KR101723922B1 - Apparatus for observing specimen And Cover assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a column part having a vacuum space formed therein and having an opening at one side and electron beam generating means capable of generating an electron beam, a supporting part positioned opposite to the opening part of the column part and supporting the sample at atmospheric pressure, A sample observation apparatus comprising a cover portion having a plurality of transmission windows coupled to an opening and capable of passing an electron beam, comprising: a sample observation device and a cover assembly capable of improving a service life of a film through which an electron beam is transmitted, Are presented.

Description

≪ Desc / Clms Page number 1 > Apparatus for observing specimen and cover assembly &

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sample observation apparatus, and more particularly, to a sample observation apparatus and a cover assembly applied thereto, which can improve the service life of a film through which an electron beam is transmitted in observing and analyzing a sample at atmospheric pressure.

Scanning Electron Microscope is a device used for image formation and composition analysis of a sample and is applied to a process of inspecting a sample or a wafer in a manufacturing field of various display devices, a solar cell, a semiconductor chip, or the like have.

However, when inspecting a sample or a substrate in an atmospheric pressure using a scanning electron microscope, there is a problem that a film through which an electron beam is transmitted (hereinafter referred to as a transmissive thin film) must be frequently replaced, thereby increasing the cost of the entire process. This is because the transmissive thin film of the scanning electron microscope is consumed due to the frequent transmission of the electron beam and becomes thin enough to withstand the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the scanning electron microscope and the transmissive thin film should be frequently replaced by a short period of about 1 to 2 weeks .

On the other hand, since the thickness of the transmissive thin film must have a thickness of several tens nm or less, for example, to satisfy the smooth passage of the electron beam and various electrons, there is a limit to cope with the above problem by increasing the thickness of the transmissive thin film.

In addition, since the scanning electron microscope is controlled by a pressure in the range of 1.5E-6 torr to 1.5E-7 torr, for example, the inner vacuum is controlled by a part of the transmissive thin film exposed to the inner vacuum atmosphere of the scanning electron microscope, The area of the region (hereinafter referred to as a transmission window) should have an area of hundreds of micrometers and several hundreds of micrometers or less to prevent breakage due to a pressure difference with the atmosphere. Therefore, there is a limit to cope with the above problem by increasing the area of the transmission window.

Accordingly, there is a demand for an apparatus of a new structure and system that can be used in various display apparatuses, solar cells, semiconductor chips, and the like to increase the service life of the transmissive thin film.

KR 10-2014-0027687 A KR 10-1321049 B1

The present invention provides a sample observation apparatus and a cover assembly applied thereto that can improve the useful life of a transparent thin film in observing and analyzing a sample at atmospheric pressure.

The present invention provides a sample observation apparatus and a cover assembly applied thereto that can select and change the thickness of a transmission window in one apparatus in observing and analyzing a sample at atmospheric pressure, respectively.

The present invention provides a sample observation apparatus and a cover assembly applied thereto that can select and change the area of a transmission window in one apparatus in observing and analyzing samples in an atmospheric pressure, respectively.

A sample observing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for observing a sample in the air, comprising: a column section having an electron beam generating means capable of generating an electron beam, the electron emitter being provided with a vacuum space therein; A support positioned opposite the opening of the column and supporting the sample at atmospheric pressure; And a cover part having a plurality of transmission windows through which the electron beam can pass, the driving part being connected to the cover part so as to move the cover part.

The cover portion includes a main body having a through-hole formed in a central region thereof and coupled with an opening of the column portion; An auxiliary body coupled to the through-hole; And a plurality of transmission windows formed in a central region of the auxiliary body, wherein the plurality of transmission windows may be the same size. Alternatively, the plurality of transmission windows may be formed to have different thicknesses. The size of the thin transmission window may be smaller than the size of the transmission window of the plurality of transmission windows.

The auxiliary body includes a plurality of via holes passing through the upper and lower sides, and the transmission window may include a transmissive thin film formed on one side of the auxiliary body.

A cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cover assembly coupled to an apparatus for observing a sample using an electron beam, the cover assembly having an upper surface and a lower surface, the main body having a through- ; An auxiliary body coupled to the through-hole; And a plurality of transmission windows formed in a central region of the auxiliary body, through which the electron beam can pass.

The diameter of the transmission window or the length of one side may be in the range of 20 mu m to 300 mu m.

The auxiliary body may include a plurality of via holes connected to the main body at an edge region and vertically penetrating the central region, and the transmission window may include a transmissive thin film formed on one side of the auxiliary body, The thickness may be 100 nm or less.

The plurality of transmissive windows may include a first transmissive window having a first thickness, a second transmissive window having a second thickness that is thinner than the first thickness, and a third transmissive window having a first thickness and a second thickness, The size of the first transmission window may be larger than the size of the second transmission window.

The plurality of transmission windows may include transmission windows of different sizes and the thickness of the transmission windows of the plurality of transmission windows may be thicker than that of the transmission window of smaller size.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in observing and analyzing a sample at atmospheric pressure, an electron beam transmission position of a transmissive thin film can be selected in a manner that any one of a plurality of transmission windows is selected and an electron beam is transmitted. That is, when the electron beam passes through any one transmission window a predetermined number of times or more, the position of the transmission window can be moved to transmit the electron beam to another transmission window. Therefore, the entire area of the transmissive thin film can be uniformly used, and the service life of the transmissive thin film can be improved.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, in observing and analyzing samples in the atmospheric pressure, the thickness and the area of the transmission window can be selected and replaced in different apparatuses, respectively. That is, an area and a thickness of each of the plurality of transmission windows may be formed to be different from each other, and a transmission window suitable for each observation and analysis of the sample may be selected. When observing the image of the sample from this, a relatively thin transmissive window can be used to produce a high quality image. Further, when analyzing the components of the sample, a transmission window having a relatively large area can be used so that accurate component analysis can be performed. In addition, the thickness and area of the transmission window can be selected in response to various sample characteristics. Thus, one device can be utilized in various processes by selecting transmission windows having different thicknesses and areas in one device in accordance with the purpose of use of the device or the characteristics of the sample.

For example, when the present invention is applied to a process of inspecting a sample or a substrate in a manufacturing field of various display devices, solar cells, semiconductor chips, etc., the sample observing device moves the main body of the cover part in the horizontal direction by using a driving part, The auxiliary body provided in the through hole moves in the horizontal direction, and the position of the transmission window can be moved. So that the position through which the electron beam is transmitted can be selected as one of the plurality of transmission windows.

Accordingly, it is possible to selectively use a plurality of transmission windows corresponding to the frequency of use and the degree of wear of the transmission window, so that the service life of the entire transmission window can be remarkably increased. This significantly reduces the cost of maintenance of the apparatus in the entire process in which the sample observation apparatus is applied.

In addition, the thickness and area of each transmission window can be formed differently, and the thickness and area of the transmission window through which the electron beam is transmitted can be variously selected in accordance with the purpose of use of various apparatuses and the state of various samples. Accordingly, the thickness and the area of the transmission window through which the electron beam is transmitted can be appropriately selected in accordance with the case of observing images of different samples with one apparatus, analyzing the image of the sample, and analyzing the components of the sample . From this, it is possible to uniform the quality level of the sample image, analyze the components of the sample more accurately, and improve the reliability of the process.

1 to 4 are views for explaining a sample observation apparatus and a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a view illustrating a process of forming a transmission window on a cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a view for explaining a sample observation method applied to a sample observation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, but may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings may be exaggerated or enlarged to illustrate embodiments of the invention, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view for explaining a sample observation apparatus and a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of a sample observation apparatus for explaining a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 and 4 are partial views of a sample observation apparatus for explaining a transmission window according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a method of forming a transmission window in the cover unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a partial schematic view for explaining a sample observation method to which a sample observation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The sample observation apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the cover assembly mounted thereon, and the sample observation method applied thereto can select the position through which the electron beam is transmitted in observing the sample at atmospheric pressure, thereby improving the service life of the film through which the electron beam is transmitted It presents the technical features that can be achieved. In addition, the thickness of a film through which an electron beam is transmitted can be selected, thereby providing a technical feature capable of increasing the resolution of a sample image. In addition, the present invention provides a technical feature that can improve the accuracy of the analysis result of the sample component by selecting the area of the film through which the electron beam is transmitted.

First, a sample observation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. A sample observing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a column section 100, a support section 200, and a cover section 300, which are devices capable of observing and analyzing various samples 10 in the atmosphere.

The sample 10 may be a wafer or a glass panel used for manufacturing various electronic devices in various display devices including LCDs, OLEDs, and LEDs, and a process of manufacturing solar cells or semiconductor chips.

Of course, the sample 10 is not limited to the one described above, and includes various organic or inorganic substances or mixtures thereof prepared in a solid state or in a liquid state or in a mixed state of a solid state and a liquid state at a standard atmospheric pressure, It can be a wide range of samples.

The column portion 100 may have a vacuum space formed therein, an opening 110 formed at one side thereof, and an electron beam generating means 120 capable of generating an electron beam therein. The column portion 100 may extend in one direction and may be disposed in a direction crossing the support portion 200 from above the support portion 200. The column portion 100 may be a container of various shapes that can accommodate the electron beam generating means 120, for example, and may be formed of stainless steel (SUS). The inside of the column section 100 can be controlled to a vacuum of a predetermined size, for example, about 1.5E-6 torr to 1.5E-7 torr for generating and accelerating the electron beam.

An opening 110 may be formed in the lower end of the column section 100. For example, the opening may be formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder, and a predetermined thread (not shown) may be formed on the outer circumferential surface thereof, so that the cover part 300 can be easily attached to and detached from the column part 100 .

The electron beam generating means 120 may be formed to generate and accelerate a predetermined electron beam within the column portion 100 controlled in a vacuum atmosphere. The electron beam generating means 120 includes electron emitting means 121 disposed inside the column portion 100 so as to emit electrons from the upper side of the inside of the column portion 100 to the opening side of the column portion 100 . The electron beam generating means 120 includes a plurality of lenses disposed inside the column section 100 so as to focus and accelerate electrons emitted from the electron emitting means 121 toward the opening of the column section 100 can do.

The electron emitting means 121 may include an electron gun capable of emitting electrons with an acceleration voltage and a probe current of a desired size by using any one of an electric field emission method and a heat radiation method. In the present embodiment, the electron gun of the field emission type Schottky type is exemplified as the electron emitting means 121. The electron gun emits electrons from the tip of the electron gun by applying a predetermined high voltage from the first anode of the electron gun, It is possible to accelerate and discharge the electron beam by applying a predetermined acceleration voltage from the anode.

The plurality of lenses may include a condenser lens 122 for focusing the electron beam and an objective lens 123 for adjusting the focus of the electron beam. Here, the focusing lens 122 and the objective lens 123 collect the electron bundle emitted from the electron emitting means 121 by using an electromagnetic force. The plurality of lenses may be disposed in the order of the focusing lens 122 and the objective lens 123 with respect to the direction toward the opening 110 of the column 100 at the electron emitting means 121 side, An aperture (not shown) for passing an electron beam, an aberration correcting electromagnet (not shown) for controlling an aberration of the electron beam, and a scanning coil (not shown) for correcting the deflection of the electron beam . On the other hand, a predetermined controller (not shown) may be connected to the electron beam generating means 120 so that the generation and acceleration of the electron beam by the electron beam generating means 120 can be controlled.

The support part 200 may be positioned opposite to the opening of the column part 100 and may be formed in various shapes and structures having a support surface of a predetermined shape and size to which the sample 10 can be supported. For example, the supporting part 200 may be a stage of various configurations and systems capable of supporting the sample 10 at atmospheric pressure, and is not particularly limited in the present invention.

Next, referring to Figs. 2 to 4, a cover part 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The cover part 300 according to the embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of transmission windows 330A through which an electron beam can pass and is hermetically coupled to the opening of the column part 100 to thereby reduce the internal vacuum of the column part 100 A cover assembly for holding the cover assembly.

The cover unit 300 transmits an electron beam to the outside from the inside of the column unit 100 and transmits signals such as reflection electrons and X rays generated from the sample 10 by the incident electron beam to the column unit 100, To the inside thereof.

The cover portion 300 may include a main body 310 serving as a body of the cover portion 300. The main body 310 is, for example, a disc-shaped member, and can be engaged with the opening of the column portion 100. The main body 310 may be an electrically conductive member formed of an electrically conductive material such as stainless steel (SUS). Meanwhile, the main body 310 may be provided as a single unitary member. Alternatively, the main body 310 may include a plurality of separate members, though not shown, and the plurality of members may be vertically stacked to form a plurality of layers.

The main body 310 may have a central region and a vicinity thereof bent to protrude downward, and a through hole 311 may be formed through the central region protruding downwardly in a downward direction. As a result, the penetrating end of the main body 310 in the vicinity of the central region may protrude downward from the main body 310 and may be inclined downward toward the center of the central region.

The cover part 300 may include an auxiliary body 320 that seals the through hole 311 of the main body 310. The auxiliary body 320 is coupled to the through hole 311 of the main body 310 in such a manner that the auxiliary body 320 is directly adhered or joined to the penetrating end of the main body 310 to seal the through hole 311 of the main body 310 can do. The auxiliary body 320 may be a conductive plate member having various shapes such as a disc shape or a rectangular plate shape. For example, a silicon wafer, a silicon carbide (SiC) wafer, a graphite (C) wafer Or a conductive wafer. The auxiliary body 320 may include a plurality of via holes 321 penetrating the central region of the auxiliary body 320 in the vertical direction. A transmission window 330A may be formed below the plurality of via holes 321 and the transmission window 330A may be connected to the inside of the column 100 through a via hole 321. [

The cover part 300 may include a transmission window 330A that transmits electrons and electron beams. The transmission window 330A may include a thin membrane such as a silicon nitride (SiN) film having a thickness of 3 nm to 100 nm formed on one side of the auxiliary body 320, A plurality of X-rays are formed in the central region to transmit X-rays with electron beams, reflection electrons, and the like.

The plurality of transmission windows 330A may be equal in size or area to each other as shown in Fig. 3 (a), and may have different sizes or areas as shown in Fig. 3 (b) . 4A. As shown in FIG. 4A, the plurality of transmission windows 330A may have the same thickness and may have different thicknesses as shown in FIG. 4B have. At this time, the thickness and area of the transmission window are inversely related to each other.

That is, the diameter or the length of one side of the transmission window (i.e., the size of the transmission window), which is relatively thin in the plurality of transmission windows 330A, may be smaller than the diameter or the length of one side in the relatively thick transmission window, The pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the column section 100 is present. That is, the thinner the thickness of the transmission window is, the smaller the strength of the transmission window is. Therefore, as the thickness of the transmission window is decreased, the size or the area of the transmission window is decreased to reduce the area exposed to the inside of the column part 100, The load acting on the transmission window 330A can be reduced by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the column part 100. [

The transmission window having a relatively thin thickness in the plurality of transmission windows 330A can smoothly pass the reflection electrons generated from the sample 10 to the inside of the column 100 more than the transmission window having a relatively thick thickness. Therefore, a transmission window having a relatively small thickness among the plurality of transmission windows 330A is utilized for image generation of the sample, and in this case, the sample observation apparatus can produce a high quality sample image.

The transmission window having a relatively large size among the plurality of transmission windows 330A can pass the X-rays generated from the sample 10 to the interior of the column 100 more than the transmission window having a relatively small size. Therefore, the transmission window having a relatively large size among the plurality of transmission windows 330A is utilized for analyzing the components of the sample, and in this case, the sample observation apparatus can more accurately derive the component analysis result of the sample.

Of course, each of the plurality of transmission windows 330A may have different sizes and the same thickness, or may have different thicknesses and the same size. The size and thickness of each of the plurality of transmission windows 330A may be variously selected.

5, a process of forming the transmission window 330A according to the embodiment of the present invention in the central region of the auxiliary body 320 will be described.

A transparent thin film 330, for example, a silicon nitride film is formed on one side of the auxiliary body 320. A plurality of via holes are etched in a central region of the auxiliary body 320 in a direction toward the one side of the auxiliary body 320 from the other side of the auxiliary body 320 where the transmissive thin film 330 is not formed. A plurality of transmission windows 330A through which electron beams can pass may be formed in a central region of the auxiliary body 320 by a plurality of via holes. At this time, the widths and the shapes of the via holes may be adjusted to make the size of each of the plurality of transmission windows 330A different or equal. Next, a transmission window for controlling the thickness of the plurality of transmission windows 330A is selected, and the transparent thin film of the selected transmission window is further etched. The plurality of transmissive windows 330A may be formed by repeating the above-described processes so that the plurality of transmissive windows 330A may have different thicknesses. The plurality of transmissive windows 330A may include a first transmissive window having the first thickness t, And a second transmissive window having a second thickness t 'that is thinner than the first transmissive window.

At this time, although not shown in the drawing, a third transmission window (not shown) may be formed by etching the transmissive thin film so that one transmissive window has both the first thickness t and the second thickness t '. For example, the central region of the first transmissive window having the first thickness t is etched with a second thickness t 'to form a third transmissive layer of a different thickness having a relatively thin central region and an edge region of relatively thick thickness It is possible to form a window. Here, the third transparent window having a different thickness can easily transmit various electrons to a central region having a relatively thin thickness, and can have a relatively thick edge region to further increase the overall size of the transparent window, The transmission amount of the wire can be further increased.

5 is only one example for forming the transmissive thin film 330 and the transmissive window 330A for vacuum maintenance or the like inside the column part 100 on one side of the auxiliary body 320. In the present invention, And is not particularly limited. Any method for forming the transmissive thin film 330 and the transmissive window 330A may be applied in addition to the above-described process.

Next, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the remaining components of the cover portion 300 will be described. The main body 310 of the cover part 300 may be detachably coupled to the opening of the column part 100. For this purpose, The cover portion 300 may include a coupling member 340, such as a socket or a connector. The main body 310 of the cover part 300 may be hermetically coupled to the opening of the column part 100. For this purpose, the upper surface edge of the main body 310 and the column part 100 facing the upper surface edge of the main body 310, A sealing ring 350 or an insulating sealing ring may be provided. The main body 310 is hermetically coupled with the column 100 through the coupling member 340 and the sealing ring 350 so that the interior of the column 100 can be maintained in a vacuum.

The coupling member 340 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape or an annular ring shape whose interior is opened in the up and down direction. The inner circumferential surface size and shape of the coupling member 340 may be a size and a shape corresponding to the size and shape of the main body 310 so that the main body 310 can be fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the coupling member 340 . The width of the inner peripheral surface of the coupling member 340 in the vertical direction may be larger than the thickness of the main body 310 in the vertical direction. A protruding end portion is formed to extend in the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the joint member 340 and a lower surface of the main body 310 can be contacted or closely supported by the protruding end portion of the joint member 340. Although not shown in the drawing, a thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the coupling member 340 so as to extend in the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface, and the thread of the coupling member 340 is screwed into the opening thread of the column portion 100 Can be combined. The material of the coupling member 340 may include stainless steel (SUS) material or plastic material.

The sealing ring 350 may include, for example, an O ring. The sealing ring 350 serves to airtightly couple the upper surface of the main body 310 and the opening of the column 100 in a vertical direction, The inner vacuum of the part 100 can be maintained. On the other hand, when the sealing ring 350 is an insulating sealing ring including, for example, a rubber material, the column portion 100 and the upper surface of the main body 310 can be electrically insulated.

The sealing ring 350 elastically corresponds to the movement of the main body 310 of the cover unit 300 when the driving unit 400 moves in the horizontal direction and receives the change in the position of the main body 310 , The internal vacuum of the column section 100 can be maintained.

Although not shown in the drawings, the cover part 300 may include a gas injection port for injecting gas downwardly and a gas path connected to the gas injection port for supplying gas, and the gas path is formed on the outer side of the cover part 300 The gas supply source may be connected to the gas supply source separately provided for the gas supply source. The gas path may extend through the interior of the main body 310 and open to the lower side of the main body 310 near the through hole 311 of the main body 310 to form a gas injection port.

Alternatively, when the main body 310 is provided with a plurality of detachable members and is stacked, the gas path may be a spacing space formed between the vertically stacked members.

The gas injection port may be provided at the end portion of the main body 310 which faces the auxiliary body 320. For example, the gas injection port may be an open end of the gas path extending downwardly in a direction toward the lower center position of the auxiliary body 320 in the vicinity of the penetrating end of the main body 310.

A plurality of gas ejection openings may be formed, and the arrangement thereof may be such that the auxiliary body 320 is radially disposed around the auxiliary body 320. The auxiliary body 320 is sprayed with an inert gas such as helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar) It is possible to locally form an inert gas atmosphere on the lower side of the chamber.

On the other hand, when the gas path is formed as a spaced-apart space between a plurality of detachable members of the main body 310, the gas injection port is an annular spacing space formed between the plurality of detachable members in the vicinity of the penetrating end of the main body 310 .

The main body 310 of the cover part 300 is coupled to the opening of the column part 100 and is adjustably positionable in the horizontal direction. For this purpose, the cover unit 300 may further include a driving unit 400. Next, a driving unit 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The driving unit 400 may be formed to move the cover unit 300 and may be connected to the cover unit 300. The driving unit 400 may include a driving motor 410 disposed to be spaced apart from the outside of the opening of the column unit 100 A radial or annular structure drive block 420 mounted at a plurality of positions on the lower surface of the main body 310 of the cover part 300, a radial or annular structure drive block 420 mounted between the drive motor 410 and the drive block 420, (Not shown).

The driving motor 410 precisely adjusts the movement of the driving rod 430 within a range of several hundreds of micrometers to move the driving block 420 in the horizontal direction. The main body 310 of the cover part 300 combined with the driving block 420 can be moved in the horizontal direction by the movement of the driving block 420. [ At this time, the sealing ring 350 elastically receives the relative movement of the main body 310 and seals between the column part 100 and the main body 310, so that the internal vacuum of the column part 100 is maintained without being broken .

For example, the diameter or the length of one side of the central region of the auxiliary body 320 in which the plurality of transmission windows 330A are formed may be, for example, in a range of 600 mu m to 700 mu m or less, The internal vacuum of the column part 100 can be maintained by the sealing ring 350 while moving the main body 310 of the part 300 in the horizontal direction.

The driving unit 400 may be variously modified in various structures and systems that can move the main body 310 in the horizontal direction. However, the driving unit 400 is not particularly limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

The sample observing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a first detector 500 for collecting electrons reflected, for example, reflected electrons, into the column 100, and a second detector 500 for collecting X-rays incident into the column 100, And a second detection unit 600 for inspecting the components of the image.

The first detection unit 500 may be a semiconductor detector provided in a predetermined plate shape and may be vertically aligned with the auxiliary body 320 of the cover unit 300 in the column unit 100, As shown in FIG. At this time, a central region of the first detector 500 may be vertically penetrated to form a predetermined electron beam passage, and an electron beam may be incident on the transmission window 330A of the cover unit 300 through the electron beam passage.

The reflected electrons transmitted through the transmission window 330A and incident into the column section 100 are acquired by the first detection section 500. The current caused by the reflected electrons is transmitted to a signal processing section And processes it to generate an image.

The image generation process of the sample is as follows. An observation target region of the sample 10 positioned below the transmission window 330A is divided into a plurality of pixels and an electron beam is scanned in any one of a plurality of pixels. The reflected electrons emitted from the sample 10 by the electron beam are collected in the first detection unit 500 and the electric current caused thereby is amplified and processed in the signal processing unit so that the image signal corresponding to the processed value, Value. The above process is repeated to form an image signal of each of a plurality of pixels, from which an entire image of the region to be observed of the sample 10 is formed.

The second detector 600 includes an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy detector (EDS detector), a part of which passes through the column 100, and the end of the second detector 600 is located inside the column 100 And may be disposed to face the transmission window 330A of the cover part 300. [ The energy-dispersive spectroscopic detector is capable of inspecting the components of the sample 10 in such a manner that the X-ray energy obtained from the sample 10 is scanned by the electron beam in the form of energy using a p-i-n semiconductor element of silicon single crystal. The second detection unit 600 is connected to a data processing unit (not shown). The data processing unit detects the X-ray energy intensity data and the detection frequency-dependent data by the energy intensity outputted from the second detection unit 600, It is possible to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the sample (10) in preparation for emission X-ray intrinsic energy magnitude data, and output it as visual information.

The cover unit 300 of the above-described sample observation apparatus is applicable as a cover assembly mounted on various apparatuses for observing various samples using an electron beam. Hereinafter, a detailed description of the cover assembly which overlaps with the above description of the sample observation apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be omitted or briefly explained.

A cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 310, an auxiliary body 320, and a transmission window 330A, which are coupled to various devices for observing and analyzing the sample 10 using an electron beam. .

The main body 310 may include, for example, a stainless steel material, and may have upper and lower surfaces, and a through hole 311 may be formed in a central region in the up and down direction. At this time, the penetrating end of the main body 310 surrounding the through-hole 311 may protrude downward and may be inclined downward toward the center of the through-hole 311.

The auxiliary body 320 can be coupled to the through hole 311 by being joined or bonded to the through end of the main body 310 and the auxiliary body 320 can be coupled to the plurality of via holes passing through the auxiliary body 320 in the up- (321) may be formed. The transmissive thin film 330 is formed on the entire one surface of the auxiliary body 320 and the transmissive window 330A is formed in the entire region of the transmissive thin film 330 such that the transmissive thin film 330 is permeable to the upper side of the auxiliary body 320 by the via hole 321 And may be formed of the respective partial regions of the thin film 330.

A plurality of transmission windows 330A are formed in a central region of the auxiliary body 320 and serve to pass electron beams, various electrons, and X-rays. The thickness of each of the transmissive windows 330A and the transmissive windows 330A may be 100 nm or less in the entire area of the transmissive thin film 330 and the transmissive thin film 330. For example, when the thickness of the transmission window 330A is more than 100 nm, the transmittance of various electrons or X-rays emitted from the sample 10 is lower than the transmittance of a predetermined value capable of image generation and composition analysis of the sample 10 . On the other hand, the thickness of each of the transmissive windows 330A may be 3 nm or more. If the thickness of the transmissive windows 330A is too small, for example, less than 3 nm, the inside of the column portion 100 where the cover assembly is mounted and the atmosphere So that it can be torn and destroyed.

The plurality of transmission windows 330A may have the same size or different from each other as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. If the size of each of the plurality of transmission windows 330A is the same, it can be easily disposed in the central region of the auxiliary body 320. [ For example, when each of the plurality of transmission windows 330A has the same size, it can be easily arranged in a square grid structure or a hexagonal grid structure in the central region of the auxiliary body 320. When the size of each of the plurality of transmission windows 330A is different, relatively large transmission windows may be evenly spaced from each other and transmission windows of a relatively small size may be disposed therebetween. The plurality of transmission windows 330A may be arranged in a variety of different structures besides the above-described arrangement structure, and is not particularly limited thereto.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the transmission window 330A has a quadrangular planar shape. However, the transmission window 330A may have a variety of shapes, for example, a circular planar shape, The transmission window 330A may be formed to have the same size or shape as the transmission window 330A.

4A and 4B, the plurality of transmissive windows 330A includes a first transmissive window having a first thickness t and a second transmissive window having a second thickness t ' 2 transmissive window and may include a third transmissive window having both a first thickness t and a second thickness t '. In this case, in the case of the third transmission window, the edge region may have a first thickness, which is a relatively thick thickness, and the central region, which is surrounded by the edge region, may have a second thickness that is relatively thin. Here, the first thickness of the edge region may be 100 nm or less, and the second thickness of the central region may be 50 nm or less. The thickness of each of the plurality of transmissive windows 330A may be selected and applied within a range of several nm to 100 nm, for example, 3 nm to 100 nm. have.

The diameter or the length of one side of each of the plurality of transmission windows 330A may be in a range of 20 mu m to 300 mu m and may be selectively applied within the numerical range corresponding to the thickness of each of the plurality of transmission windows 330A. For example, the diameter or the length of one side of the relatively thick first transmission window can be made larger than the diameter or the size of one side of the second transmission window which is relatively thin.

Hereinafter, a sample observation method applied to the sample observation apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. A sample observation method is a method of observing a sample placed in the atmosphere, a process of preparing a sample in the air separated from a column portion in which a vacuum is formed, a process of emitting an electron beam in a direction toward the sample using a column portion, A process of collecting a signal emitted from the sample by the incident electron beam colliding with the sample, and a process of processing the collected signal. Particularly, the sample observation method may further include a transmission window inspection process for checking whether the transmission window transmitted through the electron beam is exchanged by confirming the use condition of the electron beam before emitting the electron beam.

First, prepare samples in the atmosphere. The sample 10 is loaded on the supporter 200 of the sample observation apparatus using a predetermined transfer robot (not shown). At this time, the support part 200 may be a plate type stage corresponding to the size and shape of the sample, and a separate lift pin (not shown) may be further provided on the stage.

The sample 10 may include a wafer or a glass panel used for manufacturing various electronic devices in various display devices including LCDs, OLEDs, and LEDs, and a process of manufacturing solar cells or semiconductor chips. Of course, the sample 10 is not limited to the above-described ones, and may be a wide variety of materials including various organic materials or inorganic materials prepared in a solid state or a liquid state or a mixed state of solid and liquid phases at a standard atmospheric pressure, It can be a meaningful sample.

When the sample 10 is provided on the supporting part 200, the column part 100 is positioned to face the sample 10 from above the sample 10 and the column part 100 and the support part 200 are moved up and down And precisely adjusts the distance between the transmission window 330A of the sample observation device and the sample 10 within, for example, 200 mu m.

Next, the transmission window located on the path of the electron beam is checked. For example, at least one of the number of times the electron beam is irradiated to the transmission window, the electron beam use time, and the electron beam intensity. The electron beam use condition is calculated from the cumulative calculation. The calculated usage conditions are compared with the preset conditions. It is judged whether or not the transmission window is exchanged according to the contrast result.

At this time, the step of calculating the electron beam use condition may include a step of calculating the use condition by switching the accumulated charge of at least one of the number of times of electron beam irradiation, electron beam use time and electron beam intensity to the used charge amount. At this time, the calculated use condition may be a use condition for each of a plurality of positions in one transmission window.

The process of comparing the calculated use condition with the preset condition may include a process of comparing the average value of the plurality of use conditions with the preset condition. In this case, in judging whether the transmission window is exchanged, If the average value exceeds the preset condition, it is determined to exchange the entire transmission window.

Alternatively, the process of comparing the calculated use conditions with the preset conditions may include mapping the usage conditions of the plurality of locations in one transmission window, comparing the use condition values at each location with the preset conditions . ≪ / RTI > In this case, when determining whether or not the transmission window is exchanged, it is determined to exchange the transmission window when at least one of the mapped overall use conditions exceeds a predetermined condition, for example, 0.1 Coulomb (C).

Next, when it is determined to exchange the transmission window, the main body 310 and the auxiliary body of the cover unit 300 are positioned such that a new transmission window is positioned on the path through which the electron beam is transmitted, (320). This is shown in Fig.

By selecting the transmission window 330A through which the electron beam is transmitted among the plurality of transmission windows 330A, the number of times of use of the entire transmission window can be increased, and the replacement period can be significantly longer than in the related art.

Of course, even if the size and thickness of the transmission window need to be changed for other reasons in the process, a new transmission window can be placed on the path through which the electron beam is transmitted by exchanging the transmission window.

In the case where a plurality of transmission windows are repeatedly subjected to the transmission window checking process described above so that the entire transmission windows are determined to be exchanged, although not shown in the drawing, the column portion 100 is switched to the atmospheric pressure, 300) is replaced with a new type of transmission window (330A), and new transmission windows (300A) are installed.

Next, an electron beam is emitted toward the sample 10. Electron beam generating means 120 provided in the column section 100 and each lens are used to emit and accelerate electrons to a predetermined acceleration voltage and a probe current. The electron beam passes through the cover part 300 mounted on the opening part of the column part 100 and is controlled to a probe size of several nm to several hundreds of nm and can be focused at a desired position on the sample 10. At this time, the focus of the electron beam is precisely adjusted to a height in the range of several micrometers to several hundreds of micrometers at a predetermined position spaced apart from the lower side of the transmission window 330A of the cover part 300, and the electron beam is emitted to a desired position of the sample 10 You can collide.

Next, the signal emitted from the sample 10 is collected in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere. Here, the signal emitted from the sample means electrons and X-rays emitted from the sample after the electron beam incident on the sample collides with the sample. At this time, electrons emitted from the sample by the electron beam incident on the sample are scattered by a relatively high energy level and are scattered backward in a predetermined direction, for example, in a direction from the sample 10 toward the column 100 electron). The electron emitted from the sample by the electron beam incident on the sample has a secondary electron scattered near the sample 10 due to the relatively low energy level. At least the reflected electrons among the electrons emitted from the sample can be collected by the first detecting unit 500 and the X-rays emitted from the sample can be collected by the second detecting unit 600.

Next, the collected signal is processed. For example, an image of a sample can be generated by utilizing the electric current generated from an electron to be collected, and the component of the sample can be analyzed by utilizing the X-rays to be collected. A well-known technique can be applied to the process, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Meanwhile, the embodiment of the present invention may include a process of forming an inert gas atmosphere in the space between the column section 100 and the sample 10 before or simultaneously with the process of collecting electrons in the atmospheric pressure atmosphere . For example, helium, neon, argon gas, or a mixed gas of these gases may be injected before or at the same time as the ejection of the electron beam at the gas injection port (not shown) of the cover part 300. Thus, the spacing space of, for example, 200 mu m or less between the transmission window 330A and the sample 10 can be locally formed in an inert gas atmosphere, so that electrons emitted from the sample can be easily collected with high efficiency. By collecting electrons with high efficiency as described above, a high-quality sample image can be generated.

It should be noted that the above-described embodiments of the present invention are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and not for the purpose of limitation of the present invention. That is, the present invention may be embodied in various forms without departing from the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof, and it is to be understood and appreciated by one skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention It will be understood that various embodiments are possible.

100: column portion 200: support portion
300: cover part 310: main body
320: auxiliary body 321: via hole
330A: Transmission window 330: Transmissive thin film
350: sealing ring 400: driving part
500: first detection unit 600: second detection unit

Claims (11)

As an apparatus for observing a sample in the atmosphere,
A column portion having a vacuum space formed therein and having an opening at one side thereof and electron beam generating means capable of generating an electron beam;
A support positioned opposite the opening of the column and supporting the sample at atmospheric pressure;
A cover portion coupled to an opening of the column portion and having a plurality of transmission windows through which an electron beam can pass; And
And a gas path extending radially from the auxiliary body of the cover portion formed in the cover portion and having an end portion formed with the plurality of transmission windows to open a gas atmosphere below the auxiliary body,
Wherein the plurality of transmission windows are different in size. The method according to claim 1,
The cover portion includes a main body having a through-hole formed in a central region thereof and coupled with an opening of the column portion; An auxiliary body coupled to the through-hole; And a plurality of the transmissive windows formed in a central region of the auxiliary body,
Wherein the auxiliary body includes a plurality of via holes penetrating up and down,
Wherein the transmission window comprises a transmissive thin film formed on one side of the auxiliary body. delete The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The plurality of transmission windows are formed to have different thicknesses,
Wherein a size of the thin transmission window is smaller than a size of the large transmission window among the plurality of transmission windows. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
And a driving unit connected to the cover unit to move the cover unit.
A cover assembly coupled to an apparatus for observing a sample using an electron beam,
A main body having an upper surface and a lower surface and having a through hole penetrating through the central area in a vertical direction;
An auxiliary body coupled to the through-hole;
A plurality of transmission windows formed in a central region of the auxiliary body and through which the electron beam can pass; And
And a gas path extending inside the main body and having an end radially disposed to open around the auxiliary body and capable of forming a gas atmosphere below the auxiliary body,
Wherein the plurality of transmissive windows are different in size. The method of claim 6,
Wherein the auxiliary body includes a plurality of via holes connected to the main body at an edge region and vertically penetrating the central region,
Wherein the transmissive window comprises a transmissive thin film formed on one side of the auxiliary body. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the thickness of the transparent thin film is 100 nm or less. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8,
The plurality of transmissive windows may include a first transmissive window having a first thickness, a second transmissive window having a second thickness that is thinner than the first thickness, a third transmissive window having a first thickness and a second thickness, / RTI >
Wherein a size of the first transmission window is larger than a size of the second transmission window. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8,
Wherein the plurality of transmission windows include transmission windows of different sizes,
Wherein a thickness of the transmission window having a larger size is larger than a thickness of the transmission window having a smaller size among the plurality of transmission windows. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8,
Wherein the diameter of the transmission window or the length of one side is in the range of 20 to 300 mu m.

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