Patent ID: 6930317
Filing Date: 2005-08-16
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A charged particle beam apparatus comprising: a charged particle beam source which generates a charged particle beam to be incident on a specimen, the specimen having a pattern on a surface thereof; an edge position detector which detects an edge position of the pattern from shape information of the pattern; an irradiation region setter which sets an irradiation region in the specimen to be irradiated with a charged particle beam to an edge of the pattern and a region in the vicinity of the edge; an irradiation position information provider which successively outputs an irradiation position information signal designating an irradiation position of the charged particle beam in the surface of the specimen scanned by the charged particle beam, while avoiding successive designation of irradiation positions in the irradiation region which are adjacent to each other; and an irradiation controller which controls the charged particle beam generated by the charged particle beam source so that the irradiation position corresponding to the outputted irradiation position information signal is irradiated with the charged particle beam.