Sample processing evaluation apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9679743-B2
Application number	US-201615048073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2016
Priority date	Feb 23, 2015
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A sample processing evaluation apparatus includes a charged particle beam column that irradiates a sample with charged particle beam, a sample holder that holds both ends of the sample, and a sample stage on which the sample holder is placed, in which the sample holder is configured to rotate the sample about a rotation axis between the sample stage and the charged particle beam column.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sample processing evaluation apparatus comprising:
a charged particle beam column configured to irradiate at least a sample with a charged particle beam;
a sample holder configured to hold both ends of the sample; and
a sample stage on which the sample holder is placed,
wherein the sample holder is located between the sample stage and the charged particle beam column and is configured to rotate the sample about a rotation axis.

2. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sample holder is configured to rotate the sample by 360° about the rotation axis.

3. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation axis is set so as to be substantially parallel with a surface, on which the sample holder is placed, of the sample stage.

4. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sample holder comprises:
a base that is arranged so as to be attachable to and detachable from the sample stage;
a rotation shaft that is held by the base in a rotatable manner and is parallel with the rotation axis; and
a holding unit fixed to the rotation shaft and is configured to directly hold the sample.

5. A sample processing evaluation apparatus comprising:
a focused ion beam column configured to irradiate a sample with a focused ion beam;
an electron beam column configured to irradiate the sample with an electron beam coincide with an irradiation position on the sample with the focused ion beam;
a sample holder configured to hold both ends of the sample; and
a sample stage on which the sample holder is placed,
wherein the sample holder is located between the sample stage and the focused ion beam column and is configured to rotate the sample about a rotation axis, the rotation axis being vertical to a plane formed by a focused ion beam irradiation axis of the focused ion beam column and an electron beam irradiation axis of the electron beam column.

6. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the sample holder is configured to rotate the sample by 360° about the rotation axis.

7. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the rotation axis is set so as to be substantially parallel with a surface, on which the sample holder is placed, of the sample stage.

8. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the sample holder comprises:
a base that is arranged so as to be attachable to and detachable from the sample stage;
a rotation shaft that is held by the base in a rotatable manner and is parallel with the rotation axis; and
a holding unit fixed to the rotation shaft and is configured to directly hold the sample.

9. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a gas ion beam column configured to irradiate a processed surface, which has been processed with the focused ion beam, with a gas ion beam for cleaning.

10. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a control device configured to:
generate image data of the processed surface from an image signal that is obtained by irradiating the processed surface, which has been cleaned by being irradiated with the gas ion beam, with the electron beam; and
save the image data formed by the image formation unit.

11. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the image signal is at least one of a secondary electron signal of secondary electrons, a reflected electron signals of reflected electrons, a fluorescent X-ray signal of a fluorescent X-ray, and a backscattered electron signal of backscattered electrons that are generated from the processed surface by being irradiated with at least one of the focused ion beam, the electron beam, and the gas ion beam.

12. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the control device is further configured to construct at least one of a stereoscopic image, a developed image, and a three-dimensional image of the sample by using a plurality of obtained image data items.

13. A sample processing evaluation apparatus comprising:
a charged particle beam column configured to irradiate a sample with a charged particle beam;
a sample holder configured to fix the sample; and
a sample stage on which the sample holder is placed,
wherein the sample holder comprises a load applicator that is mounted on the sample holder between the sample stage and the charged particle beam column and is configured to apply a load to the sample.

14. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the sample holder comprises:
a base that is arranged so as to be attachable to and detachable from the sample stage;
a rotation control unit that is arranged on the base;
a holding unit configured to hold both ends of the sample; and
a shaft that couples the rotation control unit and the holding unit, and

wherein the shaft is rotated based on a control signal from the rotation control unit and rotates the sample that is held by the holding unit.

15. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the load is at least one kind of torsion force, bending force, heating and cooling, and compression force.

16. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the charged particle beam is at least one of a focused ion beam, an electron beam, and a gas ion beam.

17. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the charged particle beam is an electron beam, and
wherein the sample processing evaluation apparatus further comprises a detector configured to detect at least one kind of secondary electrons, reflected electrons, and an X-ray generated when the sample is irradiated with the electron beam.

18. The sample processing evaluation apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the holding unit is provided with a heater configured to heat the sample or a cooler configured to cool the sample.

Assignees

• Hitachi High-Tech Science Corp

Inventors

• Fujii Toshiaki
• Suzuki Hiroyuki

Classifications

• H01J37/20 Primary

  Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support · CPC title

• H01J37/305

  for casting, melting, evaporating, or etching · CPC title

• H01J2237/2001

  Maintaining constant desired temperature · CPC title

• H01J37/285

  Emission microscopes, e.g. field-emission microscopes · CPC title

• H01J2237/221

  Image processing · CPC title