Systems and methods for observing a sample in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. A charged particle optical system may include a deflector configured to form a virtual image of a charged particle source and a transfer lens configured to form a real image of the charged particle source on an image plane. The image plane may be formed at least near a beam separator that is configured to separate primary charged particles generated by the source and secondary charged particles generated by interaction of the primary charged particles with a sample. The image plane may be formed at a deflection plane of the beam separator. The multi-beam apparatus may include a charged-particle dispersion compensator to compensate dispersion of the beam separator. The image plane may be formed closer to the transfer lens than the beam separator, between the transfer lens and the charged-particle dispersion compensator.

A charged particle buncher includes a series of spaced apart electrodes arranged to generate a shaped electric field. The series includes a first electrode, a last electrode and one or more intermediate electrodes. The charged particle buncher includes a waveform device attached to the electrodes and configured to apply a periodic potential waveform to each electrode independently in a manner so as to form a quasi-electrostatic time varying potential gradient between adjacent electrodes and to cause spatial distribution of charged particles that form a plurality of nodes and antinodes. The nodes have a charged particle density and the antinodes have substantially no charged particle density, and the nodes and the antinodes are formed from a charged particle beam configured to hit the target.

Inspection systems and methods are disclosed. An inspection system may include a first energy source configured to provide a first landing energy beam and a second energy source configured to provide a second landing energy beam. The inspection system may also include a beam controller configured to selectively deliver one of the first and second landing energy beams towards a same field of view, and to switch between delivery of the first and second landing energy beams according to a mode of operation of the inspection system.

Provided is a transmission electron microscope capable of obtaining a hollow-cone dark-field image and visually displaying irradiation conditions thereof. The transmission electron microscope is provided with an irradiation unit for irradiating a specimen with an electron beam, an objective lens for causing the electron beam transmitted through the specimen to form an image, beam deflectors for deflecting the electron beam, said beam deflectors being positioned higher than a position where the specimen is to be placed, an objective movable aperture for passing only a portion of the electron beam transmitted through the specimen, and a deflection coil control unit. The deflection coil control unit controls a deflection angle of the electron beam using the beam deflectors such that the specimen is irradiated with the electron beam at a predetermined angle with respect to an optical axis while the electron beam is moving in a precessional manner and such that only a diffracted wave and/or a scattered wave having a desired angle among diffracted waves and/or scattered waves generated when the electron beam is transmitted through the specimen passes through the objective movable aperture.

There is described a device for generating electromagnetic field oscillation in a RF device or cavity. The device generally has a photo-diode configured for receiving a laser pulse train and emitting a first electrical signal based thereon, the first electrical signal having a plurality of frequencies; and a harmonics selector configured to output a second electrical signal having one or more frequency of the first electrical signal, the one or more frequency being selected in a manner for the output to generate the electromagnetic field oscillation in the RF device or cavity.

An electron gun according to one aspect of the present invention includes an emission source configured to emit an electron beam, an aperture array substrate, where a plurality of passage holes are formed, configured to form multiple beams by letting portions of the electron beam individually pass through the plurality of passage holes, and a first electrode, where a first opening through which the electron beam can pass is formed, configured to include an opposing plane which is located at a side of the emission source with respect to the aperture array substrate and facing a surface of the aperture array substrate and whose outer diameter is smaller than an outer diameter of the aperture array substrate, the first electrode configured to be applied with a first control potential.

Methods for using a single electron microscope system for investigating a sample with TEM and STEM techniques include the steps of emitting electrons toward the sample, forming the electrons into a two beams, and then modifying the focal properties of at least one of the two beams such that they have different focal planes. Once the two beams have different focal planes, the first electron beam is focused such that it acts as a STEM beam that is focused at the sample, and the second electron beam is focused so that it acts as a TEM beam that is parallel beam when incident on the sample. Emissions resultant from the STEM beam and the TEM beam being incident on the sample can then be detected by a single detector or detector array and used to generate a TEM image and a STEM image.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a substrate including a plurality of through holes provided at predetermined intervals along a first direction in a substrate surface and along a second direction intersecting the first direction in the substrate surface; an insulating layer provided on the substrate, the insulating layer being penetrated by the through holes; a plurality of first electrodes provided on the insulating layer, the first electrodes being adjacent to the respective through holes in the first direction; a plurality of second electrodes provided on the insulating layer, the second electrodes being adjacent to the respective through holes in the first direction, the second electrodes being provided to face the first electrodes, the second electrodes being held at a predetermined potential; and a wiring layer provided on the insulating layer, the wiring layer electrically connecting the adjacent second electrodes.

Methods for using electron diffraction holography to investigate a sample, according to the present disclosure include the initial steps of emitting a plurality of electrons toward the sample, forming the plurality of electrons into a first electron beam and a second electron beam, and modifying the focal properties of at least one of the two beams such that the two beams have different focal planes. Once the two beams have different focal planes, the methods include focusing the first electron beam such that it has a focal plane at or near the sample, and focusing the second electron beam so that it is incident on the sample, and has a focal plane in the diffraction plane. An interference pattern of the first electron beam and the diffracted second electron beam is then detected in the diffraction plane, and then used to generate a diffraction holograph.

Methods for using electron diffraction holography to investigate a sample, according to the present disclosure include the initial steps of emitting a plurality of electrons toward the sample, forming the plurality of electrons into a first electron beam and a second electron beam, and modifying the focal properties of at least one of the two beams such that the two beams have different focal planes. Once the two beams have different focal planes, the methods include focusing the first electron beam such that it has a focal plane at or near the sample, and focusing the second electron beam so that it is incident on the sample, and has a focal plane in the diffraction plane. An interference pattern of the first electron beam and the diffracted second electron beam is then detected in the diffraction plane, and then used to generate a diffraction holograph.