APPARATUS FOR OBSERVATION USING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAMS AND METHOD OF SURFACE OBSERVATION USING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAMS

摘要

An excitation device (51) that generates a strong magnetic field nearly perpendicular to the surface of a specimen is arranged in an apparatus for observation using charged particle beams which irradiates the specimen with charged particle beams and detects the generated secondary electrons to observe the surface of the specimen. The secondary electrons emitted from the bottom or side surface of a recess such as a through hole formed in the surface ofthe specimen (8) are, then, emitted out of the through hole owing to the interaction with the strong magnetic field. A focusing lens (50) is so arranged that a point of focusing of charged particles exists between the focusing lens (50) and the specimen (8), the charged particles being formed when the charged particles of the same intensity as that of the irradiating charged particles are supposed to be emitted from the specimen surface, thereby to focus the charged particle (46) at a position of the point of focusing. Even when the specimen (8) is subjected to the strong magnetic field, therefore, the charged particles (46) can be focused on the upper surface of the specimen. Therefore, a well-defined secondary electron image of the specimen surface can be obtained under the applied strong magnetic field, and the secondary electron image of the bottom or the side of the through hole can be observed.