A multi-beam charged particle system includes: a vacuum enclosure having an opening covered by a door; a particle source configured to generate charged particles, wherein the particle source is arranged within the vacuum enclosure; at least one multi-aperture plate module including at least one multi-aperture plate and a base; and a transfer box having an opening covered by a door. The at least one multi-aperture plate includes a plurality of apertures. The base is configured to hold the at least one multi-aperture plate. The base is configured to be fixed relative to the vacuum enclosure such that the multi-aperture plate module is arranged in an interior of the vacuum enclosure such that, during operation of the particle beam system, particles traverse the plural multi-aperture plates through the apertures of the plates.

A substrate processing system includes a first substrate processing chamber, a first substrate transfer chamber connected to the first substrate processing chamber, a second substrate processing chamber, and a second substrate transfer chamber connected to the second substrate processing chamber. The substrate processing system further includes a buffer chamber connected between the first substrate transfer chamber and the second substrate transfer chamber, the buffer chamber having at least one substrate holder. At least a part of the buffer chamber and at least one of the first substrate transfer chamber or the second substrate transfer chamber are vertically overlapped with each other.

A scanning electron microscope (1) including a sliding vacuum seal (20) between an electron optical imaging system (2) and a sample carrier (10) with a first plate (22) having a first aperture (24) associated with the electron optical imaging system and resting against a second plate (26) having a second aperture (28) associated with the sample carrier. The first plate and/or the second plate includes a groove (40) circumscribing the first and/or second aperture. The scanning electron microscope may include a detector (8) movable relative to the electron beam. The scanning electron microscope may include a motion control unit for moving a sample carrier along a collision free path.

An ion implanter includes: a plurality of devices which are disposed along a beamline along which an ion beam is transported; a plurality of neutron ray measuring instruments which are disposed at a plurality of positions in the vicinity of the beamline and measure neutron rays which are generated at a plurality of locations of the beamline due to collision of a high-energy ion beam; and a control device which monitors at least one of the plurality of devices, based on a measurement value in at least one of the plurality of neutron ray measuring instruments.

An ion implanter includes: a main body which includes a plurality of units which are disposed along a beamline along which an ion beam is transported, and a substrate transferring/processing unit which is disposed farthest downstream of the beamline, and has a neutron ray source in which a neutron ray is generated due to collision of a ultrahigh energy ion beam; an enclosure which at least partially encloses the main body; and a neutron ray scattering member which is disposed at a position where a neutron ray which is emitted from the neutron ray source is incident in a direction in which a distance from the neutron ray source to the enclosure is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

The invention relates to a transport apparatus for transferring a sample between two devices. The transport apparatus comprises a transport tube provided with a carrier for holding a sample. The carrier is movable within said transport tube along a length thereof. The transport apparatus further comprises an actuator tube extending substantially next to said transport tube and which is provided with an actuator element that is movable within said actuator tube. Said actuator element comprises a first magnet part, and said sample carrier is provided with a second magnet part, wherein said first magnet part and said second magnet part are configured such that movement of the sample carrier through said transport tube is linked to movement of the magnetic actuator element through the actuator tube. In this way, movement of the magnetic actuator causes movement of the sample carrier, allowing safe, reliable and protected transport of the sample.

A sample exchange device includes a first transport mechanism that includes a grip portion that grips a sample holding member and transports a sample holding member to a sample exchange chamber, a cooling unit that cools the sample exchange chamber, fiber sensors that detect whether or not the grip portion of the first transport mechanism grips the sample holding member in the sample exchange chamber, and a control unit. The control unit turns on the fiber sensors when the grip portion of the first transport mechanism enters the sample exchange chamber and turns off the fiber sensors after it is detected whether or not the grip portion of the first transport mechanism grips the sample holding member.

In order to specify a dust emitting mechanism portion, a wafer must be provided near a mechanism portion in operation and the mechanism portion must be operated so that foreign matter sticks to a surface of the wafer. A mechanism that allows foreign matter to stick to a wafer by repeating operation of each of particular portions in a device and thus intentionally bringing about dust emission is provided. For example, the device includes a control device, a sample chamber in which a sample is processed, and a mechanism that loads and unloads a sample to and from the sample chamber, the mechanism has a plurality of portions, the control device has a script, and a particular portion of the plurality of portions of the mechanism is repeatedly operated as the control device executes the script.

A multi-beam charged particle system includes: a vacuum enclosure having an opening covered by a door; a particle source configured to generate charged particles, wherein the particle source is arranged within the vacuum enclosure; at least one multi-aperture plate module including at least one multi-aperture plate and a base; and a transfer box having an opening covered by a door. The at least one multi-aperture plate includes a plurality of apertures. The base is configured to hold the at least one multi-aperture plate. The base is configured to be fixed relative to the vacuum enclosure such that the multi-aperture plate module is arranged in an interior of the vacuum enclosure such that, during operation of the particle beam system, particles traverse the plural multi-aperture plates through the apertures of the plates.

A multi-beam charged particle system includes: a vacuum enclosure having an opening covered by a door; a particle source configured to generate charged particles, wherein the particle source is arranged within the vacuum enclosure; at least one multi-aperture plate module including at least one multi-aperture plate and a base; and a transfer box having an opening covered by a door. The at least one multi-aperture plate includes a plurality of apertures. The base is configured to hold the at least one multi-aperture plate. The base is configured to be fixed relative to the vacuum enclosure such that the multi-aperture plate module is arranged in an interior of the vacuum enclosure such that, during operation of the particle beam system, particles traverse the plural multi-aperture plates through the apertures of the plates.