Method for detecting information of an electric potential on a sample and charged particle beam apparatus

A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

• a charged particle source;
• an objective lens that focuses a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source;
• and
• a controller that controls a voltage applied to a sample;
• wherein the controller calculates information relating to an electric potential on the sample based on:
• (i) information obtained based on charged particles detected when a magnitude of a negative voltage applied to the sample is higher than an acceleration voltage applied for accelerating the charged particle beam toward the sample in a state in which the charged particle beam is applied from a charged particle source toward the sample, wherein the information obtained based on the charged particles detected includes at least one of (1) a detecting detected position of an electron discharged from reflected by the electric potential on the sample, (2) a position, an area, a rotation angle or a brightness of a structure of an electron microscope, wherein the structure is included in an image formed based on the electrons reflected by the electric potential on the sample, or (3) a blurring, a magnification or a distortion of the image, and
• (ii) a correlation between the information obtained based on the charged particles detected and the information relating to the electric potential on the sample, wherein the correlation is obtained in advance.

A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

• a charged particle source;
• an objective lens that focuses a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source;
• and
• a controller that controls a voltage applied to a sample;
• wherein the controller calculates a compensation value of an adjustment parameter for the charged particle beam apparatus based on:
• (i) information obtained based on charged particles detected when a magnitude of a negative voltage applied to the sample is higher than an acceleration voltage applied for accelerating the charged particle beam toward the sample in a state in which the charged particle beam is applied from a charged particle source toward the sample, wherein the information obtained based on the charged particles detected includes at least one of (1) a detected position of an electron reflected by the electric potential on the sample, (2) a position, an area, a rotation angle or a brightness of a structure of an electron microscope, wherein the structure is included in an image formed based on the electrons reflected by the electric potential on the sample, or (3) a blurring, a magnification or a distortion of the image, and
• (ii) a correlation between the information and the adjustment parameter of the charged particle beam apparatus, wherein the correlation is obtained in advance.