Apparatus and method for milling sample
AssigneeJEOL Ltd.
InventorMunehiro Kozuka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is a sample milling apparatus capable of milling various samples efficiently. The sample milling apparatus includes an anode, a cathode for emitting electrons which are made to collide with gas molecules so that ions are generated, an extraction electrode for causing the generated ions to be extracted as an ion beam, and a focusing electrode disposed between the cathode and the extraction electrode and applied with a focusing voltage. The spatial profile of the ion beam is controlled by varying the focusing voltage applied to the focusing electrode.
Claims11
A sample milling apparatus for milling a sample by irradiating the sample with an ion beam, said sample milling apparatus comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode configured to emit electrons which are made to collide with gas molecules so that ions are generated;
- an extraction electrode configured to cause the generated ions to be extracted as said ion beam, wherein said ion beam has a spatial profile that is controlled by varying a focusing voltage applied to a focusing electrode;
- the focusing electrode disposed between the cathode and the extraction electrode and applied with the focusing voltage;
- a swing mechanism configured to swing the sample;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- control the focusing voltage applied to the focusing electrode and a swing angle when the sample is swung;
- accept designation of a target area to be milled and determine a milling condition comprising the focusing voltage and the swing angle based on a shape of the designated target area to be milled;
- and
- control the swing mechanism so that the sample is repeatedly swung at the swing angle corresponding to the milling condition while the sample is illuminated with the ion beam, the spatial profile of the ion beam having been controlled by applying the focusing voltage corresponding to the milling condition to the focusing electrode.
A sample milling method using a sample milling apparatus comprising an anode, a cathode for emitting electrons which are made to collide with gas molecules so that ions are generated, an extraction electrode for causing the generated ions to be extracted as an ion beam, a focusing electrode disposed between the cathode and the extraction electrode and applied with a focusing voltage, and a swing mechanism configured to swing a sample, the sample milling apparatus operating to mill the sample by irradiating the sample with the ion beam having a spatial profile, said sample milling method comprising:
- controlling the spatial profile of the ion beam by varying the focusing voltage applied to the focusing electrode;
- determining a milling condition including the focusing voltage applied to the focusing electrode and a swing angle when the sample is swung based on a shape of a target area of the sample to be milled;
- and
- controlling the swing mechanism so that the sample is repeatedly swung at the swing angle corresponding to the determined milling condition while the sample is illuminated with the ion beam, the spatial profile of the ion beam having been controlled by applying the focusing voltage corresponding to the determined milling condition to the focusing electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.