A stage apparatus for an e-beam inspection apparatus comprising: an object table (3) comprising an supporting surface, the object table configured to support a substrate (190) on the supporting surface; a positioning device (180) configured to a position the object table; a position measurement system (5) comprising a position sensor (8-10) configured to measure a height position of the object table parallel to a first axis, the first axis being substantially perpendicular to the supporting surface, the position sensor comprising an interferometer measurement system having an interferometer sensor (9, 10, 22), wherein a measurement beam (11, 15) of the interferometer sensor is configured to irradiate a reflective surface (13, 17) of the object table in a measurement direction, the measurement direction having a first component parallel to the first axis and a second component parallel to a second axis, the second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a height measurement device with which, even when the height of a sample surface varies considerably, it is possible, with a relatively simple configuration, to perform height measurement with high accuracy at various heights. In order to achieve the abovementioned purpose, proposed is an optical height measurement device characterized by being provided with: a stage for retaining a sample; a stage driving unit for adjusting the stage at different heights; a projection optical system for projecting light onto the sample; a detection optical system for receiving light reflected from the sample; and a processing unit for measuring the height of the sample on the basis of a signal outputted from the detection optical system, wherein the projection optical system is provided with a light source that emits light, and an optical path dividing element for branching the optical path of the light emitted from the light source, and the detection optical system is provided with a sensor for receiving light reflected from the sample, and an element for adjusting the light path of the light reflected from the sample in the direction of the sensor prior to reception of the light by the sensor.

A sensor may be used to measure a degree of tilt of a sample. The sensor may include an apparatus having a light source, first, second, and third optical elements, a lens, and an aperture. The first optical element may supply light from the light source toward the sample, and may supply light input into the first optical element from the sample toward the second optical element. The second optical element may supply light toward first and second sensing elements. An aperture may be arranged on a focal plane of the lens. A light beam incident on the first sensing element may be a reference beam.

A method of teaching a transfer device provided with a pick configured to hold a substrate and a mapping sensor, includes: detecting, in a reference accommodation container in which reference substrates are accommodated, height positions of the reference substrates using the mapping sensor and setting a reference position in a height direction; detecting, in a plurality of accommodation containers in which production substrates to be processed in a substrate processing apparatus are accommodated, height positions of the production substrates using the mapping sensor and storing information about the height positions; and correcting the reference position based on the stored information in the plurality of accommodation containers.

Systems, devices, and methods for performing a non-contact electrical measurement (NCEM) on a NCEM-enabled cell included in a NCEM-enabled cell vehicle may be configured to perform NCEMs while the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle is moving. The movement may be due to vibrations in the system and/or movement of a movable stage on which the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle is positioned. Position information for an electron beam column producing the electron beam performing the NCEMs and/or for the moving stage may be used to align the electron beam with targets on the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle while it is moving.

A sample analyzing method and a sample preparing method are provided. The sample analyzing method includes a sample preparing step, a placing step, and an analyzing step. The sample preparing step includes an obtaining step implemented by obtaining an identification information; and a marking and placing step implemented by placing a sample carrying component having a sample disposed thereon into a marking equipment, allowing the marking equipment to utilize the identification information to form an identification structure on the sample carrying component, and placing the sample carrying component into one of the accommodating slots according to the identification information. The placing step is implemented by taking out the sample carrying component from one of the accommodating slots and placing the sample carrying component into an electron microscope equipment. The analyzing step is implemented by utilizing the electron microscope equipment to photograph the sample to generate an analyzation image.

A stage apparatus includes a lower stage that moves in a Y-axis direction, an upper stage that floats from the lower stage and moves at least in an X-axis direction orthogonal to the Y-axis direction, a heat exchanger that cools a Y table of the lower stage with a refrigerant, and a control device that controls an inclination of the lower stage with reference to the Y table cooled by the heat exchanger.

An optical system used in a charged particle beam inspection system. The optical system includes one or more optical lenses, and a compensation lens configured to compensate a drift of a focal length of a combination of the one or more optical lenses from a first medium to a second medium.

A blanking device for multi-beams includes arrayed plural separate blanking systems, each performing blanking control switching a corresponding beam of multi charged particle beams between a beam ON state and a beam OFF state and each including a first electrode, a first potential applying mechanism applying two different potentials selectively to the first electrode for the blanking control, and a second electrode performing blanking deflection of the corresponding beam, the second electrode being grounded and paired with the first electrode, and a potential change mechanism changing a potential of the second electrode from a ground potential to another potential, wherein when a potential of the first electrode included in one of the separate blanking systems is fixed to the ground potential, the potential change mechanism changes the potential of the second electrode corresponding to the first electrode fixed to the ground potential, from the ground potential to the another potential.

A mirror support module having a body that includes an internal portion surrounding an inner space, an external portion, an aperture formed in the body and an intermediate region that extends between a segment of the internal portion and the aperture. When the intermediate region is subjected to a force directed in a first direction, the intermediate region can be moved in the first direction towards the aperture to reduce an area of the aperture while the external portion remains stable regardless of movement of the intermediate region.