A monitoring system and method are provided for determining at least one property of an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a multi-layer structure formed by at least a layer on top of an underlayer. The monitoring system receives measured data comprising data indicative of optical measurements performed on the IC, data indicative of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements performed on the IC and data indicative of x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) measurements performed on the IC. An optical data analyzer module analyzes the data indicative of the optical measurements and generates geometrical data indicative of one or more geometrical parameters of the multi-layer structure formed by at least the layer on top of the underlayer. An XPS data analyzer module analyzes the data indicative of the XPS measurements and generates geometrical and material related data indicative of geometrical and material composition parameters for said layer and data indicative of material composition of the underlayer. An XRF data analyzer module analyzes the data indicative of the XRF measurements and generates data indicative of amount of a predetermined material composition in the multi-layer structure. A data interpretation module generates combined data received from analyzer modules and processes the combined data and determines the at least one property of at least one layer of the multi-layer structure.

A scanning electron microscope with a composite detection system and a specimen detection method. The scanning electron microscope includes a composite objective lens system including an immersion magnetic lens and an electro lens, configured to focus an initial electron beam to a specimen to form a convergent beam spot; a composite detection system located in the composite objective lens system; and a detection signal amplification and analysis system. A magnetic field of the immersion magnetic lens is immersed in the specimen; the electro lens is configured to decelerate the initial electron beam and focus the initial electron beam onto the specimen, and separate BSEs from a transmission path of an X-ray; the composite detection system is located below an inner pole piece of the immersion magnetic lens, is located above the control electrode, and includes an annular BSE detector and an annular X-ray detector that have a same axis center.

To enable evaluation of a shape of a fine particle and a fine particle type, a substrate is set as a substrate on which an isolated fine particle to be measured and an isolated standard fine particle in the vicinity of the isolated fine particle to be measured are disposed, and a scanning electron microscope body including a detector configured to detect secondary charged particles obtained by scanning a surface of the substrate with an electron beam probe, and a computer that processes a detection signal and generates an image of the isolated fine particle to be measured and the isolated standard fine particle are provided. The computer corrects a shape of the isolated fine particle to be measured by using a measurement result of the isolated standard fine particle disposed in the vicinity of the isolated fine particle to be measured. Further, by attaching a fine particle spreading tank equipped with a fine particle suspension dropping device inside the microscope body, automatic measurement including dropping of fine particle suspension onto a surface of a surface-modified substrate is possible.

To enable evaluation of a shape of a fine particle and a fine particle type, a substrate is set as a substrate on which an isolated fine particle to be measured and an isolated standard fine particle in the vicinity of the isolated fine particle to be measured are disposed, and a scanning electron microscope body including a detector configured to detect secondary charged particles obtained by scanning a surface of the substrate with an electron beam probe, and a computer that processes a detection signal and generates an image of the isolated fine particle to be measured and the isolated standard fine particle are provided. The computer corrects a shape of the isolated fine particle to be measured by using a measurement result of the isolated standard fine particle disposed in the vicinity of the isolated fine particle to be measured. Further, by attaching a fine particle spreading tank equipped with a fine particle suspension dropping device inside the microscope body, automatic measurement including dropping of fine particle suspension onto a surface of a surface-modified substrate is possible.

A High Energy Beam Processing (HEBP) system provides feedback signal monitoring and feedback control for the improvement of process repeatability and three-dimensional (3D) printed part quality. Electrons deflected from a substrate in the processing area impinge on a surface of a sensor. The electrons result from the deflection of an electron beam from the substrate. Either one or both of an initial profile of an electron beam and an initial location of the electron beam relative to the substrate are determined based on a feedback electron signal corresponding to the impingement of the electrons on the surface of the sensor. With an appropriate profile and location of the electron beam, the build structure is fabricated on the substrate.

A High Energy Beam Processing (HEBP) system provides feedback signal monitoring and feedback control for the improvement of process repeatability and three-dimensional (3D) printed part quality. Electrons deflected from a substrate in the processing area impinge on a surface of a sensor. The electrons result from the deflection of an electron beam from the substrate. Either one or both of an initial profile of an electron beam and an initial location of the electron beam relative to the substrate are determined based on a feedback electron signal corresponding to the impingement of the electrons on the surface of the sensor. With an appropriate profile and location of the electron beam, the build structure is fabricated on the substrate.

A method for x-ray based evaluation of a status of a structure of a substrate, the method may include acquiring an electron image of a region of the substrate, the region comprises the structure; acquiring an x-ray image of the structure; and evaluating the status of the structure, wherein the evaluating is based at least on a number of x-ray photons that were emitted from the structure.

The disclosure relates to a method of examining a sample using a charged particle microscope. The method comprises the steps of detecting using a first detector emissions of a first type from the sample in response to the beam scanned over the area of the sample. Then, using spectral information of detected emissions of the first type, at least a part of the scanned area of the sample is divided into multiple segments. According to the disclosure, emissions of the first type at different positions along the scan in at least one of said multiple segments may be combined to produce a combined spectrum of the sample in said one of said multiple segments. In an embodiment, a second detector is used to detect emissions of a second type, and this is used to divide the area of the sample into multiple regions. The first detector may be an EDS, and the second detector may be based on EM. This way, EDS data and EM data can be effectively combined for producing colored images.

Determining a property of a layer of an integrated circuit (IC), the layer being formed over an underlayer, is implemented by performing the steps of: irradiating the IC to thereby eject electrons from the IC; collecting electrons emitted from the IC and determining the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons to thereby calculate emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer calculating a ratio of the emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer; and using the ratio to determine material composition or thickness of the layer. The steps of irradiating IC and collecting electrons may be performed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF).

Determining a property of a layer of an integrated circuit (IC), the layer being formed over an underlayer, is implemented by performing the steps of: irradiating the IC to thereby eject electrons from the IC; collecting electrons emitted from the IC and determining the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons to thereby calculate emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer calculating a ratio of the emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer; and using the ratio to determine material composition or thickness of the layer. The steps of irradiating IC and collecting electrons may be performed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF).