A method for analyzing at least one bounded object in an electron microscope image that includes segmenting the image to provide a segmented image and measuring a dimension relative to the at least one bounded object in the segmented image. The electron microscope image can be an image of a semiconductor device that includes a pattern of bounded objects or structure of the semiconductor device.

A charged particle beam scanning module, a charged particle beam device, and a computer that can correct an INL error in a DAC circuit in real time. The charged particle beam scanning module includes a scanning controller configured to output a scanning digital signal of a charged particle beam, a DAC circuit configured to convert the scanning digital signal into a scanning analog signal and output the scanning analog signal, and an ADC circuit configured to convert the scanning analog signal into an evaluation digital signal. A sampling frequency at which the DAC circuit samples the scanning digital signal is a first frequency, and a sampling frequency at which the ADC circuit samples the scanning analog signal is a second frequency smaller than the first frequency. The scanning controller determines an output characteristic of the DAC circuit by evaluating the scanning digital signal and the evaluation digital signal.

A thermal field emitter, an apparatus, and a method for generating multiple beams for an e-beam tool are provided. The thermal field emitter includes an electron emitting portion configured to emit an electron beam and a nano-aperture array (NAA) having a plurality of openings. The NAA is positioned in a path of the electron beam. The NAA is configured to form multiple beams. The multiple beams include electrons from the electron beam that pass through the plurality of openings.

An aperture array for a multi-beam array system and a method of selecting a subset of a beam from a multi-beam array system are provided. The aperture array comprises an array body arranged proximate to a beam source. The array body comprises a plurality of apertures, at least two of the apertures having different geometries. The array body is movable, via an actuator, relative to an optical axis of the beam source, such that a subset of a beam from the beam source is selected based on the geometry of the aperture that is intersected by the optical axis.

A multi-beam charged particle microscope and a method of operating a multi-beam charged particle microscope for wafer inspection with high throughput and with high resolution and high reliability are provided. The method of operation and the multi-beam charged particle beam microscope comprises a mechanism for a synchronized scanning operation and image acquisition by a plurality of charged particle beamlets according a selected scan program, wherein the selected scan program can be selected according an inspection task from different scan programs.

A transmission electron microscope sample holder capable of applying a magnetic field is provided. The transmission electron microscope sample holder includes a holder body and a holder head. The holder head is arranged at an end of the holder body and provided with a magnetic field generation device. The magnetic field generation device is provided with magnetic field generation end surface. The thickness of the magnetic field generation end surface is in a range of 100 nanometers to 280 micrometers. And the thickness is of a size that is parallel to a direction of an electron beam in a transmission electron microscope.

A multi-electron beam inspection apparatus includes first sample hold circuits, each configured to include a capacitor and a switch arranged for each of electrodes of each of a plurality of multipoles, and to hold, using the capacitor and the switch, a potential to be applied to the each of the electrodes, power sources configured to apply potentials to the plurality of first sample hold circuits, a control circuit configured to control the plurality of first sample hold circuits such that the plurality of potentials having been applied to the plurality of first sample hold circuits are held, in synchronization with swinging back of the collective beam deflection by the objective deflector, by a plurality of second sample hold circuits selected from the plurality of first sample hold circuits, and a detector configured to detect multiple secondary electron beams emitted because the substrate is irradiated with the multiple primary electron beams.

Disclosed herein are specimen imaging systems, comprising: a sample stage in a vacuum environment, the sample stage configured to support a specimen; an electron beam generator configured to focus an electron beam on a first predetermined location on the specimen; a nanospray dispenser configured to dispense a nanospray onto a second predetermined location on the specimen; a mass spectrometer; and an extraction conduit configured to extract a plume of charged particles generated as a result of contact between the nanospray and the specimen and deliver the charged particles to the mass spectrometer. The system can create a topological and chemical map of the specimen by analyzing at least a portion of the specimen with a mass spectrometer to determine a chemical composition of the specimen at the second predetermined location and analyzing at least a portion of the specimen with the electron beam to determine a surface topology.

Disclosed herein are specimen imaging systems, comprising: a sample stage in a vacuum environment, the sample stage configured to support a specimen; an electron beam generator configured to focus an electron beam on a first predetermined location on the specimen; a nanospray dispenser configured to dispense a nanospray onto a second predetermined location on the specimen; a mass spectrometer; and an extraction conduit configured to extract a plume of charged particles generated as a result of contact between the nanospray and the specimen and deliver the charged particles to the mass spectrometer. The system can create a topological and chemical map of the specimen by analyzing at least a portion of the specimen with a mass spectrometer to determine a chemical composition of the specimen at the second predetermined location and analyzing at least a portion of the specimen with the electron beam to determine a surface topology.

A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) system is disclosed. The SEM system includes an electron source configured to generate an electron beam and a set of electron optics configured to scan the electron beam across the sample and focus electrons scattered by the sample onto one or more imaging planes. The SEM system includes a first detector module positioned at the one or more imaging planes, wherein the first detector module includes a multipixel solid-state sensor configured to convert scattered particles, such as electrons and/or x-rays, from the sample into a set of equivalent signal charges. The multipixel solid-state sensor is connected to two or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) configured to process the set of signal charges from one or more pixels of the sensor.