A system for collection information from a sample includes a scan generator having a first communication channel and a second communication channel. The first communication channel provides data communication between the scan generator and one or more sampling location movement devices. The second communication channel provides data communication with one or more signal detectors.

Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus which includes a charged particle source, a sample table on which a sample is placed, a charged particle beam optical system that includes an objective lens and emits a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source onto the sample, a plurality of detectors which detect secondary particles emitted from the sample when being irradiated with the charged particle beam, and a rotation member which magnetically, electrically, or mechanically changes a detected azimuth angle of the secondary particles emitted from the sample.

A scanning electron microscopy system is disclosed. The system includes a sample stage configured to secure a sample having conducting structures disposed on an insulating substrate. The system includes an electron-optical column including an electron source configured to generate a primary electron beam and a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least a portion of the primary electron beam onto a portion of the sample. The system includes a detector assembly configured to detect electrons emanating from the surface of the sample. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the detector assembly. The controller is configured to direct the electron-optical column and stage to perform, with the primary electron beam, an alternating series of image scans and flood scans of the portion of the sample, wherein each of the flood scans are performed sequential to one or more of the imaging scans.

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.

A drift amount computing device (100) computes an amount of drift between a first image and a second image, and comprises a correlation function computing section (112) for calculating a correlation function between the first and second images, a local maximum position searching section (114) for searching a range of positions of the correlation function for local maximum positions, a local maximum position determining section (116) for assigning weights to intensities of plural local maximum positions according to the distance from the center of the correlation function, comparing the weighted intensities of the local maximum positions, and determining one of the maximum local positions which corresponds to the amount of drift, and a drift amount computing section (118).

Disclosed herein is a composite charged particle beam apparatus including a focused ion beam column and an electron beam column, the apparatus preventing the electron beam column from being contaminated so as to emit an electron beam with high precision. The apparatus includes: a sample tray on which a sample is placed; a focused ion beam column irradiating the sample by using a focused ion beam; an electron beam column irradiating the sample by using an electron beam; a sample chamber receiving the sample tray, and the columns therein; an anti-contamination plate moving between an inserted position inserted into a space between a beam emission surface of the electron beam column and the sample tray, and an open position withdrawn from the space between the beam emission surface and the sample tray; and an operation unit operating the anti-contamination plate to move between the positions.

In order to measure a 3D profile of a pattern formed on a sample obtained by stacking a plurality of different materials, for each of materials constituting the pattern, an attenuation coefficient μ indicating a probability of an electron being scattered at a unit distance in the material previously stored, an interface position where different materials are in contact, upper and bottom surface positions of the pattern in a BSE image are extracted, and a depth from the upper surface position to a specified position of the pattern is calculated based on a ratio nIh of a contrast between the specified position and the bottom surface position of the pattern to a contrast between the upper and bottom surface positions of the pattern in the BSE image, an attenuation coefficient of a material at the bottom and specified positions of the pattern.

During electron beam imaging of a semiconductor wafer, the electron beam is adjusted to a first electron dose/nm.sup.2/time value below a damage threshold for an image frame grab of a site on the semiconductor wafer. Then the electron beam is adjusted to a second electron dose/nm.sup.2/time value different from the first electron dose/nm.sup.2/time value for a second image frame grab of the site. The second electron dose/nm.sup.2/time value can be above the damage threshold.

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.

In an analyzer, an image processing unit performs processing of: dividing a measurement image into a plurality of partial measurement images, and dividing a reference image into a plurality of partial reference images; calculating a positional deviation amount of each of the partial measurement images relative to a corresponding partial reference image among the partial reference images; determining whether the positional deviation amount is a threshold or less; and correcting positional deviation of the measurement image based on the positional deviation amounts of the plurality of partial measurement images when the image processing unit has determined that the positional deviation amount is not the threshold or less.