Scanning electron microscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11251018-B2
Application number	US-201817255724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2018
Priority date	Jul 2, 2018
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a scanning electron microscope which can perform high-speed focus correction even when an electron beam having high energy is used. The scanning electron microscope includes an electron optical system including an electron source 100 that emits an electron beam and an objective lens 113, a sample stage 1025 which is disposed on a stage 115 and on which a sample 114 is placed, a backscattered electron detector 1023 which is disposed between the objective lens and the sample stage and is configured to detect backscattered electrons 1017 emitted due to interaction between the electron beam and the sample, a backscattered electron detection system control unit 138 which is provided corresponding to the backscattered electron detector and is configured to apply a voltage to the backscattered electron detector, and a device control calculation device 146. The objective lens has an opening in a stage direction, and the device control calculation device performs focus correction of the electron beam by controlling the voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector from the backscattered electron detection system control unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A scanning electron microscope comprising:
an electron optical system including an electron source that emits an electron beam and an objective lens;
a sample stage which is disposed on a stage and on which a sample is placed;
a backscattered electron detector which is disposed between the objective lens and the sample stage and is configured to detect backscattered electrons emitted due to interaction between the electron beam and the sample;
a backscattered electron detection system control unit which is provided corresponding to the backscattered electron detector and is configured to apply a voltage to the backscattered electron detector; and
a device control calculation device, wherein
the objective lens has an opening in a stage direction, and
the device control calculation device performs focus correction of the electron beam by controlling the voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector from the backscattered electron detection system control unit.

2. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein
the electron optical system does not apply a deceleration optical system.

3. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein
the backscattered electron detector is held by a support configured to adjust a position and inclination of the backscattered electron detector.

4. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 3 , wherein
the backscattered electron detector is provided at a height covering a peak position of a magnetic field of the objective lens.

5. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a deflector control unit which is provided corresponding to a deflector included in the electron optical system and is configured to control deflection of the electron beam, wherein
the device control calculation device corrects a field-of-view shift due to the focus correction or an emission angle of the electron beam by controlling the deflector control unit in conjunction with the voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector from the backscattered electron detection system control unit.

6. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an astigmatism corrector control unit which is provided corresponding to an astigmatism corrector included in the electron optical system and is configured to control astigmatism of the electron beam, wherein
the device control calculation device corrects the astigmatism of the electron beam due to the focus correction by controlling the astigmatism corrector control unit in conjunction with the voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector from the backscattered electron detection system control unit.

7. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein
the voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector from the backscattered electron detection system control unit is regulated based on an acceleration voltage of the electron beam.

8. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 1 , wherein
the backscattered electron detection system control unit controls a signal amplification factor of a signal from the backscattered electron detector in accordance with the voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector from the backscattered electron detection system control unit.

9. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a secondary electron detector which is disposed upstream of the objective lens and is configured to detect secondary electrons emitted due to the interaction between the electron beam and the sample, wherein
the backscattered electron detector has a hole through which the electron beam and the secondary electrons pass, and the hole has a tapered shape whose inner diameter increases toward the sample stage.

10. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 9 , wherein
the backscattered electron detection system control unit applies a voltage which is positive with respect to a voltage applied to the sample stage to the backscattered electron detector.

11. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 10 , wherein
the voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector from the backscattered electron detection system control unit has a positive offset voltage.

12. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a secondary electron reflective electrode provided upstream of a mesh electrode which blocks a leakage electric field of the secondary electron detector, wherein
a voltage lower than the voltage applied to the sample stage is applied to the secondary electron reflective electrode.

13. The scanning electron microscope according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a secondary electron control electrode which is provided upstream of the objective lens and is configured to control a trajectory of the secondary electrons; and
a secondary electron control electrode control unit provided corresponding to the secondary electron control electrode, wherein
the device control calculation device reduces fluctuation in secondary electron detection efficiency of the secondary electron detector by controlling the secondary electron control electrode control unit in conjunction with the voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector from the backscattered electron detection system control unit.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Sohda Yasunari
• BIZEN Kaori
• Abe Yusuke
• Tanimoto Kenji

Classifications

• H01J2237/1532

  Astigmatism · CPC title

• H01J2237/2817

  Pattern inspection · CPC title

• H01J37/145

  Combinations of electrostatic and magnetic lenses · CPC title

• H01J37/1477

  electrostatic · CPC title

• H01J2237/24475

  Scattered electron detectors · CPC title