Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An inspection method in which electron beam is irradiated to a sample to be inspected and image signals obtained by detecting secondary electrons generated by the irradiation are processed, thereby performing an inspection of the sample to be inspected,wherein electrons emitted from an electron source are accelerated to an acceleration voltage,a deceleration voltage is applied to the sample to be inspected to adjust an incident energy of the electron beam, and a control voltage is applied to a control electrode disposed just above the sample, thereby forming an arbitrary field on the sample to be inspected, andthe acceleration voltage, the deceleration voltage, and the control voltage are controlled in conjunction so that the energy which enters the sample, the field formed on the sample, and probe current of the electron beam which enters the sample to be inspected become almost constant. 2. The inspection method according to claim 1,wherein, while the energy which enters the sample, the field formed on the sample, and the probe current of the electron beam which enters the sample to be inspected are maintained constant, the acceleration voltage, the deceleration voltage, and the control voltage are controlled in conjunction so that a probe diameter of the electron beam becomes optimal. 3. The inspection method according to claim 1,wherein the incident energy of the electron beam is controlled to a size at which an emission efficiency of secondary electrons becomes 1 or higher and no damage occurs in the sample to be inspected. 4. The inspection method according to claim 3,wherein surface potential of the sample to be inspected is controlled by difference between the control voltage and the deceleration voltage. 5. The inspection method according to claim 1,wherein the sample is a semiconductor device, and defective shapes and electric characteristic defects of patterns formed on the semiconductor device are detected.