JP2000106119A - Charged particle beam scanning type image display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize observational positioning with the same operation, regardless of the operation switching modes of the mouse click, by moving the mouse pointer following and moving on display equipment to the desired position of a secondary charged particle, and double-clicking the mouse button to shift a sample stage to the position indicated by the mouse pointer. SOLUTION: A measuring button 11 is selected by clicking the mouse, and the mouse cursor 13 is moved to one end of a measured object displayed in a sample image display area 10, then a button of the mouse is pressed. The mouse cursor 13 is moved to the other end with the button being pressed, thus the length of the object can be measured. When measuring by raising the power, the mouse cursor 13 is moved to the measured object, and the mouse is double- clicked. The stage is moved through this operation, such that the object is positioned in the center of the sample image display area 10, and the measured object can be observed zoomed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a charged particle beam scanning type image display device, and more particularly to a mechanism for aligning a sample observation position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a charged particle beam scanning type image display device which displays a secondary charged particle intensity obtained by scanning a charged particle beam on a computer screen as a sample image,
Usually, an operation of moving a stage while viewing a sample image to enlarge an observation field of view is performed.

At this time, the sample image is observed at a relatively low magnification, the mouse pointer is moved to the position of the sample image to be observed in detail, and the mouse is single-clicked to move the sample stage to the position of the clicked sample image. Has a mechanism to move. This operation makes it possible to increase the observation magnification and observe in detail. In addition to this operation, if you want to know the size of a specific part displayed in the sample image, hold the mouse pointer to the end of the part, press the mouse button, and hold down the other button while holding down the mouse button. At the end, there is a mechanism for displaying the length according to the length of dragging the mouse in accordance with the sample observation magnification.

[0004] With this mechanism, the size of the specific portion can be known. Hereinafter, this operation is referred to as a length measuring operation. In addition to this operation, the same operation is performed when an area to be finely processed is determined by locally irradiating a charged particle beam. In other words, the mouse pointer is moved over the displayed sample image, the mouse button is pressed, the mouse pointer is moved while the mouse button is kept pressed, and the dragged area is set as a fine processing area.

[0005] This operation is hereinafter referred to as processing frame input. If these functions are operated at the same time, it causes inconvenience. Therefore, it is necessary to separately switch the functions when the mouse is clicked.

[0006]

However, when aligning the sample observation position while using the length measuring function, first switch the function when the mouse is clicked to the alignment mode, and then move the mouse pointer over the sample display image. You have to click with your mouse. At this time, the operator had to find out where the operation was for switching the function from the viewpoint of viewing the sample image.

[0007] Similarly, when performing the processing frame input operation,
When adjusting the position of the sample observation position, it is necessary to first set the function switching when the mouse is clicked to the alignment mode, and then move the mouse pointer over the sample display image and click the mouse. At this time, the operator had to find out where the operation was for switching the function from the viewpoint of viewing the sample image.

[0008] Therefore, there are many operation steps, and an operator cannot perform an operation while watching only the sample image. In some cases, the stage does not move even if the mouse is clicked to align the sample observation position. Only then does the operator consider why the stage does not move.

Then, it is noticed that the operation at the time of mouse click is not in the alignment mode. These experiences tell the operator that the positioning operation of the sample observation may or may not be performed, and give an impression that the device lacks the certainty of the operation.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, the function switching for aligning the sample observation position is abolished, the mouse pointer is moved over the sample image, and the mouse button is double-clicked. This is a mechanism in which the sample stage moves to the position clicked at any time.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of the present invention.
The charged particle beam a generated from the charged particle source 1 passes through the focusing lens system 2 and the deflecting mechanism 3 and irradiates the sample 5 placed on the sample stage 4. When the charged particle beam “a” passes through the focusing lens system 2, the charged particle beam “a” is converged by the lens effect and is irradiated on the sample 5. This irradiation generates secondary charged particles b, which are captured by the secondary electron detector 6 and the intensity thereof is taken into the computer 7. Deflection mechanism 3 is charged particle beam a
Can be shifted in the x direction and the y direction. Since the deflection mechanism 3 is also controlled by the computer 7, image data of the sample 5 can be obtained by the computer 7 by matching information on the intensity of the secondary charged particle detector 6 with the position swung in the x / y direction.

The computer 7 has a mechanism for controlling the charged particle source 1, the focusing lens system 2, the deflection mechanism 3, and the sample stage 4. In addition, the computer 7 includes a display device 8 and a mouse 9, and a mouse cursor 13 (see FIG. 2) displayed on the display device 8 is linked to the movement of the mouse 9. The image data is displayed in a part of the display device 8. Displayed on the display device 8 are software buttons required for control and operation in addition to the image data.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an operation screen displayed on the display device 8. In the operation screen, a sample image display area 10 for displaying a sample image, a length measurement button 11, and a processing frame input button 12 software buttons are arranged. Other software buttons are also arranged as required, but are not explicitly shown here. The user moves the mouse cursor 13 to a position on the sample image displayed in the sample image display area 10 to be observed in more detail, and double-clicks the mouse 9.

The computer 7 converts the distance between the position of the mouse cursor 13 when double-clicked and the center of the sample image display area 10 to the amount of movement of the sample stage 4, and moves the sample stage 4. When the movement of the sample stage is completed, the place to be observed in more detail is displayed at the display center of the sample image display area 10.

At this time, whether the length measurement button 11 for measuring the length by dragging the mouse on the sample image display area 10 or the processing frame input button 12 for inputting the range for limiting the beam irradiation area functions or not. The observation position adjustment operation can be performed irrespective of the state. Therefore, the length measurement button 11 is clicked with the mouse to be in a selected state. Then, the user moves the mouse cursor 13 to one end of the measurement object displayed in the sample image display area 10 and presses the button of the mouse 9. By moving the mouse cursor 13 to the other end while keeping the button pressed, the length of the object can be measured. This operation can be repeated any number of times, and various lengths can be measured.
When the measurement object is small and the magnification is increased during these operations, the mouse cursor 13 is moved to the measurement object and the mouse 9 is double-clicked. With this operation, the stage moves so that the object is located at the center of the sample image display area 10, so that the magnification can be increased and the object can be enlarged and observed.

In these series of operations, the length measuring button 1
There is no need to bring 1 back to the selected state or back to the non-selected state. Therefore, in the series of operations described above, it is possible to perform operations while focusing the line of sight on the sample image display area 10. In the present embodiment, the length measurement button 11 and the processing frame input button 12 have been described as examples of the function switching by the mouse drag operation. An operation to match is possible. This operation is called double-click centering by mouse operation.

In this embodiment, the double click centering operation by the mouse operation has been described. However, it is obvious that the same effect can be obtained by using another pointing device such as a trackball instead of the mouse.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the observation position can be adjusted by the same operation at any time regardless of the operation switching mode of the mouse click.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation screen displayed on a display device 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 charged particle source 2 focusing lens system 3 deflection mechanism 4 sample stage 5 sample 6 secondary charged particle detector 7 computer 8 display device 9 mouse 10 sample image display area 11 survey button 12 processing frame input button 13 mouse cursor a charged particle beam b secondary charged particles

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 18, 1999 (1999.6.1
8)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Explanation of sign

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS] 1 charged particle source 2 focusing lens system 3 deflection mechanism 4 sample stage 5 Sample 6 secondary charged particle detector 7 computer 8 display equipment 9 mice 10 sample image display area 11 the length measuring button 12 working frame input buttons 13 Mouse cursor a charged particle beam b secondary charged particle

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] November 4, 1999 (1999.11.
4)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A charged particle beam generator comprising a charged particle source and a focusing lens system for focusing a charged particle beam extracted from the charged particle source, and a deflection mechanism for deflecting and scanning the charged particle beam. A sample stage on which a sample to be irradiated with the charged particle beam is placed and movable, a secondary charged particle detector for detecting a secondary charged particle generated by irradiating the charged particle beam, and the secondary A computer having a display device for reading the output intensity of the charged particle detector and displaying a secondary charged particle image, and a charged particle beam scanning type image display device comprising a mouse as an input means of the computer, operating the mouse Move the mouse pointer following the display device on the secondary charged particle image, and double-click the mouse button. It allows the charged particle beam scanning type image display apparatus characterized by moving the sample stage to the position of the secondary charged particle image the mouse pointer is displayed.