Charged Particle Beam Apparatus, and Method of Adjusting Charged Particle Beam Apparatus

A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

• an irradiation optical system including an optical element which is configured to adjust charged particle beams emitted from a charged particle source;
• an imaging optical system which is configured to image charged particles obtained by irradiating a sample with the charged particle beams on an imaging element;
• an image processing apparatus which is configured to generate an image based on the charged particles detected by the imaging element;
• a negative voltage application power supply which is configured to apply a negative voltage to the sample;
• and
• a control apparatus which is configured to control the negative voltage application power supply, wherein
• the control apparatus is configured to control the negative voltage application power supply so as to switch the irradiation charged particle beams from the irradiation optical system between a state of being reflected without reaching the sample and a state of reaching the sample, and the control apparatus is configured to obtain at least one of a size and a position of a specific brightness area based on detection of the charged particles reaching the imaging element in a state in which the charged particle beams are switched to the state of reaching the sample, and to adjust the optical element such that at least one of the size and the position of the specific brightness area satisfies a designated condition.

A method of adjusting a charged particle beam apparatus including:

• an irradiation optical system including an optical element which is configured to adjust charged particle beams emitted from a charged particle source, and an imaging optical system which is configured to image on an imaging element charged particles obtained by irradiating a sample with the charged particle beams, the method comprising:
• applying a negative voltage to the sample such that the charged particle beams are brought into a state of reaching the sample;
• detecting charged particles obtained in the negative voltage application state by the imaging element;
• generating an image including a specific brightness area that shows a reaching area of the charged particle beams based on the detection of the charged particles;
• and
• adjusting the optical element such that a size and a position of the specific brightness area contained in the image fulfill a designated condition.