Ion beam processing apparatus

Abstract

An ion beam processing apparatus includes an ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiates a rectangular ion beam to a sample on a first sample stage, an electron beam irradiation optical system that irradiates an electron beam to the sample, and a second sample stage to hold a test piece, extracted from the sample. The ion beam can be tilted by rotating the second sample stage about a tilting axis. A controller controls the width of skew of an intensity profile representing an edge of the rectangular ion beam in a direction perpendicular to a first direction in which the tilting axis of the second sample stage is projected on the second sample stage surface so that the width will be smaller than the width of skew of an intensity profile representing another edge of the ion beam in a direction parallel to the first direction.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . An ion beam processing apparatus comprising:
 a first sample stage that holds a sample;   an ion source that generates a first ion beam;   an ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiates the first ion beam to the sample;   a field ionization ion source that generates a second ion beam;   an ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiates the second ion beam to the sample;   a probe for carrying a test piece extracted from the sample by performing first ion beam processing; and   a second sample stage on which the test piece is mounted, wherein:   the ion beam processing apparatus has a tilting ability to vary an angle of irradiation, at which the first ion beam is irradiated to the sample, by rotating the second sample stage about a tilting axis; and   the test piece is observed by irradiating the second ion beam from a direction perpendicular to an observational surface of the sample.   
     
     
         8 . An ion beam processing apparatus comprising:
 a first sample stage that holds a sample;   an ion source that generates a first ion beam;   an ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiates the first ion beam to the sample;   a field ionization ion source that generates a second ion beam;   an ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiates the second ion beam to the sample;   a probe for carrying a test piece extracted from the sample by performing first ion beam processing; and   a second sample stage on which the test piece is mounted, wherein:   the ion beam processing apparatus has a tilting ability to vary an angle of irradiation, at which the first ion beam is irradiated to the sample, by rotating the second sample stage about a tilting axis; and   the first ion beam irradiation axis and the second ion beam irradiation axis are tilted relative to the first sample stage,   and further the first ion beam irradiation axis and the second ion beam irradiation axis exist within the same plane substantially perpendicular to the surface of the sample and the both axes intersect substantially perpendicularly each other.   
     
     
         9 . A method of observing a sample comprising the steps:
 a first step of forming an observational section of a micro piece using a first ion beam; and   a second step of observing the observational section of the micro piece by irradiating a second ion beam which is extracted from a field ionization ion source that generates a gas ion beam to the observational section of the micro piece.   
     
     
         10 . The method of observing a sample according to  claim 9 , wherein the second step is a step of observing the observational section of the micro piece by irradiating the second ion beam from a direction perpendicular to the section of the micro piece. 
     
     
         11 . The method of observing a sample according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a third step of observing a change of the observational section of the micro piece by repeating the first step and the second step a plurality of times.   
     
     
         12 . The method of observing a sample according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a fourth step of extracting the micro piece from a sample mounted on the first sample stage by using the first ion beam; and   a fifth step of fixing the micro piece onto the second sample stage.   
     
     
         13 . The method of observing a sample according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a third step of extracting the micro piece from a sample mounted on the first sample stage by using the first ion beam; and   a fourth step of fixing the micro piece onto the second sample stage.   
     
     
         14 . A method of observing a sample comprising the steps:
 extracting a micro piece from a sample mounted on a first sample stage using a first ion beam;   fixing the micro piece onto the second sample stage;   forming an observational section of the micro piece using the first ion beam;   observing the observational section of the micro piece by irradiating a second ion beam which is extracted from a field ionization ion source that generates a gas ion beam to the observational section of the micro piece.   
     
     
         15 . The method of observing a sample according to  claim 14 ,
 the step of observing the observational section is a step of observing the observational section of the micro piece by irradiating the second ion beam from a direction perpendicular to the observational section of the micro piece.   
     
     
         16 . An ion beam processing apparatus comprising:
 a first sample stage that holds a sample;   a first field ionization ion source having a first gas type that generates a first ion beam;   a first ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiates the first ion beam having the first gas type to the sample;   a second field ionization ion source having a second gas type that generates a second ion beam; and   a second ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiates the second ion beam having the second gas type to the sample,   wherein a section of the sample is processed using the first ion beam and the section is observed using the second ion beam.   
     
     
         17 . The ion beam processing apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein an axis extracting an ion beam from the first field ionization ion source and an axis irradiating the first ion beam to the sample meet at an angle.   
     
     
         18 . The ion beam processing apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the first ion beam irradiation optical system includes means to process the observed section so as to have a predetermined intensity profile relative to the surface of the sample.   
     
     
         19 . The ion beam processing apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein a beam irradiating axis of the second ion beam irradiation optical system is substantially perpendicular to the apparatus installation plane, and   a beam irradiating axis of the first ion beam irradiation optical system is tilted relative to the apparatus installation plane.   
     
     
         20 . The ion beam processing apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein a beam irradiating axis of the first ion beam to the sample and a beam irradiating axis of the second ion beam irradiation optical system substantially intersect each other on the sample.