# US 12,463,004 B2 · Charged particle microscope and stage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,463,004 B2 - Document ID: US12463004B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/265,733 - Filed: 2020-12-24 - Published: 2024-04-11 - Granted: 2025-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-24 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Applicants: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Inventors: Kazuki Ishizawa; Kenichi Nishinaka; Michiko Suzuki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12463004B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/20: Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H01J 37/265: {Controlling the tube; circuit arrangements adapted to a particular application not otherwise provided, e.g. bright-field-dark-field illumination} - H01J 2237/20228: Mechanical X-Y scanning - H01J 2237/20285: computer-controlled - H01J 2237/2802: Transmission microscopes - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A charged particle microscope includes an electron gun provided inside a barrel and a stage 20. In the stage 20, a sample holder 30 holding a sample SAM can be installed. The stage 20 includes an annular rough movement stage member 21a and an annular fine movement stage member 21b. An X rough movement actuator 22a and a Y rough movement actuator 23a are connected to the rough movement stage member 21a. An X fine movement actuator 22b and a Y fine movement actuator 23b are connected to the fine movement stage member 21b. Here, a first movable range in which the X rough movement actuator 22a and the Y rough movement actuator 23a are able to move the rough movement stage member 21a is broader than a second movable range in which the X fine movement actuator 22b and the Y fine movement actuator 23b are able to move the fine movement stage member 21b. Accordingly, it is possible to improve performance of the charged particle microscope. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charged particle microscope comprising: a barrel; an electron gun provided inside the barrel and capable of emitting an electron beam; and a stage provided below the electron gun inside the barrel, fixed to the barrel, and configured to install a sample holder with a sample held, wherein the stage includes a first stage member of which a planar shape is annular, a second stage member disposed to be concentric to the first stage member, a first actuator connected to the first stage member, and a second actuator connected to the second stage member, wherein a first movable range in which the first actuator is able to move the first stage member is broader than a second movable range in which the second actuator is able to move the second stage member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The charged particle microscope according to claim 1, wherein a direction of a force applied to the first stage member by the first actuator is parallel to a direction oriented from the first actuator to a center of the annulus of the first stage member, and a direction of a force applied to the second stage member by the second actuator is parallel to a direction oriented from the second actuator to a center of the second stage member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The charged particle microscope according to claim 2, wherein the two first actuators are connected to different positions of the first stage member, an angle formed between a direction of a force applied to the first stage member by one of the first actuators and a direction of a force applied to the first stage member by the other first actuator is 90 degrees, the two second actuators are connected to different positions of the second stage member, and an angle formed between a direction of a force applied to the second stage member by one of the second actuators and a direction of a force applied to the second stage member by the other second actuator is 90 degrees. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The charged particle microscope according to claim 3, wherein the first stage member is disposed to surround the second stage member in a plan view, the two second actuators are respectively connected to the first and second stage members, and the two first actuators are respectively connected to the barrel and the first stage member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The charged particle microscope according to claim 4, wherein between the first and second stage members, two second supporters stretched and contracted in accordance with a force applied to the second stage member respectively by the two second actuators are provided at positions point-symmetric with the two second actuators with respect to a center of the annulus of the second stage member, and between the barrel and the first stage member, two first supporters stretched and contracted in accordance with a force applied to the first stage member respectively by the two first actuators are provided at positions point-symmetric with the two first actuators with respect to a center of the annulus of the first stage member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The charged particle microscope according to claim 1, wherein a position detection element detecting a position of the second stage member is connected to the second stage member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The charged particle microscope according to claim 1, wherein the second actuator is configured by a piezoelectric element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The charged particle microscope according to claim 1, wherein, when the sample is analyzed, the sample holder holding the sample is installed in the second stage member, the sample is irradiated with the electron beam emitted from the electron gun, and a region of the sample irradiated with the electron beam is observed as a field of vision. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The charged particle microscope according to claim 8, further comprising: a control unit electrically connected to the electron gun and the stage and capable of controlling operations of the electron gun and the stage, wherein when the field of vision is moved, the control unit causes the first actuators to move the first stage member in a case where a movement distance of the field of vision is greater than the second movable range, and causes the second actuators to move the second stage member in a case where the movement distance of the field of vision is less than the second movable range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The charged particle microscope according to claim 9, wherein a mesh is mounted on the sample holder, a plurality of samples are located on the mesh, and the plurality of samples are located on addresses allocated to the mesh, and wherein the control unit includes a first field-of-vision movement means, wherein the first field-of-vision movement means includes (a) a step of causing the control unit to retain information regarding the addresses, and (b) a step of causing the control unit to determine magnitude between the movement distance of the field of vision and the first movable range based on the information regarding the addresses. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The charged particle microscope according to claim 9, wherein a mesh with a mark is mounted on the sample holder, and a plurality of the samples are located on the mesh, and wherein the control unit includes a second field-of-vision movement means, wherein the second field-of-vision movement means includes (a) a step of causing the control unit to retain a first captured image indicating the entire mesh which is imaged in advance and on which the plurality of samples are located, (b) a step of causing the control unit to operate the electron gun and the stage and causing the control unit to acquire a second captured image which is a part of the mesh on which the plurality of samples are located and which indicates a periphery of the mark, (c) a step of causing the control unit to compare a position of the mark in the first captured image and a position of the mark in the second captured image, (d) a step of causing the control unit to calculate stage coordinates of each of the plurality of samples using the compared positions of the mark, and (e) a step of causing the control unit to determine magnitude between the movement distance of the field of vision and the first movable range based on the stage coordinates. ### Claim 12 A stage for a charged particle microscope, the stage comprising: a first stage member of which a planar shape is annular; a second stage member disposed to be concentric to the first stage member; a first actuator connected to the first stage member; and a second actuator connected to the second stage member, wherein a first movable range in which the first actuator is able to move the first stage member is broader than a second movable range in which the second actuator is able to move the second stage member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The stage according to claim 12, wherein a direction of a force applied to the first stage member by the first actuator is parallel to a direction oriented from the first actuator to a center of the annulus of the first stage member, and a direction of a force applied to the second stage member by the second actuator is parallel to a direction oriented from the second actuator to a center of the second stage member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The stage according to claim 13, wherein the two first actuators are connected to different positions of the first stage member, an angle formed between a direction of a force applied to the first stage member by one of the first actuators and a direction of a force applied to the first stage member by the other first actuator is 90 degrees, the two second actuators are connected to different positions of the second stage member, and an angle formed between a direction of a force applied to the second stage member by one of the second actuators and a direction of a force applied to the second stage member by the other second actuator is 90 degrees. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The stage according to claim 12, wherein the second actuator is configured by a piezoelectric element.