Patent ID: 9105442
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising: a charged particle optical column that scans a sample with a primary charged particle beam; a detector that detects reflected electrons or secondary electrons obtained by the scanning; a vacuum pump; a first housing for forming a first space that is maintained in a vacuum state by the vacuum pump; a second housing for forming a second space in which the sample is disposed; and a thin film holding member that holds a thin film allowing the primary charged particle beam to penetrate therethrough, the thin film holding member being removably fixed so as to separate the first space and the second space, wherein when the thin film holding member is fixed to the charged particle beam apparatus, a pressure in the second space can be maintained higher than a pressure in the first space by separating the first space and the second space with the thin film, and when the thin film holding member is removed from the charged particle beam apparatus, the first space and the second space are communicated with each other, and the second space can be evacuated to a vacuum.