IP Library Granted Patent US 10,312,051
Granted Patent B2
US 10,312,051 · App. 14/868,526 · Granted Jun 4, 2019

Composite charged particle beam apparatus

Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki (Tokyo, JP); Shinya Kitayama (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
H01J37/20H01J2237/20207H01J2237/20214H01J2237/31745
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,312,051
App. No.
14/868,526
Granted
Jun 4, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A composite charged particle beam apparatus includes a first charged particle beam column that irradiates a thin sample with a first charged particle beam, a second charged particle beam column that irradiates an irradiation position of the first charged particle beam of the thin sample with a second charged particle beam, a sample holder that fixes the thin sample, and a sample stage on which the sample holder is mounted. The sample holder is able to rotate the thin sample within a surface parallel to an observation surface of the thin sample around a first rotational axis on the sample stage.

Claims (59)

1. A composite charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a first charged particle beam column configured to irradiate a thin sample with a first charged particle beam;

a second charged particle beam column configured to irradiate an irradiation position of the first charged particle beam of the thin sample with a second charged particle beam;

a sample holder configured to hold the thin sample; and a sample stage on which the sample holder is mounted,

wherein the sample holder is configured to oscillate the thin sample on the sample stage along a circular locus having a first rotational axis and within a surface which is parallel to an observation surface of the thin sample, and through which an irradiation axis of the first charged particle beam column passes.

2. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the sample stage is tiltable about a tilt axis, and

wherein eucentric positions of the tilt axis and the first rotational axis coincide with each other.

3. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the sample holder is configured to rotate the thin sample within a surface perpendicular to the observation surface of the thin sample around a second rotational axis on the sample stage, the second rotational axis being substantially orthogonal to the first rotational axis.

4. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein the sample holder comprises:

a base stage disposed on the sample stage;

a holder shaft rotatably attached to the base stage;

a second rotation device configured to be rotated in accordance with rotation of the holder shaft; and

a first rotation device accommodated in a concave section of the second rotation device, the first rotation device being rotatable independently of the second rotation device and being configured to hold the thin sample,

wherein the thin sample rotates around the first rotational axis by rotation of the first rotation device, and wherein the thin sample rotates around the second rotational axis by rotation of the second rotation device.

5. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein eucentric positions of the tilt axis and the second rotational axis coincide with each other.

6. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the eucentric positions of the tilt axis and the first rotational axis, which coincide with each other, correspond to the irradiation positions of the first charged particle beam and the second charged particle beam.

7. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the sample holder comprises:

a first rotation device comprising a guide groove;

a second rotation device comprising a roller rotatable around a roller axis and slidable in the guide groove, wherein the first rotational axis is parallel to the roller axis, and

wherein the first rotation device is swingable around a swing axis, which coincides with the roller axis, by receiving the rotation of the roller, so as to rotate the thin sample around the first rotational axis.

8. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the sample holder further comprises:

a base stage disposed on the sample stage; and

a holder shaft attached to the base stage and rotatable around a shaft axis, and

wherein the second rotation device is coupled to the holder shaft and is configured to rotate around a second rotational axis, which coincides with the shaft axis of the holder, shaft, so as to rotate the thin sample around the second rotational axis.

9. A composite charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a first charged particle beam column configured to irradiate a thin sample with a first charged particle beam;

a second charged particle beam column configured to irradiate an irradiation position of the first charged particle beam of the thin sample with a second charged particle beam;

a third charged particle beam column, which is tilted with respect to an irradiation axis of the first charged particle beam column, and which is configured to irradiate an irradiation position of the first charged particle beam on the thin sample with a third charged particle beam;

a sample holder configured to hold the thin sample; and

a sample stage on which the sample holder is mounted,

wherein the sample holder is configured to oscillate the thin sample on the sample stage along a circular locus having a first rotational axis and within a surface which is parallel to an observation surface of the thin sample, and through which an irradiation axis of the third charged particle beam column passes.

10. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 9 ,

wherein the sample stage is tiltable about a tilt axis, and

wherein eucentric positions of the tilt axis and the first rotational axis coincide with each other.

11. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the sample holder is configured to rotate the thin sample within a surface perpendicular to the observation surface of the thin sample around a second rotational axis on the sample stage, the second rotational axis being substantially orthogonal to the first rotational axis.

12. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein the sample holder comprises:

a base stage disposed on the sample stage;

a holder shaft rotatably attached to the base stage;

a second rotation device configured to be rotated in accordance with rotation of the holder shaft; and

a first rotation device accommodated in a concave section of the second rotation device, the first rotation device being rotatable independently of the second rotation device and being configured to hold the thin sample,

wherein the thin sample rotates around the first rotational axis by rotation of the first rotation device, and

wherein the thin sample rotates around the second rotational axis by rotation of the second rotation device.

13. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein eucentric positions of the tilt axis and the second rotational axis coincide with each other.

14. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the eucentric positions of the tilt axis and the first rotational axis, which coincide with each other, correspond to the irradiation positions of the first charged particle beam and the second charged particle beam.

15. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 9 ,

wherein the sample holder comprises:

a first rotation device comprising a guide groove;

a second rotation device comprising a roller rotatable around a roller axis and slidable in the guide groove, wherein the first rotational axis is parallel to the roller axis, and

wherein the first rotation device is swingable around a swing axis, which coincides with the roller axis, by receiving the rotation of the roller, so as to rotate the thin sample around the first rotational axis.

16. The composite charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 15 ,

wherein the sample holder further comprises:

a base stage disposed on the sample stage; and

a holder shaft attached to the base stage and rotatable around a shaft axis, and

wherein the second rotation device is coupled to the holder shaft and is configured to rotate around a second rotational axis, which coincides with the shaft axis of the holder shaft, so as to rotate the thin sample around the second rotational axis.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072903/0555 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH ANALYSIS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072903/0648 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2015
From: SUZUKI, HIROYUKI; KITAYAMA, SHINYA
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036678/0050 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-200340 · Sep 30, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160093464A1 · Mar 31, 2016