Inspection system by charged particle beam and method of manufacturing devices using the system

An inspection apparatus for inspecting a sample using a plurality of beams, comprising:

• a plurality of primary charged particle beam irradiation systems each having a beam source, a lens and a deflector and adapted to form a plurality of points of irradiation with primary charged particle beams on the surface of the sample using an aperture plate,
• a plurality of secondary charged particle optical systems each corresponding to each primary charged particle beam irradiation system, each of the secondary charged particle optical systems having a lens and a plurality of secondary charged particle detectors and
• an objective lens and a separator which are common to each of the primary charged particle beam irradiation systems and corresponding secondary charged particle optical system,
• wherein secondary charged particles are separated from the primary charged particle beams after they pass through the objective lens before they enter to the next lens.

An inspection apparatus for inspecting a sample using a plurality of beams, comprising:

• a plurality of primary charged particle beam irradiation systems each having a beam source, a lens and a deflector and adapted to form a plurality of points of irradiation with primary charged particle beams on the surface of the sample using an aperture plate,
• a plurality of secondary charged particle optical systems each corresponding to each primary charged particle beam irradiation system, each of the secondary charged particle optical systems having a lens and a plurality of secondary charged particle detectors and
• an objective lens and a separator which are common to each of the primary charged particle beam irradiation systems and corresponding secondary charged particle optical system,
• wherein secondary charged particles are separated from the primary charged particle beams after they pass through the objective lens before they enter to the next lens,
• wherein the primary charged particle beam irradiation system and the corresponding secondary charged particle optical systems are disposed in two rows and in plural columns so as to prevent a path of secondary charged particles deflected by one of the separators from interfering with other column of a path of the secondary charged particles deflected by the other separator, and wherein the secondary charged particle detectors in the first row and the secondary charged particle detectors in the second row are disposed oppositely each other in order not to interfere with each other.

An inspection method for inspecting a sample using a plurality of beams, comprising:

• a. emitting charged particle beam from a beam generator;
• b. irradiating an aperture plate having a plurality of apertures with the charged particle beam;
• c. focusing and scanning the plurality of beams formed by the plurality of the apertures on a sample surface by primary optical systems each of which comprises an optical axis, a lens and a deflector;
• d. converging secondary electrons emitted from scanning points on the sample and separating them from the primary optical system by a plurality of separators;
• e. forming an enlarged image of the secondary electrons in detecting devices each of which comprises a plurality of detectors through secondary optical systems each of which comprises an optical axis and at least one stage lens;
• f. detecting through the plurality of detectors and forming an image;
• wherein the primary and the secondary optical columns are disposed in two rows and in plural columns.

An inspection method (4300) comprising:

• providing a primary optical system comprising a single beam source for discharging a beam, an aperture plate with a plurality of apertures, a plurality of lenses, and a beam separator, so as to irradiate a surface of a sample to be inspected with the beam emitted from the beam source;
• and
• separating secondary charged particles emitted from the sample from the primary optical system by the beam separator so as to introduce them into a secondary charged particle detector to be detected therein;
• wherein the beam from the beam source is irradiated onto the aperture plate to form an image of the plurality of apertures, and a scanning voltage is applied on an electrostatic deflector so as to cause a deflecting operation of the beam.