Abstract: Systems and methods of observing a sample using a charged-particle beam apparatus in voltage contrast mode are disclosed. The charged-particle beam apparatus comprises a charged-particle source, an optical source, a charged-particle detector configured to detect charged particles, and a controller having circuitry configured to apply a first signal to cause the optical source to generate the optical pulse, apply a second signal to the charged-particle detector to detect the second plurality of charged particles, and adjust a time delay between the first and the second signals. In some embodiments, the controller having circuitry may be further configured to acquire a plurality of images of a structure, to determine an electrical characteristic of the structure based on the rate of gray level variation of the plurality of images of the structure, and to simulate, using a model, a physical characteristic of the structure based on the determined electrical characteristic.

Abstract: A method of measuring a delay time of a propagation of a signal in a line in a circuit structure, the method comprises irradiating the line by pulses of a charged particle beam, wherein a pulse repetition frequency of the pulses of the charged particle beam is varied. The method further comprises measuring, for each of the pulse repetition frequencies, a secondary charged particle emission responsive to the irradiating the line by the pulses of the charged particle beam at the respective pulse repetition frequency, and deriving the delay time of the line based on the secondary charged particle emission responsive to the varying of the pulse repetition frequency.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are radio frequency (RF) cavities and systems including such RF cavities. The RF cavities are characterized as having an insert with at least one sidewall coated with a material to prevent charge build up without affecting RF input power and that is heat and vacuum compatible. One example RF cavity includes a dielectric insert, the dielectric insert having an opening extending from one side of the dielectric insert to another to form a via, and a coating layer disposed on an inner surface of the dielectric insert, the inner surface facing the via, wherein the coating layer has a thickness and a resistivity, the thickness less than a thickness threshold, and the resistivity greater than a resistivity threshold, wherein the thickness and resistivity thresholds are based partly on operating parameters of the RF cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are radio frequency (RF) cavities and systems including such RF cavities. The RF cavities are characterized as having an insert with at least one sidewall coated with a material to prevent charge build up without affecting RF input power and that is heat and vacuum compatible. One example RF cavity includes a dielectric insert, the dielectric insert having an opening extending from one side of the dielectric insert to another to form a via, and a coating layer disposed on an inner surface of the dielectric insert, the inner surface facing the via, wherein the coating layer has a thickness and a resistivity, the thickness less than a thickness threshold, and the resistivity greater than a resistivity threshold, wherein the thickness and resistivity thresholds are based partly on operating parameters of the RF cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing charged particle spectroscopy, comprising: A source, for producing a pulsed beam of charged particles that propagate along a beam path; A specimen holder, for holding a specimen at an irradiation position in said beam path; A detector arrangement, for performing energy-differentiated detection of charged particles that traverse said specimen, wherein, between said source and said detector arrangement, said beam path successively traverses: An energizing cavity, for applying a time-dependent accelerating field to said beam; A primary drift space; Said irradiation position; A temporal focusing cavity, for converting an energy differential in said beam into a time-of-flight differential; A secondary drift space.