An e-beam inspection tool is disclosed, the tool comprising, an electron optics system configured to generate an electron beam, an object table configured to hold a specimen, a positioning device configured to position the object table, the positioning device comprising an actuator, wherein the positioning device further comprises a heating device configured to generate a heat load and a heat load controller to control the generated heat load at least partly based on an actuator heat load generated in the actuator.

Disclosed are a charged particle beam apparatus wherein the charged particle beam apparatus can efficiently performs finish processing of a sample and acquisition of a high-precision SEM image of a processing surface of the sample in a short time, and a sample processing observation method using the same. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a gallium ion beam column radiating a gallium ion beam toward a sample to form a cross-section of the sample; an electron beam column having a semi-in-lens type objective lens and radiating an electron beam toward the sample; a gas ion beam column radiating a gas ion beam toward the sample to perform finish processing of the cross-section of the sample, wherein the gas ion beam has a beam diameter larger than a maximum diameter of the cross-section of the sample.

A nozzle-type electron beam irradiation device includes a vacuum chamber, an electron beam generator disposed in the vacuum chamber, and a vacuum nozzle that is connected to the vacuum chamber so as to guide an electron beam from the electron beam generator and emit the electron beam to the outside. The nozzle-type electron beam irradiation device includes a high-vacuum pump capable of sucking gas from the vicinity of the connecting part of the vacuum nozzle in the vacuum chamber.

A charged particle beam optical system is provided with a plurality of irradiation optical systems each of which irradiates an object W with a charged particle beam EB, the plurality of irradiation optical system includes a first irradiation optical system and a second irradiation optical system that generates a second magnetic field having a characteristics different from a characteristics of a first magnetic field generated by the first irradiation optical system.

Disclosed herein are electron microscopes with improved imaging. An example electron microscope at least includes an illumination system, for directing a beam of electrons to irradiate a specimen, an elongate beam conduit, through which the beam of electrons is directed; a multipole lens assembly configured as an aberration corrector, and a detector for detecting radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation, wherein at least a portion of said elongate beam conduit extends at least through said aberration corrector and has a composite structure comprising an outer tube of electrically insulating material, and an inner skin of electrically conductive material with an electrical conductivity and a thickness t, with t<0.1 .sup.1.

In one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a blanking aperture array substrate provided with a plurality of blankers configured to respectively perform blanking deflection on a plurality of charged particle beams included in a multi-beam, and a first shield member which is disposed downstream of the blanking aperture array substrate with respect to a travel direction of the multi-beam, has a cylindrical part in which the multi-beam passes through, and is composed of a high magnetic permeability material.

An e-beam apparatus is disclosed, the tool comprising an electron optics system configured to project an e-beam onto an object, an object table to hold the object, and a positioning device configured to move the object table relative to the electron optics system. The positioning device comprises a short stroke stage configured to move the object table relative to the electron optics system and a long stroke stage configured to move the short stroke stage relative to the electron optics system. The e-beam apparatus further comprises a magnetic shield to shield the electron optics system from a magnetic disturbance generated by the positioning device. The magnetic shield may be arranged between the positioning device and the electron optics system.

Disclosed are a charged particle beam apparatus wherein the charged particle beam apparatus can efficiently performs finish processing of a sample and acquisition of a high-precision SEM image of a processing surface of the sample in a short time, and a sample processing observation method using the same.

The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a gallium ion beam column radiating a gallium ion beam toward a sample to form a cross-section of the sample; an electron beam column having a semi-in-lens type objective lens and radiating an electron beam toward the sample; a gas ion beam column radiating a gas ion beam toward the sample to perform finish processing of the cross-section of the sample, wherein the gas ion beam has a beam diameter larger than a maximum diameter of the cross-section of the sample.

A plasma chamber includes a chamber body having a processing region therewithin, a liner disposed on the chamber body, the liner surrounding the processing region, a substrate support disposed within the liner, a magnet assembly comprising a plurality of magnets disposed around the liner, and a magnetic-material shield disposed around the liner, the magnetic-material shield encapsulating the processing region near the substrate support.

A Wien filter to be disposed inside a lens barrel made of a magnetic material includes: a plurality of electromagnetic poles disposed at equal angular intervals about a center axis of the lens barrel; a first magnetic shield disposed so as to cover the area around the plurality of electromagnetic poles; and a second magnetic shield disposed so as to cover the area around the first magnetic shield. The first magnetic shield is supported by a first support member made of a non-magnetic material provided at an inner surface of the second magnetic shield. The second magnetic shield is supported by a second support member made of a magnetic material provided at an inner surface of the lens barrel.