Charged particle beam apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatuses to inspect small particles on the surface of a sample such as wafer and mask. The apparatuses provide both high detection efficiency and high throughput by forming Dark-field BSE images. The apparatuses can additionally inspect physical and electrical defects on the sample surface by form SE images and Bright-field BSE images simultaneously. The apparatuses can be designed to do single-beam or even multiple single-beam inspection for achieving a high throughput.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A charged particle beam apparatus, comprising:
 an incidence side detector provided with a through hole;   a deflector configured to scan a surface of a sample at an oblique angle of incidence with a primary electron beam passing through the through hole;   wherein the incidence side detector is configured to detect backscattered electrons generated from scanning and traveling towards an incidence side of the primary electron beam; and   an electrode adjacent to a path of the primary electron beam, the electrode positioned along a path of the backscattered electrons, intersecting a first virtual axis, wherein the first virtual axis is perpendicular to a sample plane and intersecting an illuminated area of the surface, and closer than the incidence side detector to an illuminated area of the surface;   wherein the electrode is configured to attract secondary electrons generated from the surface to prevent the secondary electrons from otherwise hitting the incidence side detector, and   the charged particle beam apparatus is configured to generate a dark-field backscattered electron image from the backscattered electrons detected by the incidence side detector.   
     
     
         10 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a reflection side detector configured to detect backscattered electrons generated from the scanning and traveling towards a reflection side from the primary electron beam. 
     
     
         11 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a secondary electron detector, wherein the electrode is a grid electrode, and the secondary electron detector is configured to detect the secondary electrons passing through the grid electrode. 
     
     
         12 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a reflection side detector configured to detect backscattered electrons generated from the scanning and traveling towards a reflection side from the primary electron beam. 
     
     
         13 . The charged particle beam apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the incidence side detector is disposed between an objective lens of the primary electron beam and the surface. 
     
     
         14 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising a reflection side detector configured to detect backscattered electrons generated from the scanning and traveling towards a reflection side from the primary electron beam. 
     
     
         15 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the incidence side detector is disposed between an objective lens of the primary electron beam and the surface. 
     
     
         16 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising a reflection side detector configured to detect backscattered electrons generated from the scanning and traveling towards a reflection side from the primary electron beam. 
     
     
         17 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the sample is disposed on the sample plane, and the incidence side detector is disposed on an electron detection plane greater than or equal to 45 degrees to the sample plane. 
     
     
         18 . The charged particle beam apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the charged particle beam apparatus includes a single-beam apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The charged particle beam apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the charged particle beam apparatus includes a multi-beam apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus configured to inspect a surface of a sample, comprising:
 an inspection tool configured to use a charged particle beam to scan the surface at an oblique angle of incidence;   a first detector located between the inspection tool and the sample and provided with a through hole for passing the charged particle beam, wherein the first detector is configured to detect backscattered charged particles bouncing back from the surface and along a direction of the oblique angle; and   an electrode positioned closer to the surface than the first detector and configured to attract secondary electrons emanating from the surface.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the first detector is configured such that the detected backscattered charged particles are close to zero when the surface is flat, and the backscattered charged particles are detected when the surface is not flat, thereby obtaining a dark field image. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the inspection tool includes a single-beam apparatus. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the inspection tool includes a multi-beam apparatus. 
     
     
         24 . A detecting device comprising:
 a first detector configured to detect charged particles received from a sample, the first detector including an opening configured to allow a primary charged particle beam to pass through the first detector so as to irradiate an illuminated area on a surface of the sample at an oblique angle; and   an electrode disposed closer to the illuminated area than the first detector, the electrode configured to attract secondary charged particles emanating from the sample.   
     
     
         25 . The detecting device according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a grid configured to be biased relative to the sample, wherein the grid is provided on the first detector or on the electrode.   
     
     
         26 . The detecting device according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a second detector disposed at a side of the sample opposite from the first detector.   
     
     
         27 . The detecting device according to  claim 26 , wherein the first detector includes a dark-field backscattered electron detector and the second detector includes a bright-field backscattered electron detector. 
     
     
         28 . The detecting device according to  claim 24 , wherein the detecting device comprises a plurality of detecting units configured to inspect respective regions of the sample, a first unit of the detecting units including the first detector and the electrode.