JP2003100245A - Sample holder for focused ion beam machining observation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sample holder for focused ion beam machining observation device capable of holding a minute sample piece on a stage kept horizontal without fail, when it is extracted from the sample of FIB machining and processed into the sample for TEM, and capable of holding the stage in a direction without fail. SOLUTION: The sample holder for focused ion beam machining observation device has a sample stage of which surface for holding a minute sample piece is kept horizontal, and a holding part for fixing the stage in a direction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for preparing a sample for electron microscope observation, and in particular, a finer sample piece is extracted from a sample by a focused ion beam (hereinafter, FIB) processing apparatus, When fixing the micro sample piece to the sample table, it is possible to securely fix the extracted micro sample piece to the horizontally held sample table, without removing the micro sample piece from the sample table. , A sample holder for a focused ion beam processing and observation apparatus capable of observing from different directions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional micro sample piece is formed by using a cleavage or dicing saw from a silicon wafer as the sample table when fixing it to the sample fixing part of the sample table. The sample piece was fixed.
As a known example, as described in JP-A-11-108813, only a sample piece including a desired specific region is extracted from a bulk sample and processed into a knife edge shape of 1 mm × 2.5 mm × 0.1 mm. There is a method of fixing by using a deposition film formed by FIB irradiation on the surface of (Si) piece. However, in this method, when the sample piece is fixed to the sample fixing portion, there is a possibility that the sample table may be uneven and the horizontalness of the sample table cannot be confirmed, so that the sample cannot be reliably fixed.

Further, as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-58020, there is a method in which an end surface for fixing a micro sample is mirror-finished and a micro sample piece is securely fixed to a sample table. But,
This method has a problem that the sample stage cannot be fixed in a fixed direction, and the sample cannot be observed from different directions without being removed.

[0004]

However, in the case of a sample that requires fine structure evaluation by observing from a certain direction, such as a Si device, the preparation of the sample considering the observation orientation from the stage of sample preparation and its It is necessary to fix it to the sample table.

An object of the present invention is to remove a minute sample piece from a sample by FIB processing, and when processing the sample piece for TEM, ensure that the extracted minute sample piece is placed on the sample table kept horizontally. An object of the present invention is to provide a sample holder for a focused ion beam processing and observation apparatus that can be fixed and that can surely fix the sample stage in a fixed direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sample holder for a focused ion beam processing / observing apparatus equipped with a sample stage and a mechanism capable of observing from different directions without removing the minute sample piece from the sample stage.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above-mentioned object is to fix a small sample piece fixed surface of a sample table provided in a sample holder for a focused ion beam processing and observation apparatus at a constant level, and fix the sample table in a fixed direction. This is achieved by providing a sample table fixing part for

Further, the sample holder for the focused ion beam processing / observing apparatus is provided with a sample stage and a mechanism for observing from different directions without removing the minute sample piece from the sample stage.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sample table 1 which is an embodiment of the present invention. A micro sample piece 2 is fixed to the sample table 1 by a deposition film 3. The small sample piece fixing portion 4 of the sample table 1 has a shape which is always kept horizontal. The fixed part 4 of the sample piece 2 is flat without surface irregularities. When fixing the sample piece 2 to the fixing portion 4, the FIB is scanned while allowing the deposition gas to flow out, and the deposition film 3 is formed in the FIB irradiation region to fix the sample piece 2.
The fixing portion 4 can easily form the deposition film 3 in the FIB irradiation region without the deposition gas being blocked by the irregularities of the fixing portion 4. Furthermore, since the fixing part 4 is horizontal, the bottom part of the sample piece 2 is in close contact with the fixing part 4 and can be reliably fixed by the deposition film 3. Since the sample fixing part is always kept horizontal not only in the fixing part 4 but also in the minute sample piece fixing part 5, it can be used as a sample fixing part.

FIG. 2 shows the shape of a sample piece 2 that has been processed by FIB to have a wedge shape and then extracted. Sample piece 2
When the sample is extracted from a bulk sample, the bottom part is processed to be horizontal with respect to the fixing part 4 so that it can be reliably fixed. Although the size does not depend on this, in order to shorten the processing time of the thin film processing step for observing with the extraction processing step and the transmission electron microscope, in the range where the area where the target location can be sufficiently observed with the electron microscope remains, Make it as small as possible.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the conventional sample table 6 and sample holder 7. Since the sample table 6 and the sample table fixing part 8 of the sample holder 7 are circular and the sample table 6 easily rotates, it is difficult to make the fixing part 4 horizontal. Further, when the sample table 6 is removed from the sample holder 7 and the sample table 6 is attached to the sample holder 7 again to perform FIB processing or observation, the FIB processing or observation position cannot be accurately reproduced.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the sample table 1 and the sample holder 9 according to one embodiment of the present invention. By providing the right angle part 10 on the sample base 1 and the right angle part 11 on the sample base 1 fixed part of the sample holder 9, the sample base 1 does not rotate. Moreover, since there is no gap between the sample table 1 and the sample table fixing part of the sample holder 9 and the sample table 1 can be closely attached without rotating, the sample table 1 is removed from the sample holder 9 and the sample table 1 is again attached. When it is attached to No. 9, the ion beam or electron beam irradiation position can be accurately reproduced.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the sample table deforming mechanism 12 provided on the sample table 1 and the sample holder 9 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A material that is plastically deformed, such as Sn, Cu, or Al, is used for the sample table 1. Sample stage deformation mechanism 12
The main shaft 13 of is incorporated in the sample holder 9. A plate, rod, or two needle-shaped knobs attached to the tip of the main shaft sandwiches the sample base 1, and the main shaft 13 is rotated to plastically deform the sample base, changing the observation direction of the minute sample piece 2. You can The sample stage rotation mechanism can freely move the two knobs at the tip, and the micro sample piece 2 can be adjusted to any observation orientation.

[0014]

By using the sample holder for the focused ion beam processing / observing apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to securely fix the minute sample piece on the sample table in a fixed direction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sample table which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a micro sample piece which is an example.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a sample holder for a focused ion beam processing / observing apparatus, which is an example of a conventional technique.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a sample holder for a focused ion beam processing / observing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sample stage and a sample holder for a focused ion beam processing / observing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Sample stand, 2 ... Micro sample piece, 3 ... Deposition film, 4
Micro sample piece fixing part, 5 Micro sample piece fixing part, 6 Conventional sample holder, 7 Sample holder, 8 Sample holder fixing part, 9
... sample holder, 10 ... sample holder right angle part, 11 ... sample holder right angle part, 12 ... sample table deformation mechanism, 13 ... sample table deformation mechanism main shaft.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Hidemi Koike             882 Ichige, Ichima, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture             Ceremony company Hitachi measuring instruments group (72) Inventor Takeo Ueno             1040 Ichimo, Ichima, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture             Inside the company Hitachi Science Systems F term (reference) 2G052 AD32 AD52 DA33 EC18 EC22                       GA33                 5C001 AA01 AA02 AA05 CC03

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In a sample holder for picking up a minute sample piece from a sample by using a focused ion beam and fixing the extracted minute sample piece, the sample fixing surface of a sample table for fixing the minute sample piece is always horizontal. A sample holder for a focused ion beam processing and observation device, characterized in that 2. The focused ion beam processing / observing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sample table fixing portion for fixing the sample table in a fixed direction. Device sample holder. 3. The sample holder for a focused ion beam processing / observing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sample stage and a mechanism capable of observing from different directions without removing the minute sample piece from the sample stage. Sample holder for focused ion beam processing and observation device.