The present disclosure concerns an electron microscopy method, including the emission of a precessing electron beam and the acquisition, at least partly simultaneous, of an electron diffraction pattern and of intensity values of X rays.

An inspection system that includes charged particle optics that irradiate a bottom of a hole with a charged particle beam propagated along an optical axis, an energy dispersive x-ray detector and a processor. The x-ray detector detects x-ray photons emitted from the bottom of the hole and generates detection signals indicative of the x-ray photons. The processor processes the detection signals to provide an estimate of the bottom of the hole.

A method generates a crystalline orientation map of a surface portion of a sample. A crystalline orientation map represents crystalline orientations at a plurality of sample locations of the surface portion. The method comprises recording an image of the surface portion including a central location using particles of a charged particle beam directed to the surface portion and backscattering from the surface portion for each of a plurality of different orientation settings. Each of the orientation settings is defined by an azimuthal angle and an elevation angle under which the charged particle beam is incident onto the central location during the recording of the respective image. The method also includes generating the crystalline orientation map based on the recorded images.

The present invention discloses a combination of two existing approaches for mineral analysis and makes use of the Similarity Metric Invention, that allows mineral definitions to be described in theoretical compositional terms, meaning that users are not required to find examples of each mineral, or adjust rules. This system allows untrained operators to use it, as opposed to previous systems, which required extensive training and expertise.

A Transmission Charged-Particle Microscope comprises a source of charged particles which are then directed by an illuminator onto a specimen supported by a specimen holder. Charged particles transmitted through the specimen may undergo energy loss with a distribution of losses providing information about the specimen. A dispersing device disperses the transmitted charged particles into an energy-resolved array of spectral sub-beams distributed along a dispersion direction. The dispersed charged particles are detected by a detector comprising an assembly of sub-detectors arranged along said dispersion direction, whereby different sub-detectors are adjustable to have different detection sensitivities.

According to one embodiment, an inspection apparatus includes an irradiation device irradiating an inspection target substrate with multiple beams, a detector detecting each of a plurality of charged particle beams formed by charged particles emitted from the inspection target substrate as an electrical signal, and a comparison processing circuitry performing pattern inspection by comparing image data of a pattern formed on the inspection target substrate, the pattern being reconstructed in accordance with the detected electrical signals, and reference image data. The detector includes a plurality of detection elements that accumulate charges, and a detection circuit that reads out the accumulated charges. The plurality of detection elements are grouped into a plurality of groups. The detection circuit operates in a manner of, during a period in which the charged particle beams are applied to the detection elements included in one group, reading out the charges accumulated in the detection elements included in one or more other groups.

A charged particle beam device allowing an analysis position in a sample analyzable with an EBSD detector to be acquired beforehand, and allowing a sample to be adjusted to a desired analysis position in a short time. A charged particle beam device is provided with a charged particle source (111), a charged particle optical system (115), an EBSD detector (101), a sample stage (116), an image display unit (117) for displaying a portion of the sample observable with the EBSD detector and a non-observable portion of the sample such that said portions are distinguished from each other, an operation input unit (121) where a position to be observed by the EBSD detector is entered, and a control unit (118) for controlling a planar movement, an inclination movement and a rotation movement of the sample stage so as to allow the observation position entered from the operation input unit to be observed with the EBSD detector.

A multi-beam electron microscope for ECCI is provided. The electron microscope has a platform, on which a crystalline sample is placed. At least a first electron source and a second electron source of the electron microscope are mounted to a housing. The housing is tiltable with respect to a longitudinal direction through a pivot for forming a fulcrum, such that the first electron source and the second electron source are tilted simultaneously and are substantially equally distanced from the platform along a vertical axis when the housing is tilted. The electron microscope also has electron beam focusing assemblies for focusing the electron beams generated by the electron sources onto the crystalline sample to generate backscattered electrons. The electron microscope also has detectors for detecting the backscattered electrons.

In order to measure a 3D profile of a pattern formed on a sample obtained by stacking a plurality of different materials, for each of materials constituting the pattern, an attenuation coefficient μ indicating a probability of an electron being scattered at a unit distance in the material previously stored, an interface position where different materials are in contact, upper and bottom surface positions of the pattern in a BSE image are extracted, and a depth from the upper surface position to a specified position of the pattern is calculated based on a ratio nIh of a contrast between the specified position and the bottom surface position of the pattern to a contrast between the upper and bottom surface positions of the pattern in the BSE image, an attenuation coefficient of a material at the bottom and specified positions of the pattern.

A material identification system includes one or more data interfaces configured to receive first sensor data generated by a first sensor responsive to a material sample, and receive second sensor data generated by a second sensor responsive to the material sample. The material identification system also includes one or more processors configured to generate a set of predictions of an identification of the material sample and a corresponding set of certainty information.