To realize a sample lifting and lowering device capable of easily responding to increase of a diameter of a sample with weight and high rigidity as well as with less directional dependence of rigidity as the sample lifting lowering device arranged above a horizontal movement mechanism. The sample lifting and lowering device includes first and second lifting and lowering mechanisms that lift and lower a sample stage to which the sample is fixed, first and second driving devices that drive the first and second lifting and lowering mechanisms to be lifted and lowered individually and a controller that synchronizes lifting/lowering operations of the first and second lifting and lowering mechanisms by the first and second driving devices by first and second control signals, in which the first lifting and lowering mechanism includes a first deceleration mechanism generating a first drive output obtained by decelerating a first drive input given from the first driving device in a direction different from a direction of the input, the second lifting and lowering mechanism includes a second deceleration mechanism generating a second drive output obtained by decelerating a second drive input given from the second driving device in a direction different from a direction of the input, and directions of the first and second drive inputs are different from each other as well as are not on the same straight line.

To realize a sample lifting and lowering device capable of easily responding to increase of a diameter of a sample with weight and high rigidity as well as with less directional dependence of rigidity as the sample lifting lowering device arranged above a horizontal movement mechanism. The sample lifting and lowering device includes first and second lifting and lowering mechanisms that lift and lower a sample stage to which the sample is fixed, first and second driving devices that drive the first and second lifting and lowering mechanisms to be lifted and lowered individually and a controller that synchronizes lifting/lowering operations of the first and second lifting and lowering mechanisms by the first and second driving devices by first and second control signals, in which the first lifting and lowering mechanism includes a first deceleration mechanism generating a first drive output obtained by decelerating a first drive input given from the first driving device in a direction different from a direction of the input, the second lifting and lowering mechanism includes a second deceleration mechanism generating a second drive output obtained by decelerating a second drive input given from the second driving device in a direction different from a direction of the input, and directions of the first and second drive inputs are different from each other as well as are not on the same straight line.

A technique capable of improving the ability to observe a specimen using an electron beam in an energy region which has not been conventionally given attention is provided. This specimen observation method comprises: irradiating the specimen with an electron beam; detecting electrons to be observed which have been generated and have obtained information on the specimen by the electron beam irradiation; and generating an image of the specimen from the detected electrons to be observed. The electron beam irradiation comprises irradiating the specimen with the electron beam with a landing energy set in a transition region between a secondary emission electron region in which secondary emission electrons are detected and a mirror electron region in which mirror electrons are detected, thereby causing the secondary emission electrons and the mirror electrons to be mixed as the electrons to be observed. The detection of the electrons to be observed comprises performing the detection in a state where the secondary emission electrons and the mirror electrons are mixed. Observation and inspection can be quickly carried out for a fine foreign material and pattern of 100 nm or less.

A technique capable of improving the ability to observe a specimen using an electron beam in an energy region which has not been conventionally given attention is provided. This specimen observation method comprises: irradiating the specimen with an electron beam; detecting electrons to be observed which have been generated and have obtained information on the specimen by the electron beam irradiation; and generating an image of the specimen from the detected electrons to be observed. The electron beam irradiation comprises irradiating the specimen with the electron beam with a landing energy set in a transition region between a secondary emission electron region in which secondary emission electrons are detected and a mirror electron region in which mirror electrons are detected, thereby causing the secondary emission electrons and the mirror electrons to be mixed as the electrons to be observed. The detection of the electrons to be observed comprises performing the detection in a state where the secondary emission electrons and the mirror electrons are mixed. Observation and inspection can be quickly carried out for a fine foreign material and pattern of 100 nm or less.

A multi-beam charged particle microscope system, having a mirror mode of operation, can be operated to record a stack of images in a mirror imaging mode. The stack of images comprises at least two images of two different settings of at least on multi-aperture element, for example a focus stack, which allows the multi-beam charged particle microscope system to be inspected and recalibrated thoroughly. Related methods computer program products are disclosed.

Disclosed is a composite beam apparatus capable of suppressing the influence of charge build-up, or electric field or magnetic field leakage from an electron beam column when subjecting a sample to cross-section processing with a focused ion beam and then performing finishing processing with another beam. The Composite beam apparatus includes: an electron beam column irradiating an electron beam onto a sample; a focused ion beam column irradiating a focused ion beam onto the sample to form a cross section; a neutral particle beam column having an acceleration voltage set lower than that of the focused ion beam column, and irradiating a neutral particle beam onto the sample to perform finish processing of the cross section, wherein the electron beam column, the focused ion beam column, and the neutral particle beam column are arranged such that the beams of the columns cross each other at an irradiation point.

An electron beam inspection device includes: a primary electron optical system that irradiates the surface of a sample with an electron beam; and a secondary electron optical system that gathers secondary electrons emitted from the sample and forms an image on the sensor surface of a detector. An electron image of the surface of the sample is obtained from a signal detected by the detector, and the sample is inspected. A cylindrical member that is formed with conductors stacked as an inner layer and an outer layer, and an insulator stacked as an intermediate layer is provided inside a lens tube into which the secondary electron optical system is incorporated. An electron orbital path is formed inside the cylindrical member, and the members constituting the secondary electron optical system are arranged outside the cylindrical member.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device, wherein the positional relationship between reflected electron detection elements and a sample and the vacuum state of the sample surroundings are evaluated to select automatically a reflected electron detection element appropriate for acquiring an intended image. In this charged particle beam device, all the reflected electron detection elements are selected when the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is high and the sample is distant from the reflected electron detectors, while a reflected electron detection element appropriate for acquiring a compositional image or a height map image is selected when the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is high and the sample is close to the reflected electron detectors. When the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is low, all the reflected electron detection elements are selected.

To provide a device particularly including an imaging-type or a projection-type ion detection system, not a scanning type such as in a scanning ion microscope, and capable of performing observation or inspection at high speed with an ultrahigh resolution in a sample observation device using an ion beam. To further provide a device capable of performing observation after surface cleaning, which has been difficult in an electron beam device, or a device capable of observing structures and defects in a depth direction. The device includes a gas field ion source that generates an ion beam, an irradiation optical system that irradiates a sample with the generated ion beam, a potential controller that controls an accelerating voltage of the ion beam and a positive potential to be applied to the sample and an ion detection unit that images or projects ions reflected from the sample as a microscope image, in which the potential controller includes a storage unit storing a first positive potential allowing the ion beam to collide with the sample and a second positive potential for reflecting the ion beam before allowing the ion beam to collide with the sample. Then, the potential controller includes a sputter controller for removing part of a sample surface by setting the first positive potential and an image acquisition controller for obtaining a microscope image by setting the second positive potential.

To provide a device particularly including an imaging-type or a projection-type ion detection system, not a scanning type such as in a scanning ion microscope, and capable of performing observation or inspection at high speed with an ultrahigh resolution in a sample observation device using an ion beam. To further provide a device capable of performing observation after surface cleaning, which has been difficult in an electron beam device, or a device capable of observing structures and defects in a depth direction. The device includes a gas field ion source that generates an ion beam, an irradiation optical system that irradiates a sample with the generated ion beam, a potential controller that controls an accelerating voltage of the ion beam and a positive potential to be applied to the sample and an ion detection unit that images or projects ions reflected from the sample as a microscope image, in which the potential controller includes a storage unit storing a first positive potential allowing the ion beam to collide with the sample and a second positive potential for reflecting the ion beam before allowing the ion beam to collide with the sample. Then, the potential controller includes a sputter controller for removing part of a sample surface by setting the first positive potential and an image acquisition controller for obtaining a microscope image by setting the second positive potential.