A charged particle beam apparatus includes a movement mechanism, a particle source, an optical element, a detector, and a control mechanism configured to control, based on an observation condition, the movement mechanism, the particle source, the optical element, and the detector. The control mechanism is configured to acquire a diffraction pattern image including a plurality of Kikuchi lines as a comparison image after inclining the movement mechanism by a first angle, evaluate an error between an inclination angle of the sample and a target inclination angle using a reference image of a reference diffraction pattern and the comparison image, and control inclination of the movement mechanism based on an evaluation result.

A charged particle beam apparatus includes a movement mechanism, a particle source, an optical element, a detector, and a control mechanism configured to control, based on an observation condition, the movement mechanism, the particle source, the optical element, and the detector. The control mechanism is configured to acquire a diffraction pattern image including a plurality of Kikuchi lines as a comparison image after inclining the movement mechanism by a first angle, evaluate an error between an inclination angle of the sample and a target inclination angle using a reference image of a reference diffraction pattern and the comparison image, and control inclination of the movement mechanism based on an evaluation result.

An ion beam processing tool includes a plasma source, a grid arrangement positioned proximate the plasma source to generate an ion beam, a beam deflector positioned adjacent the grid arrangement, and a controller configured to control the beam deflector to deflect the ion beam to generate a tilted ion beam. A method includes generating an ion beam, directing the ion beam at a target, deflecting the ion beam in a first direction to remove a first portion of material from the target, and deflecting the ion beam in a second direction different than the first direction to remove a second portion of material from the target.

Disclosed herein is a method comprising: depositing a first amount of electric charges into a region of a sample, during a first time period; depositing a second amount of electric charges into the region, during a second time period; while scanning a probe spot generated on the sample by a beam of charged particles, recording from the probe spot signals representing interactions of the beam of charged particles and the sample; wherein an average rate of deposition during the first time period and an average rate of deposition during the second time period are different.

To provide a charged particle beam apparatus. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a stage on which a sample is placed; a cleaner configured to remove a contaminant on the sample; and a stage control unit configured to adjust a relative positional relationship between the cleaner and the sample by moving the stage during use of the cleaner.

A system for preventing collisions between components in a particle beam instrument is disclosed. The system is particularly beneficial in use with instruments wherein moveable components are used within a chamber that obscures them from being viewed from outside the chamber. The system comprises: a capacitance sensor configured to monitor the capacitance between a first component and a second component of the instrument, and a proximity module configured to: derive a capacitance parameter from the monitored capacitance between the first component and the second component; and output a proximity alert signal in accordance with a comparison between the derived capacitance parameter and a predetermined capacitance parameter threshold value.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a source of charged particles configured to emit a beam of charged particles along a primary beam axis of the apparatus; a condenser lens configured to cause the beam to concentrate around the primary beam axis; an aperture; a first multi-pole lens; a second multi-pole lens; wherein the first multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the condenser lens and upstream with respect to the second multi-pole lens; wherein the second multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the first multi-pole lens and upstream with respect to the aperture.

To provide a charged particle beam apparatus. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a stage on which a sample is placed; a cleaner configured to remove a contaminant on the sample; and a stage control unit configured to adjust a relative positional relationship between the cleaner and the sample by moving the stage during use of the cleaner.

A method for voltage contrast imaging, for example on a semiconductor sample, uses a corpuscular multi-beam microscope with a multiplicity of individual corpuscular beams in a grid arrangement. The method includes sweeping the multiplicity of individual corpuscular beams over a sample having at least one electrically chargeable structure, and charging the sample with a first quantity of first corpuscular beams of the corpuscular multi-beam microscope. The method also includes determining a voltage contrast at the at least one electrically chargeable structure of the sample with a second quantity of second corpuscular beams of the corpuscular multi-beam microscope.

A coupling for connecting together vacuum-based analytical systems requiring to be vibrationally isolated, comprising: a tubular connector having a longitudinal axis, the connector comprising a first end for connection to a first analytical system and a flexible portion reducing transmission of vibrations and permitting displacement of the first analytical system in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the connector; and a seal longitudinally separated from the flexible portion, for vacuum sealing between the connector and a second analytical system; wherein the connector contains ion optics for transmitting ions between the first and second analytical systems.