Abstract: A method, including: recording plural images of an object by scanning plural particle beams across the object and detecting signals generated by the particle beams, wherein the plural particle beams are generated by a multi-beam particle microscope; determining plural regions of interest; determining plural image regions in each of the recorded images; determining plural displacement vectors; and determining image distortions based on image data of the recorded images and the determined displacement vectors.

Abstract: A method and a system are for sparse sampling utilizing a programmatically randomized signal for modulating a carrier signal. The system includes a compound sparse sampling pattern generator that generates at least one primary carrier signal, and at least one secondary signal. The at least one secondary signal modulates the at least one primary signal in a randomized fashion.

Abstract: An object receiving container may receive an object which is examinable, analyzable and/or processable at cryo-temperatures. An object holding system may comprise an object receiving container. A beam apparatus or an apparatus for processing an object may comprise an object receiving container or an object holding system. An object may be examined, analyzed and/or processed using an object receiving container or an object holding system. The object receiving container may comprise a first container unit, a cavity for receiving the object, a second container unit, which is able to be brought into a first position and/or into a second position relative to the first container unit, and at least one fastening device which is arranged at the first container unit or at the second container unit for arranging the object receiving container at a holding device.

Abstract: A light modulated electron source utilizes a photon-beam source to modulate the emission current of an electron beam emitted from a silicon-based field emitter. The field emitter's cathode includes a protrusion fabricated on a silicon substrate and having an emission tip covered by a coating layer. An extractor generates an electric field that attracts free electrons toward the emission tip for emission as part of the electron beam. The photon-beam source generates a photon beam including photons having an energy greater than the bandgap of silicon, and includes optics that direct the photon beam onto the emission tip, whereby each absorbed photon creates a photo-electron that combines with the free electrons to enhance the electron beam's emission current. A controller modulates the emission current by controlling the intensity of the photon beam applied to the emission tip. A monitor measures the electron beam and provides feedback to the controller.

Abstract: Line-edge roughness or line width roughness is evaluated while preventing influence of noise caused by a device or an environment. Therefore, an averaged signal profile 405 in which a moving average of S pixels (S is an integer greater than 1) is taken in a Y direction is obtained from a signal profile showing a secondary electron signal amount distribution in an X direction with respect to a predetermined Y coordinate obtained from a top-down image, an edge position 406 of a line pattern is extracted based on the averaged signal profile, and a noise floor height is calculated based on a first power spectral density 407 of LER data or LWR data based on the extracted edge position and a second power spectral density 409 of a rectangular window function corresponding to the moving average of the S pixels.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for profiling holes in non-opaque samples. The system includes: (i) an e-beam source configured to project an e-beam into an inspection hole in a sample, such that a wall of the inspection hole is struck and a localized electron cloud is produced; (ii) a light sensing infrastructure configured to sense cathodoluminescent light, generated by the electron cloud; and (iii) a computational module configured to analyze the measured signal to obtain the probed depth at which the wall was struck. A lateral offset, and/or orientation, of the e-beam is controllable, so as to allow generating localized electron clouds at each of a plurality of depths inside the inspection hole, and thereby obtain information at least about a two-dimensional geometry of the inspection hole.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device includes: a charged particle beam source; an analyzer that analyzes and detects particles including secondary electrons and backscattered charged particles that are emitted from a specimen by irradiating the specimen with a primary charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle beam source; a bias voltage applying unit that applies a bias voltage to the specimen; and an analysis unit that extracts a signal component of the secondary electrons based on a first spectrum obtained by detecting the particles with the analyzer in a state where a first bias voltage is applied to the specimen, and a second spectrum obtained by detecting the particles with the analyzer in a state where a second bias voltage different from the first bias voltage is applied to the specimen.

Abstract: Method and system for generating a diffraction image comprises acquiring multiple frames from a direct-detection detector responsive to irradiating a sample with an electron beam. Multiple diffraction peaks in the multiple frames are identified. A first dose rate of at least one diffraction peak in the identified diffraction peaks is estimated in the counting mode. If the first dose rate is not greater than a threshold dose rate, a diffraction image including the diffraction peak is generated by counting electron detection events. Values of pixels belonging to the diffraction peak are determined with a first set of counting parameter values corresponding to a first coincidence area. Values of pixels not belonging to any of the multiple diffraction peaks are determined using a second, set of counting parameter values corresponding to a second, different, coincidence area.

Abstract: A reflector comprising a hollow body having an interior surface defining a passage through the hollow body, the interior surface having at least one optical surface part configured to reflect radiation and a supporter surface part, wherein the optical surface part has a predetermined optical power and the supporter surface part does not have the predetermined optical power. The reflector is made by providing an axially symmetric mandrel; shaping a part of the circumferential surface of the mandrel to form at least one inverse optical surface part that is not rotationally symmetric about the axis of the mandrel; forming a reflector body around the mandrel; and releasing the reflector body from the mandrel whereby the reflector body has an optical surface defined by the inverse optical surface part and a supporter surface part defined by the rest of the outer surface of the mandrel.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for a modular ion generator device that includes a bottom portion, two opposed side portions, a front end, a back end, and a top portion. A cavity is formed within the two opposed side portions, front end, back end, and top portion. At least one electrode is positioned within the cavity, and an engagement device is engaged to the front end and/or an engagement device engaged to the back end for allowing one or more modular ion generator devices to be selectively secured to one another.

Abstract: XPS spectra are used to analyze and monitor various steps in the selective deposition process. A goodness of passivation value is derived to analyze and quantify the quality of the passivation step. A selectivity figure of merit value is derived to analyze and quantify the selectivity of the deposition process, especially for selective deposition in the presence of passivation. A ratio of the selectivity figure of merit to maximum selectivity value can also be used to characterize and monitor the deposition process.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device including: a charged particle beam source which emits a charged particle beam; a blanking device which has an electrostatic deflector that deflects and blocks the charged particle beam; an irradiation optical system which irradiates a specimen with the charged particle beam; and a control unit which controls the electrostatic deflector, the control unit performing processing of: acquiring a target value of a dose of the charged particle beam for the specimen; setting a ratio A/B of a time A during which the charged particle beam is not blocked to a unit time B (where A?B, A?0), based on the target value; and operating the electrostatic deflector based on the ratio.

Abstract: An ablation catheter Has a spring assembly residing between an ablation head and a proximal catheter body. Three optical fibers extend through a lumen in the catheter body. Three mirrors supported by the ablation head face proximally but are spaced distally from the optical fibers. The mirrors are provided with a pattern of reflectance that varies along a radius from a central area of reflectance. Light of a respective defined power shines from each of the optical fibers to a corresponding one of the mirrors with a reflected percentage of the respective defined light power being reflected back to the optical fiber. A percentage of the reflected percentage of the respective defined light power is captured by and travels along each optical fiber to a dedicated light wave detector connected to a controller.

Abstract: To shorten a time required for evaluation of a recipe while suppressing an increase in a data amount. A charged particle beam device includes a microscope that scans a charged particle beam on a sample, detects secondary particles emitted from the sample, and outputs a detection signal and a computer system that generates a frame image based on the detection signal and processes an image based on the frame images. The computer system calculates a moment image between a plurality of the frame images, and calculates a feature amount data of the frame image based on a moment.

Abstract: Certain configurations of an ionization source comprising a multipolar rod assembly are described. In some examples, the multipolar rod assembly can be configured to provide a magnetic field and a radio frequency field into an ion volume formed by a substantially parallel arrangement of rods of the multipolar rod assembly. The ionization source may also comprise an electron source configured to provide electrons into the ion volume of the multipolar rod assembly to ionize analyte introduced into the ion volume. Systems and methods using the ionization source are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for forming gratings having a plurality of fins with different slant angles on a substrate and forming fins with different slant angles on successive substrates using angled etch systems and/or an optical device. The methods include positioning portions of substrates retained on a platen in a path of an ion beam. The substrates have a grating material disposed thereon. The ion beam is configured to contact the grating material at an ion beam angle ? relative to a surface normal of the substrates and form gratings in the grating material.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus of electron beam comprising an electron gun with a pinnacle limiting plate having at least one current-limiting aperture. The pinnacle limiting plate is located between a bottom (or lowest) anode and a top (or highest) condenser within the electron gun. A current (ampere) of the electron beam that has passed through the current-limiting aperture remains the same (unchanged) after the electron beam travels through the top condenser and an electron optical column and arrives at a sample space. Electron-electron interaction of the electron beam is thus reduced.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electron beam device includes a support which supports the sample and an electrode disposed below the sample on the support The electrode is for applying a voltage to the sample and includes a plurality of columnar electrodes that can be independently controlled to apply different voltages to portions of the sample. A controller for generating correction data for correcting the distribution of an electric field generated across the area of the sample. The correction data is generated based on structure information indicating a structure of the sample. The controller controls the plurality of columnar electrodes to apply local voltages set based on the correction data.

Abstract: A charged particle beam adjustment method includes scanning, with a charged particle beam an emission current of which is set to a first adjustment value smaller than a target value, an aperture substrate including a hole disposed to be a focus position of the charged particle beam using each of lens values in an electron lens and calculating first resolution, calculating a first function of lens values and the first resolution and calculating a lens value range, scanning, with the charged particle beam the emission current of which is set to a second adjustment value, the aperture substrate using each of lens values set to avoid the lens value range and calculating second resolution, calculating a second function of lens values and the second resolution and estimating a lens value at a just focus, and adjusting the electron lens to the lens value at the just focus.

Abstract: An electron-beam device includes upper-column electron optics and lower-column electron optics. The upper-column electron optics include an aperture array to divide an electron beam into a plurality of electron beamlets. The upper-column electron optics also include a lens array with a plurality of lenses to adjust the focus of the plurality of electron beamlets. Respective lenses of the plurality of lenses are to adjust the focus of respective electron beamlets of the plurality of electron beamlets. The upper-column electron optics further include a first global lens to adjust the focus of the plurality of electron beamlets in a manner opposite to the lens array.