Patent ID: 6677587
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
An electron beam inspection apparatus, comprising:an electron beam source that discharges an electron beam; a stage system for holding a specimen and moving continuously in at least one direction; a primary electron optical system for directing the electron beam to the specimen; a secondary electron optical system for projecting an electron beam image coming from the specimen; a fluorescent plate for converting the projected electron beam image to a light image; a TDI sensor for changing the light image to an electric signal; an image processing unit for generating image information of the specimen by processing the electric signal output by the TDI sensor; and a host computer for generating an inspection timing signal for controlling the TDI sensor to transfer the image information at a preset data transfer rate; wherein the stage system is moved at a speed in conformity to the inspection timing signal, and a signal charge of the specimen image converted by the TDI sensor is transferred successively at an effective data transfer rate of larger than 2.29Ã—107 Hz/pix and at a line rate of larger than 11175 Hz/line.