A multi-beam writing method includes performing the k-th tracking control (k being a natural number) by beam deflection in order to follow movement of the stage while collecting each beam of multiple beams, performing a plurality of shots of the multiple beams by the each beam simultaneously shifting in a rectangular or square irradiation region, which is surrounded by the size of the beam pitch and corresponding to the each beam, while performing the k-th tracking control, and returning, after the period of the k-th tracking control has passed, the tracking position to a position which is obtained by adding an offset of an integer multiple of the size of the beam pitch to the tracking starting position of the k-th tracking control where the k-th tracking control started, to be as a starting position of the (k+1)th tracking control.

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.

Methods and apparatuses for capturing volume information of microscopic samples include a microscope system having at least one particle beam column, by which a beam of focused, charged particles can be generated, and an in-situ microtome, i.e., a microtome integrated in the microscope system. The method cam include a) providing a sample including a volume of interest (VOI); b) setting a cut surface lying within the sample; c) defining the set cut surface as processing surface; d) exposing the cut surface by virtue of ablating sample material by cutting with the in-situ microtome; and e) processing the sample with the particle beam, wherein the start point of the processing is disposed on the exposed processing surface.

According to the present invention, writing data capable of suppressing a data amount and a calculation amount in a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus is generated from design data including a figure having a curve. The present embodiment relates to a writing data generating method for generating writing data used in a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus. The method includes calculating a pair of curves each representing a curve portion of a figure included in design data, the curves each being defined by a plurality of control points, and generating the writing data by expressing a position of a second control point adjacent in a traveling direction of the curve to a first control point of the plurality of control points as a displacement from the first control point in the traveling direction of the curve and a displacement from the first control point in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction.

Ion implantation systems and methods implant varying energies of an ion beam across a workpiece in a serial single-workpiece end station, where electrodes of an acceleration/deceleration stage, bend electrode and/or energy filter control a final energy or path of the ion beam to the workpiece. The bend electrode or an energy filter can form part of the acceleration/deceleration stage or can be positioned downstream. A scanning apparatus scans the ion beam and/or the workpiece, and a power source provides varied electrical bias signals to the electrodes. A controller selectively varies the electrical bias signals concurrent with the scanning of the ion beam and/or workpiece through the ion beam based on a desired ion beam energy at the workpiece. A waveform generator can provide the variation and synchronize the electrical bias signals supplied to the acceleration/deceleration stage, bend electrode and/or energy filter.

Systems and methods for efficiently processing multiple samples with a BIB system, are disclosed. An example method for efficiently processing multiple samples with a BIB system according to the present invention comprises removing an individual sample holder containing a sample from a storage location within the BIB system, wherein the BIB system includes multiple sample holders positioned in one or more storage locations, loading the individual sample holder onto a sample stage configured to hold the sample holder during polishing of the corresponding sample held by the individual sample holder, and causing a BIB source to emit a broad ion beam towards the sample, wherein the broad ion beam removes at least a portion of the sample upon which it is incident. Once a desired portion of the sample is removed, the sample holder is removed from the sample stage and loaded back into the storage location.

Embodiments described herein relate to methods of forming gratings with different slant angles on a substrate and forming gratings with different slant angles on successive substrates using angled etch systems. The methods include positioning portions of substrates retained on a platen in a path of an ion beam. The substrates have a grating material disposed thereon. The ion beam is configured to contact the grating material at an ion beam angle relative to a surface normal of the substrates and form gratings in the grating material. The substrates are rotated about an axis of the platen resulting in rotation angles ϕ between the ion beam and a surface normal of the gratings. The gratings have slant angles relative to the surface normal of the substrates. The rotation angles ϕ selected by an equation ϕ=cos.sup.−1 (tan()/tan()).

An ion beam irradiation apparatus includes modules for generating an ion beam meeting a processing condition, and a machine learning part that generates a learning algorithm using, as an explanatory variable, a processing condition during new processing and a monitored value that indicates a state of a module during a last processing immediately before the new processing, and a basic operation parameter output part that uses the learning algorithm to output an initial value of a basic operation parameter for controlling an operation of the module.

A particle beam generator for a particle beam device may be operated. A liquid metal may be provided from a container of a particle source to an emission device of the particle source and a first heating cycle for cleaning the particle source performed, which may comprise supplying a heating current to a heating device arranged at the emission device using a current supply unit, heating the emission device during a heating time period, measuring a value of a voltage drop at the heating device and/or at the current supply unit and adjusting at least one of: the heating current and the heating time period using the current supply unit, depending on the measured value of the voltage drop. A second heating cycle for cleaning the particle source may include using at least one of: the adjusted heating current and the adjusted heating time period, for heating the emission device.