Described herein are a system and method of preparing integrated circuits (ICs) so that the ICs remain electrically active and can have their active circuitry probed for diagnostic and characterization purposes using charged particle beams. The system employs an infrared camera capable of looking through the silicon substrate of the ICs to image electrical circuits therein, a focused ion beam system that can both image the IC and selectively remove substrate material from the IC, a scanning electron microscope that can both image structures on the IC and measure voltage contrast signals from active circuits on the IC, and a means of extracting heat generated by the active IC. The method uses the system to identify the region of the IC to be probed, and to selectively remove all substrate material over the region to be probed using ion bombardment, and further identifies endpoint detection means of milling to the required depth so as to observe electrical states and waveforms on the active IC.

Described herein are a system and method of preparing integrated circuits (ICs) so that the ICs remain electrically active and can have their active circuitry probed for diagnostic and characterization purposes using charged particle beams. The system employs an infrared camera capable of looking through the silicon substrate of the ICs to image electrical circuits therein, a focused ion beam system that can both image the IC and selectively remove substrate material from the IC, a scanning electron microscope that can both image structures on the IC and measure voltage contrast signals from active circuits on the IC, and a means of extracting heat generated by the active IC. The method uses the system to identify the region of the IC to be probed, and to selectively remove all substrate material over the region to be probed using ion bombardment, and further identifies endpoint detection means of milling to the required depth so as to observe electrical states and waveforms on the active IC.

Systems and methods related to the use of a proton/deuteron cyclotron for materials analysis and other industrial applications are provided. The methods, apparatuses and uses include positioning a target material for irradiation on a sample holder, focusing a hydrogen ion beam or a deuteron ion beam, such as a negative hydrogen ion or negative deuteron ion beam, from the cyclotron to the target material, irradiating the target material to induce a (d,*) or a (p,*) reaction thereby producing a radiation emission, and detecting the radiation emission using a detector, wherein the particle beam produced by the cyclotron has an energy in a range of from and including 1 MeV to 3 MeV and has a beam current in a range of from and including 5 pA to 100 nA.

Systems and methods related to the use of a proton/deuteron cyclotron for materials analysis and other industrial applications are provided. The methods, apparatuses and uses include positioning a target material for irradiation on a sample holder, focusing a hydrogen ion beam or a deuteron ion beam, such as a negative hydrogen ion or negative deuteron ion beam, from the cyclotron to the target material, irradiating the target material to induce a (d,*) or a (p,*) reaction thereby producing a radiation emission, and detecting the radiation emission using a detector, wherein the particle beam produced by the cyclotron has an energy in a range of from and including 1 MeV to 3 MeV and has a beam current in a range of from and including 5 pA to 100 nA.

A device for an MeV-based ion beam analysis of a sample includes a vacuum measurement chamber, having at least one detector and a sample observation unit, a vacuum system for generating a vacuum within the vacuum measurement chamber, and an ion beam tube and a focusing system for focusing an ion beam. The device further includes a sample transfer system, comprising a sample manipulator including a sample holder for receiving at least one sample. The device additionally includes an in-coupling system for the vacuum-tight connection of the ion beam tube to the measurement chamber, which comprises an ion beam vacuum feedthrough, at least one receiver for a detector, a receiver for receiving the sample observation unit, and a receiver for receiving the sample transfer system. The in-coupling system represents a direct mechanical connection between the components that are the ion lens system, detector and sample observation unit.

A device for an MeV-based ion beam analysis of a sample includes a vacuum measurement chamber, having at least one detector and a sample observation unit, a vacuum system for generating a vacuum within the vacuum measurement chamber, and an ion beam tube and a focusing system for focusing an ion beam. The device further includes a sample transfer system, comprising a sample manipulator including a sample holder for receiving at least one sample. The device additionally includes an in-coupling system for the vacuum-tight connection of the ion beam tube to the measurement chamber, which comprises an ion beam vacuum feedthrough, at least one receiver for a detector, a receiver for receiving the sample observation unit, and a receiver for receiving the sample transfer system. The in-coupling system represents a direct mechanical connection between the components that are the ion lens system, detector and sample observation unit.

An improved spectroscopic analysis apparatus and method are disclosed, comprising directing a beam of radiation onto a measurement location on a specimen, thereby causing a flux of X-rays to emanate from this location; examining the X-ray flux using a detector arrangement, thus acquiring a spectrum; choosing a set of different measurement directions originating from the location; recording outputs from the detector arrangement for different measurement directions; adopting a spectral model that is a convoluted mix of terms B and L.sub.p, where B is the Bremsstrahlung background spectrum and L.sub.p comprises spectral lines corresponding to the specimen composition at the measurement location; and then automatically deconvolving the set of measurements on the basis of the spectral model to calculate L.sub.p to determine the chemical composition of the specimen at the measurement location. The method includes corrections for differential X-ray absorption within the specimen along the different measurement directions.

Practical implementation of Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) on a focused ion beam apparatus or on a dual-beam apparatus comprising both focused-ion beam and scanning microscopy capabilities is described. Accordingly, an analytical method comprises: directing and focusing a beam of ions comprising a mixture of protons and non-hydrogen ions onto a sample, wherein the kinetic energy of ions of the mixture is not greater than 50 kilo-electron-Volts (keV); and detecting and measuring X-rays that are emitted from the sample in response to the impingement of the protons and non-hydrogen ions onto the sample.

Practical implementation of Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) on a focused ion beam apparatus or on a dual-beam apparatus comprising both focused-ion beam and scanning microscopy capabilities is described. Accordingly, an analytical method comprises: directing and focusing a beam of ions comprising a mixture of protons and non-hydrogen ions onto a sample, wherein the kinetic energy of ions of the mixture is not greater than 50 kilo-electron-Volts (keV); and detecting and measuring X-rays that are emitted from the sample in response to the impingement of the protons and non-hydrogen ions onto the sample.

Described herein are a system and method of preparing integrated circuits (ICs) so that the ICs remain electrically active and can have their active circuitry probed for diagnostic and characterization purposes using charged particle beams. The system employs an infrared camera capable of looking through the silicon substrate of the ICs to image electrical circuits therein, a focused ion beam system that can both image the IC and selectively remove substrate material from the IC, a scanning electron microscope that can both image structures on the IC and measure voltage contrast signals from active circuits on the IC, and a means of extracting heat generated by the active IC. The method uses the system to identify the region of the IC to be probed, and to selectively remove all substrate material over the region to be probed using ion bombardment, and further identifies endpoint detection means of milling to the required depth so as to observe electrical states and waveforms on the active IC.