# US 12,119,202 B2 · Mechanism for adjusting angle of incidence on charged particle beam aperture, and charged particle beam device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,202 B2 - Document ID: US12119202B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/783,430 - Filed: 2019-12-12 - Published: 2024-01-25 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-12 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Applicants: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Inventors: Shunichi Motomura; Tsunenori Nomaguchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119202B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/15: External mechanical adjustment of electron or ion optical components (H01J37/067, H01J37/20 take precedence) - H01J 37/09: Diaphragms; Shields associated with electron or ion-optical arrangements; Compensation of disturbing fields - H01J 37/153: Electron-optical or ion-optical arrangements for the correction of image defects, e.g. stigmators - H01J 37/21: Means for adjusting the focus - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H01J 2237/0453: multiple apertures - H01J 2237/0458: movable, i.e. for changing between differently sized apertures - H01J 2237/063: Electron sources - H01J 2237/1501: Beam alignment means or procedures - H01J 2237/1534: Aberrations - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract Provided is a charged particle beam device capable of stably obtaining an effect of improving the depth of focus or the effect of correcting spherical aberration. The charged particle beam device includes an aperture having an annular slit or an electrode having an annular slit and is provided with means for adjusting the incident angle at which the charged particle beam is incident on the aperture or the electrode. Since the incident angle at which the charged particle beam is incident on the aperture or electrode having an annular slit can be made closer to perpendicular, the effect of improving the depth of focus or the effect of correcting spherical aberration can be stably obtained. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charged particle beam device comprising: a charged particle beam source that generates a charged particle beam; a first charged particle beam aperture having an annular slit; an aperture holder that holds the first charged particle beam aperture; an aperture position adjusting mechanism that moves the aperture holder on a plane stretched by a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to the first axis; and an aperture tilting mechanism that adjusts an incident angle of the charged particle beam on the first charged particle beam aperture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein the aperture tilting mechanism includes a first aperture tilting mechanism that tilts the first charged particle beam aperture held in the aperture holder with the first axis as an axis, and a second aperture tilting mechanism that tilts the first charged particle beam aperture held in the aperture holder with the second axis as an axis, and a center of the first charged particle beam aperture is located on the first axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The charged particle beam device according to claim 2, wherein the aperture holder holds a second charged particle beam aperture having a circular hole-shaped opening, and the center of the first charged particle beam aperture and a center of the second charged particle beam aperture are located on the first axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The charged particle beam device according to claim 3, further comprising: an objective lens that focuses the charged particle beam on a sample; a detector that detects secondary charged particles emitted by irradiating the sample with the charged particle beam; and a computer that forms an image based on the secondary charged particles detected by the detector, wherein the aperture tilting mechanism is adjusted so that a resolution of a first image acquired by passing the charged particle beam through the first charged particle beam aperture is equal to or higher than a resolution of a second image acquired by passing the charged particle beam through the second charged particle beam aperture. ### Claim 5 A charged particle beam device comprising: a charged particle beam source that generates a charged particle beam; a first charged particle beam electrode having an annular slit; a second charged particle beam electrode arranged to face the first charged particle beam electrode and having a circular hole-shaped opening; an electrode holder that holds the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode; an electrode power supply that applies a voltage between the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode; an electrode position adjusting mechanism that moves the electrode holder on a plane stretched by a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to the first axis; and an electrode tilting mechanism that adjusts an incident angle of the charged particle beam to the first charged particle beam electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The charged particle beam device according to claim 5, wherein the electrode tilting mechanism includes a first electrode tilting mechanism that tilts the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode held in the electrode holder with the first axis as an axis, and a second aperture tilting mechanism that tilts the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode held in the electrode holder with the second axis as an axis, and a center of the first charged particle beam electrode is located on the first axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The charged particle beam device according to claim 6, wherein the electrode holder holds a charged particle beam aperture having a circular hole-shaped opening, and the center of the first charged particle beam electrode and a center of the charged particle beam aperture are located on the first axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The charged particle beam device according to claim 7, further comprising: an objective lens that focuses the charged particle beam on a sample; a detector that detects secondary charged particles emitted by irradiating the sample with the charged particle beam; and a computer that forms an image based on the secondary charged particles detected by the detector, wherein the electrode tilting mechanism is adjusted so that a resolution of a first image acquired by passing the charged particle beam through the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode in a state where a predetermined voltage is applied between the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode from the electrode power supply is equal to or higher than an expected value based on a resolution of a second image acquired by passing the charged particle beam through the charged particle beam aperture. ### Claim 9 A charged particle beam device comprising: a charged particle beam source that generates a charged particle beam; a first charged particle beam aperture having an annular slit; an aperture holder that holds the first charged particle beam aperture; an aperture position adjusting mechanism that moves the aperture holder on a plane stretched by a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to the first axis; and a first deflector group that deflects the charged particle beam incident on the first charged particle beam aperture, wherein an incident angle on the first charged particle beam aperture is adjusted by deflecting the charged particle beam with the first deflector group. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The charged particle beam device according to claim 9, further comprising: a second deflector group that deflects the charged particle beam passing through the first charged particle beam aperture, wherein an amount of deflection of the charged particle beam by the first deflector group is equal to an amount of deflection of the charged particle beam by the second deflector group, and deflection directions are opposite to each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The charged particle beam device according to claim 10, wherein the aperture holder holds a second charged particle beam aperture having a circular hole-shaped opening, and a center of the first charged particle beam aperture and a center of the second charged particle beam aperture are located on the first axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The charged particle beam device according to claim 11, further comprising: an objective lens that focuses the charged particle beam on a sample; a detector that detects secondary charged particles emitted when the charged particle beam irradiates the sample; and a computer that forms an image based on the secondary charged particles detected by the detector, wherein an amount of deflection of the charged particle beam by the first deflector group and an amount of deflection of the charged particle beam by the second deflector group are adjusted so that a resolution of a first image acquired by passing the charged particle beam through the first charged particle beam aperture is equal to or higher than a resolution of a second image acquired by passing the charged particle beam through the second charged particle beam aperture. ### Claim 13 A charged particle beam device comprising: a charged particle beam source that generates a charged particle beam; a first charged particle beam electrode having an annular slit; a second charged particle beam electrode arranged to face the first charged particle beam electrode and having a circular hole-shaped opening; an electrode holder that holds the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode; an electrode power supply that applies a voltage between the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode; an electrode position adjusting mechanism that moves the electrode holder on a plane stretched by a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to the first axis; and a first deflector group that deflects the charged particle beam incident to the first charged particle beam electrode, wherein an incident angle on the first charged particle beam electrode is adjusted by deflecting the charged particle beam with the first deflector group. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The charged particle beam device according to claim 13, further comprising: a second deflector group that deflects the charged particle beam passing through the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode, wherein an amount of deflection of the charged particle beam by the first deflector group is equal to an amount of deflection of the charged particle beam by the second deflector group, and deflection directions are opposite to each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The charged particle beam device according to claim 14, wherein the electrode holder holds a charged particle beam aperture having a circular hole-shaped opening, and a center of the first charged particle beam electrode and a center of the charged particle beam aperture are located on the first axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The charged particle beam device according to claim 15, further comprising: an objective lens that focuses the charged particle beam on a sample; a detector that detects secondary charged particles emitted when the charged particle beam irradiates the sample; and a computer that forms an image based on the secondary charged particles detected by the detector, wherein an amount of deflection of the charged particle beam by the first deflector group and an amount of deflection of the charged particle beam by the second deflector group are adjusted so that a resolution of a first image acquired by passing the charged particle beam through the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode in a state where a predetermined voltage is applied between the first charged particle beam electrode and the second charged particle beam electrode from the electrode power supply is equal to or higher than an expected value based on a resolution of a second image acquired by passing the charged particle beam through the charged particle beam aperture.