Surface processing apparatus

#This application claims the benefit of Japanese Priority Patent Applications JP 2014-128914 filed on Jun. 24, 2014 and JP 2015-018238 filed on Feb. 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

#The present technology relates to a surface processing apparatus which performs surface processing on an inspection object by irradiating the inspection object with an electron beam, and particularly relates to a technology of the surface processing which uses a high-current electron beam.

#In a field of a semiconductor manufacture, a surface processing apparatus has been conventionally used which performs surface processing on an inspection object by irradiating the inspection object with an electron beam. For instance, an electron beam exposure device is used which exposes a pattern of a semiconductor chip by using an electron beam (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H5-47643). In addition, in recent years, an exposure device is also proposed which transfers the whole of a chip area by irradiating the chip area with charged particles over a large area (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-270499).

#FIG. 1 is a view showing an overall structure of a surface processing apparatus according to a first embodiment.

#FIG. 2 is a view showing a structure of a main part of the surface processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

#FIG. 3 is a view showing a structure of a main part of a surface processing apparatus according to a second embodiment.

#Surface processing apparatuses in embodiments will be described below. Incidentally, each of embodiments which will be described below shows one example in the case where the present technology is carried out, and the present technology is not limited by specific structures which will be described below. When the present technology is carried out, a specific structure according to the embodiments may be appropriately adopted.

#A surface processing apparatus in one embodiment is a surface processing apparatus which performs surface processing on an inspection object by irradiating the inspection object with an electron beam, and includes: an electron source which generates the electron beam; a lens system which controls a beam shape of the electron beam; a stage on which the inspection object to be irradiated with the electron beam is set; and an optical microscope for checking a position to be irradiated with the electron beam, wherein a current value of the electron beam which irradiates the inspection object is set at 10 nA to 100 A.

#By having this structure, the surface processing apparatus can perform surface processing on the inspection object by irradiating the inspection object with the electron beam. In this case, the current value of the electron beam that irradiates the inspection object is set at 10 nA to 100 A, which accordingly enables high speed processing and greatly enhances the throughput, as compared to a conventional apparatus.