Observation method and apparatus for removing an oxidation layer and forming an image from a sample
OwnerTsuyoshi Ohnishi, Tohru Ishitaniinventors
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Abstract
The present invention is intended to form a satisfactory SIM image having high contrast without requiring comparatively high current density and high vacuum, and to enable satisfactory observation of grains in a high resolution at a reduced cost. An object area on a sample is divided virtually into a plurality of small areas, the small areas are irradiated sequentially in a time series mode with a surface processing beam and a data acquisition beam, the irradiation of each small area is executed, secondary signals produced by the sample when the sample is irradiated with the data acquisition beam, and an image of the object area on the sample is formed on the basis of the detected secondary signals.
Claims21
A method for removing an oxidation layer and forming an image of a sample by scanning the sample in an environment containing oxygen with a focused ion beam, comprising:
- removing oxidation from an area of a sample;
- removing oxidation from a periphery of the area;
- producing secondary signals from the area before oxidation forms;
- and
- forming an image of the area from the secondary signals.
A focused ion beam scanning apparatus which removes an oxidation layer and forms an image of a sample located in an environment containing oxygen, comprising:
- a remover of oxide from an area of a sample;
- a remover of oxide from a periphery of the area;
- a producer of secondary signals from the area that operates before oxide forms;
- and,
- a former of an image from the secondary signals which represents the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.