Abstract: A charged particle beam system comprises a particle beam source having a particle emitter at a first voltage, a first electrode downstream of the particle beam source at a second voltage, a multi-aperture plate downstream of the first electrode, a second electrode downstream of the multi-aperture plate at a third voltage, a third electrode downstream of the second electrode at a fourth voltage, a deflector downstream of the third electrode, an objective lens downstream of the deflector, a fourth electrode downstream of the deflector at a fifth voltage; and an object mount at a sixth voltage. Voltage differences between the first, second, third, fourth and fifth voltages have same and opposite signs.

Abstract: A method and a charged particle beam system that includes charged particle beam optics and a movable stage; wherein the movable stage is configured to introduce a movement between the object and charged particle beam optics; wherein the movement is of a constant velocity and along a first direction; wherein the charged particle beam optics is configured to scan, by the charged particle beam, multiple areas of the object so that each point of the multiple areas is scanned multiple times; wherein the multiple areas partially overlap; wherein the scanning is executed by the charged particle beam optics; wherein the scanning comprises performing counter-movement deflections of the charged particle beam for at least partially compensating for the movement; and wherein each area of the multiple areas is scanned by following an area scan scheme that defines multiple scan lines that differ from each other.

Abstract: A charged particle beam specimen inspection system is described. The system includes an emitter for emitting at least one charged particle beam, a specimen support table configured for supporting the specimen, an objective lens for focusing the at least one charged particle beam, a charge control electrode provided between the objective lens and the specimen support table, wherein the charge control electrode has at least one aperture opening for the at least one charged particle beam, and a flood gun configured to emit further charged particles for charging of the specimen, wherein the charge control electrode has a flood gun aperture opening.

Abstract: A system, computer program product and a method for measuring a hole. The method may include charging a vicinity of the hole having a nanometric width; obtaining, multiple electron images of the hole; wherein each electron image is formed by sensing electrons of an electron energy that exceeds an electron energy threshold that is associated with the electron image; wherein electron energy thresholds associated with different electron images of the multiple electron images differ from each other; receiving or generating a mapping between height values and the electron energy thresholds; processing the multiple electron images to provide hole measurements; and generating three dimensional measurements of the hole based on the mapping and the hole measurements.

Abstract: A particle-optical arrangement comprises a charged-particle source for generating a beam of charged particles; a multi-aperture plate arranged in a beam path of the beam of charged particles, wherein the multi-aperture plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein in a predetermined first array pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the beam of charged particles downstream of the multi-aperture plate, and wherein a plurality of beam spots is formed in an image plane of the apparatus by the plurality of beamlets, the plurality of beam spots being arranged in a second array pattern; and a particle-optical element for manipulating the beam of charged particles and/or the plurality of beamlets; wherein the first array pattern has a first pattern regularity in a first direction, and the second array pattern has a second pattern regularity in a second direction electron-optically corresponding to the first direction, and wherein the second regularity is higher than the first re

Abstract: A multi-beam charged particle column for inspecting a surface of a sample includes a source for creating multiple primary charged particle beams which are directed towards the sample, an objective lens unit for focusing the primary charged particle beams on the sample, a detector for detecting signal charged particles from the sample, and a magnetic deflection unit arranged between the detector and the sample. The magnetic deflection unit includes a plurality of strips of a magnetic or ferromagnetic material. At least two strips of the plurality of strips are located at opposite sides of a trajectory of a primary charged particle beam and within a distance equal to a pitch of the trajectories of the primary charged particle beams at the magnetic deflection unit. The strips are configured to establish a magnetic field having field lines substantially perpendicular to the trajectories of the primary charged particle beams.

Abstract: There is provided a method of examining defects in a semiconductor specimen and a system thereof. The method comprises: processing a first defect map obtained for a first semiconductor specimen to assign cluster-seed (CS) scores to at least some of the classified defects presented therein, wherein a CS score of a given defect is indicative of a number of neighboring defects classified to the same class as the given defect; upon obtaining a second defect map for a second semiconductor specimen, using the CS scores assigned to the at least some of the classified defects presented in the first defect map to select, among defects presented in the second defect map, defects for review, wherein the first defect map and the second defect map present respective defects in an attribute hyperspace; and reviewing defects selected in the second defect map, thereby obtaining classified defects presented in the second semiconductor specimen.

Abstract: A method for evaluating an object, the method may include acquiring, by a charged particle beam system, an image of an area of a reference object, wherein the area includes multiple instances of a structure of interest, and the structure of interest is of a nanometric scale; determining multiple types of attributes from the image; reducing a number of the attributes to provide reduced attribute information; generating guidelines, based on the reduced attribute information and on reference data, for evaluating the reduced attribute information; and evaluating an actual object by implementing the guidelines.

Abstract: A method for generating a synthetic image of a region of an object, includes: generating, by a charged particle microscope, a charged particle microscope image of the region of the object; calculating a sparse representation of the charged particle microscope image; wherein the sparse representation of the charged particle microscope image comprises multiple first atoms; generating the synthetic image of the region, wherein the synthetic image of the region is formed from multiple second atoms; wherein the generating of the synthetic image of the region is based on a mapping between the multiple first atoms and the multiple second atoms; wherein the charged particle microscope image and the multiple first atoms are of a first resolution; and wherein the synthetic image of the region and the multiple second atoms are of a second resolution that is finer than the first resolution.

Abstract: An illumination module that includes a pair of anamorphic prisms that comprises a first anamorphic prism and a second anamorphic prism; wherein the pair of anamorphic prisms is configured to (a) receive a first radiation beam that propagates along a first optical axis, and (b) asymmetrically magnify the first radiation beam to provide a second radiation beam that propagates along a second optical axis that is parallel to the first optical axis; and a rectangular prism that is configured to receive the second radiation beam and perform a lateral shift of the second radiation beam to provide a third radiation beam; and a rotating mechanism that is configured to change an asymmetrical magnification of the pair of anamorphic prisms by rotating at least one of the first anamorphic prism and the second anamorphic prism.

Abstract: There are provided system and method of detecting defects on a specimen, the method comprising: capturing a first image from a first die and obtaining one or more second images; receiving: i) a first set of predefined first descriptors each representing a type of DOI, and ii) a second set of predefined second descriptors each representing a type of noise; generating at least one difference image based on difference between pixel values of the first image and pixel values derived from the second images; generating at least one third image, comprising: computing a value for each given pixel of at least part of the at least one difference image based on the first and second sets of predefined descriptors, and surrounding pixels centered around the given pixel; and determining presence of defect candidates based on the at least one third image and a predefined threshold.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a specimen with an array of primary charged particle beamlets in a charged particle beam device is described. The method includes generating a primary charged particle beam with a charged particle beam emitter; illuminating a multi-aperture lens plate with the primary charged particle beam to generate the array of primary charged particle beamlets; correcting a field curvature with at least two electrodes, wherein the at least two electrodes include aperture openings; directing the primary charged particle beamlets with a lens towards an objective lens; guiding the primary charged particle beamlets through a deflector array arranged within the lens; wherein the combined action of the lens and the deflector array directs the primary charged particle beamlets through a coma free point of the objective lens; and focusing the primary charged particle beamlets on separate locations on the specimen with the objective lens.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a support module is provided for supporting a substrate. The support module may include a chuck and a vertical stage. The chuck may include multiple chuck segments that are independently movable. When the substrate is positioned on the chuck, different chuck segments are positioned under different areas of the substrate. The vertical stage may include multiple piezoelectric motors. Each piezoelectric motor may be configured to perform nanometric scale elevation and lowering movements. The multiple piezoelectric motors may be configured to independently move the multiple chuck segments.

Abstract: There is provided an inspection system for inspecting a specimen, an inspection unit capable to operate in conjunction with an inspection machine unit, a die layout clipping unit, methods of inspecting a specimen, and a method of providing a die layout clip. The method of inspecting a specimen comprises: obtaining location information indicative of coordinates of a potential defect of interest revealed in the specimen and of one or more inspected layers corresponding to the potential defect of interest; sending to a die layout clipping unit a first data indicative of the location information and dimensions of an inspection area containing the potential defect of interest; receiving a die layout clip generated in accordance with the first data; specifying at least one inspection algorithm of the inspection area using information comprised in the die layout clip; and enabling inspection of the inspection area using the specified inspection algorithm.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product of detecting defects in an object using a processor operatively connected to a memory, the method comprising: accommodating in the memory an image group comprising a reference image and an image; generating a set of correction parameters to be applied to pixels of an image from the image group, wherein the parameters are determined to minimize a combination of a first factor indicative of variability of the set, and a second factor indicative of a difference between an image from the image group as enhanced by applying the set and another image in the image group, wherein the combination increases as any factor increases; applying the set to the image of the image group to obtain an enhanced image; generating an optimal difference image between the enhanced image and the other image; and using the optimal difference image for detecting defect candidates.

Abstract: Examination system, method and computer-readable medium, the method comprising: processing by a processor using a first recipe at least one image comprised in images and metadata generated by an inspection tool and stored, to detect a first location set of first potential defects and attributes thereof; selecting and imaging part of the first location set with a review tool to obtain an image set; obtaining classification results of said first potential defects and determining a further recipe based thereon; processing the image using the further recipe for detecting a further location set of further defects; selecting part of the further location set; imaging the part with the review tool to obtain a further image set, and obtaining further classification results; and repeating determining the further recipe, processing the image, selecting and imaging part of the further location set, and obtaining further classification results, until a stopping criteria is met.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for inspecting a surface of a sample. The apparatus includes a multi-beam charged particle column comprising a source for creating multiple primary beams directed towards the sample, an objective lens for focusing the primary beams on the sample, an electron-photon converter unit having an array of electron to photon converter sections, each section is located next to a primary beam within a distance equal to a pitch of the primary beams at the electro-photon converter unit, a photon transport unit for transporting light from the electron to photon converter sections to a photo detector, and an electron collection unit for guiding secondary electrons created in the sample, towards the electron-photon converter unit. The electron collection unit is arranged to project secondary electrons created in the sample by one of said primary beams to at least one of the electron to photon converter sections.

Abstract: A system that may include a radiation source to generate a beam of coherent radiation; traveling lens optics to focus the beam so as to generate multiple spots on a surface of a sample and to scan the spots together over the surface; collection optics to collect the radiation scattered from the multiple spots and to focus the collected radiation so as to generate a pattern of interference fringes; and a detection unit to detect changes in the pattern of interference fringes.

Abstract: A sensing unit includes a first set of sensors that comprises a first set of active areas that are surrounded by a first set of first non-active areas and a second set of sensors that comprises a second set of active areas that are surrounded by a second set of non-active areas. The first set of sensors and the second set of sensors are positioned at different heights, the first set of active areas and the second set of active areas do not overlap, and the first set of non-active areas and the second set of non-active areas partially overlap.

Abstract: There are provided a system, computer software product and method of generating a training set for a classifier using a processor. The method comprises: receiving a training set comprising training defects each having assigned attribute values, the training defects externally classified into classes comprising first and second major classes and a minor class; training a classifier upon the training set; receiving results of automatic classification of the training defects; automatically identifying a first defect that was externally classified into the first major class and automatically classified into the second major class; automatically identifying by the processor a second defect from the multiplicity of training defects that was externally classified into the minor class and automatically classified to the first or second major classes; and correcting the training set to include the first defect into the second major class, or to include the second defect into the first or the second major class.