A method of evaluating a region of interest of a sample including: positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column; acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column; generating an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired; identifying distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and creating an updated three-dimensional data cube that includes corrections for the identified distortions.

A method of evaluating a region of interest of a sample including: positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column; acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column; generating an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired; identifying distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and creating an updated three-dimensional data cube that includes corrections for the identified distortions.

A method of evaluating a region of interest of a sample including: positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column; acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column; generating an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired; identifying distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and creating an updated three-dimensional data cube that includes corrections for the identified distortions.

The invention relates to a method of examining a sample using a charged particle microscope, comprising the steps of providing a charged particle beam, as well as a sample; scanning said charged particle beam over said sample at a plurality of sample locations; and detecting, using a first detector, emissions of a first type from the sample in response to the beam scanned over the plurality of sample locations. Spectral information of detected emissions of the first type is used to assign a plurality of mutually different phases to said sample at said plurality of sample locations. Information relating to at least one previously assigned phase and its respective sample location is used for establishing an estimated phase for at least one other of the plurality of sample locations. Said estimated phase is assigned to said other sample location. A control unit is used to provide a data representation of said sample containing at least information on said plurality of sample locations and said phases.

An electron microscope includes a stage, a charged particle beam generator, a plurality of elemental spectrum detectors and a reader. The stage is configured for carrying a sample. The charged particle beam generator is configured for generating a charged particle beam to bombard the sample. The elemental spectrum detectors is configured for detecting X ray emitted from the sample being bombarded by the charged particle beam and outputting a plurality of corresponding spectrum detecting signals. The reader is configured for calibrating a plurality of counting signals generated by the spectrum detecting signals and summing the calibrated counting signals to obtain an elemental spectrum of the sample. The collection time of elemental spectrum of the above-mentioned electron microscope can be shortened. A reader and an acquiring elemental spectrum method applied to the above-mentioned electron microscope are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a method of acquiring an Energy Backscattering Pattern image of a sample in a charged particle apparatus, the sample showing a flat surface, the charged particle apparatus equipped with an electron column for producing a finely focused electron beam, a position sensitive detector for detecting EBSP patterns, and a sample holder for holding and positioning the sample, the method comprising the steps of: Positioning the sample with respect to the electron beam, Directing the electron beam to an impact point on the sample, thereby causing backscattered electrons to irradiate the detector, and Acquiring the signal from the detector while the beam is kept stationary,
in which The detector is equipped to selectively detect electrons with an energy above a predefined threshold, and The signal of the electrons with an energy above said threshold is used to form an EBSP image.

A method of evaluating a region of interest of a sample including: positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column; acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column; generating an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired; identifying distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and creating an updated three-dimensional data cube that includes corrections for the identified distortions.

A method of evaluating a region of interest of a sample including: positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column; acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column; generating an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired; identifying distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and creating an updated three-dimensional data cube that includes corrections for the identified distortions.