EP0442630A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combined scanning electron and scanning tunnelling microscope apparatus and method
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1991-01-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-01-29
Abstract
Abstract A sample (1) is mounted on a support table (2,3) adjacent a probe (5) of a scanning tunnelling microscope, the support table (2,3) permitting the sample (1) to move relative to the probe (5). The probe (5) is also movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the sample surface, between a withdrawn position and a scanning separation. A scanning electron microscope (10) is located adjacent the sample (1) and probe (5), and its electron beam (11) scans both the sample (1) and the probe (5) and generates an image on a display (16a) from electrons from the sample detected by a detector (12). In order that that operator can position the probe (5) on a target of a sample (1), for scanning by the probe (5), a marker (18) is generated on the display (16a) by a graphics display unit (17), which marker (18) indicates the probe-to-sample separation (dL) and preferably indicates the probe-to-sample approach point and the direction of movement of the probe (5) towards the sample (1). The graphics display unit (17) may alternatively, or in addition, generate a marker (19) representing the scan area of the probe (5) when it is moved to a scanning separation from the sample (1).
Inventors
- 👤 Osamu Yamada
- 👤 Eiichi Hazaki
- 👤 Yasushi Nakaizumi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 22:33
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01Q; G01Q30/00; G01Q30/02; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y35/00; G01Q10/00; G01Q10/04; G01Q10/06; G01Q30/04; G01Q60/00; G01Q60/10; G01Q60/16; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/26; H01J37/28; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/849; Y10S977/86; Y10S977/861
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A combined scanning electron and scanning tunnelling microscope apparatus, comprising; support means (2,3,4,9) for movably supporting a sample (1); a scanning electron microscope (10) for scanning the sample (1) to generate a scan image; a display (16a) for displaying the scan image of the scanning electron microscope (10); and a probe (5) for a scanning tunnelling microscope movably located adjacent the support means (2,3,4,9,) the probe (5) being arranged to move in a predetermined direction relative to the support means (2,3,4,9); characterised in that: the apparatus includes means (17) for generating a marker, on said display, said marker (18) representing a probe to sample separation (dL).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said marker (18) also represents a probe to sample approach point.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said marker (18) also indicates said predetermined direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said marker (18) is a line marker with a length corresponding to said probe-to-sample separation (dL), a direction corresponding to said predetermined direction, and an end point (A) corresponding to a probe to sample approach point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said marker (18) has a further point (B) for alignment with an end point of the image of said probe on said display.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said further point (B) is another end point of said marker (18).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said line marker (18) has an extension for indicating the axis of orientation of the probe (5).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further including means (6,7,30) for moving said probe (5) in a scan area of said sample (1), and said means (17) for generating said marker is arranged to generate a further marker (19) on said display, said further marker (19) representing said scan area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
86 words
A scanning tunnelling microscope apparatus for combination with a scanning electron microscope, comprising: a probe (5) movably locatable adjacent support means for a sample; means (6,7,30) for moving said probe in a scanning pattern; means (32) for generating a tunnel current in said probe (5); and a graphic display unit (17) for controlling a display (16a); characterised in that: said graphic display unit (17) includes means for causing said graphic display unit (17) to generate on the display a marker (18) representing a probe-to-sample separation (dL).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
118 words
A combined scanning electron and scanning tunnelling microscope apparatus, comprising; support means (2,3,4,9) for movably supporting a sample; a scanning electron microscope (10) for scanning the sample to generate a scan image; a display (16a) for displaying the scan image of the scanning electron microscope (10); a probe (5) for a scanning tunnelling microscope movably located adjacent the support means (2,3,4,9), the probe (5) being arranged to move in a predetermined direction relative to the support means (2,3,4,9); and means (6,7,30) for causing said probe (5) to scan a scan area of said sample (1); characterised in that: the apparatus has means (17) for generating a marker (19) on said display, said marker (19) representing said scan area.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
89 words
A scanning tunnelling microscope apparatus for combination with a scanning electron microscope, comprising: a probe (5) movably locatable adjacent support means for a sample; means (6,7,30) for moving said probe in a scanning pattern; means (32) for generating a tunnel current in said probe (5); and a graphic display unit (17) for controlling a display (16a); characterised in that: said graphic display unit (17) includes means for causing said graphic display unit (17) to generate on the display a marker (18) representing the scan area of said scanning pattern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
A combined scanning electron and scanning tunnelling microscope apparatus for scanning a sample (1) having a scanning electron microscope (10), a scanning tunnelling microscope, and a display (16a), wherein the display (16a) has thereon a scan image of a probe (5) of said scanning tunnelling microscope and a part of said sample(1); characterised in that: the display also has a marker (18) representing a probe-to-sample separation generated thereon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said marker (18) is superimposed on said scan image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
76 words
A combined scanning electron and scanning tunnelling microscope apparatus for scanning a sample (1) having a scanning electron microscope (10), a scanning tunnelling microscope, and a display (16), wherein the display (16a) has thereon a scan image of a probe (5) of said scanning tunnelling microscope and a part of said sample (1); characterised in that the display also has a marker (19) representing a scan area of said probe (5) superimposed on said scan image.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of scanning a target of a sample, comprising; locating a probe (5) of a scanning tunnelling microscope adjacent a sample (1) with a predetermined separation therefrom, the probe (5) being movable relative to the sample (1) in a predetermined direction to a scanning separation; generating, on a display (16a), a scanning electron microscope scan image of a part of said sample (1) and said probe (5); adjusting the relative position of said probe (5) and sample (1) so that said probe is located at said predetermined separation from said target of said sample (1); moving said probe (5) towards said sample (1) in said predetermined direction from said predetermined separation to the scanning separation; and scanning said target of said sample (1) with said probe (5); characterised in that; a marker (18) is generated on the display (16a), which marker (18) represents the predetermined separation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said generating of said marker (18) involves generation of said marker (18) so that said marker (18) further represents a probe-to-sample approach point.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein said generating of said marker (18) involves generation of said marker (18) so that said marker (18) further represents said predetermined direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein the marker (18) is a line marker extending in a selected direction, and the method includes aligning said predetermined direction with said selected direction.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said scanning electron microscope (10) generates an electron beam (11) for scanning the sample, and the aligning of said predetermined direction with said selected direction comprises: moving the path of said electron beam (11) relative to said probe (5) and sample (1) so as to cause the image of said probe (5) and sample (1) to move on said scan image until the predetermined direction is aligned with the selected direction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein the aligning of said predetermined direction with said selected direction is achieved by movement of the probe (5) so as to move said predetermined direction relative to the sample (1).
Claim 21
Independent Claim
77 words
A method according to any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein said step of locating the probe (5) adjacent the sample (1) comprises positioning the probe (5) adjacent any point of the sample, causing the probe (5) to approach the sample (1), detecting probe current to detect when the probe (5) is at said scanning separation from said any point of the sample, and withdrawing the probe (5) from the sample (1) to said predetermined separation.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
102 words
A method according to any one of claims 15 to 21, wherein said step of adjusting the relative position of said probe (5) and sample (1) comprises; moving said probe (5) and said sample (1) relative to said scanning electron microscope (1) so as to cause the image of said probe (5) in said scan image to coincide with a first part (B) of said marker (18); and moving said sample (1) relative to said probe (5) to cause the image of the target of said sample (1) on said image to coincide with a second part (A) of said marker (10).
Claim 23
Independent Claim
131 words
A method according to any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein said scanning electron microscope (10) generates an electron beam (11) for scanning the sample (1), and said step of adjusting the relative position of said probe (5) and sample (1) comprises: moving the path of said electron beam (11) relative to said probe (5) and sample (1) so as to cause the image of said probe (5) and sample (1) to move on said scan image until the image of said probe (5) coincides with a first part (B) of said marker (18); and moving said sample (1) relative to said probe (5) to cause the image of the target of said sample (1) on said scan image to coincide with a second part (A) of said marker (18).
Claim 24
Independent Claim
95 words
A method according to any one of claims 14 to 20 wherein said step of adjusting the relative position of said probe (5) and sample (1) comprises: moving the location of said marker (18) on said display (16) so as to cause a first part (B) of said marker (18) to coincide with the image of said probe (5); and moving said sample (1) relative to said probe (5) to cause the image of the target of said sample (1) on said scan image to coincide with a second part (A) of said marker (18).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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