Abstract: A method of investigating a specimen using charged-particle microscopy, comprising the following steps: (a) On a surface of the specimen, selecting a virtual sampling grid extending in an XY plane and comprising grid nodes to be impinged upon by a charged-particle probing beam during a two-dimensional scan of said surface; (b) Selecting a landing energy Ei for said probing beam, with an associated nominal Z penetration depth di below said surface; (c) At each of said nodes, irradiating the specimen with said probing beam and detecting output radiation emanating from the specimen in response thereto, thereby generating a scan image Ii; (d) Repeating steps (b) and (c) for a series {Ei} of different landing energies, corresponding to an associated series {di} of different penetration depths, further comprising the following steps: (e) Pre-selecting an initial energy increment ?Ei by which Ei is to be altered after a first iteration of steps (b) and (c); (f) Associating energy increment ?Ei with a correspon

Abstract: A method of examining a sample using a charged-particle microscope, comprising mounting the sample on a sample holder; using a particle-optical column to direct at least one beam of particulate radiation onto a surface S of the sample, thereby producing an interaction that causes emitted radiation to emanate from the sample; using a detector arrangement to detect at least a portion of said emitted radiation, the method of which comprises embodying the detector arrangement to detect electrons in the emitted radiation; recording an output On of said detector arrangement as a function of kinetic energy En of said electrons, thus compiling a measurement set M={(On, En)} for a plurality of values of En; using computer processing apparatus to automatically deconvolve the measurement set M and spatially resolve it into a result set R={(Vk, Lk)}, in which a spatial variable V demonstrates a value Vk at an associated discrete depth level Lk referenced to the surface S, whereby n and k are members of an integer sequenc

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling an imaging device are disclosed. In one aspect, a method determines a set of control parameters for the imaging device, and acquires an image based on the set of control parameters. The method determines a plurality of image quality measurements of the first image. A polygon may be displayed on an electronic display based on a plurality of image quality measurements. For example, positions of polygon vertices may be determined relative to an origin point based on corresponding image quality measurements. In some aspects, input may be received from a user interface indicating a change in position of one or more of the vertices and the corresponding image quality measurements. In some aspects, a new set of control parameters may then be determined to achieve the changed image quality measurement(s). In some aspects a composite measure of the image quality measurements may also be displayed.

Abstract: A method of investigating a specimen using a charged particle microscope, including: Producing and storing a first image, of a first, initial surface of the specimen; In a primary modification step, modifying said first surface, thereby yielding a second, modified surface; Producing and storing a second image, of said second surface; Using a mathematical Image Similarity Metric to perform pixel-wise comparison of said second and first images, so as to generate a primary figure of merit for said primary modification step.

Abstract: A method of imaging a specimen comprises directing a beam to irradiate a specimen; detecting radiation emanating from the specimen; scanning the beam along a path; for each sample point in said path, recording a measurement set M={(Dn, Pn)}, where Dn is the detector output as a function of value Pn of measurement parameter P; deconvolving M and spatially resolving it into a set representing depth-resolved imagery of the specimen, whereby, at point pi within the specimen, in a first probing session, irradiating, in a first beam configuration, pi with Point Spread Function F1, whereby said beam configuration is different to P; in at least a second probing session, irradiating, in a second beam configuration, pi with Point Spread Function F2 which overlaps partially with F1 in a zone Oi in which pi is located; sing an Independent Component Analysis algorithm to perform spatial resolution in Oi.

Abstract: The invention relates to a scanning-type charged particle microscope and a method for operation of such a microscope. Disclosed is a novel scanning strategy to the raster scan or serpentine scan. In some embodiment, the beam scanning motion is separated into short-stroke and long-stroke movements, to be assigned to associate short-stroke and long-stroke scanning devices, which may be beam deflectors or stage actuators. The scan strategy which is less susceptible to effects such as overshoot, settling/resynchronization, and “backlash” effects.

Abstract: A Charged Particle Microscope, comprising: includes A specimen holder, for holding a specimen; A source, for producing a beam of charged particles; An illuminator, for directing said beam so as to irradiate the specimen; and A detector, for detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation. The illuminator includes: An aperture plate comprising an aperture region in a path of said beam, for defining a geometry of the beam prior to its impingement upon said specimen. The aperture region includes a distribution of multiple holes, each of which is smaller than a diameter of the beam incident on the aperture plate.

Abstract: A method of accumulating an image of a specimen using a scanning-type microscope, comprising the following steps: Directing a beam of radiation from a source through an illuminator so as to irradiate a surface S of the specimen; Using a detector to detect a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation; Causing said beam to follow a scan path relative to said surface; For each of a set of sample points in said scan path, recording an output Dn of the detector as a function of a value Pn of a selected measurement parameter P, thus compiling a measurement set M={(Dn, Pn)}, where n is a member of an integer sequence; Using computer processing apparatus to automatically deconvolve the measurement set M and spatially resolve it so as to produce reconstructed imagery of the specimen, wherein, considered at a given point pi within the specimen, the method comprises the following steps: In a first probing session, employing a first beam configuration B1 to irradiate the point pi w

Abstract: A method of accumulating an image of a specimen using a scanning-type microscope, comprising the following steps: Providing a beam of radiation that is directed from a source through an illuminator so as to irradiate the specimen; Providing a detector for detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation; Causing said beam to undergo scanning motion relative to a surface of the specimen, and recording an output of the detector as a function of scan position, which method additionally comprises the following steps: In a first sampling session S1gathering detector data from a first collection P1 of sampling points distributed sparsely across the specimen; Repeating this procedure so as to accumulate a set {Pn} of such collections, gathered during an associated set {Sn} of sampling sessions, each set with a cardinality N>1; Assembling an image of the specimen by using the set {Pn} as input to an integrative mathematical reconstruction procedure, wherein, as part of

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for inspecting or processing a sample with a multitude of focused beams uses a multitude of detectors for detecting secondary radiation emitted by the sample when is irradiated by the multitude of beams. Each detector signal comprises information caused by multiple beams, the apparatus equipped with a programmable controller for processing the multitude of detector signals to a multitude of output signals, using weight factors so that each output signal represents information caused by a single beam. The weight factors are dynamic weight factors depending on the scan position of the beams with respect to the detectors and the distance between sample and detectors.

Abstract: A method of examining a sample using a charged-particle microscope, comprising mounting the sample on a sample holder; using a particle-optical column to direct at least one beam of particulate radiation onto a surface S of the sample, thereby producing an interaction that causes emitted radiation to emanate from the sample; using a detector arrangement to detect at least a portion of said emitted radiation, the method of which comprises embodying the detector arrangement to detect electrons in the emitted radiation; recording an output On of said detector arrangement as a function of kinetic energy En of said electrons, thus compiling a measurement set M={(On, En)} for a plurality of values of En; using computer processing apparatus to automatically deconvolve the measurement set M and spatially resolve it into a result set R?{(Vk, Lk)}, in which a spatial variable V demonstrates a value Vk at an associated discrete depth level Lk referenced to the surface S, whereby n and k are members of an integer sequenc

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of sampling and displaying information comprising scanning a beam over the sample in a series of N overlapping sub-frames, each comprising Mn scan positions, thereby irradiating the sample at N×Mn scan positions, which form the field of view; detecting a signal, sampled for each scan position, emanating from the sample; and displaying the sub-frames having at least N×Mn pixels in such a way, that after the series of N scans each of the pixels displays information derived from the signal from one or more scan positions; in which after the scan of the first sub-frame each of the pixels displays information derived from the scan positions of the first sub-frame; and after the scan of the second sub-frame each of the pixels displays information derived during the scanning of the first, the second, or both sub-frames.

Abstract: A method of examining a sample using a charged-particle microscope, comprising mounting the sample on a sample holder; using a particle-optical column to direct at least one beam of particulate radiation onto a surface S of the sample, thereby producing an interaction that causes emitted radiation to emanate from the sample; using a detector arrangement to detect at least a portion of said emitted radiation, the method of which comprises embodying the detector arrangement to detect electrons in the emitted radiation; recording an output On of said detector arrangement as a function of kinetic energy En of said electrons, thus compiling a measurement set M={(On, En)} for a plurality of values of En; using computer processing apparatus to automatically deconvolve the measurement set M and spatially resolve it into a result set R={(Vk, Lk)}, in which a spatial variable V demonstrates a value Vk at an associated discrete depth level Lk referenced to the surface S, whereby n and k are members of an integer sequenc

Abstract: A method of charged-particle microscopy, comprising: irradiating a sample surface S to cause radiation to emanate from the sample; detecting at least a portion of said emitted radiation recording an output On of said detector arrangement as a function of emergence angle ?n of said emitted radiation, measured relative to an axis normal to S thus compiling a measurement set M={(On, ?n)} for a plurality of values of ?n; automatically deconvolving the measurement set M and spatially resolve it into a result set R={(VK, Lk)},in which a spatial variable V demonstrates a value Vk at an associated discrete death level Lk referenced to the surface S, whereby n and K are members of an integer sequence, and spatial variable V represents a physical property of the sample as a function of position in its bulk.

Abstract: A method of examining a sample using a charged-particle microscope, comprising mounting the sample on a sample holder; using a particle-optical column to direct at least one beam of particulate radiation onto a surface S of the sample, thereby producing an interaction that causes emitted radiation to emanate from the sample; using a detector arrangement to detect at least a portion of said emitted radiation, the method of which comprises embodying the detector arrangement to detect electrons in the emitted radiation; recording an output On of said detector arrangement as a function of kinetic energy En of said electrons, thus compiling a measurement set M={(On, En)} for a plurality of values of En; using computer processing apparatus to automatically deconvolve the measurement set M and spatially resolve it into a result set R={(Vk, Lk)}, in which a spatial variable V demonstrates a value Vk at an associated discrete depth level Lk referenced to the surface S, whereby n and k are members of an integer sequenc

Abstract: A method of examining a sample using a charged-particle microscope, comprising the following steps: Mounting the sample on a sample holder; Using a particle-optical column to direct at least one beam of particulate radiation onto a surface S of the sample, thereby producing an interaction that causes emitted radiation to emanate from the sample; Using a detector arrangement to detect at least a portion of said emitted radiation, which method comprises the following steps: Recording an output On of said detector arrangement as a function of emergence angle ?n of said emitted radiation, measured relative to an axis normal to S, thus compiling a measurement set M={(On, ?n)} for a plurality of values of ?n; Using computer processing apparatus to automatically deconvolve the measurement set M and spatially resolve it into a result set R={(Vk, Lk)}, in which a spatial variable V demonstrates a value Vk at an associated discrete depth level Lk referenced to the surface S, whereby n and k are members of an intege