Disclosed herein is an image sensor comprising: a plurality of packages arranged in a plurality of layers; wherein each of the packages comprises an X-ray detector mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB); wherein the packages are mounted on one or more system PCBs; wherein within an area encompassing a plurality of the X-ray detectors in the plurality of packages, a dead zone of the packages in each of the plurality of layers is shadowed by the packages in the other layers.

In order to provide an electron gun capable of maintaining a small spot diameter of a beam converged on a sample even when a probe current applied to the sample is increased, a magnetic field generation source 301 is provided with respect to an electron gun including: an electron source 101; an extraction electrode 102 configured to extract electrons from the electron source 101; an acceleration electrode 103 configured to accelerate the electrons extracted from the electron source 101; and a first coil 104 and a first magnetic path 201 having an opening on an electron source side, the first coil 104 and the first magnetic path 201 forming a control lens configured to converge an electron beam emitted from the acceleration electrode 103. The magnetic field generation source is provided for canceling a magnetic field, at an installation position of the electron source 101, generated by the first coil 104 and the first magnetic path 201.

In order to provide an electron gun capable of maintaining a small spot diameter of a beam converged on a sample even when a probe current applied to the sample is increased, a magnetic field generation source 301 is provided with respect to an electron gun including: an electron source 101; an extraction electrode 102 configured to extract electrons from the electron source 101; an acceleration electrode 103 configured to accelerate the electrons extracted from the electron source 101; and a first coil 104 and a first magnetic path 201 having an opening on an electron source side, the first coil 104 and the first magnetic path 201 forming a control lens configured to converge an electron beam emitted from the acceleration electrode 103. The magnetic field generation source is provided for canceling a magnetic field, at an installation position of the electron source 101, generated by the first coil 104 and the first magnetic path 201.

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.

The invention relates to an image capture assembly and method for use in an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) system. An image capture assembly comprises a scintillation screen (10) including a predefined screen region (11), an image sensor (20) comprising an array of photo sensors and a lens assembly (30). The image capture assembly is configured to operate in at least a first configuration or a second configuration. In the first configuration the lens assembly (30) projects the predefined region (11) of the scintillation screen (10) onto the array and in the second configuration the lens assembly (30) projects the predefined region (11) of the scintillation screen (10) onto a sub-region (21) of the array. In each of the first and second configurations the field of view of the lens assembly (30) is the same.

The invention relates to an image capture assembly and method for use in an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) system. An image capture assembly comprises a scintillation screen (10) including a predefined screen region (11), an image sensor (20) comprising an array of photo sensors and a lens assembly (30). The image capture assembly is configured to operate in at least a first configuration or a second configuration. In the first configuration the lens assembly (30) projects the predefined region (11) of the scintillation screen (10) onto the array and in the second configuration the lens assembly (30) projects the predefined region (11) of the scintillation screen (10) onto a sub-region (21) of the array. In each of the first and second configurations the field of view of the lens assembly (30) is the same.

Apparatus include a reflector positioned adjacent to a sample location that is situated to receive a charged particle beam (CPB) along a CPB axis from a CPB focusing assembly so that the reflector is situated to receive light emitted from a sample at the sample location based on a CPB-sample interaction or a photon-sample interaction and to direct the light to a photodetector, and a steering electrode situated adjacent to the reflector so as to direct secondary charged particles emitted from the sample based on the CPB-sample interaction away from the reflector and CPB axis. Methods and systems are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein is an image sensor comprising: a plurality of packages arranged in a plurality of layers; wherein each of the packages comprises an X-ray detector mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB); wherein the packages are mounted on one or more system PCBs; wherein within an area encompassing a plurality of the X-ray detectors in the plurality of packages, a dead zone of the packages in each of the plurality of layers is shadowed by the packages in the other layers.

Disclosed herein is an image sensor comprising: a plurality of packages arranged in a plurality of layers; wherein each of the packages comprises an X-ray detector mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB); wherein the packages are mounted on one or more system PCBs; wherein within an area encompassing a plurality of the X-ray detectors in the plurality of packages, a dead zone of the packages in each of the plurality of layers is shadowed by the packages in the other layers.

A method is provided for performing electron diffraction pattern analysis upon a sample in a vacuum chamber of a microscope. Firstly a sample is isolated from part of a specimen using a focused particle beam. A manipulator end effector is then attached to the sample so as to effect a predetermined orientation between the end effector and the sample. With the sample detached, the manipulator end effector is rotated about a rotation axis to bring the sample into a predetermined geometry with respect to an electron beam and diffraction pattern imaging apparatus so as to enable an electron diffraction pattern to be obtained from the sample while the sample is still fixed to the manipulator end effector. An electron beam is caused to impinge upon the sample attached to the manipulator end effector so as to obtain an electron diffraction pattern.