Charged particle beam device, method for adjusting charged particle beam device, and method for inspecting or observing sample

A method for inspecting or observing a sample by applying a primary charged particle beam emitted by a charged particle source of a charged particle irradiation unit from a first housing which is maintained in a vacuum state to the sample stored in a second housing which is provided in addition to the first housing, wherein:

• a partition wall part is formed as at least part of either the first or second housing or separately from the first and second housings so as to separate the inside of the first housing and the inside of the second housing from each other at least along part of the interface between the first and second housings, and
• the primary charged particle beam passes through an opening part which is formed in the partition wall part so that its opening area on the charged particle irradiation unit's side is larger than its opening area on the sample's side, and
• the primary charged particle beam penetrates or passes through a thin film covering the sample's side of the opening part and irradiates the sample, and
• a charged particle beam from the sample penetrates or passes through the thin film, passes through the opening part, and is detected by a detector in the first housing.

A method for adjusting a charged particle beam device equipped with a charged particle irradiation unit which irradiates a sample with a primary charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle source, a first housing which is configured to support the charged particle irradiation unit and to be capable of maintaining the inside of the housing in a vacuum state, a second housing which is provided in addition to the first housing and stores the sample, an evacuation device which evacuates the inside of the first housing, a detector which detects a charged particle beam obtained by the irradiation in the first housing, a partition wall part which is formed as at least part of either the first or second housing or separately from the first and second housings so as to separate the inside of the first housing and the inside of the second housing from each other at least along part of the interface between the first and second housings, an opening part which is formed in the partition wall part so that its opening area on the charged particle irradiation unit's side is larger than its opening area on the sample's side, and a thin film which covers the sample's side of the opening part and transmits or allows through the primary charged particle beam and the charged particle beam, comprising the steps of:

• separating the first housing and the second housing from each other by moving the partition wall part when the inside of the first housing and the inside of the second housing are in the same pressure status;
• setting the pressure in the first housing lower than the pressure in the second housing;
• emitting charged particles;
• applying the charged particles to at least the thin film;
• and
• moving the position of the partition wall part.