A method for operating a multi-beam particle optical unit comprises includes providing a first setting of effects of particle-optical components, wherein a particle-optical imaging is characterizable by at least two parameters. The method also includes determining a matrix A, and determining a matrix S. The method further includes defining values of parameters which characterize a desired imaging, and providing a second setting of the effects of the components in such a way that the particle-optical imaging is characterizable by the parameters having the defined values.

A method for operating a multi-beam particle optical unit comprises includes providing a first setting of effects of particle-optical components, wherein a particle-optical imaging is characterizable by at least two parameters. The method also includes determining a matrix A, and determining a matrix S. The method further includes defining values of parameters which characterize a desired imaging, and providing a second setting of the effects of the components in such a way that the particle-optical imaging is characterizable by the parameters having the defined values.

In a charged particle beam apparatus that applies a retarding voltage to a sample through a contact terminal and executes measurement or inspection of a surface of the sample, potential variation of the sample when changing the retarding voltage applied to the contact terminal is measured by a surface potential meter, a time constant of the potential variation of the sample is obtained, and it is determined whether execution of measurement or inspection by a charged particle beam continues or stops based on the time constant, or a conduction ensuring process between the sample and the contact terminal is executed.

In a charged particle beam apparatus that applies a retarding voltage to a sample through a contact terminal and executes measurement or inspection of a surface of the sample, potential variation of the sample when changing the retarding voltage applied to the contact terminal is measured by a surface potential meter, a time constant of the potential variation of the sample is obtained, and it is determined whether execution of measurement or inspection by a charged particle beam continues or stops based on the time constant, or a conduction ensuring process between the sample and the contact terminal is executed.

An objective lens arrangement includes a first, second and third pole pieces, each being substantially rotationally symmetric. The first, second and third pole pieces are disposed on a same side of an object plane. An end of the first pole piece is separated from an end of the second pole piece to form a first gap, and an end of the third pole piece is separated from an end of the second pole piece to form a second gap. A first excitation coil generates a focusing magnetic field in the first gap, and a second excitation coil generates a compensating magnetic field in the second gap. First and second power supplies supply current to the first and second excitation coils, respectively. A magnetic flux generated in the second pole piece is oriented in a same direction as a magnetic flux generated in the second pole piece.

An objective lens arrangement includes a first, second and third pole pieces, each being substantially rotationally symmetric. The first, second and third pole pieces are disposed on a same side of an object plane. An end of the first pole piece is separated from an end of the second pole piece to form a first gap, and an end of the third pole piece is separated from an end of the second pole piece to form a second gap. A first excitation coil generates a focusing magnetic field in the first gap, and a second excitation coil generates a compensating magnetic field in the second gap. First and second power supplies supply current to the first and second excitation coils, respectively. A magnetic flux generated in the second pole piece is oriented in a same direction as a magnetic flux generated in the second pole piece.

When focus adjustment is performed according to the height of the surface of a sample at each inspection point in order to continuously inspect a plurality of inspection points on a wafer by using an electron microscope, even when the focus adjustment by an electrostatic lens in which a variation of heights of inspection points is greater than a predetermined range, and that can perform adjustment at a high speed and adjustment by an electromagnetic lens with a low speed are required to be used together, a flow of focus adjustment in which the number of times of the adjustment by the electromagnetic lens is reduced by using a relation of changes of heights at inspection points, an inspection order, and a range in which an electrostatic focus can be performed is realized, so that inspection with high throughput is made possible.

When focus adjustment is performed according to the height of the surface of a sample at each inspection point in order to continuously inspect a plurality of inspection points on a wafer by using an electron microscope, even when the focus adjustment by an electrostatic lens in which a variation of heights of inspection points is greater than a predetermined range, and that can perform adjustment at a high speed and adjustment by an electromagnetic lens with a low speed are required to be used together, a flow of focus adjustment in which the number of times of the adjustment by the electromagnetic lens is reduced by using a relation of changes of heights at inspection points, an inspection order, and a range in which an electrostatic focus can be performed is realized, so that inspection with high throughput is made possible.

An analysis method using an electron microscope, detects by a first electronography detector an electron beam transmitted through or scattered by a sample to detect an ADF image of the sample, detects by a second electronography detector the electron beam passing through the first electronography detector to detect an MABF image, adjusts a focal point of the electron beam to be located on the film of the sample to obtain first and second electronographies by the second and first electronography detectors, respectively, adjusts the focal point of the electron beam to be located on the substrate of the sample to obtain third and fourth electronographies by the second and first electronography detectors, respectively, aligns positions of the second and fourth electronographies based on the first and third electronographies, and after the aligning, subtracts the fourth electronography from the second electronography to obtain an image of the film.

An analysis method using an electron microscope, detects by a first electronography detector an electron beam transmitted through or scattered by a sample to detect an ADF image of the sample, detects by a second electronography detector the electron beam passing through the first electronography detector to detect an MABF image, adjusts a focal point of the electron beam to be located on the film of the sample to obtain first and second electronographies by the second and first electronography detectors, respectively, adjusts the focal point of the electron beam to be located on the substrate of the sample to obtain third and fourth electronographies by the second and first electronography detectors, respectively, aligns positions of the second and fourth electronographies based on the first and third electronographies, and after the aligning, subtracts the fourth electronography from the second electronography to obtain an image of the film.