Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The charged particle beam device comprises a specimen holder for holding a specimen, a source for producing a beam of charged particles, and an illuminator for converting said beam of charged particles into a plurality of charged particle beamlets and focusing said plurality of charged particle beamlets onto said specimen. Furthermore, a detector assembly for detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation by said plurality of charged particle beamlets is provided. As defined herein, the charged particle beam device is arranged for directing said plurality of charged particle beamlets onto said specimen in an essentially 1D pattern, wherein said essentially 1D pattern forms part of an edge of an essentially 2D geometric shape.

Abstract: A charged particle imaging apparatus comprising: A specimen holder, for holding a specimen; A particle-optical column, for: Producing a plurality of charged particle beams, by directing a progenitor charged particle beam onto an aperture plate having a corresponding plurality of apertures within a footprint of the progenitor beam; Directing said beams toward said specimen, wherein: Said aperture plate comprises a plurality of different zones, which comprise mutually different aperture patterns, arranged within said progenitor beam footprint; The particle-optical column comprises a selector device, located downstream of said aperture plate, for selecting a beam array from a chosen one of said zones to be directed onto the specimen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method 3D defect characterization of crystalline samples in a scanning type electron microscope. The method comprises Irradiating a sample provided on a stage, selecting one set of crystal lattice planes of the sample and orienting said set to a first Bragg condition with respect to a primary electron beam impinging on said sample, and obtaining Electron Channeling Contrast Image for an area of interest on the sample. The method is characterized by performing, at least once, the steps of orienting said selected set of crystal lattice planes to a further Bragg condition by at least tilting the sample stage with the sample by a user-selected angle about a first tilt axis, and obtaining by Electron Channeling Contrast Image for a further area of interest.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for aligning zone axis of a sample with an incident beam. As one example, the alignment may be based on a zone axis tilt. The zone axis tilt may be determined based on locations of a direct beam and a zero order Laue zone in the diffraction pattern. The direct beam location may be determined based on diffraction patterns acquired with different incident angles.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for observing and aligning a beam of light in the sample chamber of a charged particle beam (CPB) system, such as an electron microscope or focused ion beam system. The method comprises providing an imaging aid inside the sample chamber with a calibration surface configured such that when illuminated by light, and simultaneously illuminated by a CPB, the intensity of the secondary radiation induced by the CPB is different in regions also illuminated by light relative to regions with lower light illumination levels, thereby providing an image of the light beam on the calibration surface. The image of the light beam may be used to align the light beam to the charged particle beam.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to improve the operation of thermographic imaging systems are described. Techniques are disclosed for generating thermograms using single low-noise photon detectors. More particularly, an array of single low-noise photon detectors operating in the Geiger mode may be used to accurately identify the time delay between the application of a periodic power stimulus to a device under test and the generation of photons resulting from that stimulus. In one embodiment an array of single photon detectors may be used to time-tag each detected photon. Thereafter, a high-speed counting circuit can correlate the detected photons to the applied stimulus. When operating at the frequencies possible in the Geiger mode, such measurements permit a higher degree of spatial resolution (e.g., in the x, y and z axes) of thermal hot-spots within the device under test than prior art approaches.

Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing artificial intelligence enabled preparation end-pointing are disclosed. An example method at least includes obtaining an image of a surface of a sample, the sample including a plurality of features, analyzing the image to determine whether an end point has been reached, the end point based on a feature of interest out of the plurality of features observable in the image, and based on the end point not being reached, removing a layer of material from the surface of the sample.

Abstract: A dual beam system having a charged particle beam (CPB) lens and an ion beam column can operate in an analysis mode. In the analysis mode, an ion beam from the ion beam column can be deflected by the CPB into one or more component beams including a primary ion beam and one or more non-primary ion beams. The dual-beam system can identify the ion species of the non-primary ion beams.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a sample holder for a charged particle microscope, comprising a holder body with a recess for releasably receiving a sample carrier with a sample therein; and at least one fixing element that is connectable to said holder body for fixing said sample carrier in said recess of said holder body. As described herein, said fixing element comprises a clamping member that is movably connected to said holder body, wherein said clamping member is movable between a closed and an open position, wherein in the open position said sample carrier can be placed in said recess, and wherein in said closed position said sample carrier can be locked in said recess. With this, a more reliable mounting of a sample carrier onto the sample holder can be established.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transport apparatus for transferring a sample between two devices. The transport apparatus comprises a transport tube provided with a carrier for holding a sample. The carrier is movable within said transport tube along a length thereof. The transport apparatus further comprises an actuator tube extending substantially next to said transport tube and which is provided with an actuator element that is movable within said actuator tube. Said actuator element comprises a first magnet part, and said sample carrier is provided with a second magnet part, wherein said first magnet part and said second magnet part are configured such that movement of the sample carrier through said transport tube is linked to movement of the magnetic actuator element through the actuator tube. In this way, movement of the magnetic actuator causes movement of the sample carrier, allowing safe, reliable and protected transport of the sample.

Abstract: Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) of a set of CNNs are evaluated using a test set of images (electron micrographs) associated with a selected particle type. A preferred CNN is selected based on the evaluation and used for processing electron micrographs of test samples. The test set of images can be obtained by manual selection or generated using a model of the selected particle type. Upon selection of images using the preferred CNN in processing additional electron micrographs, the selected images can be added to a training set or used as an additional training set to retrain the preferred CNN. In some examples, only selected layers of the preferred CNN are retrained. In other examples, two dimensional projections of based on particles of similar structure are used for CNN training or retraining.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The charged particle beam device comprises a specimen holder for holding a specimen; a source for producing a beam of charged particles; and an illuminator for converting said beam of charged particles into a plurality of charged particle beamlets and directing said plurality of charged particle beamlets onto said specimen. According to the disclosure, the illuminator comprises a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for defining the corresponding plurality of charged particle beamlets; as well as at least a first electrode for generating an electrical field at a surface of the multi-aperture lens plate. The apertures in said multi-aperture lens plate have a noncircular cross-sectional shape to correct for neighbouring aperture induced aberrations. This allows for decreased spot size, and with this imaging resolution of the device is increased.

Abstract: A dual beam system having a charged particle beam (CPB) lens and an ion beam column can operate in an analysis mode. In the analysis mode, an ion beam from the ion beam column can be deflected by the CPB into one or more component beams including a primary ion beam and one or more non-primary ion beams. The dual-beam system can identify the ion species of the non-primary ion beams.

Abstract: Smart metrology methods and apparatuses disclosed herein process images for automatic metrology of desired features. An example method at least includes extracting a region of interest from an image, the region including one or more boundaries between different sections, enhancing at least the extracted region of interest based on one or more filters, generating a multi-scale data set of the region of interest based on the enhanced region of interest, initializing a model of the region of interest; optimizing a plurality of active contours within the enhanced region of interest based on the model of the region of interest and further based on the multi-scale data set, the optimized plurality of active contours identifying the one or more boundaries within the region of interest, and performing metrology on the region of interest based on the identified boundaries.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for producing an x-ray image of a sample using a lamella-shaped target to improve the usual tradeoff between imaging resolution and image acquisition time. A beam of electrons impacts the lamella-shaped target normal to the narrower dimension of the lamella which then determines the virtual source size along that axis. For low-energy x-ray generation, the small electron penetration depth parallel to the wider dimension of the lamella determines the virtual source size along that axis. Conductive cooling of the target is improved over post targets with the same imaging resolution. The lamella-shaped target is long enough to ensure that the electron beam does not impact the support structure which would degrade the imaging resolution. Target materials may be selected from the same metals used for bulk or post targets, including tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, scandium, vanadium, silver, or a refractory metal.

Abstract: An x-ray shield for improved vacuum conductivity is disclosed herein. An example x-ray shield includes at least one elongate member formed from high atomic weight material shaped into a twist with at least 180° of twist.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating labeled images from a microscope detector by leveraging detector data from a different microscope detector of a different modality include applying a focused charged beam to a sample, using a first microscope detector to detect emissions resultant from the focused charged beam being incident on the sample, and then using detector data from the first microscope detector to automatically generate a first labeled image. Automatically generating the first labeled image includes determining composition information about portions of the sample based on the detector data, and then automatically labeling regions of the first image associated with the portions of the sample with corresponding composition information. A second image of the sample is generated using detector data from a second microscope detector system of a different modality, and then the first labeled image is used to automatically label regions of the second image with corresponding composition information.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for the automated transfer and storage of transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning/transmission electron microscope (STEM) lamella samples throughout a semiconductor manufacturing facility using existing automation infrastructure such as a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP). Also provided are wafer facsimiles corresponding to outer dimensions of semiconductor, data storage or solar cell wafers, wherein the facsimiles adapted to store, carry and/or provide a testing platform for testing of samples taken from semiconductor, data storage or solar cell wafers.

Abstract: A method of imaging a specimen in a Scanning Transmission Charged Particle Microscope, comprising the following steps: Providing the specimen on a specimen holder; Providing a beam of charged particles that is directed from a source through an illuminator so as to irradiate the specimen; Providing a segmented detector for detecting a flux of charged particles traversing the specimen, which flux forms a beam footprint on said detector; Causing said beam to scan across a surface of the specimen, combining signals from different segments of the detector so as to produce a vector output from the detector at each scan position, and compiling this data to yield an imaging vector field; Mathematically processing said imaging vector field by subjecting it to a two-dimensional integration operation, thereby producing an integrated vector field image of the specimen, specifically comprising: Using a confined sub-region of said beam footprint to produce said vector output, and the attendant imaging vector field and

Abstract: Methods and systems for charged particle microscope confocal imaging are disclosed herein. An example method includes obtaining a plurality of probe images of a portion of a sample, each probe image of the plurality of probe images obtained at a different focal depth within the sample, applying a virtual aperture to each probe image of the plurality of probe images to form a respective plurality of confocal images, and forming a three-dimensional reconstruction of the sample based on the plurality of confocal images.