditions for an electron gun mainly represented by extraction voltage V1 and accelerating voltage V0 are changed, a charged particle beam is once focused on a fixed position by means of a condenser lens and a virtual cathode position is calculated from a lens excitation of the condenser lens at that time and the mechanical positional relation of the electron gun to set an optical condition. For more accurate setting of the optical condition, a deflecting electrode device is provided at a crossover position of the condenser lens and a voltage is applied to the deflecting electrode device at a constant period so as to control the lens excitation of the condenser lens such that the amount of movement of an image is minimized on an image display unit such as CRT.

Abstract: A circuit pattern inspecting instrument includes an electron-optical system for irradiating an electron beam on a sample, an electron beam deflector, a detector for detecting secondary charged particles from the sample, and a mode setting unit for switching between a first mode and a second mode. An electron beam current is larger in the first mode than in the second mode, and an electron beam scanning speed is higher in the first mode than in the second mode. The circuit pattern inspecting instrument is configured so that first the sample is observed in the first mode, then a particular position on the sample is selected based on image data produced by an output of the detector in the first mode, and then the particular position on the sample is observed in the second mode.

Abstract: To provide an electronic timepiece enabling reliable detection of a state of rotation of an indication wheel such as a date dial. An ultrasonic motor 1130 has an ultrasonic rotor pinion 1134b. A date dial 1120 is disposed on a main plate 1102 in such a way as to rotate relative thereto. The ultrasonic rotor pinion 1134b is meshed with an intermediate date driving gear wheel 1142a. A date driving wheel 1150 is rotatably disposed on the main plate 1102. A date driving gear wheel 1150b is meshed with an intermediate date driving pinion 1142b. A date driving gear portion 1150b is meshed with a dial gear portion 1120a. A contact point spring 1160 is disposed on a spring guiding portion 1150d. The contact point spring 1160 rotates integrally with the date driving wheel 1150 through the rotation of the date driving wheel 1150. The state of rotation of the date driving wheel 1150 can be detected by contact of the contact point spring 1160 with the contact point pattern 1174.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece has a wheel train mounted for undergoing rotation and a transmission wheel for undergoing rotation in accordance with rotation of the wheel train. A contact point spring is connected to the transmission wheel for rotation therewith. The contact point spring extends substantially linearly through a rotational center of the transmission wheel. First and second detection patterns contact the contact point spring during rotation of the transmission wheel to generate a rotational position detecting signal corresponding to a rotational position of the transmission wheel. The first and second detection patterns are disposed at an angle of substantially 180 degree relative to the rotational center of the transmission wheel.