A method for imaging a sample with charged particles comprises directing charged particles towards the sample along a primary axis, and simultaneously detecting a first portion and a second portion of the charged particles transmitted through the sample with a first detector and a second detector, respectively. The second detector is positioned downstream of the first detector. Each of the transmitted charged particles exits the sample at an exit angle between a direction of the transmitted charged particle and the primary axis. The exit angles of the first portion of the transmitted charged particles overlap with the exit angles of the second portion of the transmitted charged particles. In this way, complimentary information, such as the structural and compositional information, may be obtained simultaneously.

When a high-performance retarding voltage applying power supply cannot be employed in terms of costs or device miniaturization, it is difficult to sufficiently adjust focus in a high acceleration region within a range of changing an applied voltage, and identify a point at which a focus evaluation value is maximum. To address the above problems, a scanning electron microscope is provided including: an objective lens configured to converge an electron beam emitted from an electron source; a current source configured to supply an excitation current to the objective lens; a negative-voltage applying power supply configured to form a decelerating electric field of the electron beam on a sample; a detector configured to detect charged particles generated when the electron beam is emitted to the sample; and a control device configured to calculate a focus evaluation value from an image formed according to an output of the detector. The control device calculates a focus evaluation value when an applied voltage is changed, determines whether to increase or decrease an excitation current according to an increase or a decrease of the focus evaluation value, and supplies the excitation current based on a result of the determination.

When focus adjustment is performed according to the height of the surface of a sample at each inspection point in order to continuously inspect a plurality of inspection points on a wafer by using an electron microscope, even when the focus adjustment by an electrostatic lens in which a variation of heights of inspection points is greater than a predetermined range, and that can perform adjustment at a high speed and adjustment by an electromagnetic lens with a low speed are required to be used together, a flow of focus adjustment in which the number of times of the adjustment by the electromagnetic lens is reduced by using a relation of changes of heights at inspection points, an inspection order, and a range in which an electrostatic focus can be performed is realized, so that inspection with high throughput is made possible.

When focus adjustment is performed according to the height of the surface of a sample at each inspection point in order to continuously inspect a plurality of inspection points on a wafer by using an electron microscope, even when the focus adjustment by an electrostatic lens in which a variation of heights of inspection points is greater than a predetermined range, and that can perform adjustment at a high speed and adjustment by an electromagnetic lens with a low speed are required to be used together, a flow of focus adjustment in which the number of times of the adjustment by the electromagnetic lens is reduced by using a relation of changes of heights at inspection points, an inspection order, and a range in which an electrostatic focus can be performed is realized, so that inspection with high throughput is made possible.

Systems for reducing the generation of thermal magnetic field noise in optical elements of microscope systems, are disclosed. Example microscopy optical elements having reduced Johnson noise generation according to the present disclosure comprises an inner core composed of an electrically isolating material, and an outer coating composed of an electrically conductive material. The product of the thickness of the outer coating and the electrical conductivity is less than 0.01Ω.sup.−1. The outer coating causes a reduction in Johnson noise generated by the optical element of greater than 2×, 3×, or an order of magnitude or greater. In a specific example embodiment, the optical element is a corrector system having reduced Johnson noise generation. Such a corrector system comprises an outer magnetic multipole, and an inner electrostatic multipole. The inner electrostatic multipole comprises an inner core composed of an electrically isolating material and an outer coating composed of an electrically conductive material.

A charged particle beam system can include a vacuum chamber, a specimen holder for holding a specimen within the vacuum chamber, and a charged particle column. The charged particle column can include a charged particle source for producing a beam of charged particles along an optical axis and a magnetic immersion lens for focusing the beam of charged particles. The magnetic immersion lens can include a first lens pole disposed adjacent a first surface of the specimen, an excitation coil surrounding the first lens pole, and a counterpole disposed adjacent a second surface of the specimen, the counterpole including one or more magnets disposed on the counterpole.

In a charged particle beam device including a deceleration optical system, a change in a deceleration electric field and an axis shift due to a structure between an objective lens and a sample are prevented to reduce adverse effects on an irradiation system and detection system. The charged particle beam device includes an electron source, an objective lens configured to focus a probe electron beam from the electron source on the sample, an acceleration electrode configured to accelerate the probe electron beam, a first detector provided in the acceleration electrode, a deceleration electrode configured to form a deceleration electric field for the probe electron beam with the acceleration electrode, the probe electron beam being configured to pass through an opening of the deceleration electrode, and a second detector inserted between the deceleration electrode and the sample. The second detector includes an opening portion larger than the opening of the deceleration electrode, and a sensing surface is provided around the opening portion.

In a charged particle beam device including a deceleration optical system, a change in a deceleration electric field and an axis shift due to a structure between an objective lens and a sample are prevented to reduce adverse effects on an irradiation system and detection system. The charged particle beam device includes an electron source, an objective lens configured to focus a probe electron beam from the electron source on the sample, an acceleration electrode configured to accelerate the probe electron beam, a first detector provided in the acceleration electrode, a deceleration electrode configured to form a deceleration electric field for the probe electron beam with the acceleration electrode, the probe electron beam being configured to pass through an opening of the deceleration electrode, and a second detector inserted between the deceleration electrode and the sample. The second detector includes an opening portion larger than the opening of the deceleration electrode, and a sensing surface is provided around the opening portion.

An electron beam system for wafer inspection and review of 3D devices provides a depth of focus up to 20 microns. To inspect and review wafer surfaces or sub-micron-below surface defects with low landing energies in hundreds to thousands of electron Volts, a Wien-filter-free beam splitting optics with three magnetic deflectors can be used with an energy-boosting upper Wehnelt electrode to reduce spherical and chromatic aberration coefficients of the objective lens.

The invention relates to a method for producing a sample on an object using a material processing device. The invention further relates to a computer program product and a material processing device for carrying out the method. The method comprises guiding a light beam over a surface of the object in a first direction along a first line, with material of the object being ablated when the light beam is guided over the surface of the object, changing the first direction into a second direction, guiding the light beam over the surface of the object in the second direction along a second line, with material of the object being ablated when the light beam is guided over the surface of the object along the second line, wherein the light beam is provided in pulsed fashion and is guided onto the surface of the object in such a way that the light beam ablates material from the object in a first operational state of the light beam device and that the light beam is not guided onto the object in a second operational state, and wherein the sample is produced in the first operational state by ablating material from the object.