A charged particle beam apparatus that includes a magnetic lens having an electromagnetic coil composed of a pair of coils includes: a setting unit that sets a maximum current value that defines a maximum magnetomotive force of the magnetic lens based on an operation of a user; and a current control unit that controls a current to be supplied to each of the pair of coils within a current range corresponding to a set maximum current value so that thermal power consumed by the electromagnetic coil is maintained constant at thermal power corresponding to the set maximum current value.

This invention provides a charged particle source, which comprises an emitter and means for generating a magnetic field distribution. The magnetic field distribution is minimum, about zero, or preferred zero at the tip of the emitter, and along the optical axis is maximum away from the tip immediately. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic field distribution is provided by dual magnetic lens which provides an anti-symmetric magnetic field at the tip, such that magnetic field at the tip is zero.

An objective lens arrangement includes a first, second and third pole pieces, each being substantially rotationally symmetric. The first, second and third pole pieces are disposed on a same side of an object plane. An end of the first pole piece is separated from an end of the second pole piece to form a first gap, and an end of the third pole piece is separated from an end of the second pole piece to form a second gap. A first excitation coil generates a focusing magnetic field in the first gap, and a second excitation coil generates a compensating magnetic field in the second gap. First and second power supplies supply current to the first and second excitation coils, respectively. A magnetic flux generated in the second pole piece is oriented in a same direction as a magnetic flux generated in the second pole piece.

A charged particle beam device includes: a charged particle source that emits a charged particle beam; a boosting electrode disposed between the charged particle source and a sample to form a path of the charged particle beam and to accelerate and decelerate the charged particle beam; a first pole piece that covers the boosting electrode; a second pole piece that covers the first pole piece; a first lens coil disposed outside the first pole piece and inside the second pole piece to form a first lens; a second lens coil disposed outside the second pole piece to form a second lens; and a control electrode formed between a distal end portion of the first pole piece and a distal end portion of the second pole piece to control an electric field formed between the sample and the distal end portion of the second pole piece.

A charged particle beam apparatus with reduced frequency of lens resetting operations and thus with improved throughput. The apparatus includes an electron source configured to generate an electron beam, an objective lens to which coil current is adapted to be applied to converge the electron beam on a sample, a focal position adjustment device configured to adjust the focal position of the electron beam, a detector configured to detect electrons from the sample, a display unit configured to display an image of the sample in accordance with a signal from the detector, a storage unit configured to store information on the hysteresis characteristics of the objective lens, and an estimation unit configured to estimate a magnetic field generated by the objective lens on the basis of the coil current, the amount of adjustment of the focal position by the focal position adjustment device, and the information on the hysteresis characteristics.

An electron optical system includes an electromagnetic lens configured to include a yoke, and refract an electron beam passing through the yoke by generating a magnetic field, and a shield coil disposed along the inner wall of the yoke, and configured to reduce a leakage magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic lens.

Provided is a projection electron beam application apparatus suitable for use in semiconductor manufacturing lines. An electron optical system of the electron beam application apparatus includes a mirror aberration corrector 106 disposed perpendicular to an optical axis 109, a plurality of magnetic field sectors 104 by which an orbit of electrons is deviated from the optical axis to make the electrons incident on the mirror aberration corrector 106, and the orbit of the electrons emitted from the mirror aberration corrector 106 is returned to the optical axis, and a doublet lens 105 disposed between adjacent magnetic field sectors along the orbit of the electrons. The plurality of magnetic field sectors have the same deflection angle for deflecting the orbit of the electrons, and the doublet lens is disposed such that an object plane and an image plane thereof are respectively central planes of the adjacent magnetic field sectors along the orbit of the electrons.

A scanning electron microscope device for a sample to be detected and an electron beam inspection apparatus are provided, the scanning electron microscope device being configured to project electron beam to a surface of the sample to generate backscattered electrons and secondary electrons, and comprising: an electron beam source, a deflection mechanism, and an objective lens assembly. The deflection mechanism comprises a first deflector located downstream the electron beam source and a second deflector located downstream the first deflector. The objective lens assembly comprises: an excitation coil; and a magnetic yoke, formed by a magnetizer material as a housing which opens towards the sample and comprising a hollow body defining an internal chamber where the excitation coil is accommodated, and at least one inclined portion extending inward from the hollow body at an angle with reference to the hollow body and directing towards the optical axis, with an end of the at least one inclined portion being formed into a pole piece. The deflection mechanism further comprises a compensation electrode, which is located between the pole piece and the surface of the sample and is configured to adjust a focusing position of the electron beam at which the electron beam is focused, in a condition of excitation thereof with a voltage being applied thereon, by adjusting the voltage.

A charged particle beam writing method includes forming an aperture image by making a charged particle beam pass through an aperture substrate, changing, in the state where a plurality of crossover positions of the charged particle beam and positions of all of one or more intermediate images of the aperture image are adjusted to matching positions with respect to the aperture image with the first magnification, magnification of the aperture image from the first magnification to the second magnification by using a plurality of lenses while maintaining the last crossover position of the charged particle beam and the position of the last intermediate image of the aperture image to be fixed, and forming, using an objective lens, the aperture image whose magnification has been changed to the second magnification on the surface of the target object, and writing the aperture image.

Magnetic field strength of a converging lens is repeatedly and alternately changed between first strength and second strength. The information about a first aperture image in the case where the magnetic field strength is the first strength and the information about a second aperture image in the case where the magnetic field strength is the second strength are produced. A first movement instruction for the first and second aperture images is given based on the first information and the second information during repetitive changes of the magnetic field strength. Based on the first movement instruction, a first deflector is controlled. A second movement instruction for the first and second aperture images is given based on the first information and the second information during repetitive changes of the magnetic field strength. Based on the second movement instruction, a second deflector is controlled.