Disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention is an electron microscope, comprising: an electron source, which is configured to generate an electron beam; a first beam conduit, which is configured to accelerate the electron beam; a second beam conduit, which is configured to accelerate the electron beam; a first detector, which is disposed between the first beam conduit and the second beam conduit and configured to receive secondary electrons generated by the electron beam acting on a sample to be tested; and a control electrode, which is disposed between the first detector and an optical axis of the electron beam and configured to change the direction of movement of backscattered electrons and the secondary electrons generated by the electron beam acting on said sample. By means of the electron microscope provided by the embodiments of the present invention, secondary electrons generated by a pure electron beam acting on a sample to be tested can be detected.

A system for imaging a sample through a protective pellicle is disclosed. The system includes an electron beam source configured to generate an electron beam and a sample stage configured to secure a sample and a pellicle, wherein the pellicle is disposed above the sample. The system also includes an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements to direct at least a portion of the electron beam through the pellicle and onto a portion of the sample. In addition, the system includes a detector assembly positioned above the pellicle and configured to detect electrons emanating from the surface of the sample.

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.

An inspection apparatus according to an embodiment includes an irradiation part configured to irradiate an inspection target substrate with multiple beams including energy beams, a detector, on which a plurality of charged particle beams of charged particles released from the inspection target substrate are imaged, configured to detect each of the charged particle beams as an electrical signal, and a comparing unit configured to compare reference image data and image data that is reproduced based on the detected electrical signals and that represents patterns formed on the inspection target substrate to inspect the patterns. The detector includes a plurality of detecting elements corresponding one-to-one to the charged particle beams. The detecting elements each have a size greater than a size that covers a beam blur of each charged particle beam imaged on the detector.

According to one embodiment, an inspection apparatus includes an irradiation device irradiating an inspection target substrate with multiple beams, a detector detecting each of a plurality of charged particle beams formed by charged particles emitted from the inspection target substrate as an electrical signal, and a comparison processing circuitry performing pattern inspection by comparing image data of a pattern formed on the inspection target substrate, the pattern being reconstructed in accordance with the detected electrical signals, and reference image data. The detector includes a plurality of detection elements that accumulate charges, and a detection circuit that reads out the accumulated charges. The plurality of detection elements are grouped into a plurality of groups. The detection circuit operates in a manner of, during a period in which the charged particle beams are applied to the detection elements included in one group, reading out the charges accumulated in the detection elements included in one or more other groups.

Since a diffraction phenomenon occurs in the electron beam passing through a differential evacuation hole, an electron beam whose probe diameter is narrowed cannot pass through a hole having an aspect ratio of a predetermined value or more, and accordingly, a degree in vacuum on the electron beam side cannot be improved. By providing a differential evacuation hole with a high aspect ratio in an ion beam device, it becomes possible to obtain an observed image on a sample surface, with the sample being placed under the atmospheric pressure or a pressure similar thereto, in a state where the degree of vacuum on the ion beam side is stabilized. Moreover, by processing the differential evacuation hole by using an ion beam each time it is applied, both a normal image observation with high resolution and an image observation under atmospheric pressure or a pressure similar thereto can be carried out.

A charged particle detector with high detection efficiency is presented in this patent. This charged particle detector contains a grid electrode used for attracting charged particles, a convertor with the shape of particle entrance area smaller than the particle exit area, which is used for converging charged particles and converting ions into electrons in the ion detection mode, an electron detection unit used for detecting secondary electrons and amplifying the signal detected, and a metal shielding. This optimized detector has a simple construction, is easy to assemble and has a low manufacturing cost.

To improve detection efficiency of secondary particles without increasing a size of a charged particle beam apparatus, a charged particle beam apparatus according to the invention includes: a charged particle beam source configured to irradiate a sample with a primary particle beam; a scanning deflector configured to scan and deflect the primary particle beam to a desired position of the sample; and a detector configured to detect secondary particles emitted from the desired position. The charged particle beam apparatus further includes: a focusing lens electrode arranged coaxially with the primary particle beam and configured to generate a focusing electric field that is an electric field that focuses a trajectory of the secondary particles; and a mesh electrode configured to reduce leakage of the focusing electric field on a trajectory of the primary particle beam.

Provided is a scanning electron microscope provided with an energy selection and detection function for a SE.sub.1 generated on a sample while suppressing the detection amount of a SE.sub.3 excited due to a BSE in the scanning electron microscope that does not apply a deceleration method. Provided are: an electron optical system that includes an electron source 21 generating an irradiation electron beam and an objective lens 12 focusing the irradiation electron beam on a sample; a detector 13 that is arranged outside an optical axis of the electron optical system and detects a signal electron generated when the sample is irradiated with the irradiation electron beam; a deflection electrode that forms a deflection field 26 to guide the signal electron to the detector; a disk-shaped electrode 23 that is arranged to be closer to the electron source than the deflection field and has an opening through which the irradiation electron beam passes; and a control electrode arranged along the optical axis to be closer to the sample than the deflection field. The sample and the objective lens are set to a reference potential. A potential lower than the reference potential is applied to the disk-shaped electrode, and a potential higher than the reference potential is applied to the control electrode.

To measure a depth of a three-dimensional structure, for example, a hole or a groove, formed in a sample without preparing information in advance, an electron microscope detects, among emitted electrons generated by irradiating a sample with a primary electron beam, an emission angle in a predetermined range, the emission angle being formed between an axial direction of the primary electron beam and an emission direction of the emitted electrons, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the number of the emitted electrons detected. An emission angle distribution of a detection signal is obtained based on a plurality of detection signals, and an opening angle is obtained based on a change point of the emission angle distribution, the opening angle being based on an optical axis direction of the primary electron beam with respect to the bottom portion of the three-dimensional structure.