Charged particle beam device and method for setting conditions of a charged particle beam device

Abstract

This invention provides a charge particle beam apparatus and a method for setting conditions for the charge particle beam apparatus, assisting the operator in setting observation conditions, enabling the acquisition of images of desired quality through the charge particle beam apparatus without being limited to trial and error based on the operator's experience. The charge particle beam apparatus includes: a sample stage on which a sample is placed; a charge particle optical system that irradiates the sample with a beam of charge particles; a detector that detects electrons generated due to the interaction between the charge particle beam and the sample; a control unit that controls the sample stage and the charge particle optical system according to the observation conditions set by the operator, and forms an image based on the detection signal from the detector; and a display that displays an observation assistance screen for setting observation conditions, wherein the control unit displays information related to the amount of irradiated electrons per pixel of the sample irradiated by the charge particle optical system under the observation conditions on the observation assistance screen.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of patent application filed on April 21, 2017, with application number 201780089056.0 and invention title "Charged Particle Line Device and Method for Setting Conditions of Charged Particle Line Device". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to a charged particle wire device and a method for setting conditions for a charged particle wire device. Background Technology

[0003] Charged particle beam devices observe and analyze samples by irradiating them with charged particle beams. For example, a scanning electron microscope uses electron beams as charged particle beams, focusing the electron beams into a fine beam and scanning the sample at various speeds while irradiating it. The resulting secondary electrons and reflected electrons are then imaged to form an image.

[0004] Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is not only used for high-magnification observation of minute irregularities on samples, but also widely used for sample analysis, such as component contrast images formed due to differences in the internal components of the sample, voltage contrast images formed due to small potential differences on the sample surface, and component analysis by detecting X-rays generated by electron beam irradiation. To obtain a high S / N contrast image, in addition to focusing the electron beam accelerated by high voltage into a finer beam for irradiation, it is crucial to appropriately set the electron beam irradiation dose and irradiation time while scanning the electron beam.

[0005] In scanning electron microscopy, electron beams are scanned at various speeds to image signals from secondary electrons and reflected electrons generated on the sample. Therefore, the electron irradiation dose and irradiation time for each region significantly affect the acquired contrast. The operator observes the image while adjusting their combination and display magnification. The dynamic range of electron irradiation time set to form an image is wide, ranging from tens of milliseconds to hundreds of seconds. Generally, to acquire clear images with high precision, the scanning speed of the irradiating electrons is slowed down, and the irradiation time is extended to obtain images with excellent signal-to-noise ratio (S / N). On the other hand, in cases where there are charging or contamination issues due to the characteristics of the sample, it is necessary to shorten the total irradiation time, reduce the irradiation time for each region, and accumulate the acquired images to obtain the desired image.

[0006] In addition, the operator changes the field of view while observing, and operates the observation magnification between tens and millions of times. Therefore, not only does the amount of electron irradiation and the irradiation time change, but the electron density of each area irradiated on the sample surface also changes at each time, depending on the magnification operation, and the contrast of the obtained scanning electron microscope also changes.

[0007] Thus, the image quality observed by scanning electron microscopy varies depending on the conditions described above. Therefore, operators are required to have knowledge of the effects of electron irradiation on the sample, the changes in image contrast, and familiarity with the scanning electron microscope's user interface.

[0008] Existing technical documents

[0009] Patent documents

[0010] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-16002 Summary of the Invention

[0011] To obtain a suitable electron microscope image, as mentioned above, it is crucial to correctly set the state of the irradiating electrons illuminating the observation area. However, the irradiating electron state that should be considered includes the total number of irradiated electrons, the residence time of the irradiated electrons in each pixel, and many related parameters affecting the irradiating electron state, such as the resolution of the acquired image, the scanning speed, and the amount of irradiating current. Therefore, operators mostly derive the optimal settings through trial and error based on experience, corresponding to the observed sample and purpose. For example, Patent Document 1 explains that the number of pixels must be changed according to the observation purpose and discloses that the best resolution can be obtained by changing the electron beam opening angle corresponding to the field of view equivalent to one pixel. However, it does not provide a method for visually confirming the significance of the parameters for image acquisition, making it difficult for operators to identify different electron irradiation conditions and set the conditions accordingly.

[0012] Therefore, the following problems exist: to obtain an image with the desired contrast, the required operation time may exceed the planned time due to trial and error; or, for less experienced operators, charging and contamination may prevent the acquisition of the desired high-resolution and sharp images. Therefore, it is necessary to assist in setting the operator's observation conditions to appropriately adjust the electron irradiation dose, irradiation time, and scanning mode.

[0013] As a first invention, a charged particle beam device comprises: a sample stage on which a sample is placed; a charged particle optical system that irradiates the sample with a charged particle beam; a detector that detects electrons generated by the interaction between the charged particle beam and the sample; a control unit that controls the sample stage and the charged particle optical system according to observation conditions set by an operator and forms an image based on the detection signal from the detector; and a display that displays an observation aid screen for setting observation conditions, wherein the control unit displays information related to the amount of irradiated electrons per pixel of the sample irradiated by the charged particle optical system under the observation conditions on the observation aid screen.

[0014] Furthermore, as a second invention, there is a method for setting conditions for a charge particle line device. A user interface screen containing a condition setting unit for setting observation conditions of the charge particle line device and an image display unit for displaying the observation image of the charge particle line device is displayed on a monitor. An observation assistance screen containing information related to the amount of irradiated electrons of each pixel under the observation conditions of the observation image is also displayed on the monitor. An instruction is received from an operation unit to display information related to the amount of irradiated electrons of each pixel under the image capture conditions for capturing the observation image on the observation assistance screen.

[0015] Invention Effects

[0016] By displaying information related to the amount of electrons irradiated to each pixel, the operator can easily set the conditions for the charge particle line device. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an overview of a scanning electron microscope.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the user interface of a scanning electron microscope.

[0019] Figure 3 It is an image from an electron microscope.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing an example of an auxiliary viewing screen.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing details of the auxiliary viewing screen.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing an example of changes in an electron beam image.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing other display examples for observing auxiliary screens.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing other display examples for observing auxiliary screens.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing other display examples for observing auxiliary screens.

[0026] Figure 10 This is a flowchart for setting observation conditions using an observation aid screen. Detailed Implementation

[0027] This describes an embodiment of applying the present invention to a scanning electron microscope. A scanning electron microscope scans an object of observation with irradiating electrons, detects the generated electrons to form an image, and allows the operator to observe the object of observation through the formed image. Figure 1This is a diagram illustrating the general structure of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM includes a microscope body 101, a sample chamber 102, a control unit 103, a display 104, and an operation unit 105. The microscope body 101 and sample chamber 102 are maintained under vacuum by a vacuum pump 106. The interior of the microscope body 101 is maintained at a high vacuum, and an electron beam generated by an electron gun 111 is directed towards a sample 116 placed on a sample stage 115 in the sample chamber 102. During this process, the electron beam is focused into a finer beam by electromagnetic lenses such as a converging lens 112 and an objective lens 113. A scanning signal is applied to a deflection coil 114, causing the electron beam to scan the sample surface. These mechanisms controlling the electron beam are collectively referred to as the electron optical system. Electrons are generated through the interaction between electrons and the sample by irradiating the sample surface with an electron beam. The electrons generated from the sample surface include electrons with different energies due to their generation mechanism. Therefore, multiple detectors are sometimes used to efficiently detect individual electrons with different energies. Figure 1 In this example, a secondary electron detector 121 is provided, primarily detecting secondary electrons, and a reflected electron detector 122 is provided, primarily detecting reflected electrons with higher energy than secondary electrons. Furthermore, a detector such as an EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry) detector 123 can be provided not only for image formation but also for elemental analysis based on characteristic X-rays generated by irradiating the sample with an electron beam. The generated electron information detected by the secondary electron detector 121 and the reflected electron detector 122 is stored in the image memory 124 of the control unit 103, forming an image and displaying it on the display 104. The control unit 103 controls each mechanism of the scanning electron microscope according to the observation conditions set by the operator through the operation unit 105, and forms an image based on the generated electron information detected by the detectors. In addition, to facilitate the operator in setting the observation conditions, a scan mode storage unit 125 is provided in the control unit 103. The scan mode storage unit 125 stores multiple predetermined scan modes, which the operator can read to set the observation conditions. The control unit 103 controls the operation of the electron optical system of the scanning electron microscope according to the set observation conditions. The control unit 103 is implemented using an information control device such as a personal computer (PC).

[0028] exist Figure 2 The image shown below illustrates an example of a user interface screen 200 displayed on the monitor 104 of a scanning electron microscope. Since the operator adjusts observation conditions while observing samples, the user interface screen 200 includes a condition setting section for displaying and setting the observation conditions of the scanning electron microscope, and an image display section for displaying the observed image. Figure 2In this example, the condition setting unit includes an acceleration voltage setting unit 201, a magnification setting unit 202, a scanning speed setting unit 203, a capture condition setting unit 204, and an electron-optical condition setting unit 205. The electron-optical condition setting unit 205 includes a probe current mode setting unit 206 and a beam state setting unit 207. Additionally, the image display unit displays images (live images) 211-214 selected by the signal selection unit 215 and formed by the detectors provided on the scanning electron microscope. Images can be formed based on the detection signals of each electron with different energies or combinations thereof; for example, live image 211 is an image formed based on the detection signal of secondary electrons (SE), and live image 213 is an image formed based on the detection signal of reflected electrons (BSE). The operator can select the number of live images to be displayed and the type of detection signal for the displayed live images via the signal selection unit 215, depending on the observation purpose.

[0029] The operator sets the observation conditions of the scanning electron microscope using the acceleration voltage setting unit 201, the scanning speed setting unit 203, and the probe current mode setting unit 206. To facilitate setting the observation conditions of the scanning electron microscope, multiple modes are preset for the scanning speed, and the operator can select one of the preset modes. For example, in... Figure 2 In the example, the buttons labeled "R1" and "S1" are displayed on the scan speed setting unit 203, each button corresponding to a different scan speed mode for electron beam scanning of the sample surface. For example, when searching for a desired field of view, the operator selects the R1 mode (TV scan mode). Once the desired field of view is found, the operator switches to a different scan speed mode or adjusts other parameters to adjust the live image to the desired contrast. Additionally, the magnification of the observed image can be adjusted via the magnification setting unit 202. When the desired image is finally displayed on the monitor, image capture or saving is performed to obtain the final image. The image resolution and scan speed for capturing the image are selected from the capture condition setting unit 204. It is required that the resolution of the final image be higher than the resolution of the live image displayed on the monitor. Therefore, corresponding to the desired image resolution, a capture scan mode different from the observation scan mode used for searching the field of view is preset. The preset observation scan and capture scan modes, as described above, are stored in the scan mode storage unit 125 of the control unit 103 (see reference). Figure 1 ).

[0030] However, if an image of suitable quality cannot be obtained using the preset scanning mode, the operator must adjust the observation conditions. In such cases, adjusting the observation conditions can easily become limited to trial and error based on the operator's experience. To adjust image contrast, etc., the conditions for electron irradiation must be set, but the numerous and difficult-to-understand related parameters are a factor. Furthermore, sometimes the parameters required for adjusting the electron irradiation conditions are not disclosed to the operator.

[0031] The following example illustrates the case of obtaining a component contrast image containing component A and component B. For a component contrast image, contrast is formed based on the difference in the number of detected reflected electrons due to the atomic number effect of the sample. Ideally, for relative comparisons between component contrast images captured under different observation conditions, such as different magnifications, the contrast between the component A and component B regions at Xx magnification and at Yx magnification should be the same. However, even if this ratio is approximately true for the number of input electrons and the number of generated electrons per pixel, many parameters are associated with the number of input electrons, and changing the magnification itself alters the number of input electrons per pixel. Therefore, to reproduce the contrast at Xx magnification when captured at Yx magnification, any change in observation conditions must be applied to offset the change in the number of input electrons that accompanies the change in magnification.

[0032] As another example, consider the case of observing samples with high electrostatic capacitance, such as insulating materials. Suppose we want to switch from the prescribed observation scan mode to the capture scan mode to acquire a high-resolution capture image at high magnification. As a result, sometimes a charging phenomenon occurs due to the irradiation of a small area of ​​the sample with high electrostatic capacitance with many electrons, and the contrast observed in the observation scan mode disappears in the capture image.

[0033] exist Figure 3The examples below illustrate specific instances where appropriate observation results (captured images) could not be obtained. Original image 301 is an image of the original image (live image, TV image) displayed on the monitor. Images 302-305 are images (captured images) of the electron microscope image obtained from original image 301 in a specified capture scanning mode. When generating an image by accumulating multiple frames, image 302 is affected by image shift due to beam irradiation, resulting in smooth brightness levels at the contours. For image 303, which exhibits contour distortion (drift), image drift occurs in the latter half of the captured frame due to charging caused by prolonged electron beam irradiation. For image 304, which shows loss of contrast, contrast is lost due to charging and other phenomena caused by electron beam irradiation. For image 305, which shows intensity changes, the S / N ratio of detected electrons changes due to changes in observation conditions, resulting in variations in intensity. These changes in intensity occur because switching from the observation conditions used to acquire original image 301 to other observation conditions alters the number of irradiated electrons in each observation area, leading to image drift and charging. On the other hand, among the parameters for adjusting optical conditions, there are multiple parameters that affect the number of irradiated electrons in each observation area. Therefore, in the scanning electron microscope of this embodiment, an auxiliary screen is provided to adjust the observation conditions based on the number of irradiated electrons in each observation area, so that the observation conditions can be set.

[0034] exist Figure 10 The text describes the process of setting observation conditions using the observation assistance screen. (While referring to...) Figure 10 The process of adjusting and setting observation conditions by the operator is explained using an example of an operation screen displayed on monitor 104. First, the operator displays the observation auxiliary screen (S1001). Figure 4 The examples shown illustrate how observation aid screens are displayed on the display 104 in different window formats. If the beam status button 207 of the electron optics setting unit 205 is pressed from the scanning electron microscope user interface screen 200, an observation aid screen 401 displaying the SEM beam status is shown. When the observation aid screen 401 is displayed, the user interface screen 200 can also prevent the electron microscope image from being displayed on the image display unit. This is to avoid unnecessary electron beam irradiation of the sample due to continuous display of the live image when confirmation of the live image is not required.

[0035] exist Figure 5 The details of the observation auxiliary screen 401 are shown in the image. In order to make it easier for the operator to understand, the observation area image 501, which represents the observation area where the image is acquired, and the electron beam image 508, which represents the electron beam irradiating the observation area, are displayed.

[0036] The observation area image 501 represents one pixel as a block, showing a top-down view of a single frame. Since it's impossible to represent all pixels in a frame, overlapping pixels are omitted, allowing for simultaneous confirmation of both the frame size and the size of a single pixel. The observation area image display is not limited to... Figure 5 For example, instead of using dashed lines like those in the image, omitting wavy lines or other symbols can be used to represent the omission of some pixels. Alternatively, one could consider representing 1 to a small number of pixels separately from the frame image, enclosed by a circle or similar symbol. Furthermore, changes in size can be represented by altering the color scheme and line type of the image. In the observation area image 501, the size of one frame 502, the scan time of each frame 503, the scan time of each frame 504, the size of one pixel 505, and the scan time of each pixel (pixel time = Dwell Time) 506 are displayed to aid in the recognizability of the observation area image 501. For values ​​related to scan time, it is ideal to display not only numerical values, but also, for easy and intuitive understanding of the scan range, values ​​such as... Figure 5 That's how you add arrow displays and other similar functions. Furthermore, values ​​such as scan time, pixel size, and cumulative count directly affect the number of irradiated electrons, so ideally they should all be displayed uniformly in area 507.

[0037] The electron beam image 508 simulates the number of electrons irradiated by the electron beam and the irradiation current, thus displaying the irradiation current value 509. For the irradiation current value 509, if a measuring device such as a Faraday cylinder is installed on the electron microscope body, the irradiation current value under that observation condition is calculated and displayed based on the measured value or a pre-acquired correction value. Figure 6 The image shown is an example of an electron beam image 508. The electron beam image changes color and shape according to the number of irradiated electrons and the irradiation current, assisting the operator in gaining an impression of the electron beam's state. When the number of irradiated electrons is increased compared to the original image 601, as in image 602, the number of white circles simulating irradiated electrons is increased. Conversely, when the irradiation current is increased, the background color is changed to dark red, as in image 603, making it easier for the operator to visually perceive the electron beam. A drawback of the increased electron density at high magnification is the potential for damage to the sample due to beam irradiation and localized contamination. By changing the electron beam image as shown in Figures 602 and 603, damage to the sample due to beam irradiation can be prevented, allowing for visual confirmation before actual image acquisition. Ideally, the observation conditions of the original image 601 should be set as a reference for each observation, making it easy for the operator to adjust the electron beam conditions.

[0038] The radiation dose of 510 is displayed near the image. The operator can refer to this value each time they adjust and set observation conditions. As the radiation dose of 510, in... Figure 5 In the example, the number of electrons irradiated per pixel, the number of electrons irradiated per unit length of scan (linear density), and the number of electrons irradiated per unit area (area density) are shown. Equivalent physical quantities can also be displayed instead, but it is important that the operator can identify changes in the amount of electrons irradiated per pixel when at least the observation conditions are altered. Furthermore, the number of electrons irradiated per pixel is calculated as (irradiation current (pA) × pixel time (μs)) / e (e: elementary charge). Additionally, the linear density is calculated as the number of electrons irradiated per pixel / pixel size.

[0039] Additionally, in the observation assistance screen 401, the associated parameters set for the scanning electron microscope in the condition setting section of the user interface screen 200 are read and displayed as associated parameters 520. Specifically, the associated parameters 520 display the values ​​set in the acceleration voltage setting section 201, the magnification setting section 202, the scanning speed setting section 203, and the electron optics condition setting section 205.

[0040] As explained above, the control unit 103 of the scanning electron microscope calculates the amount of electrons irradiated in the live image and displays it, along with parameters associated with the amount of electrons irradiated, on the observation aid screen 401 (S1002: Figure 10 Thus, the operator can uniformly confirm the parameters that determine the beam state and the amount of irradiated electrons as a result of the live image displayed on the image display unit in the observation auxiliary screen 401.

[0041] The observation auxiliary screen 401 is equipped with a scan / capture selection button 523, so the operator can select either one (S1003). The operator continues to search the observation field of view, selecting "scan" when adjusting the normal scan conditions, and selecting "capture" when confirming and adjusting the capture scan conditions after determining the observation field of view. When "capture" is selected, the associated parameters of the capture scan mode set in the capture condition setting unit 204 and the amount of irradiated electrons calculated based on the associated parameters are displayed (S1004).

[0042] After starting observation, the operator searches for the field of view of the observed object on the sample while changing the sample position and magnification in observation scan mode. During this stage, the brightness and contrast of the observed image are roughly adjusted, and electrons are irradiated at the fastest possible scan speed to achieve a sufficient S / N ratio for field of view searching. Conversely, in capture scan for acquiring the captured image, the operator sets a longer electron irradiation time for each pixel or accumulates multiple frames to obtain an image with sufficient S / N. Therefore, the capture scan settings are performed separately from the previous observation scan settings. However, due to this switching, as mentioned above, sometimes the contrast setting is incorrect, or image shift or halos may occur due to the effects of charging discovered during field of view searching. By selecting any of the scan / capture selection buttons 523, the amount of electrons irradiated for each pixel can be confirmed through the observation auxiliary screen 401 for either normal scan or capture scan mode.

[0043] This section explains the adjustment of observation conditions during the scanning process. If the values ​​of the acceleration voltage setting unit 201, magnification setting unit 202, scanning speed setting unit 203, and probe current mode setting unit 206 are updated while the observation assistance screen 401 is activated (S1005), then correspondingly, the associated parameters 520 of the observation assistance screen 401 are updated, and the information 501 to 514 related to the beam state is updated (S1006). Figure 5 In the example, the read button 521 and the calculate button 522 are shown. The observation aid screen 401 can be updated automatically by changing the settings of the condition setting section of the user interface screen 200, or it can be updated in response to the operator's instructions. For example, when the operator presses the read button 521, a new associated parameter 520 is generated, and information 501 to 514 are updated based on the associated parameter 520 updated when the calculate button 522 is pressed. Updates are only performed when the calculate button 522 is pressed, thereby reducing the load on the control unit that calculates the amount of irradiated electrons.

[0044] Additionally, the associated parameters can also be edited on the observation assistance screen 401. The associated parameters 520 of the observation assistance screen 401 can be edited. When the calculation button 522 is pressed while updating the associated parameters 520, the edited associated parameters are used to update information 501-514. Figure 5In the example below, the user can edit the number of pixels and the scan mode via a drop-down menu, and input the amount of irradiation current into the irradiation current input box 511. Using this function, the operator can confirm the information associated with the amount of irradiation electrons for each pixel before actually changing the scanning mode of the scanning electron microscope, and set the observation conditions based on the calculated amount of irradiation electrons for each pixel. After determining the observation conditions, the operator can continue observation by giving instructions from the control unit to apply the observation conditions set in the observation assistance screen.

[0045] If the desired live image cannot be obtained, the correlation parameters are updated again. If the desired live image is obtained, image capture conditions are set, and capture is selected by selecting button 523 (S1007, S1003). This displays the correlation parameters of the capture scan mode set in the capture condition setting unit 204, and the amount of irradiated electrons calculated based on these correlation parameters (S1004). The operator confirms the discrepancy between the amount of irradiated electrons of each pixel in the capture scan mode displayed on the observation aid screen 401 and the amount of irradiated electrons of each pixel in the observation scan mode (S1008). If the discrepancy is small, image capture is performed without adjusting the conditions (S1011). If the discrepancy is large, and the observation conditions related to the capture scan in the capture condition setting unit 204, etc., are adjusted (S1009), the correlation parameters 520 of the observation aid screen 401 are updated accordingly, and the information 501 to 514 related to the beam state is updated (S1010). The processes in steps S1009 and S1010 are the same as those in steps S1005 and S1006, respectively, and therefore their descriptions are omitted. Thus, if the deviation from the amount of irradiated electrons under the observation scan is small, image capture (S1011) is performed.

[0046] In addition, Figure 5 In the example, as the associated parameter 520, at least one of the following is displayed: image magnification, frame magnification, and FOV (Field of View). Previously, for scanning electron microscopy, image magnification was defined according to the size of the image displayed as 127mm × 95mm (4×5 image size). However, now, the image magnification is more complex, either displayed according to the size shown on the monitor 104, or defined according to the FOV size utilizing the image field of view. For example... Figure 5 As shown, by displaying the difference in conjunction with the size of 505 (1 pixel) on the observation auxiliary screen 401, the operator can easily identify the difference.

[0047] exist Figure 7The image shown is a modified example of an observation aid screen. When saving electron microscope images acquired by scanning electron microscopes as electronic files, sometimes the settings of the observation conditions at the time of acquisition are saved as supplementary information in the form of text file data, in conjunction with the electronic file of the electron microscope images. By pressing the supplementary information acquisition button 701 set on the observation aid screen 402, supplementary information or the acquired electron microscope image is selected, the necessary parameters are acquired from the selected supplementary information, the acquired supplementary information is reflected in the associated parameters 520 on the observation aid screen, the amount of irradiated electrons is calculated, and information 501 to 514 is displayed. Thus, the operator can visually confirm the electron beam state and scanning conditions at the time of acquisition on the display 104 for previously acquired electron microscope images. Furthermore, if the same procedure can be executed by an information processing device other than the control unit 103, it can also be implemented by an information processing device other than the control unit 103.

[0048] Furthermore, after selecting and acquiring the accompanying information from the accompanying information acquisition button 701, observation conditions can be sent in the condition setting section of the user interface screen 200 via the send button 702. This allows the reproduction of the same observation conditions as in previous electron microscope image acquisition.

[0049] exist Figure 8 , Figure 9 The text shows other examples of distortions observed in the auxiliary view. Figure 8 In the observation assistance screen 403 shown, the parameters displayed (504 related to line scanning, 503 related to frame scanning, 506 related to pixel time, and 502 related to pixel count) can be edited, allowing direct changes to the scanning electron microscope settings. The operator can save the edited scanning mode with a name using the save button 801 on the observation assistance screen 403. The saved scanning mode information is stored as the original scanning mode in the scanning mode storage unit 125 of the control unit 103. The original scanning mode setting unit 802 is configured in the user interface screen 200 similarly to the standard scanning speed setting unit 203, allowing the operator to recall the saved scanning mode as the original scanning mode. Figure 9 The image shows an example of a user interface configured with the original scan mode setting unit 802.

[0050] exist Figure 9The key feature is that it can display operator-edited scanning modes and frequently used standard scanning modes as a scanning mode list 901. Therefore, if the scanning mode list is determined once, a pre-saved scanning mode can be easily set according to the object and purpose of observation. Furthermore, during routine observation, the operator does not need to repeatedly edit the scanning settings and can perform observations with good throughput. An observation assistance button 902 (e.g., a beam status button) for transferring to the observation assistance screen 403 can also be provided in the scanning mode list.

[0051] The above describes examples of applying the present invention to scanning electron microscopes. The applications are not limited to these; it can also be applied to ordinary microscopes used to observe samples by irradiating them with electron beams, such as transmission electron microscopes and scanning transmission electron microscopes, and to focusing ion beam devices (FIBs) that irradiate samples with ion beams.

[0052] Furthermore, the method of displaying the operation screen to the display is not limited to the content described in the implementation method, and various modifications can be made. For example, the observation assistance screen can be displayed in the form of a window different from the user interface screen 200, but it can also be displayed as part of the user interface screen in the same window. In addition, for example, when the associated parameters on the observation assistance screen are updated, or when switching between scanning and capture, multiple observation assistance screens can be opened, or the information before the update can be residually displayed on the observation assistance screen, so that the information of the old and new observation assistance screens can be easily compared.

[0053] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0054] 101: Lens body; 102: Sample chamber; 103: Control unit; 104: Display; 105: Operation unit; 106: Vacuum pump; 111: Electron gun; 112: Converging lens; 113: Objective lens; 114: Deflection coil; 115: Sample stage; 116: Sample; 121: Secondary electron detector; 122: Reflection electron detector; 123: EDX detector; 124: Image memory; 125: Scanning mode storage unit.

Claims

1. A charge particle line device, characterized in that, The above-mentioned charge particle line device includes: The sample platform is used to hold the sample. A charged particle optical system that irradiates the above-mentioned sample with a beam of charged particles; A detector that detects electrons generated by the interaction between the aforementioned charged particle beam and the aforementioned sample; The control unit controls the sample stage and the charged particle optical system according to the observation conditions set by the operator, and forms an image based on the detection signal from the detector; and The monitor displays an observation aid screen for setting the aforementioned observation conditions. The control unit displays information related to the number of irradiated electrons of each pixel of the sample irradiated by the charge particle optical system under the above observation conditions on the above observation aid screen.

2. The charge particle line device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned control unit will also display the associated parameters that affect the image quality on the aforementioned observation aid screen.

3. The charge particle line device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The aforementioned charged particle line device includes an operation unit that accepts input from the operator. The control unit displays information on the observation aid screen related to the number of irradiated electrons per pixel of the sample irradiated by the charge particle optical system under the observation conditions where the correlation parameters edited by the operation unit are applied.

4. The charge particle line device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control unit receives instructions from the operation unit and controls the sample stage and the charged particle optical system according to the observation conditions with the correlation parameters edited by the operation unit.

5. The charge particle line device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The aforementioned control unit includes a scan pattern storage unit for storing predetermined scan patterns. The control unit stores the scan mode with the associated parameters edited by the operation unit as the original scan mode in the scan mode storage unit. When the observation conditions are set, the predetermined scan mode or the original scan mode can be read.

6. The charge particle line device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit reads out the observation conditions contained in the accompanying information associated with the image saved as an electronic file, and displays information related to the number of irradiated electrons of each pixel of the sample irradiated by the charge particle optical system under the observation conditions contained in the accompanying information on the observation aid screen.

7. A method for setting conditions for a charged particle line device, characterized in that, The user interface screen, which includes a condition setting unit for setting the observation conditions of the charge particle line device and an image display unit for displaying the observed image of the charge particle line device, is displayed on the monitor. An observation aid screen containing information about the number of irradiated electrons for each pixel under the observation conditions of the observed image is displayed on the aforementioned display. Upon receiving instructions from the operation unit, information related to the number of irradiated electrons per pixel under the image capture conditions for capturing the aforementioned observation image is displayed on the aforementioned observation assistance screen.

8. The method for setting conditions for the charged particle line device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The aforementioned observation aid screen also displays related parameters that affect the image quality of the observed image or the captured image obtained by capturing the observed image. The related parameters displayed on the aforementioned observation aid screen can be edited via the aforementioned operation unit. Information related to the number of irradiated electrons per pixel under the observation conditions, with the association parameters edited by the aforementioned operation unit applied, is displayed on the aforementioned observation assistance screen.

9. The method for setting conditions for the charged particle line device according to claim 8, characterized in that, Upon receiving instructions from the aforementioned operation unit, the aforementioned observation image is displayed or the aforementioned captured image is acquired under observation conditions that apply the correlation parameters edited by the aforementioned operation unit.

10. The method for setting conditions for the charged particle line device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The scan mode that applies the associated parameters edited by the above operation unit is stored as the original scan mode.

Images