Method of examining a sample using a charged particle microscope

A charged particle microscope for examining a sample, comprising:

• an optics column, including a charged particle source, a final probe forming lens and a scanner, for focusing a beam of charged particles emitted from said charged particle source onto a specimen;
• a specimen stage positioned downstream of said final probe forming lens and arranged for holding said specimen;
• a first detector for detecting emissions of a first type originating from said specimen in response to the incidence of charged particles emitted from said charged particle source;
• and
• a control unit and a processing device connected to said first detector;
• wherein said charged particle microscope is arranged to:
• Scan said charged particle beam over at least part of said specimen;
• Obtain, using the first detector, measured detector signals corresponding to emissions of a first type from the specimen at a plurality of sample positions;
• Provide a set of data class elements, wherein each data class element relates an expected detector signal to a corresponding sample information value;
• Process said measured detector signals, wherein said processing comprises, for each of the plurality of sample positions:
• Comparing said measured detector signals to said expected detector signals of said set of data class elements, and generating a similarity score for each set of data class elements;
• Determining at least one probability that said measured detector signals belong to a certain one of said set of data class elements based on the similarity scores;
• and
• Assigning at least one sample information value and said at least one probability to said sample position;
• and
• Generate an image representing said plurality of sample positions with corresponding sample information values and corresponding probabilities, wherein the image is a grey-scale image including color information to represent the sample information values and corresponding probabilities.

A method of examining a sample using a charged particle microscope, comprising:

• Scanning a charged particle beam over at least part of the sample;
• Obtaining measured detector signals at a plurality of sample positions;
• Providing a set of data class elements, wherein each data class element relates an expected detector signal to a corresponding sample information value;
• Processing said measured detector signals, wherein said processing comprises, for each of the plurality of sample positions:
• Determining similarities between said measured detector signals and said expected detector signals of said set of data class elements, and generating a similarity score for each set of data class elements;
• Determining at least one probability that said measured detector signals belong to a certain one of said set of data class elements based on the similarity scores;
• and
• Assigning at least one sample information value and said at least one probability to said sample position;
• and
• Generating an image representing said plurality of sample positions with corresponding sample information values and corresponding probabilities, wherein the image is a grey-scale image including color information to represent the sample information values and corresponding probabilities.