Sample stage, e.g. for use in a scanning electron microscope. The sample stage includes a base, a sample carrier, and an actuator assembly arranged for moving the sample carrier in at least one direction substantially parallel to the base. The actuator assembly is arranged so as not to contribute to the mechanical stiffness of the sample stage from the sample carrier to the base.

A pattern inspection apparatus includes a column to scan a substrate on which a pattern is formed, using multi-beams composed of a plurality of electron beams, a stage to mount the substrate thereon and to be movable, a detector to detect secondary electrons emitted from the substrate because the substrate is irradiated with the multi-beams, and a drive mechanism to move the detector in order to follow movement of the stage.

There is disclosed an image generation apparatus which is capable of generating a clear image by reducing vibration of the image. The image generation apparatus includes an electron-optics column having an electron gun, a deflector, a condenser lens, and an objective lens, a displacement detector for detecting a displacement of an XY stage, a stage-position measuring device for specifying a position of the XY stage based on an output signal of the displacement detector, an accelerometer for detecting vibration of the electron-optics column, an acceleration-signal processing device for processing an output signal of the accelerometer, and a deflection-controlling device for controlling operation of the deflector. The deflection-controlling device adds a first vibration signal outputted from the acceleration-signal processing device to a second vibration signal outputted from the stage-position measuring device to generate a deflection correcting signal, and causes the deflector to correct the deflection of a charged-particle beam based on the deflection correcting signal.

The present invention provides an electrode assembly comprising two or more electrodes arranged around a primary axis forming a non-cylindrical channel space. General electronic apparatus/device, particularly apparatus of charged-particle beam such as electron microscope, may use the electrode assembly to create an optimized pattern of electrical field within non-cylindrical channel space. When the electrode assembly is used as a beam deflector in a magnetic objective lens, the electrical field within the central channel space can be co-optimized with the magnetic field for reducing aberration(s) such as distortion, field curvature, astigmatism, and chromatic aberration, after the beam passes through the central channel space.

There is proposed a column supporting structure that includes a viscoelastic sheet, a supporting plate which holds the viscoelastic sheet, and a fixation portion which connects the supporting plate to each lens barrel. The viscoelastic sheet is disposed to extend in a plane perpendicular to one lens barrel or the other lens barrel.

To provide a technique capable of measuring high-frequency electrical noise in a charged particle beam device. A charged particle beam device 100 includes an electron source 2 for generating an electron beam EB1, a stage 4 for mounting a sample 10, a detector 5 for detecting secondary electrons EB2 emitted from the sample 10, and a control unit 7 electrically connected to the electron source 2, the stage 4, and the detector 5 and can control the electron source 2, the stage 4, and the detector 5. Here, when the sample 10 is mounted on the stage 4, and a specific portion 11 of the sample 10 is continuously irradiated with the electron beam EB1 from the electron source 2, the control unit 7 can calculate a time-series change in irradiation position of the electron beam EB1 based on an amount of the secondary electrons EB2 emitted from the specific portion 11, and can calculate a feature quantity for a shake of the electron beam EB1 based on the time-series change in irradiation position. Further, the feature quantity includes a frequency spectrum.

The invention relates to a substrate exposure system comprising a frame, a substrate support module for carrying a substrate, an exposure apparatus for exposing said substrate, and adjustment assembly for adjusting the position of the exposure apparatus with respect to the substrate support module. The adjustment assembly comprises a hydraulic actuator, a hydraulic generator and a conduit, wherein the conduit interconnects said hydraulic actuator and said hydraulic generator for forming a hydraulic system. The exposure apparatus, the frame, the adjustment assembly and the substrate support module are arranged as parts of a series of mechanically linked components. A first part of said series of mechanically linked components comprises the exposure apparatus, and a second part comprises the substrate support module. Said hydraulic actuator is arranged between said first part and said second part. Preferably the hydraulic actuator comprises a first bellows and the hydraulic generator comprises a second bellows.

The invention relates to charged particle beam generator comprising a charged particle source for generating a charged particle beam, a collimator system comprising a collimator structure with a plurality of collimator electrodes for collimating the charged particle beam, a beam source vacuum chamber comprising the charged particle source, and a generator vacuum chamber comprising the collimator structure and the beam source vacuum chamber within a vacuum, wherein the collimator system is positioned outside the beam source vacuum chamber. Each of the beam source vacuum chamber and the generator vacuum chamber may be provided with a vacuum pump.

According to an embodiment, a charged particle beam apparatus includes a stage; a chamber; an emission source of the charged particle beam; an electronic optical system configured to emit the charged particle beam; an optical column including the emission source and the electronic optical system; a charged particle detector configured to detect a position of the charged particle beam; a first actuator configured to provide a frequency vibration to the stage based on a first excitation signal; a second actuator configured to provide a frequency vibration to the optical column based on a second excitation signal; a third actuator configured to provide a frequency vibration to the chamber based on a third excitation signal; and a controller configured to generate the first to third excitation signals.

In this invention, vibrations generated by a freezer from a cooling mechanism for cooling an ion source emitter tip are prevented from being transmitted to the emitter tip as much as possible, while the cooling capability of the cooling mechanism is improved widely. The ion beam device (10) is equipped with: an ion source housing (22) provided with an emitter tip (45) and defining an ion source chamber (27) supplied with an ionization gas or gas molecules; a gas pot (51) provided in the ion source chamber (27) so as to be thermally connected to the emitter tip (45) and accommodated so as to have no direct physical contact with a cooling stage (57) of a freezer (52); and a spacer (59) provided on the peripheral surface of the cooling stage (57) housed by the gas pot (51) and maintaining a given interval or greater between the peripheral surface of the cooling stage (57) and the internal peripheral surface of the gas pot (52).