A charged particle beam apparatus acquires a scanned image by scanning a sample with a charged particle beam and detecting charged particles emitted from the sample. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a plurality of detection units that detect charged particles emitted from the sample; and an image processing unit that generates the scanned image based on a plurality of detection signals outputted from the plurality of the detection units. The image processing unit performs a process of calculating a tilt direction of a sample surface and a tilt angle of the sample surface based on the plurality of the detection signals for an irradiation position of the charged particle beam; and a process of determining a color of a pixel of the scanned image according to the calculated tilt direction and the calculated tilt angle.

A charged particle beam apparatus acquires a scanned image by scanning a sample with a charged particle beam and detecting charged particles emitted from the sample. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a plurality of detection units that detect charged particles emitted from the sample, and an image processing unit that generates the scanned image based on a plurality of detection signals outputted from the plurality of the detection units. The image processing unit performs a process of acquiring the plurality of the detection signals at an irradiation position of the charged particle beam; a process of extracting a maximum value and a minimum value from among signal amounts of the plurality of the acquired detection signals, and calculating a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value; a process of calculating a sum total of the signal amounts of the plurality of the detection signals; and a process of determining a pixel value of a pixel of the scanned image corresponding to the irradiation position based on a sum of a first value that is obtained based on the sum total and a second value that is obtained based on the difference.

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.

Provided is a measurement method for measuring, in an electron microscope including a segmented detector having a detection plane segmented into a plurality of detection regions, a direction of each of the plurality of detection regions in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) image, the measurement method including: shifting an electron beam EB incident on a sample S under a state where the detection plane is conjugate to a plane shifted from a diffraction plane to shift the electron beam EB on the detection plane, and measuring a shift direction of the electron beam EB on the detection plane with the segmented detector; and obtaining the direction of each of the plurality of detection regions in the STEM image from the shift direction.

A method of imaging a specimen in a Scanning Transmission Charged Particle Microscope, comprising the following steps: Providing the specimen on a specimen holder; Providing a beam of charged particles that is directed from a source through an illuminator so as to irradiate the specimen; Providing a segmented detector for detecting a flux of charged particles traversing the specimen, which flux forms a beam footprint on said detector; Causing said beam to scan across a surface of the specimen, combining signals from different segments of the detector so as to produce a vector output from the detector at each scan position, and compiling this data to yield an imaging vector field; Mathematically processing said imaging vector field by subjecting it to a two-dimensional integration operation, thereby producing an integrated vector field image of the specimen,
specifically comprising: Using a confined sub-region of said beam footprint to produce said vector output, and the attendant imaging vector field and integrated vector field image.

A method of imaging a specimen in a Scanning Transmission Charged Particle Microscope, comprising the following steps: Providing the specimen on a specimen holder; Providing a beam of charged particles that is directed from a source through an illuminator so as to irradiate the specimen; Providing a segmented detector for detecting a flux of charged particles traversing the specimen; Causing said beam to scan across a surface of the specimen, and combining signals from different segments of the detector so as to produce a vector output from the detector at each scan position, said vector output having components Dx, Dy along respective X, Y coordinate axes,
specifically comprising: Performing a relatively coarse pre-scan of the specimen, along a pre-scan trajectory; At selected positions p.sub.i on said pre-scan trajectory, analyzing said components Dx, Dy and also a scalar intensity sensor value Ds; Using said analysis of Dx, Dy and Ds to classify a specimen composition at each position p.sub.i into one of a group of composition classes; For a selected composition class, performing a relatively fine scan at positions p.sub.i assigned to that class.

An electron microscope includes: an electron detector which detects electrons emitted from a specimen upon irradiation of the specimen with an electron beam; an X-ray detector which detects X-rays emitted from the specimen upon irradiation of the specimen with the electron beam; and a processor which generates a three-dimensional element map based on output signals from the electron detector and the X-ray detector. The processor performs processing for generating a electron microscopic image based on the output signal from the electron detector, processing for generating a three-dimensional image of the specimen based on the electron microscopic image, processing for generating a two-dimensional element map based on the output signal from the X-ray detector, and processing for generating the three-dimensional element map by projecting the two-dimensional element map on the three-dimensional image.

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.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device for detecting, with highly precise angular discrimination, charged particles emitted from a specimen. To achieve this purpose, proposed is a charged particle beam device provided with a scanning deflector for scanning on a specimen a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle source, the charged particle beam device being provided with: a first detector for detecting charged particles obtained by scanning of the charged particle beam on a specimen, and a second detector placed between the first detector and the specimen, and supported so as to be able to move in the charged particle beam light axis direction.

The invention relates to a charged particle microscope for examining a specimen, and a method of calibrating a charged particle microscope. The charged particle microscope comprises an optics column, including a charged particle source, a final probe forming lens and a scanner, for focusing and scanning a beam of charged particles emitted from said charged particle source along an optical axis onto a specimen. Furthermore, a specimen stage is positioned downstream of said final probe forming lens and arranged for holding said specimen. Additionally, a detector device is provided, comprising at least two detector segment elements that are annularly spaced about said optical axis. A control unit is provided that is arranged for obtaining, for the at least two detector segment elements, corresponding detector segment images of said specimen by scanning the beam over said specimen. Based on a relative movement between the detector segment images, an aberration parameter of the charged particle microscope can be determined. The aberration parameter may be defocus, astigmatism and/or coma.