A manufacturing system performs a deposition of an etch-compatible film over a substrate. The etch-compatible film includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The manufacturing system performs a partial removal of the etch-compatible film to create a surface profile on the first surface with a plurality of depths relative to the substrate. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second material over the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a planarization of the second material to obtain a plurality of etch heights of the second material in accordance with the plurality of depths in the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of a photoresist deposited over the planarized second material to obtain the plurality of etch heights and one or more duty cycles in the second material.

A sample cartridge has a sample stand and an inclining mechanism. A sample cartridge holding apparatus has a housing part which is inclined. When the sample cartridge is inserted into the housing part, a contact portion contacts a lever of the inclining mechanism, and the sample stand is inclined by a predetermined angle. With this process, an appropriate inclination angle is realized for the sample stand.

The invention relates to a device (100) for reducing ice contamination of a sample (S) in a chamber (210) of a focused ion beam milling apparatus (200), wherein the device (100) comprises a body (110) configured to be cooled to cryogenic temperatures, wherein the body (110) comprises an aperture (111), which is configured such that an ion beam (I) generated by an ion source (220) can pass from the ion source (220) through the aperture (111) to the sample (S), wherein the body (110) comprises a recess (112), wherein said aperture (111) is arranged in the recess (112).

The invention further relates to a focused ion beam milling apparatus (200) and a method for focused ion beam milling of a sample (S).

Methods and systems for creating attachments between a sample manipulator and a sample within a charged particle systems are disclosed herein. Methods include translating a sample manipulator so that it is proximate to a sample, and milling portions of the sample manipulator such that portions are removed. The portion of the sample manipulator proximate to the sample is composed of a high sputter yield material, and the high sputter yield material may be the material milled with the charged particle beam such that it is removed from the sample manipulator. According to the present disclosure, the portions of the sample manipulator are milled such that at least some of the removed high sputter yield material redeposits to form an attachment between the sample manipulator and the sample.

A method of milling a sample that includes a first layer formed over a second layer, where the first and second layers are different materials, the method comprising: milling the region of the sample by scanning a focused ion beam over the region a plurality of iterations in which, for each iteration, the focused ion beam removes material from the sample generating byproducts from the milled region; detecting, during the milling, the partial pressures of one or more byproducts with a residual gas analyzer positioned to have a direct line of sight to the milled region; generating, in real-time, an output detection signal from the residual gas analyzer indicative of an amount of the one or more byproducts detected; and stopping the milling based on the output signal.

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.

This invention pertains to an imaging method, the purpose of which is to reveal, over a wide range, information about a plurality of layers contained in a multilayer structure, or form an image of the revealed applicable layers. The method proposed includes: a step in which, while rotating the sample with the axis of the normal line of the sample surface as the axis of rotation, the sample is irradiated with an ion beam from a direction inclined with respect to the normal line direction, via a mask having an opening which selectively allows the passage of an ion beam and which is disposed at a position distant from the sample, thereby forming a hole with a band-shaped sloped surface that is inclined with respect to the sample surface; and a step in which a first image viewed from a direction intersecting with the sloped surface of the applicable layer is formed, on the basis of a signal obtained by irradiating, with a charged particle beam, the applicable layer contained in the band-shaped sloped surface.

The present disclosure relates to dual beam device and three-dimensional circuit pattern inspection techniques by cross sectioning of inspection volumes with large depth extension exceeding 1 μm below the surface of a semiconductor wafer, as well as methods, computer program products and apparatuses for generating 3D volume image data of a deep inspection volume inside a wafer without removal of a sample from the wafer. The disclosure further relates to 3D volume image generation and cross section image alignment methods utilizing a dual beam device for three-dimensional circuit pattern inspection.

A method for positioning a movable object in a sample chamber of a particle beam microscope is carried out with the aid of a flexible particle beam barrier. The particle beam microscope comprises at least one particle beam column for producing a beam of charged particles, and a sample chamber, a detector for detecting interaction signals and a control and evaluation unit. In the method, initially an object is provided in the sample chamber. Next, a barrier region is defined, which is subsequently scanned with the beam of charged particles. The interaction signals produced during the scan are detected. The object is moved towards the barrier region, wherein the detected interaction signals are monitored and signal changes are registered, with the result that it is possible to detect when the object moves into the barrier region or leaves the barrier region.

Provided is an ion milling apparatus capable of enhancing reproducibility of an ion distribution. The ion milling apparatus includes: an ion source 101; a sample stage 102 on which a sample to be processed by being irradiated with an unfocused ion beam from the ion source 101 is placed; and a measurement member holding unit 106 that holds an ion beam current measurement member 105. A covering material 120 is provided so as to cover at least a surface of the measurement member holding unit 106 and the sample stage 102 facing the ion source 101. A material of the covering material 120 contains, as a main component, an element having an atomic number smaller than that of an element of a material of a structure on which the covering material is provided. The ion beam current measurement member 105 is moved in an irradiation range of the ion beam on a trajectory, which is located between the ion source and the sample stage, in a state where the ion beam is output from the ion source 101 under a first irradiation condition, and an ion beam current flowing when the ion beam current measurement member 105 is irradiated with the ion beam is measured.