The scanning charged particle beam microscope according to the present application is characterized in that, in acquiring an image of the FOV (field of view), interspaced beam irradiation points are set, and then, a deflector is controlled so that a charged particle beam scan is performed faster when the charged particle beam irradiates a position on the sample between each of the irradiation points than when the charged particle beam irradiates a position on the sample corresponding to each of the irradiation points (a position on the sample corresponding to each pixel detecting a signal). This allows the effects from a micro-domain electrification occurring within the FOV to be mitigated or controlled.

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.

The disclosure relates to systems and method for processing images. The method includes selecting a predetermined reference structure, the predetermined reference structure having a known feature size/shape. The method also includes obtaining a reference image of the predetermined reference structure, and capturing a calibration image of the predetermined reference structure using an observation device. The calibration image includes a plurality of features. Additionally, the method includes identifying at least one portion of the plurality of features of the calibration image that include a feature size/shape substantially similar to the known feature size and shape of the predetermined reference structure. Finally, the method includes combining the identified portion of the plurality of features of the calibration image to form a stacked feature image, and determining a point spread function (PSF) of the observation device by comparing the obtained reference image with the stacked feature image.

Objective lens alignment of a scanning electron microscope review tool with fewer image acquisitions can be obtained using the disclosed techniques and systems. Two different X-Y voltage pairs for the scanning electron microscope can be determined based on images. A second image based on the first X-Y voltage pair can be used to determine a second X-Y voltage pair. The X-Y voltage pairs can be applied at the Q4 lens or other optical components of the scanning electron microscope.

Methods for correcting one or more image aberrations in an electron microscopy image, including cryo-EM images, are provided. The method includes obtaining a plurality of electron microscope (EM) images of an internal reference grid sample having one or more known properties, the plurality of electron microscope images obtained for a plurality of optical conditions and for a plurality of coordinated beam-image shifts. The method may also include, among other features, determining an aberration correction function that predicts aberrations for every point in the imaged area using kernel canonical correlation analysis (KCCA).

A multi-beam charged particle microscope configured determines and compensates wave front aberrations. With a variation element, the wave-front aberration amplitudes are indirectly determined and transformed in normalized sensitivity units. It is possible to compensate the wave-front aberrations with a compensation element which is different from the variation element. The normalized sensitivity units can for example be determined an improved calibration method.

The beamlets in a multi-beam microscopy system are aligned based on coefficients of a fitted aberration model. In particular, an illuminator for directing the beamlets towards the sample is adjusted based on the coefficients to correct the aberrations. The coefficients are obtained based on measured beamlets' positions in the sample plane.

According the present invention there is provided a method for adjusting a component handling assembly, the component handling assembly comprising, a plurality of stations at least some of which have a nest which can receive a component, and a rotatable turret having a plurality of component handling heads, and wherein the turret can rotate to transport components between the plurality of stations, the method comprising the steps of, capturing a first image of a reference element located at a first station, using a camera which is located on the rotatable turret; identifying the position in the first image of the center of the reference element; rotating the turret so that the camera on the turret is in a position where it can capture a second image of nest of a second station; capturing a second image of the nest of the second station, using said camera; identifying the position in the second image of the center of the nest of the second station; superimposing a marker on the second image at the same position as the position of the center of the reference element in the first image; adjusting the second station until the position in the second image of the center of the nest of the second station is aligned with the marker. There is further provided a corresponding component handling assembly.

A distortion measurement method for an electron microscope image includes: loading a distortion measurement specimen having structures arranged in a lattice to a specimen plane of an electron microscope or a plane conjugate to the specimen plane in order to obtain an electron microscope image of the distortion measurement specimen; and measuring a distortion from the obtained electron microscope image of the distortion measurement specimen.

A multi charged particle beam inspection apparatus includes a plurality of sensors, arranged inside or on a periphery of a secondary electron image acquisition mechanism, to measure a plurality of interfering factors, a determination circuit to determine, for each interfering factor, whether change exceeding a corresponding threshold is a first case which returns to the original state within a predetermined time period, or a second case which does not return to the original state even if the predetermined time period has passed, and a comparison circuit to input a reference image of a region corresponding to the secondary electron image acquired, and compare the secondary electron image with the reference image, wherein in the case where change of the second case occurs, the secondary electron image acquisition mechanism suspends the acquisition operation of the secondary electron image, and calibrates a change amount of the multiple charged particle beams.