Charged particle beam apparatus

A charged particle beam apparatus, comprising:

• a charged particle source,
• a scanning deflector for scanning a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source on a sample,
• a lens for changing a focus position of the charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source,
• a detector for detecting charged particles emitted from the sample, and
• a computing section for processing a signal based on the detected charged particles, wherein the computing section:
• forms a plurality of line profiles, each line profile including a plurality of peaks which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface, at the different focus positions;
• calculates, for different focus lengths, a plurality of first width values between one peak and an adjacent peak on one side;
• calculates, for different focus lengths, a plurality of second width values between the one peak and an adjacent peak on the other side of the one peak;
• determines that the convex part is located on the one side of the one peak when the first value is smaller at a longer focus length than the second value;
• and/or
• determines that the concave part is located on the one side of the one peak when the first value is smaller at a shorter focus length than the second value.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon for determining a convex or a concave part of a sample by detecting charged particles emitted from the sample by scanning of a charged particle beam, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising steps of:

• changing a focus position of the charged particle beam;
• forming a plurality of line profiles, each line profile including a plurality of peaks which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface, at the different focus positions;
• calculating, for different focus lengths, a plurality of first width values between one peak and an adjacent peak on one side;
• calculating, for different focus lengths, a plurality of second width values between the one peak and an adjacent peak on the other side;
• comparing a first value among the plurality of first width values, and a second value among the plurality of second width values;
• determining that the convex part is located on the one side of the one peak when the first value is smaller at a longer focus length than the second value;
• and/or
• determining that the concave part is located on the one side of the one peak when the first value is smaller at a shorter focus length than the second value.

A method for determining a convex or a concave part of a sample by detecting charged particles emitted from the sample by scanning a charged particle beam, comprising:

• changing a focus position of the charged particle beam to a first position by performing an auto focus;
• forming a first line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on the charged particle beam focused to the first position;
• changing the focus position from the first position to a second position which has a shorter focus length than the first position and/or a third position which has a longer focus length than the first position;
• forming a second line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on scanning the charged particle beam focused to the second position and/or the third position;
• calculating, for each of the first and second line profiles, a first width on one side of the peak of the line profile;
• and
• determining that the convex part is located on the one side of edge part when the first width of the peak formed at the second position is narrower than the first width of the peak formed at the first position, and/or when the first width of the peak formed at the third position is wider than the first width of the peak formed at the first position.

A method for determining a convex or a concave part of a sample by detecting charged particles emitted from the sample by scanning a charged particle beam, comprising :

• changing a focus position of the charged particle beam to a first position by performing an auto focus;
• forming a first line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on the charged particle beam focused to the first position;
• changing the focus position from the first position to a second position which has a shorter focus length than the first position and/or a third position which has a longer focus length than the first position;
• forming a second line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on scanning the charged particle beam focused to the second position and/or the third position;
• calculating, for each of the first and second line profiles, a first width on one side of the peak of the line profile;
• and
• determining that the concave part is located on the one side of edge part when the first width of the peak formed at the second position is wider than the first width of the peak formed at the first position, and/or when the first width of the peak formed at the third position is narrower than the first width of the peak formed at the first position.

A charged particle beam apparatus, comprising:

• a charged particle source,
• a scanning deflector for scanning a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source on a sample,
• a lens for changing a focus position of the charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source between a first position determined by performing an auto focus, a second position which has a shorter focus length than the first position, and a third position which has a longer focus length than the first position,
• a detector for detecting charged particles emitted from the sample, and
• a computing section for processing a signal based on the detected charged particles, wherein the computing section:
• forms a first line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on the charged particle beam focused to the first position;
• forms a second line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on scanning the charged particle beam focused to the second position and/or the third position;
• calculates, for each of the first and second line profiles, a first width on one side of the peak of the line profile;
• and
• determines that the convex part is located on the one side of edge part when the first width of the peak formed at the second position is narrower than the first width of the peak formed at the first position, and/or when the first width of the peak formed at the third position is wider than the first width of the peak formed at the first position.

A charged particle beam apparatus, comprising:

• a charged particle source,
• a scanning deflector for scanning a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source on a sample,
• a lens for changing a focus position of the charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source between a first position determined by performing an auto focus, a second position which has a shorter focus length than the first position, and a third position which has a longer focus length than the first position,
• a lens for changing a focus position of the charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle source,
• a detector for detecting charged particles emitted from the sample, and
• a computing section for processing a signal based on the detected charged particles, wherein the computing section:
• forms a first line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on the charged particle beam focused to the first position;
• forms a second line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on scanning the charged particle beam focused to the second position and/or the third position;
• calculates, for each of the first and second line profiles, a first width on one side of the peak of the line profile;
• and
• determines that the concave part is located on the one side of edge part when the first width of the peak formed at the second position is wider than the first width of the peak formed at the first position, and/or when the first width of the peak formed at the third position is narrower than the first width of the peak formed at the first position.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon for determining a convex or a concave part of a sample by detecting charged particles emitted from the sample by scanning of a charged particle beam, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising steps of:

• changing a focus position of the charged particle beam to a first position by performing an auto focus;
• forming a first line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on the charged particle beam focused to the first position;
• changing the focus position from the first position to a second position which has a shorter focus length than the first position and/or a third position which has a longer focus length than the first position;
• forming a second line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on scanning the charged particle beam focused to the second position and/or the third position;
• calculating, for each of the first and second line profiles, a first width on one side of the peak of the line profile;
• and
• determining that the convex part is located on the one side of edge part when the first width of the peak formed at the second position is narrower than the first width of the peak formed at the first position, and/or when the first width of the peak formed at the third position is wider than the first width of the peak formed at the first position.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon for determining a convex or a concave part of a sample by detecting charged particles emitted from the sample by scanning a charged particle beam, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising steps of:

• changing a focus position of the charged particle beam to a first position by performing an auto focus;
• forming a first line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on the charged particle beam focused to the first position;
• changing the focus position from the first position to a second position which has a shorter focus length than the first position and/or a third position which has a longer focus length than the first position;
• forming a second line profile which indicates an edge part located between a convex or concave part of the sample and the adjacent surface based on scanning the charged particle beam focused to the second position and/or the third position;
• calculating, for each of the first and second line profiles, a first width on one side of the peak of the line profile;
• and
• determining that the concave part is located on the one side of edge part when the first width of the peak formed at the second position is wider than the first width of the peak formed at the first position, and/or when the first width of the peak formed at the third position is narrower than the first width of the peak formed at the first position.