The present invention relates to an apparatus for examining and/or processing a sample, said apparatus comprising: (a) a scanning particle microscope for providing a beam of charged particles, which can be directed on a surface of the sample; and (b) a scanning probe microscope with a deflectable probe; (c) wherein a detection structure is attached to the deflectable probe.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for examining and/or processing a sample, said apparatus comprising: (a) a scanning particle microscope for providing a beam of charged particles, which can be directed on a surface of the sample; and (b) a scanning probe microscope with a deflectable probe; (c) wherein a detection structure is attached to the deflectable probe.

The present application relates to a scanning probe microscope comprising a probe arrangement for analyzing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask or of a wafer, wherein the scanning probe microscope comprises: (a) at least one first probe embodied to analyze the at least one defect; (b) means for producing at least one mark, by use of which the position of the at least one defect is indicated on the mask or on the wafer; and (c) wherein the mark is embodied in such a way that it may be detected by a scanning particle beam microscope.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for examining and/or processing a sample, said apparatus comprising: (a) a scanning particle microscope for providing a beam of charged particles, which can be directed on a surface of the sample; and (b) a scanning probe microscope with a deflectable probe; (c) wherein a detection structure is attached to the deflectable probe.

The present application relates to a scanning probe microscope comprising a probe arrangement for analyzing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask or of a wafer, wherein the scanning probe microscope comprises: (a) at least one first probe embodied to analyze the at least one defect; (b) means for producing at least one mark, by use of which the position of the at least one defect is indicated on the mask or on the wafer; and (c) wherein the mark is embodied in such a way that it may be detected by a scanning particle beam microscope.

The invention relates to a method for electrically examining electronic components of an integrated circuit. According to the invention, a method for electrically examining electronic components of an integrated circuit (1) is provided, comprising a target region (3) to be examined in which electronic components having contact points (5) are located, and a remaining region, referred to as non-target region (2), in which an examination is carried out using a combined SEM/AFM nanoprobe. In a first step, the non-target region (2) is at least partially imaged with the scanning electron microscope part of the SEM/AFM nanoprobe, and in a subsequent step the target region (3) is at least partially imaged with the atomic force microscope part of the SEM/AFM nanoprobe.

The present invention provides apparatus for an imaging system comprising a multitude of chemical emitting elements upon a substrate. In some embodiments the substrate may be approximately round with a radius of approximately one inch. Various methods relating to using and producing an imaging system of chemical emitters are disclosed.

A method discloses topography information extracted from scanning electron microscope (SEM) images to determine the atomic force microscope (AFM) image scanning speed at each sampling point or in each region on a sample. The method includes the processing of SEM images to extract possible topography features and create a feature metric map (step 1), the conversion of the feature metric map into AFM scan speed map (step 2), and performing AFM scan according to the scan speed map (step 3). The method enables AFM scan with higher scan speeds in areas with less topography feature, and lower scan speeds in areas that are rich in topography features.

The present application relates to a scanning probe microscope comprising a probe arrangement for analyzing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask or of a wafer, wherein the scanning probe microscope comprises: (a) at least one first probe embodied to analyze the at least one defect; (b) means for producing at least one mark, by use of which the position of the at least one defect is indicated on the mask or on the wafer; and (c) wherein the mark is embodied in such a way that it may be detected by a scanning particle beam microscope.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for examining and/or processing a sample, said apparatus comprising: (a) a scanning particle microscope for providing a beam of charged particles, which can be directed on a surface of the sample; and (b) a scanning probe microscope with a deflectable probe; (c) wherein a detection structure is attached to the deflectable probe.