SAMPLE UNEVENNESS DETERMINING METHOD AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a determining method and an apparatus suitable for determining unevenness of especially line and space patterns formed on a sample. SOLUTION: Scanning is performed on a sample with a charged particle beam by inclining the charged particle beam or inclining a sample stage in such a way as to be inclined with respect to the optical axis of the charged particle beam. The extent of detection signals in the line scanning direction of the charged particle beam is measured, and compared with the extent when the scanning is performed with the charged particle beam along its optical axis. On the basis of increase or decrease in the extent, the state of unevenness of a scanned section is determined.