Provided is an electron beam system, including: an electron source, configured to generate an electron beam; a first beam guide, configured to accelerate the electron beam; a second beam guide, configured to accelerate the electron beam; a first control electrode arranged between the first beam guide and the second beam guide, configured to change movement directions of backscattered electrons and secondary electrons generated by the electron beam acting on a specimen to be tested; a first detector arranged between the first beam guide and the first control electrode, configured to receive the backscattered electrons generated by the electron beam acting on the specimen to be tested. The first control electrode according to the embodiments of the present disclosure changes the movement directions of the backscattered electrons and secondary electrons generated by the electron beam generated by the electron source acting on the specimen to be tested, so that the first detector arranged between the first beam guide and the first control electrode can receive pure backscattered electrons generated by the electron beam acting on the specimen to be tested.

A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.

A charged particle beam apparatus covering a wide range of detection angles of charged particles emitted from a sample includes an objective lens for converging charged particle beams emitted from a charged particle source and a detector for detecting charged particles emitted from a sample. The objective lens includes inner and outer magnetic paths which are formed so as to enclose a coil. A first inner magnetic path is disposed at a position opposite to an optical axis of the charged particle beams. A second inner magnetic path, formed at a slant with respect to the optical axis of the charged particle beams, includes a leading end. A detection surface of the detector is disposed at the outer side from a virtual straight line that passes through the leading end and that is parallel to the optical axis of the charged particle beams.

Embodiments consistent with the disclosure herein include methods and a multi-beam apparatus configured to emit charged-particle beams for imaging a top and side of a structure of a sample, including: a deflector array including a first deflector and configured to receive a first charged-particle beam and a second charged-particle beam; a blocking plate configured to block one of the first charged-particle beam and the second charged-particle beam; and a controller having circuitry and configured to change the configuration of the apparatus to transition between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the deflector array directs the second charged-particle beam to the top of the structure, and the blocking plate blocks the first charged-particle beam. And in the second mode, the first deflector deflects the first charged-particle beam to the side of the structure, and the blocking plate blocks the second charged-particle beam.

Apparatuses and methods for charged-particle detection may include a deflector system configured to direct charged-particle pulses, a detector having a detection element configured to detect the charged-particle pulses, and a controller having a circuitry configured to control the deflector system to direct a first and second charged-particle pulses to the detection element; obtain first and second timestamps associated with when the first charged-particle pulse is directed by the deflector system and detected by the detection element, respectively, and third and fourth timestamps associated with when the second charged-particle pulse is directed by the deflector system and detected by the detection element, respectively; and identify a first and second exiting beams based on the first and second timestamps, and the third and fourth timestamps, respectively.

A method for scanning a sample by a charged particle beam tool is provided. The method includes providing the sample having a scanning area including a plurality of unit areas, scanning a unit area of the plurality of unit areas, blanking a next unit area of the plurality of unit areas adjacent to the scanned unit area, and performing the scanning and the blanking the plurality of unit areas until all of the unit areas are scanned.

Ion implantation systems and methods implant varying energies of an ion beam across a workpiece in a serial single-workpiece end station, where electrodes of an acceleration/deceleration stage, bend electrode and/or energy filter control a final energy or path of the ion beam to the workpiece. The bend electrode or an energy filter can form part of the acceleration/deceleration stage or can be positioned downstream. A scanning apparatus scans the ion beam and/or the workpiece, and a power source provides varied electrical bias signals to the electrodes. A controller selectively varies the electrical bias signals concurrent with the scanning of the ion beam and/or workpiece through the ion beam based on a desired ion beam energy at the workpiece. A waveform generator can provide the variation and synchronize the electrical bias signals supplied to the acceleration/deceleration stage, bend electrode and/or energy filter.

A charged particle assessment tool includes: an objective lens configured to project a plurality of charged particle beams onto a sample, the objective lens having a sample-facing surface defining a plurality of beam apertures through which respective ones of the charged particle beams are emitted toward the sample; and a plurality of capture electrodes adjacent respective ones of the beam apertures and configured to capture charged particles emitted from the sample.

The present invention relates to a charged particle beam system comprising a deflection subsystem configured to deflect a charged particle beam in a deflection direction based on a sum of analog signals generated by separate digital to analog conversion of a first digital signal and a second digital signal. The present invention further relates to a method of configuring the charged particle beam system so that each of a plurality of regions of interest can be scanned by varying only the first digital signal while the second digital signal is held constant at a value associated with the respective region of interest. The present invention further relates to a method of recording a plurality of images of the regions of interest at the premise of reduced interference due to charge accumulation.

Methods and systems for acquiring transmission electron microscope video data on a rolling-shutter detector at an enhanced frame rate and without temporal distortions are described. Also described are methods to enhance the dynamic range of image and diffraction data acquired using a transmission electron microscope. The disclosed methods and systems may also be applicable to photon detection and imaging systems.