Claims
- 1. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:
- a sample chamber having an inner space for accommodating a sample therein;
- a beam column having an inner space and containing at least a charged particle beam generating section for generating a charged particle beam for irradiation onto said sample;
- a first vacuum pump system for evacuating the inner space of said sample chamber;
- valve means provided between said beam column and said sample chamber for vacuum sealing the inner space of said beam column from the inner space of said sample chamber; and
- means for moving said beam column relative to said sample chamber for separating said beam column from said sample chamber.
- 2. A charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a second vacuum pump system for evacuating the inner space of said charged particle beam generating section.
- 3. A charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said beam column further comprises a focusing lens system for focusing onto said sample said charged particle beam coming from said charged particle beam generating section.
- 4. A charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said charged particle beam generating section includes a field emission-type electron source as the charged particle beam source for generating said charged particle beam.
- 5. A charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said focusing lens system is entirely constituted by an electrostatic lens.
- 6. A charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said electrostatic lens includes a plurality of lens electrodes,
- one of said lens electrodes being a final electrode located closest to said sample;
- all of said lens electrodes except for said final electrode being supplied with positive voltages relative to said final electrode when said charged particle beam is negatively charged; and
- all of said lens electrodes except for said final electrode being supplied with negative voltages relative to said final electrode when said charged particle beam is positively charged.
- 7. A charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said charged particle beam generating section includes a field emission-type electron source as the charged particle beam source for generating said charged particle beam.
- 8. A charged particle beam apparatus, comprising:
- a sample chamber having an inner space for accommodating a sample therein;
- a beam column having an inner space and containing at least a charged particle beam generating section for generating a charged particle beam for irradiation onto said sample;
- a first vacuum pump system for directly evacuating the inner space of said sample chamber; and
- a second vacuum pump system for directly evacuating the inner space of said charged particle beam generating section;
- wherein said second vacuum pump system is contained within the inner space of said beam column;
- wherein the inner space of said charged particle beam generating section is also evacuated by said first vacuum pump system only through an evacuation path formed by the inner space of said sample chamber and the inner space of said beam column; and
- wherein said charged particle beam apparatus further comprises means for moving said beam column relative to said sample chamber for separating said beam column from said sample chamber.
- 9. A charged particle beam apparatus, comprising:
- a sample chamber having an inner space for accommodating a sample therein;
- a beam column having an inner space and containing at least a charged particle beam generating section for generating a charged particle beam for irradiation onto said sample; and
- a first vacuum pump system for directly evacuating the inner space of said sample chamber;
- wherein the inner space of said charged particle beam generating section is further indirectly evacuated by said first vacuum pump system only through an evacuation path formed by the inner space of said sample chamber and the inner space of said beam column; and
- wherein said charged particle beam apparatus further comprises means for moving said beam column relative to said sample chamber for separating said beam column from said sample chamber.
Priority Claims (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2-159663 |
Jun 1990 |
JPX |
|
2-159664 |
Jun 1990 |
JPX |
|
2-175214 |
Jul 1990 |
JPX |
|
2-211579 |
Aug 1990 |
JPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/717,018, filed Jun. 18, 1991, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,856, issued Oct. 19, 1993.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
55-83143 |
Jun 1980 |
JPX |
1209646 |
Aug 1989 |
JPX |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
717018 |
Jun 1991 |
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