Provided is a particle beam apparatus capable of performing appropriate switching selectively between charged particle beam and neutral particle beam. A particle beam column (19) includes an ion source (41), a condenser lens (52), a charge exchange grid (55), and an objective lens (56). The ion source (41) generates ions. The condenser lens (52) changes focusing of the ion beam so that switching is performed between ion beam and neutral beam as particle beam with which a sample (S) is irradiated. The charge exchange grid (55) converts at least a part of ion beam into neutral particle beam through neutralization. The objective lens (56) is placed downstream of the charge exchange grid (55). The objective lens (56) reduces the ion beam toward the sample (S) when the sample (S) is irradiated with the neutral particle beam as the particle beam.

Compositions, methods, and apparatus are described for carrying out nitrogen ion implantation, which avoid the incidence of severe glitching when the nitrogen ion implantation is followed by another ion implantation operation susceptible to glitching, e.g., implantation of arsenic and/or phosphorus ionic species. The nitrogen ion implantation operation is advantageously conducted with a nitrogen ion implantation composition introduced to or formed in the ion source chamber of the ion implantation system, wherein the nitrogen ion implantation composition includes nitrogen (N.sub.2) dopant gas and a glitching-suppressing gas including one or more selected from the group consisting of NF.sub.3, N.sub.2F.sub.4, F.sub.2, SiF4, WF.sub.6, PF.sub.3, PF.sub.5, AsF.sub.3, AsF.sub.5, CF.sub.4 and other fluorinated hydrocarbons of C.sub.xF.sub.y (x≧1, y≧1) general formula, SF.sub.6, HF, COF.sub.2, OF.sub.2, BF.sub.3, B.sub.2F.sub.4, GeF.sub.4, XeF.sub.2, O.sub.2, N.sub.2O, NO, NO.sub.2, N.sub.2O.sub.4, and O.sub.3, and optionally hydrogen-containing gas, e.g., hydrogen-containing gas including one or more selected from the group consisting of H.sub.2, NH.sub.3, N.sub.2H.sub.4, B.sub.2H.sub.6, AsH.sub.3, PH.sub.3, SiH.sub.4, Si.sub.2H.sub.6, H.sub.2S, H.sub.2Se, CH.sub.4 and other hydrocarbons of C.sub.xH.sub.y (x≧1, y≧1) general formula and GeH.sub.4.

A method for altering surface charge on an insulating surface of a first sample includes generating first plasma inside a plasma source, causing the first plasma to diffuse into a first vacuum chamber to generate second downstream plasma, immersing the first sample in the second downstream plasma, and applying a first bias voltage to a conductive layer of the first sample, or applying a first bias voltage to a metal holder that holds the first sample.

An apparatus for treating a substrate includes a process chamber that performs a liquid treatment process by dispensing a treatment liquid onto the substrate, and components provided in the process chamber. A surface of at least one of the components is formed of a material containing an ion-implanted fluorine resin.

A system and method associated with a charge drain coating are disclosed. The charge drain coating may be applied to surfaces of an electron-optical device to drain electrons that come into contact with the charge drain coating so that the performance of the electron-optical device will not be hindered by electron charge build-up. The charge drain coating may include a doping material that coalesces into clusters that are embedded within a high dielectric insulating material. The charge drain coating may be deposited onto the inner surfaces of lenslets of the electron-optical device.

A phase plate capable of suppressing electrification and a method of fabricating the plate are provided. The phase plate is for use in an electron microscope and includes a phase control layer provided with a through-hole and at least one conductive layer covering and closing off the through-hole. The conductive layer is formed on at least one of a first surface and a second surface of the phase control layer, the second surface being on the opposite side of the first surface. The phase control layer produces a given phase difference between electron waves transmitted through the phase control layer and electron waves transmitted through the through-hole.

An electron microscope includes: a sample holder; a first optical system irradiating and scanning the sample; an electron detection unit detecting secondary electrons discharged from the sample; a first vacuum chamber which holds the sample holder, the first optical system, and the electron detection unit in a vacuum atmosphere; a display unit displaying a microscopic image of the sample; and a control unit which controls the sample holder and the operation of the first optical system. The electron microscope includes a second vacuum chamber different from the first vacuum chamber, and a second optical system in the second vacuum chamber and is different from the first optical system. The second optical system and the control unit are capable of mutual communication, and the second vacuum chamber has a state changing means which changes the state of the sample.

Compositions, methods, and apparatus are described for carrying out nitrogen ion implantation, which avoid the incidence of severe glitching when the nitrogen ion implantation is followed by another ion implantation operation susceptible to glitching, e.g., implantation of arsenic and/or phosphorus ionic species. The nitrogen ion implantation operation is advantageously conducted with a nitrogen ion implantation composition introduced to or formed in the ion source chamber of the ion implantation system, wherein the nitrogen ion implantation composition includes nitrogen (N.sub.2) dopant gas and a glitching-suppressing gas including one or more selected from the group consisting of NF.sub.3, N.sub.2F.sub.4, F.sub.2, SiF.sub.4, WF.sub.6, PF.sub.3, PF.sub.5, AsF.sub.3, AsF.sub.5, CF.sub.4 and other fluorinated hydrocarbons of C.sub.xF.sub.y (x≥1, y≥1) general formula, SF.sub.6, HF, COF.sub.2, OF.sub.2, BF.sub.3, B.sub.2F.sub.4, GeF.sub.4, XeF.sub.2, O.sub.2, N.sub.2O, NO, NO.sub.2, N.sub.2O.sub.4, and O.sub.3, and optionally hydrogen-containing gas, e.g., hydrogen-containing gas including one or more selected from the group consisting of H.sub.2, NH.sub.3, N.sub.2H.sub.4, B.sub.2H.sub.6, AsH.sub.3, PH.sub.3, SiH.sub.4, Si.sub.2H.sub.6, H.sub.2S, H.sub.2Se, CH.sub.4 and other hydrocarbons of C.sub.xH.sub.y (x≥1, y≥1) general formula and GeH.sub.4.

A system and a method for monitoring a beam in an inspection system are provided. The system includes an image sensor configured to collect a sequence of images of a beam spot of a beam formed on a surface, each image of the sequence of images having been collected at a different exposure time of the image sensor, and a controller configured to combine the sequence of images to obtain a beam profile of the beam.

The present invention provides a glow discharge assembly that includes an electrically conductive cylindrical screen, a flange assembly, an electrode, an insulator and a non-conductive granular material. The electrically conductive cylindrical screen has an open end and a closed end. The flange assembly is attached to and electrically connected to the open end of the electrically conductive cylindrical screen. The flange assembly has a hole with a first diameter aligned with a longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive cylindrical screen. The electrode is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive cylindrical screen and extends through the hole of the flange assembly into the electrically conductive cylindrical screen. The insulator seals the hole of the flange assembly around the electrode and maintains a substantially equidistant gap between the electrically conductive cylindrical screen and the electrode. The non-conductive granular material is disposed within the substantially equidistant gap.