A method and apparatus for dosage measurement and monitoring in an ion implantation system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a transferring system, includes: a vacuum chamber, wherein the vacuum chamber is coupled to a processing chamber; a shaft coupled to a ball screw, wherein the ball screw and the shaft are configured in the vacuum chamber; and a vacuum rotary feedthrough, wherein the vacuum rotary feedthrough comprises a magnetic fluid seal so as to provide a high vacuum sealing, and wherein the vacuum rotary feedthrough is configured through a first end of the vacuum chamber and coupled to the ball screw so as to provide a rotary motion on the ball screw.

In one embodiment, a multi-beam writing method includes forming a beam array of a multi-beam, assigning sub-beam arrays to each of a plurality of sub-stripe regions, the sub-stripe regions being obtained by dividing a region on the substrate, and the sub-beam arrays being obtained by dividing the beam array, calculating an irradiation time modulation rate being used for each beam belonging to each of the sub-beam arrays, calculating a weight for each of the sub-beam arrays based on the irradiation time modulation rate for each of the beams belonging to a group of the sub-beam arrays, and assigning the calculated weight to the sub-beam array, and performing multiple writing on each of the sub-stripe regions by performing writing on each of the sub-stripe regions with the sub-beam arrays, based on the weight assigned to the sub-beam array and the irradiation time modulation rate of the beam belonging to the sub-beam array.

This invention pertains to an imaging method, the purpose of which is to reveal, over a wide range, information about a plurality of layers contained in a multilayer structure, or form an image of the revealed applicable layers. The method proposed includes: a step in which, while rotating the sample with the axis of the normal line of the sample surface as the axis of rotation, the sample is irradiated with an ion beam from a direction inclined with respect to the normal line direction, via a mask having an opening which selectively allows the passage of an ion beam and which is disposed at a position distant from the sample, thereby forming a hole with a band-shaped sloped surface that is inclined with respect to the sample surface; and a step in which a first image viewed from a direction intersecting with the sloped surface of the applicable layer is formed, on the basis of a signal obtained by irradiating, with a charged particle beam, the applicable layer contained in the band-shaped sloped surface.

This invention pertains to an imaging method, the purpose of which is to reveal, over a wide range, information about a plurality of layers contained in a multilayer structure, or form an image of the revealed applicable layers. The method proposed includes: a step in which, while rotating the sample with the axis of the normal line of the sample surface as the axis of rotation, the sample is irradiated with an ion beam from a direction inclined with respect to the normal line direction, via a mask having an opening which selectively allows the passage of an ion beam and which is disposed at a position distant from the sample, thereby forming a hole with a band-shaped sloped surface that is inclined with respect to the sample surface; and a step in which a first image viewed from a direction intersecting with the sloped surface of the applicable layer is formed, on the basis of a signal obtained by irradiating, with a charged particle beam, the applicable layer contained in the band-shaped sloped surface.

Described are various embodiments of an ion beam delayering system and method, topographically enhanced sample produced thereby, and imaging methods and systems related thereto. In one embodiment, a method comprises: identifying at least two materials in an exposed surface of the sample and predetermined operational characteristics of an ion beam mill that correspond with a substantially different ion beam mill removal rate for at least one of the materials; operating the ion beam mill in accordance with the predetermined operational characteristics to simultaneously remove the materials and introduce or enhance a topography associated with the materials and surface features defined thereby; acquiring surface data; and repeating the operating and acquiring steps for at least one more layer.

Described are various embodiments of an ion beam delayering system and method, topographically enhanced sample produced thereby, and imaging methods and systems related thereto. In one embodiment, a method comprises: identifying at least two materials in an exposed surface of the sample and predetermined operational characteristics of an ion beam mill that correspond with a substantially different ion beam mill removal rate for at least one of the materials; operating the ion beam mill in accordance with the predetermined operational characteristics to simultaneously remove the materials and introduce or enhance a topography associated with the materials and surface features defined thereby; acquiring surface data; and repeating the operating and acquiring steps for at least one more layer.

A method of evaluating a region of a sample that includes two or more sub-regions adjacent to each other that have different milling rates. The method can include: scanning a focused ion beam over the region during a single scan frame such that the ion beam is scanned over a first sub-region of the region having a first milling rate at a first scan rate and then scanned over a second sub-region of the region having a second milling rate at a second scan rate, where the second milling rate is faster than the first milling rate and second scan rate is faster than the first scan rate; and repeating the scanning process a plurality of times to etch the region to a desired depth.

A method of evaluating a region of a sample that includes two or more sub-regions adjacent to each other that have different milling rates. The method can include: scanning a focused ion beam over the region during a single scan frame such that the ion beam is scanned over a first sub-region of the region having a first milling rate at a first scan rate and then scanned over a second sub-region of the region having a second milling rate at a second scan rate, where the second milling rate is faster than the first milling rate and second scan rate is faster than the first scan rate; and repeating the scanning process a plurality of times to etch the region to a desired depth.

An automatic sample preparation apparatus that automatically prepares a sample piece from a sample and includes a focused ion beam irradiation optical system, an electron beam irradiation optical system configured to irradiate an electron beam from a direction different from a direction of the focused ion beam, a sample piece transfer device configured to hold and transfer the sample piece separated and extracted from the sample, a detector configured to detect secondary charged particles emitted from an irradiation object, and a computer configured to recognize a position of the sample piece transfer device by image-recognition using an image data of the focused ion beam and the electron beam generated by irradiating the sample piece transfer device with the focused ion beam and the electron beam, and drive the sample piece transfer device, wherein the image data includes a reference mark.

An automatic sample preparation apparatus that automatically prepares a sample piece from a sample and includes a focused ion beam irradiation optical system, an electron beam irradiation optical system configured to irradiate an electron beam from a direction different from a direction of the focused ion beam, a sample piece transfer device configured to hold and transfer the sample piece separated and extracted from the sample, a detector configured to detect secondary charged particles emitted from an irradiation object, and a computer configured to recognize a position of the sample piece transfer device by image-recognition using an image data of the focused ion beam and the electron beam generated by irradiating the sample piece transfer device with the focused ion beam and the electron beam, and drive the sample piece transfer device, wherein the image data includes a reference mark.