Multi-beam e-beam columns and inspection systems that use such multi-beam e-beam columns are disclosed. A multi-beam e-beam column configured in accordance with the present disclosure may include an electron source and a multi-lens array configured to produce a plurality of beamlets utilizing electrons provided by the electron source. The multi-lens array may be further configured to shift a focus of at least one particular beamlet of the plurality of beamlets such that the focus of the at least one particular beamlet is different from a focus of at least one other beamlet of the plurality of beamlets.

A method of determining a distortion of a field of view of a scanning electron microscope is described. The method may include: providing a sample including substantially parallel lines extending in a first direction; performing scans across the field of view of the sample along respective scan-trajectories extending in a scan direction; the scan direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction; detecting a response signal of the sample caused by the scanning of the sample; determining a distance between a first line segment of a line and a second line segment of the line, whereby each of the first line segment and the second line segment are crossed by scan trajectories, based on the response signal; performing the previous step for multiple locations within the field of view; and determining the distortion across the field of view, based on the determined distances at the multiple locations.

A method of determining a distortion of a field of view of a scanning electron microscope is described. The method may include: providing a sample including substantially parallel lines extending in a first direction; performing scans across the field of view of the sample along respective scan-trajectories extending in a scan direction; the scan direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction; detecting a response signal of the sample caused by the scanning of the sample; determining a distance between a first line segment of a line and a second line segment of the line, whereby each of the first line segment and the second line segment are crossed by scan trajectories, based on the response signal; performing the previous step for multiple locations within the field of view; and determining the distortion across the field of view, based on the determined distances at the multiple locations.

A beam adjustment method includes: installing, on an irradiation surface to which an electron beam is radiated, a detection part having a Faraday cup catching electrical charges of the electron beam, and installing, on a side of an electron gun further than the detection part, a shielding plate having opening holes through which the electron beam is passable. The method includes causing, upon performing beam diameter measurement processing, the electron beam to pass through the opening holes, and radiating the electron beam to the Faraday cup. In addition, the method includes radiating, upon performing normal processing, the electron beam to the shielding plate.

It is aimed to properly correct the various types of distortion without a reduction in observation throughput. The present disclosure provides a charged particle beam device that obtains an image by irradiating a specimen with a charged particle beam and includes: a deflection coil that scans the charged particle beam on the specimen; a D/A converter that converts a digital scan waveform into an analog scan waveform and outputs the analog scan waveform to the deflection coil to drive the deflection coil; and a scan waveform generation unit that generates a digital scan waveform and outputs the digital scan waveform to the D/A converter, in which the scan waveform generation unit has a basic LUT that stores parameters for correcting the digital scan waveform and includes a correction circuit that corrects a distortion characteristic of the deflection coil

A method of determining a distortion of a field of view of a scanning electron microscope is described. The method may include: providing a sample including substantially parallel lines extending in a first direction; performing scans across the field of view of the sample along respective scan-trajectories extending in a scan direction; the scan direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction; detecting a response signal of the sample caused by the scanning of the sample; determining a distance between a first line segment of a line and a second line segment of the line, whereby each of the first line segment and the second line segment are crossed by scan trajectories, based on the response signal; performing the previous step for multiple locations within the field of view; and determining the distortion across the field of view, based on the determined distances at the multiple locations.

A method for calibrating a scanning charged particle microscope, such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM), is provided. The method includes dividing a wafer into a plurality of regions; preparing, on each of the plurality of regions, a pattern including a first periodic structure interleaved with a second periodic structure, the first and second periodic structures having an induced offset; determining an actual pitch the first and second periodic structures and thereby determining actual induced offset on each of the plurality of regions; selecting a plurality of regions from among the plurality of regions; measuring, by the SEM, a pitch of first and second periodic structures on each of the plurality of regions; and performing linearity calibration on the SEM based on the determining and the measuring.

Provided is an electron beam observation device that includes: an electron source; an objective lens concentrating an electron beam emitted from the electron source; and a control unit configured to perform control such that a plurality of images is generated by capturing images of a reference sample having a specific pattern, and a frequency characteristic is calculated for each of the plurality of images, in which an image is generated based on a secondary signal generated from a sample due to irradiation of the sample with the electron beam, and the control unit holds the plurality of frequency characteristics.

A charged particle beam apparatus for directing a charged particle beam to preselected locations of a sample surface is provided. The charged particle beam has a field of view of the sample surface. A charged-particle-optical arrangement is configured to direct a charged particle beam along a beam path towards the sample surface and to detect charged particles generated in the sample in response to the charged particle beam. A stage is configured to support and move the sample relative to the beam path. A controller is configured to control the charged particle beam apparatus so that the charged particle beam scans over a preselected location of the sample simultaneously with the stage moving the sample relative to the charged-particle-optical column along a route, the scan over the preselected location of the sample covering a part of an area of the field of view.

A system and method is provided for rapidly collecting high quality images of a specimen through controlling a re-focusable beam of an electron microscope. An intelligent acquisition system instructs the electron microscope to perform an initial low-resolution scan of a sample. A low-resolution image of the sample is received by the intelligent acquisition system as scanned image information from the electron microscope. The intelligent acquisition system then determines regions of interest within the low-resolution image and instructs the electron microscope to perform a high-resolution scan of the sample, only in areas of the sample corresponding to the determined regions of interest or portions of the determined regions of interest, so that other regions within the sample are not scanned at high-resolution. The intelligent acquisition system then reconstructs an image using the collected high-resolution scan pixels and pixels in the received low-resolution image.