IP Library Granted Patent US 8,742,342
Granted Patent B2
US 8,742,342 · App. 13/505,951 · Granted Jun 3, 2014

Electron microscope

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,742,342
App. No.
13/505,951
Granted
Jun 3, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A scanning electron microscope suppresses a beam drift by reducing charging on a sample surface while suppressing resolution degradation upon observation of an insulator sample. An electron microscope includes an electron source and an objective lens that focuses an electron beam emitted from the electron source, which provides an image using a secondary signal generated from the sample irradiated with the electron beam. A magnetic body with a continuous structure and an inside diameter larger than an inside diameter of an upper pole piece that forms the objective lens is provided between the objective lens and the sample.

Claims (31)

1. An electron microscope that provides an image using a secondary signal generated from a sample irradiated with an electron beam, the electron microscope comprising:

an electron source;

an objective lens that focuses the electron beam emitted from the electron source;

a magnetic body provided between the objective lens and the sample; and

a non-magnetic body provided between the objective lens and the sample; wherein:

the magnetic body has a continuous structure and an inside diameter larger than an inside diameter of an upper pole piece that forms the objective lens,

the non-magnetic body has a continuous structure and an inside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the upper pole piece that forms the objective lens,

the non-magnetic body has a trench that stores the magnetic body,

the magnetic body is disposed in the trench, and

the magnetic body is disposed at a position closer to the objective lens than the non-magnetic body.

2. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic body has a rotationally symmetric opening at a substantially center location, through which the electron beam passes.

3. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic body is a flat plate.

4. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein an outside diameter of the magnetic body is larger than an inside diameter of a lower pole piece that forms the objective lens.

5. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic body is a pure iron or a permalloy.

6. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic body and the objective lens are arranged so that respective central axes are substantially coincided with each other.

7. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the non-magnetic body has a rotationally symmetric opening at substantially a center location, through which the electron beam passes.

8. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the non-magnetic body is a flat plate.

9. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein an outside diameter of the non-magnetic body is larger than an outside diameter of the magnetic body.

10. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the objective lens, the non-magnetic body and the magnetic body are arranged so that respective central axes are substantially coincided with one another.

11. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the electron beam passes through a region between a center of a magnetic lens formed of the objective lens and the magnetic body and a center of an electrostatic lens formed of the objective lens and the non-magnetic body.

12. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the electron microscope is a scanning electron microscope.

13. The electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the inside diameter of the magnetic body and the inside diameter of the upper pole piece that forms the objective lens is greater than 1 and smaller than 2.5.

14. An electron lens of an electron microscope used for inspection and measurement of a sample, the electron lens comprising:

an objective lens;

a magnetic body provided between the objective lens and the sample; and

a non-magnetic body provided between the objective lens and the sample; wherein:

the magnetic body has a continuous structure and an inside diameter larger than an inside diameter of an upper pole piece that forms an objective lens,

the non-magnetic body has a continuous structure and an inside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the upper pole piece that forms the objective lens,

the non-magnetic body has a trench that stores the magnetic body,

the magnetic body is disposed in the trench, and

the magnetic body is disposed at a position closer to the objective lens than the non-magnetic body.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Mar 30, 2020
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052259/0227 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2012
From: OKAI, NOBUHIRO; SOHDA, YASUNARI
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028405/0088 →