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US 5,118,941 AGranted
Apparatus and method for locating target area for electron microanalysis
AssigneeThe Perkin-Elmer Corporation
InventorPaul E. Larson
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AssigneeThe Perkin-Elmer Corporation
InventorPaul E. Larson
Estimating the term…
Target area on a specimen surface is located in an electron microanalyzer system that includes an electron energy analyzer and an analyzer detector. An electron gun impinges a rastering beam of incident electrons across the surface, a secondary electron detector provides corresponding signals for producing a scanning electron microscope image of the surface. Backscattered electrons effected from the incident electrons are passed through the analyzer for producing a further image that is superimposed on the SEM image to locate the target area to be subject to a separate microanalysis. Particularly for an electrically insulating specimen surface, the images are produced in a single frame of rastering, and surface area and beam current are sufficient to produce the images without substantial charge buildup.
A method of locating a target area on a specimen surface larger than the target area, in an electron microanalysis system including electron gun means for impinging a rastering beam of incident electrons across the surface to effect secondary electrons and target electrons from the surface, secondary electron detector means receptive of the secondary electrons for generating corresponding secondary electron signals, electron energy analyzer means receptive of the target electrons for passing electrons having a selected energy from the target area, analyzer detector means receptive of the passed electrons for generating corresponding analyzer signals, and processing means associated with the electron gun means and being receptive of each of the signals for producing respective images, the method comprising cooperatively operating the processing means and the electron gun means to produce a scanning electron microscope image of the surface, cooperatively operating the analyzer means, the processing means and the electron gun means to produce a target image associated with the target area, and superimposing the target image on the scanning electron microscope image, whereby the target image represents location of the target area on the surface, the method further comprising separately performing a microanalysis of the target area by operating the microanalysis system with the analyzer means passing electrons at the selected energy and without simultaneously operating the processing means to superimpose a scanning electron image.
Apparatus for locating a target area on a specimen surface larger than the target area, in an electron microanalysis system including electron energy analyzer means receptive of electrons from a target area for passing electrons of selected energy, and analyzer detector means receptive of the passed electrons for generating corresponding analyzer signals useful for microanalysis of the target area, the apparatus comprising electron gun means for impinging a rastering beam of incident electrons across the surface so as to effect target electrons from the surface for passing by the analyzer means and to further effect secondary electrons from the surface, secondary electron detector means receptive of the secondary electrons for generating corresponding secondary electron signals, first processing means associated with the electron gun means and being receptive of the secondary electron signals so as to produce a scanning electron microscope image of the surface, second processing means associated with the electron gun means and being receptive of the analyzer signals so as to produce a target image associated with the target area, and third processing means for superimposing the target image on the scanning electron microscope image, whereby the target image represents location of the target area within the specimen surface for microanalysis by the analyzer means, the apparatus further comprising means for separately performing a microanalysis of the target area by operating the microanalysis system with the analyzer means passing electrons at the selected energy and without simultaneously operating the processing means to superimpose a scanning electron image.
A method of producing a scanning electron microscope image of an electrically insulating specimen surface with an electron microanalysis system including electron gun means for impinging a rastering beam of incident electrons across the surface to effect secondary electrons from the surface, secondary electron detector means receptive of the secondary electrons for generating corresponding signals, and processing means associated with the electron gun means and being receptive of the signals for producing a scanning electron microscope image, the method comprising cooperatively selecting current for the beam and area of the surface sufficient to produce the images and insufficient to cause substantial charge buildup on the specimen surface in a single frame of rastering, and cooperatively operating the processing means and the electron gun means in a single frame of rastering so as to produce the image of the surface based on the single frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.