A method for imaging of semiconductor samples with reduced charging effects and a multi-beam charged particle beam system configured for imaging of semiconductor samples with reduced charging effects comprises adjusting the kinetic energy of primary charged particles to a low energy transition energy, where charging of a material composition is minimized. The system and method include for example a monitoring system and optimization of the kinetic energy to minimize charging effects.

A method includes moving a plurality of sensors along a translation path with respect to an ion beam, acquiring sensor signals produced by the plurality of sensors, converting the acquired sensor signals into a data set representative of a two-dimensional (2D) profile of the ion beam, generating a plurality of first one-dimensional (1D) profiles of the ion beam from the data set, generating a plurality of second 1D profiles of the ion beam by spatially inverting each of the plurality of first 1D profiles, generating a plurality of third 1D profiles of the ion beam by superposing first current density values of each of the plurality of first 1D profiles with second current density values of a corresponding one of the plurality of second 1D profiles and determining whether to continue an implantation process with the ion beam in accordance with the plurality of third 1D profiles.

A method of deriving a corrected thermal wave signal for improving accuracy of monitoring lattice damage caused by ion beam implantation in a crystalline substrate includes obtaining a measured ion beam current signal indicative of the ion beam current used for ion beam implantation in the substrate. A thermal wave measurement is performed on the crystalline substrate after ion beam implantation to obtain a measured thermal wave signal. The corrected thermal wave signal is calculated based on the measured ion beam current signal and the measured thermal wave signal.

An activation mechanism is provided in an activation region of an electron gun, and includes a light source device 3 configured to irradiate a photocathode with excitation light, a heat generating element, an oxygen generation unit configured to generate oxygen by heating the heat generating element, and an emission current meter configured to monitor an emission current generated by electron emission when the photocathode 1 is irradiated with the excitation light from the light source device. In a surface activation process, the photocathode is irradiated with the excitation light from the light source device, an emission current amount of the photocathode is monitored by the emission current meter, the heat generating element is heated to generate oxygen by the oxygen generation unit, and the heating of the heat generating element is stopped when the emission current amount of the photocathode satisfies a predetermined stop criterion.

A method for measuring an electron signal or an electron induced signal may be provided. The method may include providing a threshold number of events or a threshold event rate for a pixel on a detector. The method may include collecting from the detector the threshold number of events or determining that the threshold event rate is achieved, wherein a signal at the detector is an electron signal or an electron induced signal from a sample. The method may include modulating an intensity of an electron source directed to the sample in response.

An ion implantation method includes generating a first scan beam, based on a first scan signal, measuring a beam current of the first scan beam by using a beam measurement device at a plurality of measurement positions, calculating a beam current matrix, based on a time waveform of the beam current measured by the beam measurement device and a time waveform of the scan command values determined in the first scan signal, calculating a first beam current density distribution of the first scan beam in a predetermined direction by performing time integration on the measured beam current, correcting a value of each component of the beam current matrix, based on the first beam current density distribution, and generating a second scan signal for realizing a target beam current density distribution in the predetermined direction, based on the corrected beam current matrix.

A method of producing a non-uniform ion implant in a workpiece, including storing a target pattern as a target pattern array, analyzing the target pattern to identify maximal gradients, rotating the target pattern and the workpiece to align with a spot beam profile and a scan direction, and transposing the target pattern to a process array. The method further includes optimizing the process array, calculating a largest possible beam spot size, selecting a corresponding spot beam recipe, performing a test scan to determine a beam sweep angle of the spot beam, and rotating the target pattern, the process array, and the workpiece to account for the beam sweep angle. The method further incudes generating a predicted process dose pattern and comparing it to the target pattern, and calculating at least one measure of error representing a fidelity of the predicted process dose pattern to the target pattern.

The present disclosure relates to a VI sensor and a method for monitoring a plasma state, and includes a collector configured to collect, as sensing data, RF voltages, RF currents, incident wave powers, and reflected wave powers generated during a plasma process, and a processor configured to train an artificial intelligence algorithm by applying the sensing data and setting values of plasma equipment identified at the time when the sensing data is generated, and to derive prediction data capable of monitoring a plasma state and a plasma process state using the trained artificial intelligence algorithm, and other embodiments are also applicable.

A method for measuring an electron signal or an electron induced signal may be provided. The method may include providing a threshold number of events or a threshold event rate for a pixel on a detector. The method may include collecting from the detector the threshold number of events or determining that the threshold event rate is achieved, wherein a signal at the detector is an electron signal or an electron induced signal from a sample. The method may include modulating an intensity of an electron source directed to the sample in response.