A method of evaluating a region of a sample that includes two or more sub-regions adjacent to each other that have different milling rates. The method can include: scanning a focused ion beam over the region during a single scan frame such that the ion beam is scanned over a first sub-region of the region having a first milling rate at a first scan rate and then scanned over a second sub-region of the region having a second milling rate at a second scan rate, where the second milling rate is faster than the first milling rate and second scan rate is faster than the first scan rate; and repeating the scanning process a plurality of times to etch the region to a desired depth.

A method of evaluating a region of a sample that includes two or more sub-regions adjacent to each other that have different milling rates. The method can include: scanning a focused ion beam over the region during a single scan frame such that the ion beam is scanned over a first sub-region of the region having a first milling rate at a first scan rate and then scanned over a second sub-region of the region having a second milling rate at a second scan rate, where the second milling rate is faster than the first milling rate and second scan rate is faster than the first scan rate; and repeating the scanning process a plurality of times to etch the region to a desired depth.

A performance of a sample holder 1 used in a charged particle beam device is improved. A shield plate 2 is connected to a sample stand 7. A sample stand 7 is provided with a pressing member 5 that can move in a direction perpendicular to the shield plate 2 in a state in which the pressing member is attached to the sample stand 7, and has a bar shape. A sample supporting member 4 connected to the pressing member 5 is provided at a position facing the shield plate 2. A spring 6 is provided along an outer circumference of the pressing member 5 and is connected to the sample supporting member 4 and the sample stand 7.

In the system and method disclosed, an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip is used to selectively desorb hydrogen atoms from the Si(100)-2X1:H surface by injecting electrons at a negative sample bias voltage. A new lithography method is disclosed that allows the STM to operate under imaging conditions and simultaneously desorb H atoms as required. A high frequency signal is added to the negative sample bias voltage to deliver the required energy for hydrogen removal. The resulted current at this frequency and its harmonics are filtered to minimize their effect on the operation of the STM's feedback loop. This approach offers a significant potential for controlled and precise removal of hydrogen atoms from a hydrogen-terminated silicon surface and thus may be used for the fabrication of practical silicon-based atomic-scale devices.

The disclosure relates to an electronic beam machining system. The system includes a vacuum chamber; an electron gun located in the vacuum chamber and used to emit electron beam; a holder located in the vacuum chamber and used to fix an object; a control computer; and a diffraction unit located in the vacuum chamber; the diffraction unit includes a two-dimensional nanomaterial; the electron beam transmits the two-dimensional nanomaterial to form a transmission electron beam and a plurality of diffraction electron beams; the transmission electron beam and the plurality of diffraction electron beams radiate the object to form a transmission spot and a plurality of diffraction spots.

A lamella for observation on a transmission electron microscope and other analytical instruments includes multiple thin regions separated by thicker regions or ribs. In some embodiments, the lamella can be wider than 50 μm with more than 10 multiple thin regions, with each thin region may being as thin as 10 nm or even thinner. The process for making such lamellae lends itself to automation. The process is fault tolerant in that not all of the multiple thin regions need to be useable as long as one region provides a useful image. Redeposition is reduced because ion beam imaging is reduced in the automated process and because the ribs reduce redeposition between regions.

The invention concerns methods for preparing a nanoporous silicon nitride membrane comprising (i) ablating portions of at least one side of the membrane with an electron beam to reduce the thickness of the portions to between about 0.5 and 5 nanometers, and (ii) penetrating subportions of the ablated portions of the membrane with an electron beam to form nanopores having internal surfaces which are predominantly silicon rich compared to unablated portions of the membrane.

Fiducial coordinates are obtained by aligning template with region of interest extracted from a workpiece image. Image values in the region of interest are projected along a template axis and the project values evaluated to establish a fiducial location which can be used as a reference location for locating workpiece areas for ion beam milling or other processing.

Fiducial coordinates are obtained by aligning template with region of interest extracted from a workpiece image. Image values in the region of interest are projected along a template axis and the project values evaluated to establish a fiducial location which can be used as a reference location for locating workpiece areas for ion beam milling or other processing.

A gas generation system for an ion implantation system has a hydrogen generator configured to generate hydrogen gas within an enclosure. A chuck, such as an electrostatic chuck, supports a workpiece in an end station of the ion implantation system, and a delivery system provides the hydrogen gas to the chuck. The hydrogen gas can be provided through the chuck to a backside of the workpiece. Sensors can detect a presence of the hydrogen gas within the enclosure. A controller can control the hydrogen generator. An exhaust system can pass air through the enclosure to prevent a build-up of the hydrogen gas within the enclosure. A purge gas system provides a dilutant gas to the enclosure. An interlock system can control the hydrogen generator, delivery system, purge gas system, and exhaust system to mitigate hydrogen release based on a signal from the one or more sensors.