Patent ID: 7745784
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. A method of irradiating a primary electron beam on a surface of a sample and detecting a secondary electron beam which is emitted from the sample surface, wherein the sample surface has a plurality of regions arranged as a matrix, the method comprising: a) irradiating, with scanning, the primary electron beam on each of first, second, third, . . . , i-th, . . . regions of a first column of the matrix in turn, wherein the i-th and (i+1)-th regions are not adjacent to each other, and the first, second, third, . . . , i-th, . . . regions are arranged on the first column in a first direction in turn; and b) when the end region or the region one-prior to the end region of the first column has been irradiated, moving to a second column and repeating step a) for the second column, wherein the first and second columns are not adjacent to each.