IP Library Granted Patent US 11,682,536
Granted Patent B2
US 11,682,536 · App. 17/202,993 · Granted Jun 20, 2023

Particle beam apparatus and composite beam apparatus

Inventors: Koji Nagahara (Tokyo, JP); Yuichi Madokoro (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
H01J37/12H01J37/1472H01J37/244H01J2237/0473H01J2237/04756H01J2237/2448H01J2237/31749
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,682,536
App. No.
17/202,993
Granted
Jun 20, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a particle beam apparatus capable of performing appropriate switching selectively between charged particle beam and neutral particle beam. A particle beam column ( 19 ) includes an ion source ( 41 ), a condenser lens ( 52 ), a charge exchange grid ( 55 ), and an objective lens ( 56 ). The ion source ( 41 ) generates ions. The condenser lens ( 52 ) changes focusing of the ion beam so that switching is performed between ion beam and neutral beam as particle beam with which a sample (S) is irradiated. The charge exchange grid ( 55 ) converts at least a part of ion beam into neutral particle beam through neutralization. The objective lens ( 56 ) is placed downstream of the charge exchange grid ( 55 ). The objective lens ( 56 ) reduces the ion beam toward the sample (S) when the sample (S) is irradiated with the neutral particle beam as the particle beam.

Claims (17)

1. A particle beam apparatus, comprising:

a particle beam column irradiating a sample with particle beam;

a charged particle source, which is provided inside the particle beam column and generates charged particles;

a conversion unit converting at least a part of the beam of charged particles generated from the charged particle source to a beam of neutral particles by neutralization inside the particle beam column;

a switching unit switching between a beam of charged particles and a beam of neutral particles as the particle beam inside the particle beam column; and

a reduction unit, which is provided downstream of the conversion unit and reduces the beam of the charged particles directed towards the sample.

2. The particle beam apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a blocking unit, which is provided upstream of the conversion unit inside the particle beam column and blocks the beam of the charged particles.

3. The particle beam apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an acceleration electrode accelerating the beam of charged particles inside the particle beam column.

4. A composite beam apparatus, comprising:

the particle beam apparatus of claim 1 ; and

a detector detecting secondary charged particles generated from the sample by irradiation with the beam of the charged particles.

5. The composite beam apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:

an electron beam column irradiating the sample with electron beam.

6. The composite beam apparatus of claim 4 or 5 , further comprising:

a focused ion beam column irradiating the sample with focused ion beam.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH ANALYSIS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072903/0672 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2023
From: NAGAHARA, KOJI; MADOKORO, YUICHI
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063502/0034 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2020047417 · Mar 18, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210296079A1 · Sep 23, 2021