A focused ion beam (FIB) system is process equipment used to make a wide variety of small structures of various materials by irradiating a focused gallium ion beam of nanometer-order diameter to a surface of specimens and by utilizing spattering etching and ion beam induced deposition. In order to realize greater diversity of structures with use of the FIB system, we developed a technology of making three-dimensional structures by using gas assist etching, and a precision wheel stage to be used in the focused ion beam (FIB) system. Using these technologies with the FIB system, we achieved a nano processing machine which can be called a nano milling machine or a nano lathe.

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This report describes the characteristics for the development of a compound lens that consists of a single pole-piece objective lens and an electrostatic bipotential lens. By applying a relatively small voltage of around 1 kV to the specimen and the bipotential lens, the image quality for low acceleration voltage is improved to a condition better than with just a single pole-piece lens. Even if the wafer is tilted to a large angle, the electric field near the specimen does not become asymmetrical, and there is no occurrence of astigmatic aberration or a reduction of the secondary electron signal. Therefore, 300 mm diameter wafers can be tilted with large angles to observe patterns, particles and defects with high-resolution SEM. Lastly, when the specimen is not tilted, a topographic image of the specimen surface can be obtained by detecting the secondary electron with dual detectors.

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