# US 2014/0151553 A1 · Charged particle beam device, method for adjusting charged particle beam device, and method for inspecting or observing sample > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151553 A1 - Document ID: US20140151553A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/235,892 - Filed: 2012-07-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-21 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Yusuke Ominami; Tomohisa Ohtaki; Sukehiro Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151553A1 ## CPC - H01J 37/18: Vacuum locks {; Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the vessel} - H01J 37/06: Electron sources; Electron guns - H01J 37/244: Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H01J 2237/164: Particle-permeable windows - H01J 2237/166: Sealing means - H01J 2237/18: Vacuum control means - H01J 2237/202: Movement - H01J 2237/2445: Photon detectors for X-rays, light, e.g. photomultipliers - H01J 2237/2608: with environmental specimen chamber - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A charged particle beam device capable of observing a sample in an air atmosphere or gas atmosphere has a thin film for separating the atmospheric pressure space from the decompressed space. A vacuum evacuation pump evacuates a first housing; and a detector detects a charged particle beam (obtained by irradiation of the sample) in the first housing. A thin film is provided to separate the inside of the first housing and the inside of a second housing at least along part of the interface between the first and second housings. An opening part is formed in the thin film so that its opening area on a charged particle irradiation unit's side is larger than its opening area on the sample side; and the thin film which covers the sample side of the opening part transmits or allows through the primary charged particle beam and the charged particle beam. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charged particle beam device comprising: 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 to store the sample, the second housing having a sample gateway part which can change the observation position of the sample from the outside of the second housing while maintaining the vacuum state of the inside of the first housing; 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein the partition wall part is electrically connected to at least part of the first or second housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein an inner side wall of the opening part is formed in a tapered shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein a level difference is formed on the inner side wall of the opening part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein a dividing part which divides the sample's side of the opening part into a plurality of openings is formed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The charged particle beam device according to claim 2, wherein the partition wall part electrically connects the thin film with at least part of the first or second housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein: at least part of the partition wall part is formed by a thin film holding part which holds the thin film, and at least part or all of the surface of the thin film holding part is formed of a conductive or semiconductive material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein: the partition wall part is formed by at least a thin film holding part which holds the thin film and a fixation member which fixes the thin film holding part, and the fixation member is formed so that the distance between the fixation member and the sample is longer than the distance between the thin film and the sample. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein: the partition wall part is formed by at least a thin film holding part which holds the thin film and a thin film holding part support which supports the thin film holding part, and contacting parts of the thin film holding part and the thin film holding part support are in close contact with each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, wherein: at least a thin film holding part which holds the thin film is formed in the partition wall part, and a peripheral edge of the thin film holding part is provided with at least one level difference part, and the thin film holding part is fixed by use of the level difference part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, comprising a moving mechanism which moves the partition wall part from the second housing's side to the first housing's side. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The charged particle beam device according to claim 11, wherein the moving mechanism is a sample stage as a mount for the sample. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, comprising a positioning mechanism for adjusting the position of the thin film. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The charged particle beam device according to claim 13, wherein the positioning mechanism is arranged in a blocking part which blocks a sample gateway of the second housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The charged particle beam device according to claim 1, comprising a sample table which is configured so that its upper surface as a mount for the sample is tilted, wherein the partition wall part is provided with a tilted part so that a sample mount surface of the sample table becomes in parallel with a surface of the thin film facing the sample mount surface. ### Claim 16 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. ### Claim 17 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) The charged particle beam device according to claim 2, wherein: at least part of the partition wall part is formed by a thin film holding part which holds the thin film, and at least part or all of the surface of the thin film holding part is formed of a conductive or semiconductive material.