IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,512,294
Granted Patent B2
US 12,512,294 · App. 17/921,416 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Charged particle beam device

Inventors: Kazuo Ootsuga (Tokyo, JP); Kazufumi Yachi (Tokyo, JP); Makoto Sakakibara (Tokyo, JP); Heita Kimizuka (Tokyo, JP); Yusuke Abe (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
H01J37/244H01J37/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,512,294
App. No.
17/921,416
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A charged particle beam device includes: a stage 124 on which a sample 108 is to be placed; a charged particle optical system including a charged particle source 113 and an objective lens 121 that focuses a charged particle beam from the charged particle source onto the sample; and a detector 123 disposed between the objective lens and the stage and configured to detect electrons 109 emitted by an interaction between the charged particle beam and the sample. The stage, the charged particle optical system, and the detector are housed in a vacuum housing 112 , and the detector includes a scintillator 107 , a solid-state photomultiplier tube 104 , and a light guide 106 provided between the scintillator and the solid-state photomultiplier tube, and an area of a light receiving surface of the scintillator is larger than an area of a light receiving surface of the solid-state photomultiplier tube.

Claims (41)

1 . A charged particle beam device comprising:

a stage on which a sample is to be placed;

a charged particle optical system including a charged particle source and an objective lens configured to focus a charged particle beam from the charged particle source onto the sample; and

a detector disposed between the objective lens and the stage and configured to detect electrons emitted by an interaction between the charged particle beam and the sample, wherein

the stage, the charged particle optical system, and the detector are housed in a vacuum housing,

the detector includes a scintillator, a solid-state photomultiplier tube, and a light guide provided between the scintillator and the solid-state photomultiplier tube, and an area of a light receiving surface of the scintillator is larger than an area of a light receiving surface of the solid-state photomultiplier tube,

the charged particle beam device further comprises:

a conductive housing configured to house the detector with the light receiving surface of the scintillator of the detector exposed; and

a housing potential setting power supply configured to apply a predetermined voltage to the conductive housing,

a surface of the scintillator of the detector is coated with a conductive material,

the conductive housing and the conductive material are electrically connected, and

focus adjustment of the charged particle beam from the charged particle optical system is executed by controlling the voltage to be applied to the conductive housing.

2 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein

the light receiving surface of the scintillator is provided substantially parallel to the light receiving surface of the solid-state photomultiplier tube.

3 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 2 , wherein

the light guide has a tapered shape.

4 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 2 , wherein

the detector includes a plurality of the solid-state photomultiplier tubes,

the scintillator has a circular shape centered on a central axis, and

in a surface of the light guide in contact with the plurality of the solid-state photomultiplier tubes, light receiving surfaces of the plurality of the solid-state photomultiplier tubes are rotationally symmetrical with the central axis as a rotation axis.

5 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 4 , wherein

the light guide is a light guide implemented by combining a plurality of partial light guides corresponding to the plurality of the solid-state photomultiplier tubes.

6 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 4 , wherein

the light guide is integrally formed, and is separated by a groove into light guides corresponding to the plurality of the solid-state photomultiplier tubes.

7 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 6 , wherein

the groove is a V-shaped groove.

8 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 4 , wherein

the detector is provided with a central hole for the charged particle beam from the charged particle optical system to pass therethrough, with the central axis as a center.

9 . A charged particle beam device comprising:

a stage on which a sample is to be placed;

a charged particle optical system including a charged particle source and an objective lens configured to focus a charged particle beam from the charged particle source onto the sample; and

a detector disposed between the objective lens and the stage and configured to detect electrons emitted by an interaction between the charged particle beam and the sample, wherein

the stage, the charged particle optical system, and the detector are housed in a vacuum housing,

the detector includes a scintillator, a solid-state photomultiplier tube, and a light guide provided between the scintillator and the solid-state photomultiplier tube, and an area of a light receiving surface of the scintillator is larger than an area of a light receiving surface of the solid-state photomultiplier tube,

the detector includes a circuit board on which a first resistor is mounted,

one end of the first resistor is connected to an output terminal of the solid-state photomultiplier tube and the other end is connected to a first ground potential, and

the output terminal of the solid-state photomultiplier tube is connected to one end of a coaxial wiring, and the other end of the coaxial wiring is drawn out of the vacuum housing.

10 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 9 , wherein

the other end of the coaxial wiring is connected to a signal amplifier and one end of and a second resistor,

the other end of the second resistor is connected to a second ground potential, and

the first ground potential and the second ground potential are electrically connected to each other to have the same potential.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2022
From: OOTSUGA, KAZUO; YACHI, KAZUFUMI; SAKAKIBARA, MAKOTO; KIMIZUKA, HEITA; ABE, YUSUKE
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061540/0606 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230064202A1 · Mar 2, 2023
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