Various methods and systems are provided for generating an energy resolved chroma image of a sample. Upon irradiated by a charged particle beam, scattered charged particles from the sample are directed to form a first image before entering a spectrometer. The scattered charged particles are then dispersed based on their energy when passing through the spectrometer. The dispersed particles form a second image on a detector. The scattered particles at each location of the first image is spread along a corresponding energy spread vector in the second image.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing an electron beam generator and an electron beam applicator for which maintenance is facilitated. The electron beam generator comprises a vacuum chamber, a photocathode holder, an activation vessel, and an internal motive power transmission member. The photocathode holder is capable of moving relative to the activation vessel.

A device for locally manipulating a spatial phase distribution of a charged particle wave propagating along a beam axis comprises a support element having a target region for receiving the charged particle wave propagating along the beam axis and a plurality of phase adjusting elements, supported by the support element and located in the target region, for locally adjusting the phase of the charged particle wave when the charged particle wave impinges on the phase adjusting element. The device also comprises a plurality of control lines connected to the plurality of phase adjusting elements for individually controlling each phase adjusting element.

Various methods and systems are provided for acquiring electron backscatter diffraction patterns. In one example, a first scan is performed by directing a charged particle beam towards multiple impact points within a ROI and detecting particles scattered from the multiple impact points. A signal quality of each impact point of the multiple impact points is calculated based on the detected particles. A signal quality of the ROI is calculated based on the signal quality of each impact point. Responsive to the signal quality of the ROI lower than a threshold signal quality, a second scan of the ROI is performed. A structural image of the sample may be formed based on detected particles from both the first scan and the second scan.

Method for acquisition of at least one hologram of a sample by off-axis holography using a transmission electron microscope, the microscope comprising an electron beam source, at least one objective lens, a sample holder, at electron biprism and means of displacing the electron beam in precession mode upstream from the sample holder and a compensator of the precession downstream from the sample holder, said method comprising the activation of means of displacing the electron beam in precession mode and the compensator and acquisition of a hologram of said sample in precession mode.

Method for acquisition of at least one hologram of a sample by off-axis holography using a transmission electron microscope, the microscope comprising an electron beam source, at least one objective lens, a sample holder, at electron biprism and means of displacing the electron beam in precession mode upstream from the sample holder and a compensator of the precession downstream from the sample holder, said method comprising the activation of means of displacing the electron beam in precession mode and the compensator and acquisition of a hologram of said sample in precession mode.

Systems and method for the preparation and delivery of biological samples for charged particle analysis are disclosed herein. An example system at least includes an ion filter coupled to select a sample ion from an ionized sample supply, the ion filter including a quadrupole filter to select the sample ion from the sample supply, an energy reduction cell coupled to receive the selected sample ion and reduce a kinetic energy of the sample ion, a validation unit coupled to receive the sample ion and determine whether the sample ion is a target sample ion, a substrate coupled to receive the sample, wherein the substrate is electron transparent, an ion transport module coupled to receive the sample ion from the ion filter and transport the sample ion to the substrate, and an imaging system arranged to image, with a low energy charged particle beam, the sample located on the substrate, wherein the substrate is arranged in an analysis location. The imaging system including a charge particle emitter coupled to direct coherent charged particles toward the sample; and a detector arranged to detect interference patterns formed from interaction of the coherent charged particles and the sample.

Systems and method for the preparation and delivery of biological samples for charged particle analysis are disclosed herein. An example system at least includes an ion filter coupled to select a sample ion from an ionized sample supply, the ion filter including a quadrupole filter to select the sample ion from the sample supply, an energy reduction cell coupled to receive the selected sample ion and reduce a kinetic energy of the sample ion, a validation unit coupled to receive the sample ion and determine whether the sample ion is a target sample ion, a substrate coupled to receive the sample, wherein the substrate is electron transparent, an ion transport module coupled to receive the sample ion from the ion filter and transport the sample ion to the substrate, and an imaging system arranged to image, with a low energy charged particle beam, the sample located on the substrate, wherein the substrate is arranged in an analysis location. The imaging system including a charge particle emitter coupled to direct coherent charged particles toward the sample; and a detector arranged to detect interference patterns formed from interaction of the coherent charged particles and the sample.

An electron microscope includes: an irradiation lens system that irradiates a specimen with an electron beam; an irradiation system deflector that deflects an electron beam incident on the specimen; a specimen tilting mechanism that tilts the specimen; an imaging lens system that forms an electron diffraction pattern or an electron microscope image by using an electron having passed through the specimen; an imaging device that acquires the electron diffraction pattern or the electron microscope image formed by the imaging lens system; and a controller that controls the irradiation system deflector and the specimen tilting mechanism. The controller performs: a process of acquiring a plurality of electron diffraction patters formed by using electron beams having different incidence angles to the specimen, the different incidence angles having been obtained by deflecting the electron beams incident on the specimen by using the irradiation system deflector; a process of calculating a tilt angle of the specimen based on the plurality of electron diffraction patterns; and a process of controlling the specimen tilting mechanism so that the specimen has the calculated tilt angle.

An electron microscope includes: an irradiation lens system that irradiates a specimen with an electron beam; an irradiation system deflector that deflects an electron beam incident on the specimen; a specimen tilting mechanism that tilts the specimen; an imaging lens system that forms an electron diffraction pattern or an electron microscope image by using an electron having passed through the specimen; an imaging device that acquires the electron diffraction pattern or the electron microscope image formed by the imaging lens system; and a controller that controls the irradiation system deflector and the specimen tilting mechanism. The controller performs: a process of acquiring a plurality of electron diffraction patters formed by using electron beams having different incidence angles to the specimen, the different incidence angles having been obtained by deflecting the electron beams incident on the specimen by using the irradiation system deflector; a process of calculating a tilt angle of the specimen based on the plurality of electron diffraction patterns; and a process of controlling the specimen tilting mechanism so that the specimen has the calculated tilt angle.