Charged particle beam systems and methods, such as a multi beam charged particle beam system and related methods, can compensate sample charging.

A method of charge mitigation in additive layer manufacturing is provided, which uses a charged particle beam (103) to fuse metal powder (122) within a metal powder bed (123) to form a product layer-by-layer, the method comprising using a charged particle beam optical system to form a charged particle beam, to steer the charged particle beam to be incident on a powder bed of metal powder and to scan over the powder bed to fuse powder into a desired layer shape. While steering the charged particle beam, the method comprises using a neutralising particle source (160) to generate neutralising particles of an opposite charge to the charged particles in the vicinity of the charged particle beam such that the neutralising particles are attracted to the charged particles of powder in the powder bed. An additive layer manufacturing apparatus (100) is also provided.

Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.

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 EUV 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.

A charge neutralizer that includes a vacuum chamber which is capable of having a charged object installed therein and includes a high vacuum processing unit that performs vapor deposition, and a plasma generator configured to supply plasma caused by an electron cyclotron resonance to an inside of the vacuum chamber. The plasma generator includes a plasma source configured to generate the plasma, and a flange configured to install the plasma source inside the vacuum chamber.

The present application relates to an apparatus for determining a position of at least one element on a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one scanning particle microscope comprising a first reference object, wherein the first reference object is disposed on the scanning particle microscope in such a way that the scanning particle microscope can be used to determine a relative position of the at least one element on the photolithographic mask relative to the first reference object; and (b) at least one distance measuring device, which is embodied to determine a distance between the first reference object and a second reference object, wherein there is a relationship between the second reference object and the photolithographic mask.

A scanning electron microscopy system with improved image beam stability is disclosed. The system includes an electron beam source configured to generate an electron beam and a set of electron-optical elements to direct at least a portion of the electron beam onto a portion of the sample. The system includes an emittance analyzer assembly. The system includes a splitter element configured to direct at least a portion secondary electrons and/or backscattered electrons emitted by a surface of the sample to the emittance analyzer assembly. The emittance analyzer assembly is configured to image at least one of the secondary electrons and/or the backscattered electrons.

A system may include a substrate stage, configured to support a substrate, where a main surface of the substrate defines a substrate plane. The system may include an ion source, including an extraction assembly that is oriented to direct an ion beam to the substrate along a trajectory defining a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane. The system may include a radical source oriented to direct a radical beam to the substrate along a trajectory defining the non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane. The substrate stage may be further configured to scan the substrate along a first direction, lying with the substrate plane, while the main surface of the substrate is oriented within the substrate plane.

A method for single or multiply charged ion implantation into a surface of a treated object, and a device for implementing the implantation method, the method including: directing towards the surface of the treated object an ion beam produced by an ion source of the electronic cyclotron resonance type; producing at least one primary electron beam and directing the primary electron beam so that it passes through the ion beam; and producing a secondary electron beam by reflecting the primary electron beam onto a target once the primary electron beam has traversed the ion beam, the target being oriented such that the secondary electron beam falls onto the surface of the treated object.

A scanning electron microscopy system with improved image beam stability is disclosed. The system includes an electron beam source configured to generate an electron beam and a set of electron-optical elements to direct at least a portion of the electron beam onto a portion of the sample. The system includes an emittance analyzer assembly. The system includes a splitter element configured to direct at least a portion secondary electrons and/or backscattered electrons emitted by a surface of the sample to the emittance analyzer assembly. The emittance analyzer assembly is configured to image at least one of the secondary electrons and/or the backscattered electrons.