Abstract: An ion detector for secondary ion mass spectrometer, the detector having an electron emission plate coupled to a first electrical potential and configured to emit electrons upon incidence on ions; a scintillator coupled to a second electrical potential, different from the first electrical potential, the scintillator having a front side facing the electron emission plate and a backside, the scintillator configured to emit photons from the backside upon incidence of electrons on the front side; a lightguide coupled to the backside of the scintillator and confining flow of photons emitted from the backside of the scintillator; and a solid-state photomultiplier coupled to the light guide and having an output configured to output electrical signal corresponding to incidence of photons from the lightguide. A SIMS system includes a plurality of such detectors movable arranged over the focal plane of a mass analyzer.

Abstract: An ion detection system for detecting incident ions including an ion-to-electron converter for converting incident ions to secondary electrons, an accelerating assembly including at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field for acceleration and transfer of the secondary electrons to a scintillator, the scintillator for converting the accelerated secondary electrons to an initial flux of photons, a photon channeling assembly including a first photon channel and a second photon channel, wherein the photon channeling assembly is configured for separating the initial flux of photons into at least a first photon flux channeled into the first photon channel and a second photon flux channeled into the second photon channel, and at least one photodetector for detecting at least one of a first optical signal generated at the first photon channel, and a second optical signal generated at the second photon channel.

Abstract: An in-vacuum light sensor system, including a light sensor assembly comprising a photocathode configured for converting an impinging photon to a photoelectron, a semiconductor diode configured for multiplying the photoelectron impinging thereon, and a housing including vacuum-compatible materials configured for being placed in a vacuum chamber. The housing is configured for housing the photocathode and the semiconductor diode and for propagation of the photoelectron from the photocathode to the semiconductor diode. An electrical biasing subassembly is configured for electrically biasing at least the photocathode and the semiconductor diode, and the vacuum chamber is configured for positioning the light sensor apparatus therein.

Abstract: An ion detector for secondary ion mass spectrometer, the detector having an electron emission plate coupled to a first electrical potential and configured to emit electrons upon incidence on ions; a scintillator coupled to a second electrical potential, different from the first electrical potential, the scintillator having a front side facing the electron emission plate and a backside, the scintillator configured to emit photons from the backside upon incidence of electrons on the front side; a lightguide coupled to the backside of the scintillator and confining flow of photons emitted from the backside of the scintillator; and a solid-state photomultiplier coupled to the light guide and having an output configured to output electrical signal corresponding to incidence of photons from the lightguide. A SIMS system includes a plurality of such detectors movable arranged over the focal plane of a mass analyzer.

Abstract: An ion detector for secondary ion mass spectrometer, the detector having an electron emission plate coupled to a first electrical potential and configured to emit electrons upon incidence on ions; a scintillator coupled to a second electrical potential, different from the first electrical potential, the scintillator having a front side facing the electron emission plate and a backside, the scintillator configured to emit photons from the backside upon incidence of electrons on the front side; a lightguide coupled to the backside of the scintillator and confining flow of photons emitted from the backside of the scintillator; and a solid-state photomultiplier coupled to the light guide and having an output configured to output electrical signal corresponding to incidence of photons from the lightguide. A SIMS system includes a plurality of such detectors movable arranged over the focal plane of a mass analyzer.

Abstract: An electron detector assembly configured for detecting electrons emitted from a sample irradiated by an electron beam, including a scintillator configured with a scintillator layer formed with a scintillating surface. The scintillator layer emits light signals corresponding to impingement of electrons upon the scintillating surface. A light guide plate is coupled to the scintillator layer and includes a peripheral surface. One or more silicon photomultiplier devices are positioned upon the peripheral surface, wherein one or more silicon photomultiplier devices are arranged perpendicularly or obliquely relative to the scintillating surface. The silicon photomultiplier device is configured to yield an electrical signal from an electron impinging upon the scintillator surface.

Abstract: An ion detector for secondary ion mass spectrometer, the detector having an electron emission plate coupled to a first electrical potential and configured to emit electrons upon incidence on ions; a scintillator coupled to a second electrical potential, different from the first electrical potential, the scintillator having a front side facing the electron emission plate and a backside, the scintillator configured to emit photons from the backside upon incidence of electrons on the front side; a lightguide coupled to the backside of the scintillator and confining flow of photons emitted from the backside of the scintillator; and a solid-state photomultiplier coupled to the light guide and having an output configured to output electrical signal corresponding to incidence of photons from the lightguide. A SIMS system includes a plurality of such detectors movable arranged over the focal plane of a mass analyzer.

Abstract: An electron detector assembly configured for detecting electrons emitted from a sample irradiated by an electron beam, including a scintillator configured with a scintillator layer formed with a scintillating surface. The scintillator layer emits light signals corresponding to impingement of electrons upon the scintillating surface. A light guide plate is coupled to the scintillator layer and includes a peripheral surface. One or more silicon photomultiplier devices are positioned upon the peripheral surface, wherein one or more silicon photomultiplier devices are arranged perpendicularly or obliquely relative to the scintillating surface. The silicon photomultiplier device is configured to yield an electrical signal from an electron impinging upon the scintillator surface.

Abstract: An electron detector assembly configured for detecting electrons emitted from a sample irradiated by an electron beam, comprising a scintillator including a scintillator layer, the scintillator layer emitting light signals corresponding to impingement of electrons thereupon, a light guide plate coupled to the scintillator layer and comprising a peripheral surface, and a single or plurality of silicon photomultiplier devices positioned upon the peripheral surface and arranged perpendicularly or obliquely relative to the scintillating surface, the silicon photomultiplier device being configured to yield an electrical signal from an electron impinging upon the scintillator layer.

Abstract: An electron detector assembly configured for detecting electrons emitted from a sample irradiated by an electron beam, comprising a scintillator including a scintillator layer, the scintillator layer emitting light signals corresponding to impingement of electrons thereupon, a light guide plate coupled to the scintillator layer and comprising a peripheral surface, and a single or plurality of silicon photomultiplier devices positioned upon the peripheral surface and arranged perpendicularly or obliquely relative to the scintillating surface, the silicon photomultiplier device being configured to yield an electrical signal from an electron impinging upon the scintillator layer.

Abstract: An electron detection system for detecting secondary electrons emitted from a sample irradiated by a Focused Ion Beam (FIB). The FIB emanates from a FIB column and travels along a beam axis within a beam region, which extends from the FIB column to the sample. The system comprises an electron detector configured for detecting the secondary electrons, and a deflecting field configured to deflect a trajectory of the secondary electrons, which were propagating towards the FIB column, to propel away from the beam axis and towards the electron detector. The deflecting field may be configured to divert the trajectory of secondary electrons while the secondary electrons are generally within the beam region.

Abstract: A STEM system is disclosed wherein an imaging system is used to image the electron scatter pattern plane of the HAADF detector onto a two-dimensional array detector. A data acquisition system stores and processes the data from the two-dimensional array detector. For each illumination pixel of the STEM, one frame of data is generated and stored Each frame includes data of all scattered angles and can be analyzed in real time or in off-line at any time after the scan. A method is disclosed for detecting electrons emitted from a sample by detecting electrons scattered from the sample and generating plurality of corresponding signals, each signal indicative of scattering angle of a scattered electron; generating a plurality of signal groups, each signal group being a collection of signals of a user selected scattering angle.

Abstract: A STEM system is disclosed wherein an imaging system is used to image the electron scatter pattern plane of the HAADF detector onto a two-dimensional array detector. A data acquisition system stores and processes the data from the two-dimensional array detector. For each illumination pixel of the STEM, one frame of data is generated and stored Each frame includes data of all scattered angles and can be analyzed in real time or in off-line at any time after the scan. A method is disclosed for detecting electrons emitted from a sample by detecting electrons scattered from the sample and generating plurality of corresponding signals, each signal indicative of scattering angle of a scattered electron; generating a plurality of signal groups, each signal group being a collection of signals of a user selected scattering angle.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in controlling a process of material removal from the surface of a patterned structure, by measuring at least one of residue, erosion, dishing and corrosion effects in the structure induced by this process. The structure is imaged utilizing phase modulation of light reflected from the structure, and a phase map of the structure is thereby obtained. This phase map is analyzed and data indicative of light reflective properties of layer stacks of the structure is utilized to determine a phase difference between light reflected from a selected measured site and at least one reference site spaced-apart from the selected site. The phase difference is thus indicative of the measured effect.

Abstract: A test structure is presented to be formed on a patterned structure and to be used for controlling a CMP process applied to the patterned structure, which has a pattern area formed by spaced-apart metal-containing regions representative of real features of the patterned structure. The test structure thus undergoes the same CMP processing as the pattern area. The test structure comprises at least two structures aligned along a vertical axis in a spaced-apart parallel relationship, each structure comprising at least one pattern zone containing spaced-apart metal regions, the test structure thereby comprising at least one pair of vertically aligned upper and lower pattern zones. The upper and lower pattern zones in each pair have different patterns oriented with respect to each other such that the metal regions of the lower pattern are located underneath the spaces between the metal regions of the upper pattern.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in controlling a process of material removal from the surface of a patterned structure, by measuring at least one of residue, erosion, dishing and corrosion effects in the structure induced by this process. The structure is imaged utilizing phase modulation of light reflected from the structure, and a phase map of the structure is thereby obtained. This phase map is analyzed and data indicative of light reflective properties of layer stacks of the structure is utilized to determine a phase difference between light reflected from a selected measured site and at least one reference site spaced-apart from the selected site. The phase difference is thus indicative of the measured effect.

Abstract: A test structure is presented to be formed on a patterned structure and to be used for controlling a CMP process applied to the patterned structure, which has a pattern area formed by spaced-apart metal-containing regions representative of real features of the patterned structure. The test structure thus undergoes the same CMP processing as the pattern area. The test structure comprises at least two structures aligned along a vertical axis in a spaced-apart parallel relationship, each structure comprising at least one pattern zone containing spaced-apart metal regions, the test structure thereby comprising at least one pair of vertically aligned upper and lower pattern zones. The upper and lower pattern zones in each pair have different patterns oriented with respect to each other such that the metal regions of the lower pattern are located underneath the spaces between the metal regions of the upper pattern.

Abstract: A test structure is presented to be formed on a patterned structure and to be used for controlling a CMP process applied to the patterned structure, which has a pattern area formed by spaced-apart metal-containing regions representative of real features of the patterned structure. The test structure thus undergoes the same CMP processing as the pattern area. The test structure comprises at least one pattern zone in the form of a metal area with at least one region included in the metal area and made of a material relatively transparent with respect to incident light, as compared to that of the metal.