A vacuum sample chamber for a particle and optical device includes on one surface thereof, an aperture through which a particle beam to be focused along an optical axis of particles such as electrons, ions and neutral particles is incident; and on the opposite surface thereof, a detachable sample holder through which light penetrates, thereby enabling a sample to be observed and analyzed by means of the particle beam and light. A sample chamber is capable of reducing observation time by maintaining a vacuum therein even when a sample is put into or taken out from a sample chamber of an electron microscope or focused ion beam observation equipment, and capable of obtaining an optical image on the outside thereof without inserting a light source or an optical barrel into the sample chamber. A light-electron fusion microscope comprising the sample chamber.

The objective of the present invention is to simply perform image observation through transmitted charged particles. A sample irradiated by a charged particle beam is disposed directly or via a predetermined member on a light-emitting element (23) whereinto charged particles that have traversed or scattered inside the sample enter, causing a light to be emitted therefrom, which is collected and detected efficiently using a light transmission means (203) to generate a transmission charged particle image of the sample.

The system described herein detects charged particles which, for example, are generated by interaction of a charged particle beam with an object to be analyzed using, for example, a particle beam device. Detection is carried out for imaging of the object. The system described herein allows detection of charged particles with the same detection principle when the ambient pressures in an object chamber are in a first pressure range being lower than or equal to 10.sup.3 hPa or in a second pressure range being equal to or above 10.sup.3 hPa. When operating with the object chamber in the second pressure range, the system described herein generates photons in a scintillator using cascade particles generated by using the charged particles and a gas, and detects the photons using a light detector.

An apparatus for inspecting a sample includes a sample holder for holding the sample; 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 said 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 to distinct and/or separate groups of pixels of the multi-pixel photon detector.

The objective of the present invention is to simply perform image observation through transmitted charged particles. A sample irradiated by a charged particle beam is disposed directly or via a predetermined member on a light-emitting element (23) whereinto charged particles that have traversed or scattered inside the sample enter, causing a light to be emitted therefrom, which is collected and detected efficiently using a light transmission means (203) to generate a transmission charged particle image of the sample.

Multi-color CL images of nanoparticle samples may be generated, by irradiating with a scanning electron beam a nanoparticle sample that containing a plurality of spectrally distinct optical emitters configured to generate CL light at respective different color channels, then detecting the CL light from the nanoparticles to generate multi-color NP-CL images of the nanoparticle sample. In some embodiments, SE (secondary electron) images of the sample may be acquire, substantially simultaneously with the acquisition of the CL images, so as to generate correlative NP-CL and SE images of the nanoparticle sample. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles may be surface-functionalized so that the nanoparticles selectively bind only to particular structures of interest.

A method for inspecting a sample by means of a multi-beam charged particle inspection apparatus, and an apparatus for performing this method are provided. The multi-beam charged particle inspection apparatus is configured to project an array of charged particle beamlets within an exposure area on the sample. The apparatus includes a detection system for detecting X-Rays and/or cathodoluminescent light from the exposure area emitted by the sample due to an interaction of the array of charged particle beamlets with the sample. The method includes the steps of projecting the array of charged particle beamlets within the exposure area on the sample, and monitoring a combined emission of X-Rays and/or cathodoluminescent light from the interaction of substantially all charged particle beamlets of the array of charged particle beamlets with the sample.

A method and an apparatus are provided for inspecting a sample. The apparatus includes a sample holder for holding the sample, a charged particle column for generating and focusing one or more charged particle beams at one or more charged particle beam spots onto the sample, a scanning deflector for moving the charged particle beam spot(s) over the sample, a photon detector configured for detecting photons created when the one or more charged particle beams impinge on the sample or when the one or more charged particle beams impinge onto a layer of luminescent material after transmission through the sample, an optical assembly for projecting or imaging at least part of the photons from the charged particle beam spot(s) along an optical beam path onto the photon detector, and a shifting unit for shifting the optical beam path and/or the photon detector with respect to each other.

A scanning electron microscope having an electron column positioned to direct an electron beam onto a sample the electron column having a vacuum enclosure; an electron source; and an electromagnetic objective lens positioned within the vacuum enclosure, the electromagnetic objective lens including a housing having an entry aperture at top surface thereof and an exit aperture at bottom thereof; an electromagnetic coil radially positioned within the housing; a light objective positioned within the housing and comprising a concave minor having a first axial aperture and a convex minor having a second axial aperture; an electron beam deflector positioned within the housing and comprising a first set of deflectors and a second set of deflectors positioned below the first set of deflectors, wherein the second set of deflectors is positioned below the first axial aperture and the first set of deflectors is positioned above the second set of deflectors.