According to one embodiment, an SEM inspection apparatus includes an arithmetic processor. The arithmetic processor acquires design data corresponding to an inspection region. The arithmetic processor obtains a resistance component between each of wiring lines included in the inspection region and a portion on a substrate connected thereto, on a basis of the design data. The arithmetic processor obtains a capacitance component between each of the wiring lines included in the inspection region and the portion on the substrate connected thereto, on a basis of the design data. The arithmetic processor color-codes the wiring lines included in the inspection region of the design data, on a basis of a combination of the resistance component and the capacitance component. The arithmetic processor corrects a coordinate deviation between an SEM image and the color-coded design data by performing pattern matching between the color-coded design data and the SEM image.

A particle beam system includes a particle source to produce a first beam of charged particles. The particle beam system also includes a multiple beam producer to produce a plurality of partial beams from a first incident beam of charged particles. The partial beams are spaced apart spatially in a direction perpendicular to a propagation direction of the partial beams. The plurality of partial beams includes at least a first partial beam and a second partial beam. The particle beam system further includes an objective to focus incident partial beams in a first plane so that a first region, on which the first partial beam is incident in the first plane, is separated from a second region, on which a second partial beam is incident. The particle beam system also a detector system including a plurality of detection regions and a projective system.

A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an optical system that irradiates a sample mounted on a sample stage with a charged particle beam; at least one detector that detects a signal generated from the sample; an imaging device that acquires an observation image; a mechanism for changing observation positions in the sample which has at least one of a stage that moves the sample stage and a deflector that changes the charged particle beam's irradiation position; a display unit that displays an operation screen provided with an observation image displaying portion that displays the observation image and an observation position displaying portion that displays an observation position of the observation image; and a controller that controls display processing of the operation screen. The controller superimposes and displays on the observation position displaying portion a plurality of observation position images at different magnifications, based on the observation images' magnifications and coordinates.

A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an optical system that irradiates a sample mounted on a sample stage with a charged particle beam; at least one detector that detects a signal generated from the sample; an imaging device that acquires an observation image; a mechanism for changing observation positions in the sample which has at least one of a stage that moves the sample stage and a deflector that changes the charged particle beam's irradiation position; a display unit that displays an operation screen provided with an observation image displaying portion that displays the observation image and an observation position displaying portion that displays an observation position of the observation image; and a controller that controls display processing of the operation screen. The controller superimposes and displays on the observation position displaying portion a plurality of observation position images at different magnifications, based on the observation images' magnifications and coordinates.

The objective of the present invention is to propose a charged particle beam device with which an imaging optical system and an irradiation optical system can be adjusted with high precision. In order to achieve this objective, provided is a charged particle beam device comprising: a first charged particle column which serves as an irradiation optical signal; a deflector that deflects charged particles which have passed through the inside of the first charged particle column toward an object; and a second charged particle column which serves as an imaging optical system. The charged particle beam device is provided with: a light source that emits light toward the object; and a control device that obtains, on the basis of detection charged particles generated according to irradiation of light emitted from the light source, a plurality of deflection signals which maintain a certain deflection state, and that selects or calculates, from the plurality of deflection signals or from relationship information produced from the plurality of deflection signals, a deflection signal that satisfies a predetermined condition.

The objective of the present invention is to propose a charged particle beam device with which an imaging optical system and an irradiation optical system can be adjusted with high precision. In order to achieve this objective, provided is a charged particle beam device comprising: a first charged particle column which serves as an irradiation optical signal; a deflector that deflects charged particles which have passed through the inside of the first charged particle column toward an object; and a second charged particle column which serves as an imaging optical system. The charged particle beam device is provided with: a light source that emits light toward the object; and a control device that obtains, on the basis of detection charged particles generated according to irradiation of light emitted from the light source, a plurality of deflection signals which maintain a certain deflection state, and that selects or calculates, from the plurality of deflection signals or from relationship information produced from the plurality of deflection signals, a deflection signal that satisfies a predetermined condition.

Disclosed herein is a computer-based method for non-destructive depth-profiling of samples. The method includes a measurement operation and a data analysis operation. The measurement operation includes, for each of a plurality of landing energies: (i) projecting an electron beam on a sample, which penetrates the sample to a respective depth determined by the landing energy, and (ii) sensing electrons returned from the sample, thereby obtaining a respective sensed electrons data set. The data analysis operation includes generating from the sensed electrons data sets a concentration map, which characterizing at least a vertical dimension of the sample.

A purpose of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that performs apparatus adjustment based on a proper evaluation of a beam. To achieve the abovementioned purpose, with the present invention, proposed is a charged particle beam apparatus comprising: an irradiation optical system including a lens for converging charged particle beams emitted from a charged particle source; and an imaging optical system for imaging the charged particles obtained by irradiating the charged particle beams toward a sample on an imaging element, wherein the charged particle beam apparatus comprises a control apparatus for controlling the lens, and the control apparatus evaluates for each lens condition the size of a specific brightness area obtained by the charged particle beam being made to reach the sample, and selects the lens condition for which the size information fulfills a designated condition.

A method for evaluating an object, the method may include acquiring, by a charged particle beam system, an image of an area of a reference object, wherein the area includes multiple instances of a structure of interest, and the structure of interest is of a nanometric scale; determining multiple types of attributes from the image; reducing a number of the attributes to provide reduced attribute information; generating guidelines, based on the reduced attribute information and on reference data, for evaluating the reduced attribute information; and evaluating an actual object by implementing the guidelines.

A method for evaluating an object, the method may include acquiring, by a charged particle beam system, an image of an area of a reference object, wherein the area includes multiple instances of a structure of interest, and the structure of interest is of a nanometric scale; determining multiple types of attributes from the image; reducing a number of the attributes to provide reduced attribute information; generating guidelines, based on the reduced attribute information and on reference data, for evaluating the reduced attribute information; and evaluating an actual object by implementing the guidelines.