The invention relates to method of milling and imaging a sample. The method comprises the step of providing an imaging system, as well as a milling beam source. The method comprises the steps of milling, using a milling beam from said milling beam source, a sample to remove a layer of the sample; and imaging, using said imaging system, an exposed surface of the sample. As defined herein, the method further comprises the step of determining a relative position of said sample, and using said determined relative position of said sample in said milling step for positioning said sample relative to said milling beam. The relative position of said sample can be a working distance with respect to the imaging system, which can be determined by means of an autofocus procedure.

Systems, devices, and methods for performing a non-contact electrical measurement (NCEM) on a NCEM-enabled cell included in a NCEM-enabled cell vehicle may be configured to perform NCEMs while the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle is moving. The movement may be due to vibrations in the system and/or movement of a movable stage on which the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle is positioned. Position information for an electron beam column producing the electron beam performing the NCEMs and/or for the moving stage may be used to align the electron beam with targets on the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle while it is moving.

A method of milling a sample that includes a first layer formed over a second layer, where the first and second layers are different materials, the method comprising: milling the region of the sample by scanning a focused ion beam over the region a plurality of iterations in which, for each iteration, the focused ion beam removes material from the sample generating byproducts from the milled region; detecting, during the milling, the partial pressures of one or more byproducts with a residual gas analyzer positioned to have a direct line of sight to the milled region; generating, in real-time, an output detection signal from the residual gas analyzer indicative of an amount of the one or more byproducts detected; and stopping the milling based on the output signal.

A surface processing apparatus is an apparatus which performs surface processing on an inspection object 20 by irradiating the inspection object with an electron beam. A surface processing apparatus includes: an electron source 10 (including lens system that controls beam shape of electron beam) which generates an electron beam; a stage 30 on which an inspection object 20 to be irradiated with the electron beam is set; and an optical microscope 110 for checking a position to be irradiated with the electron beam. The current value of the electron beam which irradiates the inspection object 20 is set at 10 nA to 100 A.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for integration of image-based metrology into a milling workflow. A first ion beam milling operation is performed to an edge at a distance from a final target position on a sample. An SEM image of the sample is used to determine a distance between the milled edge and a reference structure on the sample. Based on the determined distance, the ion beam is adjusted to perform a second milling operation to shift the milled edge to the final target position. Extensions to iterative procedures are disclosed. Various geometric configurations and corrections are disclosed. Manufacturing and analytic applications are disclosed in a variety of fields, including read-write head manufacture and TEM sample preparation. Other combinations of imaging and milling tools can be used.

In one embodiment, a multi charged-particle beam writing apparatus includes a plurality of blankers switching between ON and OFF state of a corresponding beam among multiple beams, a main deflector deflecting beams having been subjected to blanking deflection to a writing position of the beams in accordance with movement of a stage, a detector scanning a mark on the stage with each of the beams having been deflected by the main deflector and detecting a beam position from a change in intensity of reflected charged particles and a position of the stage, and a beam shape calculator switching an ON beam, scanning the mark with the ON beam, and calculating a shape of the multiple beams from a beam position. A shape of a deflection field of the main deflector is corrected by using a polynomial representing an amount of beam position shift that is dependent on a beam deflection position of the main deflector and then the mark is scanned with the ON beam. The polynomial is different for each ON beam.

The present invention relates to an automatic sequence for repeatedly performing SEM observation and FIB processing by using a low acceleration voltage for a long time. In order to realize very accurate three-dimensional structure/composition analysis, in the automatic sequence for repeatedly performing sample observation using a scanning electron microscope using a CFE electron source and sample processing using a FIB device, low temperature flushing using the CFE electron source is performed at predetermined timing except for a SEM observation time. According to the present invention, the automatic sequence for repeatedly performing the sample observation using the scanning electron microscope using the CFE electron source and the sample processing using the FIB device can be performed for a long time. Therefore, it is possible to acquire a SEM image which achieves high resolution and improved current stability while the low acceleration voltage is used.

The present invention realizes a composite charged particle beam apparatus capable of suppressing a leakage magnetic field from a pole piece forming an objective lens of an SEM with a simple structure. The charged particle beam apparatus according to the present invention obtains an ion beam observation image while passing a current to a first coil constituting the objective lens, and performs an operation of reducing the image shift by passing a current to a second coil with a plurality of current values, and determines a current to be passed to the second coil based on a difference between the operations.

Reciprocal space map of specific sample locations is generated based on the sample images acquired by irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam at multiple incident angles. The incident angles are obtained by tilting the charged particle beam and/or the sample around two perpendicular axes within the sample plane. The reciprocal space map of a selected sample location is generated based on intensity of pixels corresponding to the location in the sample images.

A detecting method and a detecting equipment therefor are provided. The detecting method includes: inspecting whether a display panel has a defective position; after acquiring the defective position of the display panel by the inspecting, using a first focused ion beam generated by a first ion overhaul apparatus to cut the defective position of the display panel, so as to strip a defect at the defective position and observe morphology of defect; using a repair apparatus to perform a repair treatment on the defective position after the defect is stripped. An inspection apparatus for the inspecting of the defective position, the first ion overhaul apparatus and the repair apparatus are sequentially installed on the same production line.