Adjustable resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy methods and apparatus are disclosed herein. An example method includes operating an electron microscope in a first state, the first state including operating a source of the electron microscope at a first temperature, obtaining, by the electron microscope, a first EELS spectrum of a sample at a first resolution, the first resolution based on the first temperature, operating the electron microscope in a second state, the second state including operating the source of the electron microscope at a second temperature, the second temperature different than the first temperature, and obtaining, by the electron microscope, a second EELS spectrum of the sample at a second resolution, the second resolution based on the second temperature, wherein the second resolution is different than the first resolution.

A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an optical system that irradiates a sample mounted on a sample stage with a charged particle beam; at least one detector that detects a signal generated from the sample; an imaging device that acquires an observation image; a mechanism for changing observation positions in the sample which has at least one of a stage that moves the sample stage and a deflector that changes the charged particle beam's irradiation position; a display unit that displays an operation screen provided with an observation image displaying portion that displays the observation image and an observation position displaying portion that displays an observation position of the observation image; and a controller that controls display processing of the operation screen. The controller superimposes and displays on the observation position displaying portion a plurality of observation position images at different magnifications, based on the observation images' magnifications and coordinates.

Adjustable resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy methods and apparatus are disclosed herein. An example method includes operating an electron microscope in a first state, the first state including operating a source of the electron microscope at a first temperature, obtaining, by the electron microscope, a first EELS spectrum of a sample at a first resolution, the first resolution based on the first temperature, operating the electron microscope in a second state, the second state including operating the source of the electron microscope at a second temperature, the second temperature different than the first temperature, and obtaining, by the electron microscope, a second EELS spectrum of the sample at a second resolution, the second resolution based on the second temperature, wherein the second resolution is different than the first resolution.

A method for analyzing disturbing influences in a multi-beam particle microscope which operates using a plurality of individual charged particle beams arranged in a raster arrangement includes the following steps: providing an object; stationary scanning the object at a first position via the plurality of the individual particle beams during a predetermined irradiation time T, as a result of which latent structures are formed on the object; raster scanning the object comprising the first position with the formed latent structures via the plurality of the individual particle beams; and analyzing the latent structures.

To provide a scanning electron microscope having an electron spectroscopy system to attain high spatial resolution and a high secondary electron detection rate under the condition that energy of primary electrons is low, the scanning electron microscope includes: an objective lens 105; primary electron acceleration means 104 that accelerates primary electrons 102; primary electron deceleration means 109 that decelerates the primary electrons and irradiates them to a sample 106; a secondary electron deflector 103 that deflects secondary electrons 110 from the sample to the outside of an optical axis of the primary electrons; a spectroscope 111 that disperses secondary electrons; and a controller that controls application voltage to the objective lens, the primary electron acceleration means and the primary electron deceleration means so as to converge the secondary electrons to an entrance of the spectroscope.

An aberration measurement method for an objective lens in an electron microscope including an objective lens which focuses an electron beam that illuminates a specimen, and a detector which detects an electron beam having passed through the specimen, includes: introducing a coma aberration to the objective lens; measuring an aberration of the objective lens before introducing the coma aberration to the objective lens; measuring an aberration of the objective lens after introducing the coma aberration to the objective lens; and obtaining a position of an optical axis of the objective lens on a detector plane of the detector based on measurement results of the aberration of the objective lens before and after introducing the coma aberration.

A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an optical system that irradiates a sample mounted on a sample stage with a charged particle beam; at least one detector that detects a signal generated from the sample; an imaging device that acquires an observation image; a mechanism for changing observation positions in the sample which has at least one of a stage that moves the sample stage and a deflector that changes the charged particle beam's irradiation position; a display unit that displays an operation screen provided with an observation image displaying portion that displays the observation image and an observation position displaying portion that displays an observation position of the observation image; and a controller that controls display processing of the operation screen. The controller superimposes and displays on the observation position displaying portion a plurality of observation position images at different magnifications, based on the observation images' magnifications and coordinates.

A system and method involve applying an electron beam to a sample and obtaining an image of the sample with the applied electron beam. An orientation of the sample relative to the sample's zone axis is automatically determined based on a distribution of reflections in the image. The orientation of the sample is automatically adjusted to align with the sample's zone axis based on the determined orientation.

A point spread function (PSF) of a focused scanning particle beam of an observation instrument is ascertained by obtaining a first image (reference image) based on a reference instrument, the reference image being an image of an area of a reference standard, obtaining a second image (observed image) of the area of the reference standard, and the observed image obtained using the observation instrument configured with a set of operational parameters that define a probe size for the observation instrument, the probe size being larger than a pixel size of the reference image, and then determining, based on the reference image and the observed image, the PSF of the observation instrument as a component of a convolution of the reference image that provides the observed image.

Beforehand, the device characteristic patterns of each critical dimension SEM are measured, a sectional shape of an object to undergo dimension measurement is presumed by a model base library (MBL) matching system, dimension measurements are carried out by generating signal waveforms through SEM simulation by inputting the presumed sectional shapes and the device characteristic parameters, and differences in the dimension measurement results are registered as machine differences. In actual measurements, from the dimension measurement results in each critical dimension SEM, machine differences are corrected by subtracting the registered machine differences. Furthermore, changes in critical dimension SEM's over time are monitored by periodically measuring the above-mentioned device characteristic parameters and predicting the above-mentioned dimension measurement results. According to the present invention, actual measurements of machine differences, which require considerable time and effort, are unnecessary. In addition, the influence of changes in samples over time, which is problematic in monitoring changes in devices over time, can be eliminated.