A method for calibrating a scanning charged particle microscope, such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM), is provided. The method includes dividing a wafer into a plurality of regions; preparing, on each of the plurality of regions, a pattern including a first periodic structure interleaved with a second periodic structure, the first and second periodic structures having an induced offset; determining an actual pitch the first and second periodic structures and thereby determining actual induced offset on each of the plurality of regions; selecting a plurality of regions from among the plurality of regions; measuring, by the SEM, a pitch of first and second periodic structures on each of the plurality of regions; and performing linearity calibration on the SEM based on the determining and the measuring.

A substrate support unit includes a substrate support member that supports a substrate, the substrate support member being provided with one or more pin holes vertically penetrating the substrate support member, and a lift pin assembly provided to be lifted along a corresponding pin hole. The lift pin assembly includes lift pins, each lift pin having an upper end contacting the substrate and supporting the substrate, and a pin drive unit that is coupled to the lift pins and lifts the lift pins. The pin drive unit includes piezoelectric motors below the lift pins, respectively.

According to an embodiment, a method for automated critical dimension measurement on a substrate for display manufacturing is provided. The method includes scanning a first field of view having a first size with a charged particle beam to obtain a first image having a first resolution of a first portion of the substrate for display manufacturing; determining a pattern within the first image, the pattern having a first position; scanning a second field of view with the charged particle beam to obtain a second image of a second portion of the substrate, the second field of view has a second size smaller than the first size and has a second position provided relative to the first position, the second image has a second resolution higher than the first resolution; and determining a critical dimension of a structure provided on the substrate from the second image.

An object of the invention is to provide a pattern measuring device for generating appropriate reference pattern data while suppressing an increase in the manufacturing cost that would occur when manufacturing conditions are finely changed. A pattern measuring device has an arithmetic processing unit for measuring a pattern formed on a sample. The arithmetic processing unit, on the basis of signals obtained with a charged particle beam device, acquires or generates image data or contour line data on a plurality of circuit patterns created under different manufacturing conditions of a manufacturing apparatus, and generates reference data to be used for measurement of a circuit pattern from the image data or contour line data.

Provided is a sample milling apparatus capable of milling various samples efficiently. The sample milling apparatus includes an anode, a cathode for emitting electrons which are made to collide with gas molecules so that ions are generated, an extraction electrode for causing the generated ions to be extracted as an ion beam, and a focusing electrode disposed between the cathode and the extraction electrode and applied with a focusing voltage. The spatial profile of the ion beam is controlled by varying the focusing voltage applied to the focusing electrode.

Systems and methods are provided for charged particle detection. The detection system can comprise a signal processing circuit configured to generate a set of intensity gradients based on electron intensity data received from a plurality of electron sensing elements. The detection system can further comprise a beam spot processing module configured to determine, based on the set of intensity gradients, at least one boundary of a beam spot; and determine, based on the at least one boundary, that a first set of electron sensing elements of the plurality of electron sensing elements is within the beam spot. The beam spot processing module can further be configured to determine an intensity value of the beam spot based on the electron intensity data received from the first set of electron sensing elements and also generate an image of a wafer based on the intensity value.

A system and method for optimizing a ribbon ion beam in a beam line implantation system is disclosed. The system includes a calibration sensor disposed in the beam line after the mass analyzer. The calibration sensor is able to measure both the total current of the ribbon ion beam, as well as provide information about its vertical position. Information from the calibration sensor can then be utilized by a controller to adjust various parameters to improve the density as well as the vertical position. In some embodiments, the calibration sensor may include a plurality of Faraday sensors, where, both the total current and the vertical position of the ion beam can be determined. Furthermore, the focus of the ion beam can be estimated based on the distribution of the current in the height direction.

Provided are an image evaluation method and an image evaluation apparatus to evaluate a two-dimensional shape and a change in shape of a pattern side wall of a semiconductor pattern based on a SEM image, thus estimating an exposure condition. To this end, a method and a device include a storage unit that stores a model indicating a relationship between a feature amount that is obtained by creating a plurality of outlines from a SEM image and an exposure condition, and outline creation parameter information corresponding to the model; an outline creation unit that creates a plurality of outlines from a SEM image using the outline creation parameter information; and an estimation unit that uses a feature amount that is found based on the plurality of outlines created by the outline creation unit and the model to find an exposure condition.

Proposed is a charged particle beam apparatus for the purpose of detecting a charged particle emitted from a sample in a specific direction by discriminating between the charged particle and a charged particle emitted in another direction. As one aspect of achieving the above purpose, proposed is a charged particle beam apparatus including an objective lens configured to focus a beam emitted from a charged particle source, a detector (8) configured to detect at least one of a first charged particle (23) emitted from a sample by irradiating the sample with the beam and a second charged particle emitted from a charged particle collided member by causing the first charged particle to collide with the charged particle collision member disposed on a trajectory of the first charged particle, and an electrostatic lens (12) including a plurality of electrodes disposed between the objective lens and the detector, in which the electrostatic lens is a Butler type.

A three-dimensional (3D) x-ray tomographic imaging system includes an x-ray source fixedly attached to a first unmanned vehicle, which can be aerial or otherwise configured for locomotion, and an x-ray detector. A vehicle controller is configured to be operated by an operator, and an optical camera is mounted to the first unmanned vehicle at a fixed position relative to the x-ray source, and an optical pattern is fixed at a position relative to the x-ray detector. The x-ray source and x-ray detector are configured to be positioned on substantially opposite sides of the object, while the x-ray source is rotated radially around the object to one or more imaging positions.