Method for observing sample and electronic microscope

Abstract

A sample observation method of the present invention comprises a step of defining, with respect to an electron microscope image, an outline of an observation object with respect to a sample ( 3 ), or a plurality of points located along the outline, and a step of arranging a plurality of fields of view for an electron microscope along the outline, wherein electron microscope images of the plurality of fields of view that have been defined and arranged along the shape of the observation object through each of the above-mentioned steps are acquired. It is thus made possible to provide a sample observation method that is capable of selectively acquiring, with respect to observation objects of various shapes, an electron microscope image based on a field of view definition that is in accordance with the shape of the observation object, as well as an electron microscope apparatus that realizes such a sample observation method.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:
 a beam emitter that emits a charged particle beam to a sample;   a detector that detects an electron from the sample; and   a controller that:
 acquires a first sample image and a second sample image which has magnification higher than magnification of the first sample image; 
 draws an outline of the sample in the first sample image, or specify a plurality of points along a boundary of the sample in the first sample image; 
 sets an amount of overlapping a plurality of fields of view with each other, the plurality of fields of view being arranged along the outline or the plurality of points for acquiring the second sample image; 
 moves an imaging area from one field of view to an adjacent field of view to form the second sample image, and 
 controls the beam emitter to reduce the changed particle beam incident on the sample when the imaging area moves from the one field of view to the adjacent field of view. 
   
     
     
         21 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising at least one of a sample stage which holds and moves the sample and a deflector which deflects the charged particle beam, wherein
 at least one of the sample stage and the deflector operates such that the one field of view overlaps the adjacent field of view.   
     
     
         22 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein when the plurality of points are specified, at least one of a movement amount of the sample stage and a deflection signal of the deflector is determined on the basis of interpolation computation of the points. 
     
     
         23 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the controller controls the beam emitter to irradiate the sample with the charged particle beam having predetermined intensity lower than intensity for imaging the sample after the imaging area moves from the one field of view to the adjacent field of view. 
     
     
         24 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein when the plurality of points are specified, a movement amount of the imaging area from the field of view to the adjacent field of view is determined on the basis of interpolation computation of the points. 
     
     
         25 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the controller controls the beam emitter to irradiate the sample with the charged particle beam having predetermined intensity lower than intensity for imaging the sample after the imaging area moves from the one field of view to the adjacent field of view. 
     
     
         26 . A method for observing a sample, comprising:
 emitting a charged particle beam to a sample;   detecting an electron from the sample;   acquiring a first sample image and a second sample image which has magnification higher than magnification of the first sample image;   drawing an outline of the sample in the first sample image, or specifying a plurality of points along a boundary of the sample in the first sample image;   setting an amount of overlapping a plurality of fields of view with each other, the plurality of fields of view being arranged along the outline or the plurality of points for acquiring the second sample image;   moving an imaging area from one field of view to an adjacent field of view to form the second sample image, and   reducing the changed particle beam incident on the sample when the imaging area moves from the one field of view to the adjacent field of view.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , further comprising operating at least one of a sample stage which holds and moves the sample and a deflector which deflects the charged particle beam such that the one field of view overlaps the adjacent field of view. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein when the plurality of points are specified, at least one of a movement amount of the sample stage and a deflection signal of the deflector is determined on the basis of interpolation computation of the points. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , further comprising irradiating the sample with the charged particle beam having predetermined intensity lower than intensity for imaging the sample after the imaging area moves from the one field of view to the adjacent field of view. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein when the plurality of points are specified, a movement amount of the imaging area from the field of view to the adjacent field of view is determined on the basis of interpolation computation of the points. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein further comprising irradiating the sample with the charged particle beam having predetermined intensity lower than intensity for imaging the sample after the imaging area moves from the one field of view to the adjacent field of view.