Methods include providing a multi-pillar sample including at least a first pillar and a second pillar parallel with the first pillar, directing a charged particle beam to the first pillar, imaging the first pillar at a plurality of rotational positions by rotating the multi-pillar sample about a first pillar axis of the first pillar, directing the charged particle beam to the second pillar, and imaging the second pillar at a plurality of rotational positions by rotating the multi-pillar sample about a second pillar axis of the second pillar. Related apparatus for performing disclosed methods are disclosed. Multi-pillar samples are also disclosed.

Crystallographic information of crystalline sample can be determined from one or more three-dimensional diffraction pattern datasets generated based on diffraction patterns collected from multiple crystals. The crystals for diffraction pattern acquisition may be selected based on a sample image. At a location of each selected crystal, multiple diffraction patterns of the crystal are acquired at different angles of incidence by tilting the electron beam, wherein the sample is not rotated while the electron beam is directed at the selected crystal.

An interference scanning transmission electron microscope includes an electron source configured to emit an electron beam, a lens configured to irradiate a sample with a converged electron beam, an electron beam bi-prism configured to divide an electron wave through the sample and to superimpose a first electron wave and a second electron wave divided to form an interference fringe, a camera which is a detector configured to detect the interference fringe, and a computer configured to calculate a phase difference between the first electron wave and the second electron wave based on the interference fringe, wherein the electron beam bi-prism is provided between the sample and the detector.

The present disclosure concerns an electron microscopy method, including the emission of a precessing electron beam and the acquisition, at least partly simultaneous, of an electron diffraction pattern and of intensity values of X rays.

There is provided a charged particle beam system for reducing phase variations in a charged particle beam due to sixth order three-lobe aberration. The charged particle beam system (100) is equipped with an aberration corrector (30) for correcting aberrations in the optical system, and includes: an aberration measuring section (44) for measuring sixth order three-lobe aberration of sixth order geometric aberration, a computing section (46) for computing the magnitude of at least one of fourth order three-lobe aberration of fourth order geometric aberration and three-fold astigmatism of second order geometric aberration for reducing phase variations in the charged particle beam due to the sixth order three-lobe aberration on the basis of the measured sixth order three-lobe aberration, and a controller (48) for controlling the aberration corrector (30) to produce at least one of the fourth order three-lobe aberration and the three-fold astigmatism on the basis of the computed magnitude.

The system described herein relates to a method for operating a beam apparatus, such as a particle beam apparatus or laser beam apparatus, a computer program product and a beam apparatus for carrying out the method, and to an object holder for an object that, for example, is able to be arranged in a particle beam apparatus. The method includes generating a marking on an object holder using a laser beam of a laser beam device and/or using a particle beam of the particle beam apparatus, where the particle beam includes charged particles, arranging an object on the object holder, moving the object holder, positioning the particle beam and/or the laser beam in relative fashion in relation to the object using the marking, and processing, imaging and/or analyzing the object using the particle beam and/or the laser beam.

Systems and methods for preparing a nanofluidic LCTEM cell are provided. An exemplary method includes coating a photoresist layer onto a top surface of a silicon nitride substrate; etching channels into the photoresist layer; depositing calcite into the etched channels; removing the photoresist; placing the cell on a holder; connecting a first end of an inlet line to the cell; connecting a second end of the inlet line to an ultrasound transducer configured to generate nanobubbles; and connecting an outlet line to the cell.

A charged particle beam device including: a charged particle beam source which emits a charged particle beam; a blanking device which has an electrostatic deflector that deflects and blocks the charged particle beam; an irradiation optical system which irradiates a specimen with the charged particle beam; and a control unit which controls the electrostatic deflector, the control unit performing processing of: acquiring a target value of a dose of the charged particle beam for the specimen; setting a ratio A/B of a time A during which the charged particle beam is not blocked to a unit time B (where A≠B, A≠0), based on the target value; and operating the electrostatic deflector based on the ratio.

We describe a super-resolution optical microscopy technique in which a sample is located on or adjacent to the planar surface of an aplanatic solid immersion lens and placed in a cryogenic environment.

The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for measuring and correcting drift distortion in images obtained using the scanning microscope. One method includes obtaining an image series of a sample acquired using scanning-microscope by rotating scan coordinates of the microscope between successive image frames. The method further includes determining at least one measurement of an angle or a distance associated with an image feature as a function of rotation angle from the series of rotated images. The method further includes using the at least one measurement to determine a model for drift distortion in the series of images. The method further includes using the drift distortion model to generate a drift corrected image from the series of images.