Imaging of crystalline defects

A method for detecting defects in a crystalline material using a charged particle beam apparatus, the method comprising:

• scanning a first sample of the crystalline material using a charged particle beam, wherein a first field of view (FOV) of the charged particle beam covers an area on the first sample of the crystalline material, and a plurality of different tilt angles of the charged particle beam are used to scan the first FOV;
• detecting backscattered electrons (BSE) emitted from the first sample of the crystalline material using one or more detectors of the charged particle beam apparatus;
• creating a first image of the first FOV based on the detected BSE;
• identifying a first area within the first image where signals from the BSE are lower than other areas of the first image;
• and thereafter
• scanning a second sample of the crystalline material using the charged particle beam, the second sample having a crystalline orientation relative to the charged particle beam apparatus that is substantially the same as the first sample, wherein a second FOV of the charged particle beam covers an area on the second sample of the crystalline material that is smaller than the first FOV, and the charged particle beam has approximately the same tilt angles or deflections as those used to scan the first area;
• detecting the BSE emitted from the second sample of the crystalline material using the one or more detectors of the charged particle beam apparatus;
• creating a second image of the second FOV based on the detected BSE;
• and
• identifying crystal defects within the second sample of the crystalline material by identifying areas within the second image where signals from the BSE are different than other areas of the second image.

A nontransitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a charged particle beam apparatus, cause the charged particle beam apparatus to perform operations comprising:

• scanning a first sample of crystalline material using a charged particle beam, wherein a first field of view (FOV) of the charged particle beam covers an area on the first sample of the crystalline material, and a plurality of different tilt angles of the charged particle beam are used to scan the first FOV;
• detecting backscattered electrons (BSE) emitted from the first sample of the crystalline material using one or more detectors of the charged particle beam apparatus;
• creating a first image of the first FOV based on the detected BSE;
• scanning a second sample of the crystalline material using the charged particle beam, wherein a second FOV of the charged particle beam covers an area on the second sample of the crystalline material, and the charged particle beam has the same tilt angles or deflections as those used to scan a first area within the first image where signals from the BSE are lower than other areas of the first image;
• detecting the BSE emitted from the second sample of the crystalline material using the one or more detectors of the charged particle beam apparatus;
• and
• creating a second image of the second FOV based on the detected BSE.