The present invention addresses a problem of providing a specimen holder capable of observing phenomena on the surface and in the inner part of a specimen, the phenomena being generated in different gas spaces, and a charged particle beam device provided with the specimen holder. In order to solve this problem, a specimen holder for a charged particle beam device which observes a specimen using a charged particle beam is configured such that the specimen holder includes a first gas injection nozzle capable of injecting a first gas to a first portion of a specimen, a second gas injection nozzle capable of injecting a second gas to a second portion of the specimen, the second portion being different from the first portion, and a partition part provided between the first gas injection nozzle and the second gas injection nozzle.

Methods and apparatuses for capturing volume information of microscopic samples include a microscope system having at least one particle beam column, by which a beam of focused, charged particles can be generated, and an in-situ microtome, i.e., a microtome integrated in the microscope system. The method cam include a) providing a sample including a volume of interest (VOI); b) setting a cut surface lying within the sample; c) defining the set cut surface as processing surface; d) exposing the cut surface by virtue of ablating sample material by cutting with the in-situ microtome; and e) processing the sample with the particle beam, wherein the start point of the processing is disposed on the exposed processing surface.

In order to optimize defect contrast in a charged particle beam device that inverts charged particles directly above a sample and observes the electrons, this charged particle beam device is provided with a charged particle source, an electron gun control device which applies a first voltage to the charged particle source, a substrate voltage control device which applies a second voltage to a sample, an image forming optical system which includes an imaging lens for imaging charged particles incident from the direction of the sample, a detector which includes a camera for detecting the charged particles, and an image processing device which processes the detected signal, wherein the imaging optical system is configured so as not to image secondary electrons emitted from the sample, but forms an image with mirror electrons bounced back by the electric field formed on the sample by means of the potential difference between the first and the second voltages. The image processing device generates a control signal for controlling the potential difference on the basis of the acquired signal, and optimizes defect contrast by controlling the reflection surface of the mirror electrons.

A charged particle beam device capable of easily discriminating the energy of secondary charged particles is realized. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle source, a sample stage on which a sample is placed, an objective lens that irradiates the sample with a charged particle beam from the charged particle source, a deflector that deflects secondary charged particles released by irradiating the sample with the charged particle beam, a detector that detects the secondary charged particles deflected by the deflector, a sample voltage control unit that applies a positive voltage to the sample or the sample stage, and a deflection intensity control unit that controls the intensity with which the deflector deflects the secondary charged particles.

Provided is a scanning electron microscope. The scanning electron microscope is capable of removing a charge generated on a side wall of a deep hole or groove, and inspects and measures a bottom portion of the deep hole or groove with high accuracy. Therefore, in the scanning electron microscope that includes an electron source 201 that emits a primary electron, a sample stage 213 on which a sample is placed, a deflector 207 that causes the sample to be scanned with the primary electron, an objective lens 203 that focuses the primary electron on the sample, and a detector 206 that detects a secondary electron generated by irradiating the sample with the primary electron, a potential applied to the sample stage is controlled to have a negative polarity with respect to a potential applied to the objective lens during a first period in which the sample is irradiated with the primary electron, and the potential applied to the sample stage is controlled to have a positive polarity with respect to the potential applied to the objective lens during a second period in which the sample is not irradiated with the primary electron.

Methods and apparatuses for capturing volume information of microscopic samples include a microscope system having at least one particle beam column, by which a beam of focused, charged particles can be generated, and an in-situ microtome, i.e., a microtome integrated in the microscope system. The method cam include a) providing a sample including a volume of interest (VOI); b) setting a cut surface lying within the sample; c) defining the set cut surface as processing surface; d) exposing the cut surface by virtue of ablating sample material by cutting with the in-situ microtome; and e) processing the sample with the particle beam, wherein the start point of the processing is disposed on the exposed processing surface.

A device for observing a specimen, such as a charged particle beam device exemplified by a scanning electron microscope and a transmission electron microscope in which an operator can specify minute bubbles with high contrast in a charged particle beam image of a liquid subjected to processing of generating bubbles, using a phenomenon in which contrast as high as an operator can specify minute bubbles is provided in a charged particle beam image of a specimen including an ionic liquid and a liquid subjected to processing of generating bubbles, thus making it possible to recognize minute bubbles in a liquid.

In order to optimize defect contrast in a charged particle beam device that inverts charged particles directly above a sample and observes the electrons, this charged particle beam device is provided with a charged particle source, an electron gun control device which applies a first voltage to the charged particle source, a substrate voltage control device which applies a second voltage to a sample, an image forming optical system which includes an imaging lens for imaging charged particles incident from the direction of the sample, a detector which includes a camera for detecting the charged particles, and an image processing device which processes the detected signal, wherein the imaging optical system is configured so as not to image secondary electrons emitted from the sample, but forms an image with mirror electrons bounced back by the electric field formed on the sample by means of the potential difference between the first and the second voltages. The image processing device generates a control signal for controlling the potential difference on the basis of the acquired signal, and optimizes defect contrast by controlling the reflection surface of the mirror electrons.

A charged particle beam device capable of easily discriminating the energy of secondary charged particles is realized. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle source, a sample stage on which a sample is placed, an objective lens that irradiates the sample with a charged particle beam from the charged particle source, a deflector that deflects secondary charged particles released by irradiating the sample with the charged particle beam, a detector that detects the secondary charged particles deflected by the deflector, a sample voltage control unit that applies a positive voltage to the sample or the sample stage, and a deflection intensity control unit that controls the intensity with which the deflector deflects the secondary charged particles.

A system for performing diffraction analysis, includes a mill for removing a surface portion of a sample, and an analyzer for performing diffraction analysis on the milled sample.