Charged particle assessment tools and inspection methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, a condenser lens array divides a beam of charged particles into a plurality of sub-beams. Each sub-beam is focused to a respective intermediate focus. Objective lenses downstream from the intermediate foci project sub-beams from the condenser lens array onto a sample. A path of each sub-beam is substantially a straight line from each condenser lens to a corresponding objective lens.

A charged particle beam apparatus using a light guide that improves light utilization efficiency includes a detector including a scintillator for emitting light when a charged particle is incident, a light receiving element, and a light guide for guiding the light from the scintillator to the light receiving element. The light guide includes: an incident surface that faces a light emitting surface of the scintillator and to which the light emitted by the scintillator is incident; an emitting surface that is configured to emit light; and a reflecting surface that is inclined with respect to the incident surface so that the light from the incident surface is reflected toward the emitting surface. The emitting surface is smaller than the incident surface. A slope surface is provided between the incident surface and the emitting surface, faces the reflecting surface, and is inclined with respect to the incident surface.

An apparatus and method for characterisation of a sample via spectroscopy and/or imaging. The apparatus comprises a first detector for imaging or spectroscopy, a second detector for imaging or spectroscopy, and a toroidal capacitor type electrostatic energy analyser. The toroidal capacitor type electrostatic energy analyser comprises a first and a second entrance aperture arranged such that charged particles emitted from a sample and passing through the first entrance aperture traverse a first trajectory through the toroidal capacitor type electrostatic energy analyser to be incident at the first detector, and charged particles emitted from a sample and passing through the second entrance aperture traverse a second trajectory through the toroidal capacitor type electrostatic energy analyser to be incident at the second detector. A deflection assembly arranged between the sample and the analyser may be used to direct charged particles emitted from the sample towards the first and/or second entrance aperture of the analyser.

According to the present invention, a desired one of multiple beams can be aligned with a small-diameter aperture quickly. A multi-electron beam inspection apparatus includes a beam selection aperture substrate including a first passage hole that passes all the multiple electron beams, a second passage hole through which one of the multiple electron beams is able to pass, a first slit, and a second slit not parallel to the first slit, an aperture moving unit moving the beam selection aperture substrate, a first detector detecting a current of a beam having passed through the first slit and a current of a beam having passed through the second slit, of the multiple electron beams, and a second detector detecting multiple secondary electron beams including reflected electrons, discharged from a substrate, due to application of the multiple electron beams, having passed through the first passage hole, to the substrate. The substrate is inspected based on an output signal from the second detector.

A computer-based method for three-dimensional surface metrology of samples based on scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The method includes: (i) using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to obtain SEM data of a set of sites on a surface of a sample; (ii) using an atomic force microscope (AFM) to measure vertical parameters of sites in a calibration subset of the set; (iii) calibrating an algorithm, configured to estimate a vertical parameter of a site when SEM data of the site are fed as inputs, by determining free parameters of the algorithm, such that residuals between the algorithm-estimated vertical parameters and the AFM-measured vertical parameters are about minimized; and (iv) using the calibrated algorithm to estimate vertical parameters of the sites in the complement to the calibration subset.

The present invention provides a charged particle beam device with which optimal parameters for the device can be effectively derived in a short time period. This charged particle beam device comprises: an electron gun (1) that irradiates a sample (10) with an electron beam (2); an image processing unit (901) that acquires an image of the sample (10) from a signal (12) generated by the sample (10) due to the electron beam (2); a database (604) that holds correspondence between a first parameter that is an optical condition, a second parameter that is a value pertaining to device performance, and a third parameter that is information pertaining to the device configuration, and stores a plurality of analysis values and measurement values; and a learning machine (605) that searches the database (604) and derives a first parameter that satisfies a target value of the second parameter.

This radiation analysis system comprises a transition edge sensor that detects radiation, a current detection mechanism that detects a current flowing in the transition edge sensor, and a computer sub-system that processes a current detection signal from the current detection mechanism. The computer sub-system is characterized by executing: a process for calculating a baseline current of the current detection signal; a process for calculating a wave height value of a signal pulse produced in the detection signal when the transition edge sensor has detected radiation; a process for acquiring correlation data based on the baseline current and the wave height value; and a process for correcting the wave height value of the signal pulse, or an energy value calculated from the wave height value, on the basis of the correlation data and the baseline current from before production of the signal pulse when radiation having unknown energy is detected by the transition edge sensor.

Systems and methods of observing a sample using an electron beam apparatus are disclosed. The electron beam apparatus comprises an electron source configured to generate a primary electron beam along a primary optical axis, and a first electron detector having a first detection layer substantially parallel to the primary optical axis and configured to detect a first portion of a plurality of signal electrons generated from a probe spot on a sample. The method may comprise generating a plurality of signal electrons and detecting the signal electrons using the first electron detector substantially parallel to the primary optical axis of the primary electron beam. A method of configuring an electrostatic element or a magnetic element to detect backscattered electrons may include disposing an electron detector on an inner surface of the electrostatic or magnetic element and depositing a conducting layer on the inner surface of the electron detector.

A method of generating a correction line indicating a relationship between an amount of deviation of an edge of a wafer pattern from an edge of a reference pattern and a width of a space adjacent to the edge of the reference pattern, includes: creating an appearance-frequency graph of widths of spaces adjacent to reference patterns located within a designated area; obtaining images of wafer patterns corresponding to a plurality of space widths shown in the appearance-frequency graph; calculating amounts of deviation between edges of the wafer patterns on the images and edges of corresponding reference patterns; plotting a plurality of data points on a coordinate system, the plurality of data points being specified by the plurality of space widths and the amounts of deviation; and generating a correction line from the plurality of data points on the coordinate system.

An electron beam detection apparatus for a semiconductor device and an electron beam detection assembly are disclosed, the electron beam detection apparatus including a stage, which is configured to carry and hold the semiconductor device at a top surface of the stage, and is translatable in two directions orthogonal to each other, an aiming device, configured to determine a position of the semiconductor device in a coordinate system of the electron beam detection apparatus by capturing an image of the semiconductor device, the aiming device provided with a first field of view and a first optical axis, and an electron beam detection device, configured to detect an emergent electron beam exiting the semiconductor device by projecting an electron beam to the semiconductor device, the electron beam detection device provided with a second field of view and a second optical axis which is not consistent with the first optical axis.