Patent ID: 6667483
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
An apparatus using charged particle beam, which comprises a charged particle beam source for generating charged particle beams; a sample stage which holds a sample and displaces the same; a lens which converges charged particle beams emitted from the charged particle beam source onto the sample; a deflector which deflects the charged particle beams; a picture image detection means which detects a picture image of the sample; a picture image display means which displays the picture image detected; a coordinate designation means which designates a position on the sample; means for relating a coordinate value on the coordinate designation means to a coordinate value on the sample stage while permitting calibration thereof and for displacing the sample stage to a position of the sample stage corresponding to the coordinate value designated on the coordinate designation means, characterized in that the apparatus further comprising, a positional deviation amount calculation means which, when observing any observation position on the sample, displaces the sample stage so that a displacement target position designated by the coordinate designation means coincides with the observation position and calculates a positional deviation amount between a predetermined position on the sample which is detected by the picture image detection means after completing the displacement and a predetermined position of the picture image detection means; a memory means which stores the calculated positional deviation amount; and a positional deviation correction means which controls a displacement target position coordinate value used when displacing subsequently to an observation position corresponding to the previous observation position or the same observation position based on the positional deviation amount determined by the positional deviation amount calculation means and operates so that the predetermined position of the sample at the time when the sample stage stops and the predetermined position on the picture image display means coincide each other.