A charged-particle microscope, comprising a vacuum chamber in which are provided: A specimen holder for holding a specimen in an irradiation position; A particle-optical column, for producing a charged particle beam and directing it so as to irradiate the specimen; A detector, for detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to irradiation by said beam,
wherein: Said vacuum chamber comprises an in situ magnetron sputter deposition module, comprising a magnetron sputter source for producing a vapor stream of target material; A stage is configured to move a sample comprising at least part of said specimen between said irradiation position and a separate deposition position at said deposition module; Said deposition module is configured to deposit a layer of said target material onto said sample when held at said deposition position.

A charged-particle microscope, comprising a vacuum chamber in which are provided: A specimen holder for holding a specimen in an irradiation position; A particle-optical column, for producing a charged particle beam and directing it so as to irradiate the specimen; A detector, for detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to irradiation by said beam,
wherein: Said vacuum chamber comprises an in situ magnetron sputter deposition module, comprising a magnetron sputter source for producing a vapor stream of target material; A stage is configured to move a sample comprising at least part of said specimen between said irradiation position and a separate deposition position at said deposition module; Said deposition module is configured to deposit a layer of said target material onto said sample when held at said deposition position.

An electromagnetic compound lens may be configured to focus a charged particle beam. The compound lens may include an electrostatic lens provided on a secondary optical axis and a magnetic lens also provided on the secondary optical axis. The magnetic lens may include a permanent magnet. A charged particle optical system may include a beam separator configured to separate a plurality of beamlets of a primary charged particle beam generated by a source along a primary optical axis from secondary beams of secondary charged particles. The system may include a secondary imaging system configured to focus the secondary beams onto a detector along the secondary optical axis. The secondary imaging system may include the compound lens.

An electromagnetic compound lens may be configured to focus a charged particle beam. The compound lens may include an electrostatic lens provided on a secondary optical axis and a magnetic lens also provided on the secondary optical axis. The magnetic lens may include a permanent magnet. A charged particle optical system may include a beam separator configured to separate a plurality of beamlets of a primary charged particle beam generated by a source along a primary optical axis from secondary beams of secondary charged particles. The system may include a secondary imaging system configured to focus the secondary beams onto a detector along the secondary optical axis. The secondary imaging system may include the compound lens.

Areas having different isotopic ratios are artificially introduced into a metal material before sintering, a heat treatment, or Grain boundary diffusion, and atom probe analysis results before and after sintering, a heat treatment, or grain boundary diffusion are compared to evaluate a change in isotopic distribution over time.

Quantitative Secondary Electron Detection (QSED) using the array of solid state devices (SSD) based electron-counters enable critical dimension metrology measurements in materials such as semiconductors, nanomaterials, and biological samples (FIG. 3). Methods and devices effect a quantitative detection of secondary electrons with the array of solid state detectors comprising a number of solid state detectors. An array senses the number of secondary electrons with a plurality of solid state detectors, counting the number of secondary electrons with a time to digital converter circuit in counter mode.

Quantitative Secondary Electron Detection (QSED) using the array of solid state devices (SSD) based electron-counters enable critical dimension metrology measurements in materials such as semiconductors, nanomaterials, and biological samples (FIG. 3). Methods and devices effect a quantitative detection of secondary electrons with the array of solid state detectors comprising a number of solid state detectors. An array senses the number of secondary electrons with a plurality of solid state detectors, counting the number of secondary electrons with a time to digital converter circuit in counter mode.

The disclosure is directed to techniques in preparing an atom probe tomography (“APT”) specimen. The disclosed techniques form an APT specimen or sample directly on a DUT region on a wafer. The APT specimen is formed integrally to the substrate or the support structure, e.g., a carrier, under the APT specimen. A laser patterning is conducted to form a trench in the DUT and one or more bump structures in the trench. The laser patterning is relatively coarse and forms a coarse surface texture on each of the bump structures. A low-kV gas ion milling using a dual-beam focused ion beam (“FIB”) microscopes is then conducted to shape the bump structures into APT specimen.

The disclosure is directed to techniques in preparing an atom probe tomography (“APT”) specimen. The disclosed techniques form an APT specimen or sample directly on a DUT region on a wafer. The APT specimen is formed integrally to the substrate or the support structure, e.g., a carrier, under the APT specimen. A laser patterning is conducted to form a trench in the DUT and one or more bump structures in the trench. The laser patterning is relatively coarse and forms a coarse surface texture on each of the bump structures. A low-kV gas ion milling using a dual-beam focused ion beam (“FIB”) microscopes is then conducted to shape the bump structures into APT specimen.

A method of forming a sample and performing correlative S/TEM and APM analysis is provided wherein a sample containing a region of interest is cut from a bulk of sample material and formed into an ultra-thin lamella. The lamella is then analyzed with an S/TEM to form an image. The lamella sample and mount may then go through a cleaning process to remove any contamination. The lamella containing the ROI is then embedded within a selected material and is formed into a needle-shaped sample. The needle-shaped sample is then analyzed with the APM and the resulting data is merged and correlated with the S/TEM data.