An automated grid handling apparatus for an electron microscope including a transport module having a multistage shuttle, the multistage shuttle having a first shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion for gross movement, a second shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion independent of the first stage for fine movement, an end effector connected to at least one of the first and second shuttle stages, the end effector being configured to hold a grid carrier and transport the grid carrier holding the grid into and out of an electron microscope through a transport interface that is communicably connected to a multi-axis positioning stage port of the electron microscope, the end effector having a range of motion, defined by a combination of the first and second stage degrees of freedom of motions and the multi-axis positioning stage internal to the electron microscope, and an automated loading module connected to the frame and being communicably connected to the transport module, the automated loading module including a load port module through which grids are loaded into the automated loading and transport modules.

An automated grid handling apparatus for an electron microscope including a transport module having a multistage shuttle, the multistage shuttle having a first shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion for gross movement, a second shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion independent of the first stage for fine movement, an end effector connected to at least one of the first and second shuttle stages, the end effector being configured to hold a grid carrier and transport the grid carrier holding the grid into and out of an electron microscope through a transport interface that is communicably connected to a multi-axis positioning stage port of the electron microscope, the end effector having a range of motion, defined by a combination of the first and second stage degrees of freedom of motions and the multi-axis positioning stage internal to the electron microscope, and an automated loading module connected to the frame and being communicably connected to the transport module, the automated loading module including a load port module through which grids are loaded into the automated loading and transport modules.

An automated grid handling apparatus for an electron microscope including a transport module having a multistage shuttle, the multistage shuttle having a first shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion for gross movement, a second shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion independent of the first stage for fine movement, an end effector connected to at least one of the first and second shuttle stages, the end effector being configured to hold a grid carrier and transport the grid carrier holding the grid into and out of an electron microscope through a transport interface that is communicably connected to a multi-axis positioning stage port of the electron microscope, the end effector having a range of motion, defined by a combination of the first and second stage degrees of freedom of motions and the multi-axis positioning stage internal to the electron microscope, and an automated loading module connected to the frame and being communicably connected to the transport module, the automated loading module including a load port module through which grids are loaded into the automated loading and transport modules.

Sample support design and sample cooling devices for single-particle cryo-electron microscopy that simplify sample preparation and handling, dramatically reduce errors and improve outcome reproducibility, and dramatically reduce overall costs. The system consisting of grid based sample support system, grid handling tools, grid blotting tools, a plunge cooling system, and jet cooling systems.

Sample preparation system and method which enable electron microscope observation of a sample slice with simple structure and process are provided. The sample preparation system includes at least one of a plasma treatment apparatus and a sputtering apparatus, as well as a slice collecting apparatus. The plasma treatment apparatus is configured to feed a resin tape in a plasma irradiation area to irradiate the resin tape with plasma, thereby continuously hydrophilizing the resin tape. The sputtering apparatus is configured to feed the resin tape in a sputtering area to continuously perform sputtering on the resin tape, thereby imparting conductivity to the resin tape. The slice collecting apparatus is configured to serially collect slices cut out from a sample onto the resin tape having been subjected to plasma treatment or sputtering.

An automated grid handling apparatus for an electron microscope including a transport module having a multistage shuttle comprising a first shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion and a second shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion independent of the first stage, an end effector connected to at least one of the first and second shuttle stages, the end effector configured to hold a grid carrier and transport the grid carrier into and out of an electron microscope through a transport interface that communicates with a multi-axis positioning stage port of the microscope, the end effector having a range of motion defined by the first and second stage degrees of freedom of motions and the multi-axis positioning stage internal to the electron microscope, and an automated loading module connected to the frame and communicating with the transport module, the automated loading module including a load port module through which grids are loaded into the automated loading and transport modules.

A structure for grounding an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for grounding an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and back side. The inspection quality of the EU mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUV mask is grounded. The reflective surface of the EUV mask on a continuously moving stage is scanned by using the electron beam simultaneously. The moving direction of the stage is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the electron beam.

Systems and methods for conducting charged particle beam modulation are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam apparatus generates a plurality of charged particle beams. A modulator may be configured to receive the plurality of charged particle beams and generate a plurality of modulated charged particle beams. A detector may be configured to receive the plurality of modulated charged particle beams.

A method and system for analyzing a specimen in a microscope are disclosed. The method comprises: acquiring a series of compound image frames using a first detector and a second detector, different from the first detector, wherein acquiring a compound image frame comprises: causing a charged particle beam to impinge upon a plurality of locations within a region of a specimen, the region corresponding to a configured field of view of the microscope, the microscope being configured with a set of microscope conditions, monitoring, in accordance with the configured microscope conditions, a first set of resulting particles generated within the specimen at the plurality of locations using the first detector so as to obtain a first image frame, monitoring, in accordance with the configured microscope conditions, a second set of resulting particles generated within the specimen at the plurality of locations using the second detector, so as to obtain a second image frame, wherein each image frame comprises a plurality of pixels corresponding to, and derived from the monitored particles generated at, the plurality of locations within the region, for each pixel of the second image frame, if the configured microscope conditions are the same as those for a stored second image frame of an immediately preceding acquired compound frame in the series, and if the respective pixel corresponds to a location within the region to which a stored pixel comprised by said stored second image frame corresponds, combining said stored pixel with the pixel so as to increase the signal-to-noise ratio for the pixel, and combining the first image frame and second image frame so as to produce the compound image frame, such that the compound image frame provides data derived from, for each of the plurality of pixels, the particles generated at the corresponding location within the region and monitored by each of the first detector and second detector; and displaying the series of compound image frames in real-time on a visual display.

An automated grid handling apparatus for an electron microscope including a transport module having a multistage shuttle comprising a first shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion and a second shuttle stage having a single degree of freedom of motion independent of the first stage, an end effector connected to at least one of the first and second shuttle stages, the end effector configured to hold a grid carrier and transport the grid carrier into and out of an electron microscope through a transport interface that communicates with a multi-axis positioning stage port of the microscope, the end effector having a range of motion defined by the first and second stage degrees of freedom of motions and the multi-axis positioning stage internal to the electron microscope, and an automated loading module connected to the frame and communicating with the transport module, the automated loading module including a load port module through which grids are loaded into the automated loading and transport modules.