Charged particle beam device and method for outputting image data of interest

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025246398-A1
Application number	US-202218856757-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 14, 2022
Priority date	Jun 14, 2022
Publication date	Jul 31, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A charged particle beam device includes: a sample stage configured to move a sample; an imaging unit configured to acquire observation image data of the sample; an output unit configured to digitalize an operating status of the charged particle beam device and output operating status time series data; a display unit configured to display a graphical user interface for displaying the observation image data and inputting an observation setting parameter; and a computer system configured to store time series image data in which the observation image data is arranged in time series and execute arithmetic processing relating to the operating status time series data and the observation image data. The charged particle beam device automatically determines a time-point that matches a predetermined specific variation pattern based on the operating status time series data, and acquires observation image data corresponding to the time-point from the time series image data and outputs the observation image data as image data of interest.

First claim

1 . A charged particle beam device comprising:
a sample stage configured to move a sample; an imaging unit configured to acquire observation image data of the sample; an output unit configured to digitalize an operating status of the charged particle beam device and output operating status time series data; a display unit configured to display a graphical user interface for displaying the observation image data and inputting an observation setting parameter; and a computer system configured to store time series image data in which the observation image data is arranged in time series and execute arithmetic processing relating to the operating status time series data and the observation image data, wherein a time-point that matches a predetermined specific variation pattern is automatically determined based on the operating status time series data, and observation image data corresponding to the time-point is acquired from the time series image data and is output as image data of interest.

2 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the imaging unit includes
an electron gun configured to irradiate the sample with a charged particle beam,
a detector, and
an image constructor.

3 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the specific variation pattern includes at least one of
a pattern in which the sample stage is stopped for a predetermined first period of time and a magnification in the first period of time is fixed, or
a pattern in which the sample stage is stopped for a predetermined second period of time and a magnification is changed in the second period of time.

4 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the operating status time series data includes at least one of
position information of the sample stage,
inclination angle information of the sample stage,
rotation angle information of the sample stage,
observation magnification information,
current information of an objective lens,
stigma current information,
acceleration voltage information of the charged particle beam, and
an evaluation value of an in-observation image.

5 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 4 , wherein
the operating status time series data includes an evaluation value of an in-observation image, and the evaluation value of an in-observation image includes at least one of
sharpness calculated by high-frequency component analysis of the image, or
a luminance feature calculated based on luminance distribution of the image.

6 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the time series image data is moving image data.

7 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the time series image data is a collective data set of still image data.

8 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the graphical user interface displays the image data of interest, the charged particle beam device receives designation of a region of interest in an image related to the image data of interest via the graphical user interface, and the charged particle beam device stores image data of the region of interest and supplementary information of the region of interest.

9 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 8 , wherein
the supplementary information of the region of interest includes position information of the sample stage corresponding to the region of interest.

10 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 8 , wherein
the supplementary information of the region of interest includes at least one of
inclination angle information of the sample stage,
rotation angle information of the sample stage, or
observation magnification information.

11 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 8 , wherein
the charged particle beam device moves the sample stage to a position, at which imaging of the region of interest is possible, using the supplementary information of the region of interest, the charged particle beam device acquires additional image data of the region of interest in a plurality of imaging conditions, and the plurality of imaging conditions include a plurality of imaging conditions in which at least one of a magnification, an inclination angle of the sample stage, or a rotation angle of the sample stage is different.

12 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 11 , wherein
the charged particle beam device includes a feature identifier, and the feature identifier is generated by machine learning using, as training data, an image set including at least one of image data of the region of interest or additional image data of the region of interest, and the charged particle beam device executes automatic imaging processing by using the feature identifier.

13 . The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
automatic imaging processing is executed based on supplementary information of the image data of interest.

14 . A method for outputting image data of interest by a charged particle beam device,
the charged particle beam device including
a sample stage configured to move a sample,
an imaging unit configured to acquire observation image data of the sample,
an output unit configured to digitalize an operating status of the charged particle beam device and output operating status time series data,
a display unit configured to display a graphical user interface for displaying the observation image data and inputting an observation setting parameter, and
a computer system configured to store time series image data in which the observation image data is arranged in time series and execute arithmetic processing relating to the operating status time series data and the observation image data,
the method comprising: a step of automatically determining a time-point that matches a predetermined specific variation pattern based on the operating status time series data; and a step of acquiring observation image data corresponding to the time-point from the time series image data and outputting the observation image data as image data of interest.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Yamamoto Hiroyuki
• Ohmori Takeshi
• Tanaka Shunya
• Sato Hirofumi

Classifications

• H01J37/265

  Controlling the tube; circuit arrangements adapted to a particular application not otherwise provided, e.g. bright-field-dark-field illumination · CPC title

• H01J37/28

  with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01J2237/1532

  Astigmatism · CPC title

• H01J37/244

  Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor · CPC title

• H01J2237/221

  Image processing · CPC title