Patent ID: 7655906

Claim:
An inspection and measurement method which inspects an inspection sample by irradiating a primary electron beam to said inspection sample, and detecting either generated secondary electrons, reflected electrons, or both, comprising the steps of: measuring a potential of said inspection sample; and controlling the potential of said inspection sample based on information about this measured potential, wherein said potential measurement step comprises: retrieving a secondary electron beam intensity or reflected electron beam intensity for a standard sample; irradiating said inspection sample with a primary electron beam while energy is adjusted so that a secondary electron yield or reflected electron yield is 1 or approximately 1; measuring a secondary electron intensity or reflected electron intensity generated from said inspection sample by irradiation of said primary electron beam; and determining the potential of said inspection sample by obtaining a voltage difference between said measured secondary electron beam intensity or reflected electron beam intensity and the secondary electron beam intensity or reflected electron beam intensity for the standard sample.