Disclosed is an apparatus and method for inspecting a sample. The apparatus includes: a sample holder, a multi beam charged particle generator for generating an array of primary charged particle beams, an electro-magnetic lens system for directing the array of primary charged particle beams into an array of separate focused primary charged particle beams on the sample, a multi-pixel photon detector arranged for detecting photons created by the focused primary charged particle beams when the primary charged particle beams impinge on the sample or after transmission of the primary charged particle beams through the sample, and an optical assembly for conveying photons created by at least two adjacent focused primary charged particle beams of the array of separate focused primary charged particle beams to distinct and/or separate pixels or groups of pixels of the multi-pixel photon detector.

A laser beam illumination equipment has a laser beam generation section and a mirror unit. An image generation section has a camera and a camera controller. A laser beam illumination control section sets a pulse period of a laser beam to the same period as an exposure period of the camera. With this configuration, a state change of a specimen can be set uniform over exposure durations. A pulse train of the laser beam may be generated based on a synchronization signal which is output from the camera controller.

Apparatuses for collection of wavelength resolved and angular resolved cathodoluminescence (WRARCL) emitted from a sample exposed to an electron beam (e-beam) or other excitation beams are described. Cathodoluminescence light (CL) may be emitted from a sample at specific angles relative to the excitation beam and analyzed with respect to light-emitting and other optical phenomena. The described embodiments allow collection of WRARCL data more efficiently and with significantly fewer aberrations than existing systems.

A charged particle beam device includes: a charged particle source configured to emit a charged particle beam; an acceleration electric power source connected to the charged particle source and configured to accelerate the charged particle beam; a second objective lens configured to focus the charged particle beam onto a sample; and a second detector. The second objective lens is positioned on the opposite side of the sample from where the charged particle beam is incident on the sample. The second detector is configured to receive at least one of: an electromagnetic wave that the sample emits upon receiving the charged particle beam, and an electromagnetic wave that the sample reflects upon receiving the charged particle beam. The second detector carries out a detection of the received electromagnetic wave(s).

An apparatus for collection, distribution, and analysis of cathodoluminescence (CL) and other light signals in an electron microscope is provided. The optical hub, utilizing a linear-translating fold-mirror and mounted to the electron microscope, is used to receive essentially collimated light collected from a collection-mirror and efficiently route the collected light to a plurality of light-analysis instruments. The linear-translating fold-mirror can provide fine positional alignment of the light signal, and in an aspect of the invention can be used to select or scan a portion of the collected light-pattern into an optical slit or aperture. In one aspect, the optical hub includes a light filter mechanism that can track the movement of the fold-mirror. In an aspect, the optical hub also controls the positioning of the collection-mirror in proximity to the specimen being analyzed.

Methods and apparatuses for laser-assisted electron-beam inspection (EBI) are provided. The apparatus includes an EBI device and a laser illumination device. The EBI device includes an e-beam source configured to emit an incident e-beam, a deflector configured to deflect the incident e-beam to be projected onto a surface of a semiconductor device, and an electron detector configured to detect emergent electrons generated by the incident e-beam projected onto the surface. The laser illumination device includes a laser source configured to generate a laser, and a guiding device configured to guide the laser to be projected onto the semiconductor device. The laser changes the emergent electrons to cause, in a positive mode of the EBI apparatus, a PN junction of an NMOS of the semiconductor device to be in a conduction state.

System and method for Ultrafast Electron Diffraction (UED) and Microscopy (UEM) configured to image atomic motion in real time with sub-femtosecond temporal resolution. Presented methodology utilizes the interaction of the pump optical pulse with the initial electron pulse that has been gated with the gating optical pulse. The initial electron pulse is generated in the electron microscope by the pulse of auxiliary light. In one case, the pump and gating pulses have attosecond duration and are duplicates of one another. The use of attosecond optical pulse (with frequency spectrum extending over two octaves in the visible and flanking spectral ranges) for optical gating of a pulse of electrons.

The system described herein relates to an imaging device for imaging an object in a particle beam apparatus and/or for imaging a structural unit of a particle beam apparatus, and to a particle beam apparatus having such an imaging device. The imaging device has an illumination unit having a first switching state and a second switching state for illuminating the object and/or the structural unit with illumination light, where, in the first switching state, the illumination light comprises only light of a first spectral range and where, in the second switching state, the illumination light comprises only light of a second spectral range. The imaging device has a control unit for switching the illumination unit into the first switching state or into the second switching state, and a camera unit for imaging the object and/or the structural unit.

Various technologies for providing an operator of a focused ion beam (FIB) system with navigational and processing data are described herein. An exemplary system includes a broadband light source and a narrowband light source that emit light to a target of the FIB. An optical detector receives reflections of the broadband light from the target and outputs data that is used to generate two-dimensional images of the target in a region near a location of incidence of the FIB at the target. An interferometer receives reflections of the narrowband light from the target and outputs data indicative of an interference pattern of the narrowband reflections. A computing device computes a thickness of one or more material layers that make up the target based upon the interference pattern. A two-dimensional image of the target and an indication of the computed thickness are then displayed to the operator of the FIB.

Disclosed is a charged particle beam system, which includes: a particle source, a column and a specimen chamber with a first movable vacuum window. The particle source is configured to generate a charged particle beam which impinges the specimen to be detected placed in a specimen chamber. The column includes a deflection device for deflecting the charged particle beam and a focusing device for focusing the charged particle beam. The charged particle beam system is compatible with multiple external optical systems to achieve simultaneous detection or fast-switching detection of the specimen. An opto-electro simultaneous detection system and the method are also disclosed.