IP Library Granted Patent US 10,236,159
Granted Patent B2
US 10,236,159 · App. 15/448,308 · Granted Mar 19, 2019

Charged particle beam apparatus

Inventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu (Tokyo, JP); Makoto Sato (Tokyo, JP); Atsushi Uemoto (Tokyo, JP); Tatsuya Asahata (Tokyo, JP); Yo Yamamoto (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
H01J37/3023H01J37/20H01J2237/208H01J2237/31745
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,236,159
App. No.
15/448,308
Granted
Mar 19, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A charged particle beam includes: a computer that controls a needle actuating mechanism so as to approach a needle to a sample piece using a template formed from an absorbed current image obtained by irradiating the needle with a charged particle beam and a tip coordinate of the needle acquired from a secondary electron image obtained by irradiating the needle with the charged particle beam.

Claims (36)

1. A charged particle beam apparatus automatically preparing a sample piece from a sample, the charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a plurality of beam irradiation optical systems, each of the beam irradiation optical system irradiating a charged particle beam;

a sample stage moving with the sample being placed on the sample stage;

a sample piece transferring unit including a needle being connectable to the sample piece that is separated and extracted from the sample, the sample piece transferring unit transferring the sample piece;

a holder support holding a sample piece holder having a pillar-shaped portion to which the sample piece is transferred;

a gas supply unit supplying gas for forming a deposition layer by irradiation with the charged particle beam; and

a computer configured to:

control each of the beam irradiation optical system, the sample piece transferring unit and the gas supply unit;

measure an electrical characteristic between the sample piece and the pillar-shaped portion; and

form a first deposition layer over a gap between the pillar-shaped portion and the sample piece, wherein the sample piece is positioned to have the gap with the pillar-shaped portion, until the electrical characteristic reaches a predetermined value.

2. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical characteristic is one of an electrical resistance, a current and a potential.

3. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer is further configured to:

move the sample piece to further narrow the gap between the pillar-shaped portion and the sample piece; and

form a second deposition layer over the gap between the pillar-shaped portion and the sample piece when the electrical characteristic between the sample piece and the pillar-shaped portion does not satisfy the predetermined value within the predetermined formation time of the first deposition layer.

4. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer is further configured to:

stop formation of the first deposition layer when the electrical characteristic between the sample piece and the pillar-shaped portion satisfies the predetermined value within the predetermined formation time of the first deposition layer.

5. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gap is equal to or less than 1 μm.

6. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the gap is equal to or greater than 100 nm and equal to or less than 200 nm.

7. A charged particle beam apparatus automatically preparing a sample piece from a sample, the charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a plurality of beam irradiation optical systems, each of the beam irradiation optical system applying a charged particle beam;

a sample stage moving with the sample being placed on the sample stage;

a sample piece transferring unit including a needle being connectable with the sample piece that is separated and extracted from the sample, the sample piece transferring unit transferring the sample piece;

a holder support holding a sample piece holder having a pillar-shaped portion to which the sample piece is transferred;

a gas supply unit supplying gas for forming a deposition layer by irradiation with the charged particle beam; and

a computer configured to:

control each of the beam irradiation optical system, the sample piece transferring unit and the gas supply unit;

measure an electrical characteristic between the sample piece and the pillar-shaped portion; and

form a first deposition layer over a gap between the pillar-shaped portion and the sample piece, wherein the sample piece is positioned to have the gap with the pillar-shaped portion, during a predetermined time period.

8. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the electrical characteristic is one of an electrical resistance, a current and a potential.

9. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the computer is further configured to:

move the sample piece to further narrow the gap between the pillar-shaped portion and the sample piece; and

form a second deposition layer over the gap between the pillar-shaped portion and the sample piece when the electrical characteristic between the sample piece and the pillar-shaped portion does not satisfy a predetermined value within the predetermined time period to form the first deposition layer.

10. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the computer is further configured to:

stop formation of the first deposition layer when the electrical characteristic between the sample piece and the pillar-shaped portion satisfies a predetermined value within the predetermined time period to form the first deposition layer.

11. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the gap is equal to or less than 1 μm.

12. The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the gap is equal to or greater than 100 nm and equal to or less than 200 nm.

Assignments (2)
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 →
Priority Claims (3)
JP 2014-176241 · Aug 29, 2014 · national
JP 2015-030458 · Feb 19, 2015 · national
JP 2015-161811 · Aug 19, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170178858A1 · Jun 22, 2017