A system and method for etching workpieces in a uniform manner are disclosed. The system includes a semiconductor processing system that generates a ribbon ion beam, and a workpiece holder that scans the workpiece through the ribbon ion beam. The workpiece holder includes a plurality of independently controlled thermal zones so that the temperature of different regions of the workpiece may be separately controlled. In certain embodiments, etch rate uniformity may be a function of distance from the center of the workpiece, also referred to as radial non-uniformity. Further, when the workpiece is scanned, there may also be etch rate uniformity issues in the translated direction, referred to as linear non-uniformity. The present workpiece holder comprises a plurality of independently controlled thermal zones to compensate for both radial and linear etch rate non-uniformity.

A MEMS hotplate is used as a test substrate for characterizing a temperature-dependent fabrication process. According to a variant, an array of MEMS hotplates is used to provide multiple test substrates which can be simultaneously heated to different temperatures to provide multiple different temperature-dependent characterizations of the process.

A system for positioning a sample in a charged particle apparatus (CPA) or an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) system includes a sample carrier coupled to a stage inside the vacuum chamber of the CPA or XPS system. The system allows transferring of the sample carrier among multiple CPAs, XPS systems and glove boxes in inert gas or in vacuum. The sample carrier is releasably coupled with the stage in the vacuum chamber of the CPA or the XPS. Multiple electrodes in a sample area of the sample carrier are electrically connectable with the stage by multiple spring contacts between the sample carrier and the stage.

An electronic microscope includes a carrier, a first driving unit, a flow-buffer unit and an electron source. The carrier carries a sample. The first driving unit drives a first fluid to flow along a first flow path, wherein the first flow path passes through the sample. The flow-buffer unit is disposed on the first flow path to perform buffering on the first fluid, wherein the first fluid flows through the flow-buffer unit and the carrier in sequence. The electron source provides an electron beam to the sample.

The present invention relates to a method to reduce drift of a sample and/or its image in a microscopy system, wherein the method comprises determining an expected thermal drift of the sample, and compensating for the drift of the sample and/or its image based upon the expected thermal drift. The present invention also relates to a corresponding microscopy system and a computer program product to perform the method according to the present invention.

An analysis system, an analysis method and a sample holder make it possible to analyse a battery via a particle beam system, for example to record images of the battery via the particle beam system, while the battery is arranged in a vacuum chamber of the particle beam system and is manipulated according to a multiplicity of different parameter value sets in the vacuum chamber. By way of example, the battery is kept at a predefined temperature, a predefined pressure is exerted on the battery, and the battery is electrically charged and discharged according to a loading scheme and at the same time images of the battery are recorded via the particle beam system.

An electron microscope includes: a sample holder; a first optical system irradiating and scanning the sample; an electron detection unit detecting secondary electrons discharged from the sample; a first vacuum chamber which holds the sample holder, the first optical system, and the electron detection unit in a vacuum atmosphere; a display unit displaying a microscopic image of the sample; and a control unit which controls the sample holder and the operation of the first optical system. The electron microscope includes a second vacuum chamber different from the first vacuum chamber, and a second optical system in the second vacuum chamber and is different from the first optical system. The second optical system and the control unit are capable of mutual communication, and the second vacuum chamber has a state changing means which changes the state of the sample.

A wafer holder includes a mounting table that has a mounting surface for a workpiece at a top, a supporting member that supports the mounting table from a lower side, a first cylindrical member one end of which is joined hermetically to a lower surface of the mounting table, and a second cylindrical member that is provided inside the first cylindrical member and one end of which is joined hermetically to the lower surface of the mounting table.

In an example, a showerhead pedestal assembly for a substrate processing chamber is provided. The showerhead pedestal assembly includes a faceplate. A platen is disposed within the faceplate and includes a heater element extending through at least one groove in the faceplate. The at least one groove is profiled to accept at least one portion of the heater element. A periphery of the platen is joined to an interior surface of the faceplate by a friction stir welded joint.

An ion implantation apparatus includes a transfer device that transfers a wafer, a support device that supports the wafer at an implantation position, and a control device that controls the ion implantation apparatus to perform chain implantation processing on the wafer, and that controls the transfer device or the support device according to warpage information of the wafer.