The present invention relates to a method, an apparatus and a computer program for analyzing and/or processing of a mask for lithography, in particular a mask for EUV lithography.

A method for analyzing and/or processing of a mask for lithography, in particular a mask for EUV lithography, is described, which method comprises the following steps: 1a.) generating at least one particle beam vortex; and 1b.) using the particle beam vortex for analyzing and/or processing of the mask.

A three-dimensional image reconstruction method associated with the present invention comprises the steps of: obtaining a first transmission electron microscope image of a sample containing the membrane proteins present within a lipid membrane, the image having been taken by illuminating an electron beam on the sample from a direction tilted relative to a line normal to the membrane surface of the lipid membrane (step S10); obtaining a second transmission electron microscope image of the sample taken by illuminating the electron beam on the sample perpendicularly to the membrane surface of the lipid membrane (step S12); identifying orientations of the membrane proteins of the first transmission electron microscope image on a basis of the second transmission electron microscope image (step S14); and analyzing a three-dimensional structure of the membrane proteins from the first transmission electron microscope image on a basis of information about the identified orientations of the membrane proteins (step S18).

There is proposed a column supporting structure that includes a viscoelastic sheet, a supporting plate which holds the viscoelastic sheet, and a fixation portion which connects the supporting plate to each lens barrel. The viscoelastic sheet is disposed to extend in a plane perpendicular to one lens barrel or the other lens barrel.

A system for adaptive electron beam scanning may include an inspection sub-system configured to scan an electron beam across the surface of a sample. The inspection sub-system may include an electron beam source, a sample stage, a set of electron-optic elements, a detector assembly and a controller communicatively coupled to one or more portions of the inspection sub-system. The controller may assess one or more characteristics of one or more portions of an area of the sample for inspection and, responsive to the assessed one or more characteristics, adjust one or more scan parameters of the inspection sub-system.

A high voltage feedthrough assembly (100) for providing an electric potential in a vacuum environment comprises a flange connector (10) being adapted for a connection with a vacuum vessel (201), wherein the flange connector (10) has an inner side (11) facing to the vacuum vessel (201) and an outer side (12) facing to an environment of the vacuum vessel 201, a vacuumtight insulator tube (20) having a longitudinal extension with a first end (21) facing to the flange connector (10) and a second end (22) being adapted for projecting into the vacuum vessel (201), and an electrode device (30) coupled to the second end (22) of the insulator tube (20), wherein the electrode device (30) has a front electrode (31), including a photocathode or a field emitter tip and facing to the vacuum vessel (201) and a cable adapter (32) for receiving a high-voltage cable (214), wherein a flexible tube connector (40) is provided for a vacuum-tight coupling of the insulator tube (20) with the flange connector (10), and a manipulator device (50) is connected with the insulator tube (20) for adjusting a geometrical arrangement of the insulator tube (20) relative to the flange connector (10). Furthermore, an electron diffraction or imaging apparatus (transmission electron microscope, TEM) 200 for static and/or time-resolved diffraction, including (nano-) crystallography, and real space imaging for structural investigations including the high voltage feedthrough assembly (100) and a method of manipulating an electrode device (30) in a vacuum environment are described.

Diffraction patterns of a sample at various tilt angles are acquired by irradiating a region of interest using a first charged particle beam. Sample images are acquired by irradiating the region of interest using a second charged particle beam. The first and second charged particle beams are formed by splitting charged particles generated by a charged particle source.

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for observing defects by using an SEM, wherein, in order to observe defects on a wafer at high speed and high sensitivity, positional information of defects on a sample, which has been optically inspected and detected by other inspecting apparatus, and information of the conditions of the optical inspection having been performed by other inspecting apparatus are obtained, and optically detecting the defects on the sample placed on a table, on the basis of the thus obtained information, and on the basis of the detected positional information of the defect on the sample placed on the table, the positional information of the defect having been inspected and detected by other inspecting apparatus is corrected, then, the defects on the sample placed on the table are observed by the SEM using the thus corrected positional information of the defects.

To improve the workability of the task of adjusting the position of a limit field diaphragm. An electron microscope provided with an image-capturing means for capturing an image of an observation visual field prior to insertion of a limit field diaphragm as a map image, a recording means for recording the map image, an extraction means for capturing an image of the observation visual field after insertion of the limit field diaphragm and extracting the outline of the diaphragm, a drawing means for drawing the outline on the map image, and a display means for displaying the image drawn by the drawing means.

An apparatus and a method for measuring and monitoring the properties of a fluid, for example, pressure, temperature, and chemical properties, within a sample holder for an electron microscope. The apparatus includes at least one fiber optic sensor used for measuring temperature and/or pressure and/or pH positioned in proximity of the sample.

A method is provided of measuring the mass thickness of a target sample for use in electron microscopy. Reference data are obtained which is representative of the X-rays (28) generated within a reference sample (12) when a particle beam (7) is caused to impinge upon a region (14) of the reference sample (12). The region (14) is of a predetermined thickness of less than 300 nm and has a predetermined composition. The particle beam (7) is caused to impinge upon a region (18) of the target sample (16). The resulting X-rays (29) generated within the target sample (16) are monitored (27) so as to produce monitored data. Output data are then calculated based upon the monitored data and the reference data, the output data including the mass thickness of the region (18) of the target sample (16).