Methods

Electron gun having a source of electrons, means for forming the electrons into a beam directed along an axis, and an output electrode comprising a plurality of semi-cylindrical plates disposed coaxially of the axis of the beam. This electrode is part of the final lens of the gun, and voltages for deflecting...     

A charged particle beam (e.g., ions or electrons) apparatus including two electrostatic focusing lenses and an electrode having a diameter limiting aperture positioned between the lenses is further provided with two electrode assemblies which interact with an extractor electrode and with a source of...     

Differential Auger spectroscopy method for increasing the sensitivity of micro-Auger spectroanalysis of the surfaces of dilute alloys, by alternately periodically switching an electron beam back and forth between an impurity free reference sample and a test sample containing a trace impurity. The Auger...     

Beams of monoenergetic protons or other charged ions are passed through the living human body to detect abnormalities and obstructions in body tissue, which abnormalities and obstructions are visualized as density variations in the particle image emerging from the body part under investigation. The particles...     

A charged-particle beam correction arrangement for a charged-particle analyzer having deflecting electrodes which focus charged particles emitted from a sample onto a center axis, an extension thereof, or onto an identical circumference with its center on the axis, a slit which is disposed at the focus...     

A diamond is toughened by bombarding it at elevated temperature with ions such as protons which form a dislocation network in it, inhibiting microcleavage.

In ion micro-analysis, intensity of at least one species of secondary ions is monitored, and a reference etching time required for etching an implanted depth of primary ions is determined from a profile of a secondary ion intensity signal. Analysis time is graduated on the basis of the reference etching...     

A method for examining non-metallized semiconductor wafers without the use of any electrical or mechanical contact therewith is provided by the scanning of the wafer with an electron beam. The bombardment of the wafer with the electrons generates charges which are retained in the semiconductor material...     

In order to find criteria for the adjustment of an optimum focus, lens correction, specimen shift and the like, measurements are performed by means of a beam wobbler and the corresponding generation of a variable F(s)=.THETA..vertline.(Xi-Yi+s).vertline.* in order to determine that s-value for which...     

A method of measuring a resist pattern in which size and/or position of a latent image formed in the resist film by irradiation, is measured by Auger electron spectroscopy or a like method. With this method, since there is no need to develop when the resist pattern is not acceptable, manufacturing costs...     

This invention relates to an imaging system with computer-controlled, multiple electronic image acquisition and assembly means for producing a high resolution, large-field electronic mosaic image from a series of smaller field image segments.

A sample surface structure measuring method using a scanning type electron microscope featured by scanning the sample surface by an electron beam incident from above the sample surface; measuring the amount of the secondary electrons discharged according to the three-dimensional structure of the sample...     

Method of determining stereoscopic geometry of an object through photometric stereoscopic measurement with high accuracy. Three or more images of the object picked up in a same fixed direction by varying the state of light sources are derived. Relationships among the images are corrected so that an evaluation...     

There is provided an electron spectrometer operable to produce an image of an electron emitting surface, said spectrometer comprising in sequence: (a) means for causing electrons to be emitted from said surface; (b) a first electrostatic lens system arranged to project at least some of said electrons...     

A scanning electron microscope for scanning the surface of a specimen with an electron beam to detect secondary electrons, backscattered electrons, or X-rays emitted from the specimen, thereby forming an image of the surface of the specimen, is provided with a specimen table capable of making a horizontal...     

By using, in beam path correction, a three-point adjustment of the beam wobbler, the beam path can be optimized for realizing minimum picture errors in the apparatus. For different lens energizations a picture-shifting correction can simply be carried out dynamically.

A thermally compensated tube scanner scanning tunneling microscope utilizes two concentric piezoelectric tubes, one for scanning and one for coarse translation as well as fine adjustment of sample position while in tunneling range. There are no mechanical components such as springs, levers, gears, or...     

This atomic force microscope includes a pointed tip (1) mounted on top of an oscillating crystal (2) which is translatable in xyz-directions by a conventional xyz-drive (4). A potential applied to a pair of electrodes (5, 6) coated on opposite faces of the crystal (2) causes the latter to oscillate with...     

A spray aperture disk designed for insertion into a column liner of an electron microscope having a substantially circular shape, a plurality of tabs or extensions located on the circumferential periphery of the disk and a small central aperture. The disk is inserted into the tapered end of a column...     

A positron microscope system utilizing image enhancement to overcome problems associated with low positron source flux can be operated in transmission and reflection modes. In the practice of the invention, slow positrons which are emitted after moderation of a positron source are focused, as a source...     

There is disclosed herein an integrated scanning tunneling microscope and an integrated piezoelectric transducer and methods for making both. The device consists of one or two arm piezoelectric bimorph cantilevers formed by micromachining using standard integrated circuit processing steps. These cantilevers...     

This method is a method of measuring a taper angle, a thickness or a depth of a semiconductor integrated circuit pattern. Electron beam, light beam or the like is irradiated to a semiconductor integrated circuit pattern provided on a reference plane, thus to form a projected image. The projected image...     

An ion gun for producing a pulsed microfocused beam of ions comprises an ion source arranged to produce a continuous ion beam along a z-axis toward a collector having an aperture on the axis. A deflector is arranged to maintain the beam substantially stationary and incident on the aperture for a pulse...     

There is disclosed a field emission electron gun comprising a field emission tip, an extraction electrode for producing an electric field that extracts electrons from the tip, and an accelerating electrode for accelerating the electrons extracted by the extraction electrode. The extraction electrode...     

A focusing apparatus of electron microscope for focusing an electron beam through a focusing lens onto a sample, having a deflecting means for making the electron beam scan on the sample, an astigmatism correcting means of the electron beam, a detecting means for detecting the 2nd electrons from the...     

A scanning tunneling microscope according to the present invention comprises a tip for emitting spin-polarized electrons and a magnet for applying a magnetic field to this tip. This tip is constituted of a metal needle made of a tungsten and an EuS layer about 400 .ANG. which is coated on the surface...     

Scanning beam apparatus adapted to display two views of a surface for stereoscopic viewing, wherein two series of electrical signals are obtained by scanning the surface with a normal and then tilted beam characterized by a frame store (36) to which the two series of electrical signals are supplied,...     

Provided is an electron microscope having an electron gun emitting an electron beam onto a specimen to be observed, so as to produce transmitted main electron rays, inelastic scattering electron rays and diffractive scattering rays, an objective lens converging the electron rays so as to form an image,...     

An apparatus and method for alternating voltage and for varying the rate of extraction during the extraction of secondary particles, resulting in periods when either positive ions, or negative ions and electrons are extracted at varying rates. Using voltage with alternating charge during successive periods...     

In an automatic focusing apparatus according to the invention, a focusing lens is provided for focusing an electron beam which scans a specimen. Charged particles emanating from the specimen are then detected. The excitation current energizing the lens is varied in accordance with a sweep signal that...     

In a scanning tunneling microscope, the tunnel tip comprises an optically transparent body coated with a semiconductor layer, such as a GaAs layer. A sample being investigated comprises a magnetic material. Tunnel microscope operation permits investigation of the magnetic properties at or near the surface...     

Magnetic structures of a sample are imaged by measuring Lorentz force-induced deflection of the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope. While scanning the sample, an a.c. voltage signal at a first predetermined frequency equal to the resonance frequency of the tip is applied to the tip for generating...     

A scanning tunneling microscope using a tip which can be easily replaced. The microscope includes a piezoelectric drive mechanism for driving the tip, a tip holder to which the tip is attached, and a sample holder. The tip holder can be detachably mounted to the piezoelectric drive mechanism. The Z-axis...     

The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating a magnification compensation signal for use in a scanning electron microscope. The apparatus includes an electron beam generator that generates a beam at a predetermined energy level in accordance with a beam energy signal. The apparatus allows...     

A charged particle beam apparatus comprising a charged particle beam source(s) for generating an ion beam and an electron beam, a focusing lens system for finely focusing each of the generated ion beam and electron beam, a charged particle beam deflecting system for deflecting each of the focused ion...     

A method for modulating a liquid metal ion source includes generating an ion beam, directing a light beam at the liquid metal ion source and inducing a modulation in the ion beam by modulating the light beam. An apparatus for carrying out the invention includes a light beam source for generating a light...     

An electron microscope eliminates external ducting for evacuation by interlinking the interiors of a sample chamber for a sample, a casing for electron lenses and a chamber for an electron gun. Those interiors form a closed space with an evacuation path extending therethrough and are evacuated by evacuation...     

A pattern configuration measuring method of and apparatus for measuring a cross sectional profile of a pattern (10) formed on a flat plane with a concave or convex structure having a taper portion (10a, 10b) on both sides thereof, by scanning a beam in a predetermined direction with a scanning electron...     

A beam of, e.g. an electron microscope, is focussed on a specimen and secondary electrons generated thereby are detected and analyzed to generate an output signal. That output signal is investigated for one magnification or scanning time of the beam over a range of foci to determine the optimum output...     

A scanning tunneling microscope is arranged to cause a tunneling current to flow through a gap between a specimen and a probe housed in a vacuum chamber, and is provided with a working arrangement for reshaping the probe. The arrangement enables the reshaping of the probe without releasing a vacuum in...     

A distance-controlled tunneling transducer comprises a plurality of tunnel tips arranged in an array at a tunneling distance from an electrically conductive surface of a storage medium. Each tip is attached to a respective cantilever beam permitting the distance between each tip and the surface to be...     

Apparatus for the high resolution imaging of macromolecules and interactions involving macromolecules. The apparatus comprises a surface (10) on which the macromolecule under test is placed and a plurality of fine probes (13). Means (not shown) are provided for scanning each of the probes (13) across...     

A method of and an apparatus for analyzing a surface are disclosed, in which the intensity profile of a probe beam at the surface of a sample is measured, the intensity distribution of a detection signal along the surface of the sample is measured by scanning the surface of the sample with the probe...     

A scanning tunneling microscope is disclosed which includes a frame assembly having upper frame members coupled to lower frame members by an external vibration isolation structure, a sample carousel configured to receive at least one sample to be scanned, and a probe carousel configured to receive at...     

A positron microscope system utilizing image enhancement to overcome problems associated with low positron source flux can be operated in transmission and reflection modes. In the practice of the invention, slow positrons which are emitted after moderation of a positron source are focused, as a source...     

An apparatus and method for generating microscopic scan data of C-V and/or dC/dV over a scan area. A scanning microscope, for example a scanning force microscope, is provided with a voltage biased tip, for example, of tungsten, which is scanned across an area to derive the data. The data can be used...     

A scanning tunneling microscope includes an observation optical system for optically observing the surface of an object. The optical system is fixed on an optical system fixing member. The optical system is moved in a direction (Z-direction) vertical to the surface of the object by means of a motor,...     

A method of three-dimensional imaging of the atomic environment of atoms near the surface of the sample involves forming a localized source electron diffraction pattern, detecting the intensity of the distribution of the pattern, and generating data corresponding to the intensity distribution. The intensity...     

An electron beam measuring apparatus for measuring size of pattern on surface of a specimen comprising, an electron gun, an electron lens for focusing the electron beam from the electron gun on the specimen surface, a deflector for deflecting the electron beam, a spot control means for forming a flat...     

Observing and detecting the spatial distribution of beta emissions by placing the specimen on a converter window, which converts the energetic beta particles to low energy, secondary electrons, which emerge from the opposite side of the window. The secondary electrons are then microscopically imaged...     

White light emitted from a light source is made incident on a spectroscope via a lens. The light from the spectroscope is converged by a lens and fed to one end of an optical fiber. The other end of the fiber is provided with a probe. The probe has a pointed end portion coated with a total reflection...     

An atomic force microscope is provided for sensing displacement of a cantilever based on scanning tunneling microscopy. The atomic force microscope includes a cantilever moving system which allows the cantilever to be moved or slipped between an STM tip and a sample. This results in the microscope being...     

An electron microscope comprising an electron gun for generating an electron beam, an irradiation lens system for irradiating a specimen with the electron beam, means for obtaining an image signal of the specimen, a frame memory for storing the image signal, means for obtaining a total accumulation function,...     

A probe arranged to oppose a sample is coupled to a driving portion constituted by an actuator capable of obtaining a large expansion/contraction amount and an actuator capable of obtaining a small expansion/contraction amount. In order to keep the gap length between the sample and the probe constant,...     

A scanning electron microscope is calibrated using an atomic scale microscope, such as a scanning tunneling microscope or atomic force microscope to permit accurate and precise deflection of the scanning electron beam.

A reproducing apparatus for reproducing information from recording elements formed with very small pits on a planar surface. The reproducing apparatus includes a probing unit positioned at a very small distance apart from the surface of the recording element and a scanning unit for scanning the probing...     

A positron microscope utilizes a time-of-flight adjustment and a beam gate to distinguish images produced by respective types of positronium events. If the time-of-flight of secondary electrons is approximately between 30 and 40 ns, then the electron image will represent prompt annihilations and parapositronium...     

A method and apparatus for establishing a non-contact signal pathway to conductive surfaces of a circuit includes a laser beam generator and an optical system for focussing a laser beam from the beam generator onto a plasma forming foil. The foil is positioned near the conductive surface so that the...     

The structure of a multilayered integrated circuit is determined by removing successive layers of the circuit. Following removal of each layer, the revealed surface is scanned by an electron beam. The intensity of backscattered or secondary electrons is detected by a first or second detector respectively....     

A method and apparatus to use an Atomic Force Microscope to take measurements of surface forces, indentation, adhesion and mechanical properties such as hardness and elasticity. The force between a probe mounted cantilever and a sample is measured as a function cantilever deflection measured by a electron...     

A method for locating a chemical substance on the surface of a material and for determining the contour of a surface of a material using a scanning electrochemical microscope is provided in the present invention. The substance to be examined is immersed in a solution, the tip of a working electrode is...     

A process for etching with an atomic force microscope using a two-dimensional metal chalcogenide as the substrate, is disclosed.

A scanning tunneling microscope, in which the gap between a tip having a keenly sharpened end and a sample is narrowed to let flow a tunneling current between them and thereby allow observation of the surface of the sample. A strain wave device is disposed on the sample or in the vicinity of the sample...     

A microscope of the scanning probe variety. This device circumvents one of the serious problems of prior art scanning probe microscopes, i.e. that the probe is always near or on the surface of the object being scanned, creating the danger of damaging the probe on the surface especially on large scans...     

An integrated optical displacement sensor for measuring displacement of a sample, comprises a semiconductor substrate, laser for generating a laser beam, two micro-lens for focusing the laser beam generated from the laser on a surface of the sample, and an optical detector for detecting a reflection...     

A scanning tunneling optical spectrometer, and corresponding method, for measuring spectral response of a tunneling probe-sample junction over the range of optical frequencies enabling determination of characteristics of and imaging of subsurface structures with nanometer resolutions. A tunneling probe...     

A microscope of the scanning probe variety. This device circumvents one of the serious problems of prior art scanning probe microscopes, i.e. that the probe is always near or on the surface of the object being scanned, creating the danger of damaging the probe on the surface especially on large scans...     

Imaging electron-optical apparatus, e.g. photo-electron emission microscope, which has an electron-optical imaging system in which electrons of an electron pattern to be imaged are accelerated to a maximum energy of at least several 10.sup.3 electron volts and a real image of said electron pattern is...     

A composite scanning tunneling microscope comprises a first objective optical system for collimating an optical flux from a sample, a second objective optical system for condensing the optical flux thus collimated, and a transparent member disposed between the first and the second objective optical systems....     

A scanning tunneling microscope has an STM unit including a probe for scanning the surface of an object. The STM unit has at its outer peripheral surface a cylindrical enclosing member extending towards an object table. When the object is observed, the object table is elevated or the STM unit is lowered,...     

A scanning interference electron microscope includes an electron source, a focusing lens, an electron beam deflection system and a biprism. The biprism separates the primary electron beam emanating from the electron source into two beams. One of the separated beams is controlled by the deflection system...     

A method and an apparatus comprising a transmission electron microscope, an electron camera, a computer, and microscope control electronics. The electron camera captures an image produced by the electron microscope, the computer transforms the image into a digital diffractogram, and determines the microscope...     

An edge detector is disclosed, which detector is improved by providing a probe moving relatively with a tested pattern, a device for detecting a working force or a tunnel current generated between the probe and the tested pattern, and a device for detecting an edge of the tested pattern according to...     

A integrated mass memory device is formed by combining a piezoelectric bimorph cantilever (214) with a recording surface (212) having a number of storage locations to and from which digital information is transferred using a scanning tunneling microscope or an atomic force microscope mode of operation....     

An optical fiber surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor includes both a metal layer and an overlay or underlay material on its surface. Existing fiber based SPR devices are inherently incapable of monitoring aqueous systems which have a refractive index ranging between 1.33 and 1.35, and existing prism...     

This invention is an atomic force microscope having a digitally calculated feedback system which can perform force spectroscopy on a sample in order to map out the local stiffness of the sample in addition to providing the topography of the sample. It consists of a three-dimensional piezoelectric scanner,...     

A compound type microscope is provided which can observe the measurement sample of an atomic force microscope (AFM) by means of an optical microscope. This compound type microscope is comprised of an optical microscope having an objective and an observation optical system, a cantilever having a reflecting...     

A time-of-flight (TOF) type ion scattering spectroscope (ISS) using a mixture of ions of different masses. Ions having a mass smaller than the smallest mass of the atoms in the sample surface can precisely discriminate light-weight object atoms of slightly different masses. Ions having an intermediate...     

A scanning probe microscope having numerous advantages is disclosed. Respective scanning force and scanning tunneling probes are removably mounted in the head using kinematic mounting techniques so that they may be substituted for one another without the need to adjust the cantilever deflection sensor....     

A focused ion beam is directed toward a sample to be analyzed while iodine vapor is directed toward the sample. The iodine vapor, which is formed by heating solid iodine to a temperature of 30.degree. C. to 50.degree. C., aids in sputtering of material impinged by the ion beam and in enhancing the conversion...     

A pulsed positron beam capable of annihilating with electrons in an element to induce an Auger emission process is applied in a sample, the flight time t of a number of electrons including an Auger electron emitted from a surface of the sample fly from the sample over a predetermined distance d is measured,...     

A method for reducing targeting errors that arise when trying to locate contaminant particles on a notched semiconductor wafer using a high-magnification imaging device, based on estimates of wafer feature positions obtained from a scanning device. The present invention scans a notched semiconductor...     

An integrated AFM sensor includes a cantilever which has two beams extending from a support portion. The beams are integrated with each other at their ends to form a triangular free end, and a probe having a sharp distal end is arranged at the free end. The cantilever is formed by stacking a passivation...     

A recording medium includes a substrate electrode, a recording layer constituted of a monomolecular film of an organic compound or a built-up film thereof, and a photoconductive thin film, laminated in this order on a substrate. The photoconductive thin film may preferably be divided to a plurality of...     

Focused ion bean (FIB) milling through a power plane of a device to expose or cut a hidden, lower-layer conductor requires accurate positioning relative to the hidden conductor of a box defining boundaries of the FIB operation. This can in general be done by aligning surface information (topology or...     

The synchronous sampling scanning force microscope includes a reflective cantilever arm having a free end which is oscillated at a frequency different from the resonance frequency of the cantilever arm. The motion of the oscillating cantilever arm is measured, to generate a deflection signal indicative...     

In an atomic force microscope capable of permitting the non-destructive testing of a large sample, a fine motion element is provided for three-dimensional scanning of the sample in order to determine the surface topography thereof. The fine motion element has attached thereto one end of a small spring...     

An atomic force microscope system is enclosed in a crogenic liquid dewar and operated at about ambient pressure or slightly above ambient pressure. Vaporization of the cryogenic liquid is used for cooling of the atomic force microscope system. Nitrogen, as well as other cryogenic liquids can be used,...     

A microscope of the scanning probe variety. This device circumvents one of the serious problems of prior art scanning probe microscopes, i.e. that the probe is always near or on the surface of the object being scanned, creating the danger of damaging the probe on the surface especially on large scans...     

An ultrafast scanning probe microscopy method for achieving subpicosecond-temporal resolution and submicron-spatial resolution of an observation sample. In one embodiment of the present claimed invention, a single short optical pulse is generated and is split into first and second pulses. One of the...     

Line profile data obtained by scanning a circuit pattern with an electron beam is smoothing-differential so as to obtain a pair of approximate edge positions of the circuit pattern. Positions apart from the pair of approximate edge positions by a predetermined number of picture elements are referred...     

A surface observing apparatus for obtaining information of a specimen comprises a probe disposed in the close vicinity of the specimen, a deformable cantilever for holding the probe, a scanning mechanism for scanning a surface of the specimen with the probe and a detector for detecting displacements...     

When an image display unit displays a magnified image of an object being examined, a measuring unit automatically computes the dimensions of the image at the preset position. A tolerance range setting unit has been supplied with an upper and a lower limit value according to which it can judge the dimensions...     

Using a scanning type electron microscope, a spot where a particle is detected is determined by acquiring the evaluation of detection of particles on the surface of a wafer, etc., based on the coordinate information of a particle spot, by particle detection equipment, from the image within the view,...     

A scanning probe microscope having numerous advantages is disclosed. Respective scanning force and scanning tunneling probes are removably mounted in the head using kinematic mounting techniques so that they may be substituted for one another without the need to adjust the cantilever deflection sensor....     

A scanning probe microscope is provided with a piezo-ceramic tube to carry the sensitive probe at its free end to translationally move the probe in the X and Y directions. Large stationary surfaces can then be scanned by probe tip motion. The tube is also capable of movement in the Z direction so that...     

The present invention includes a confocal microscope having a piezoelectric bimorph cell x-y beam scanner. A single-mode optical fiber is used both to transmit the illuminating beam and to collect reflected or stimulated radiation. Image manipulation may be performed remotely from the sample area.

A scanning tunneling microscope includes a probe, an optical waveguide, a photodetector, a bias power supply. The probe includes a tip made of a sharpened light transparent material and arranged to be opposite and perpendicular to a sample incorporating a quantum structure, and a light transparent electrode...     

Even if an observing charged beam is irradiated upon an observation cross section obliquely from above, it is possible to obtain an observation image equivalent to that obtained when the observing charged beam is irradiated thereupon vertically from above. A wafer to be observed is mounted on the stage....     

Preferential etching during FIB milling can result in a rough, pitted surface and make IC probing/repair operations difficult. Preferential etching is compensated by acquiring a contrast image of the partially-milled sample, preparing mask image data from the contrast image, and controlling further FIB...