System and method for reducing radiation-induced false counts in an inspection system

An inspection system with radiation-induced false count mitigation, comprising:

• one or more detector assemblies comprising:
• an illumination sensor configured to detect illumination from a sample;
• and
• one or more radiation sensors configured to detect particle radiation;
• a radiation count controller communicatively coupled to the one or more radiation sensors of the one or more detector assemblies, the radiation count controller including one or more processors configured to execute instructions causing the one or more processors to identify a set of radiation detection events based on radiation signals received from the one or more radiation sensors of the one or more detector assemblies during operation of the illumination sensors of the one or more detector assemblies;
• and
• an inspection controller communicatively coupled to the illumination sensors of the one or more detector assemblies and the radiation count controller, the inspection controller including one or more processors configured to execute instructions causing the one or more processors to:
• identify a set of illumination detection events based on an illumination signal received from the illumination sensors of the one or more detector assemblies;
• identify one or more features on the sample based on the set of illumination detection events;
• receive the set of radiation detection events from the radiation count controller;
• compare the set of radiation detection events to the set of illumination detection events to identify a set of coincidence events, wherein the set of coincidence events corresponds to simultaneous occurrences of radiation detection events and illumination detection events;
• and
• refine the one or more identified features on the sample based on the set of coincidence events.

A method for reducing radiation-induced false counts on a detector in an inspection system, comprising:

• illuminating at least a portion of a sample with a beam of illumination;
• generating, with an illumination sensor, a set of illumination detection events based on the illumination signal received from an illumination;
• identifying, with one or more processors, a set of illumination detection events based on an illumination signal received from the illumination sensor;
• identifying, with one or more processors, one or more features on the sample based on the set of illumination detection events;
• generating, with one or more radiation sensors, a set of radiation detection events during operation of the illumination sensor;
• comparing, with one or more processors, the set of radiation detection events to the set of illumination detection events to identify a set of coincidence events, wherein the set of coincidence events corresponds to simultaneous occurrences of radiation detection events and illumination detection events;
• and
• refining, with one or more processors, the one or more identified features on the sample based on the set of coincidence events.

An inspection system with radiation-induced false count mitigation, comprising:

• one or more detector assemblies comprising:
• an illumination sensor configured to detect illumination from a sample;
• and
• one or more radiation sensors configured to detect particle radiation, wherein the one or more radiation sensors include one or more semiconductor devices;
• a radiation count controller communicatively coupled to the one or more radiation sensors of the one or more detector assemblies, the radiation count controller including one or more processors configured to execute instructions causing the one or more processors to identify a set of radiation detection events based on radiation signals received from the one or more radiation sensors of the one or more detector assemblies during operation of the illumination sensors of the one or more detector assemblies;
• and
• an inspection controller communicatively coupled to the illumination sensors of the one or more detector assemblies and the radiation count controller, the inspection controller including one or more processors configured to execute instructions causing the one or more processors to:
• identify a set of illumination detection events based on an illumination signal received from the illumination sensors of the one or more detector assemblies;
• identify one or more features on the sample based on the set of illumination detection events;
• receive the set of radiation detection events from the radiation count controller;
• compare the set of radiation detection events to the set of illumination detection events to identify a set of coincidence events, wherein the set of coincidence events corresponds to simultaneous occurrences of radiation detection events and illumination detection events;
• and
• refine the one or more identified features on the sample based on the set of coincidence events.