SNR for x-ray detectors in SEM systems by using polarization filter

A non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores a plurality of computer-readable instructions for evaluating a region of a sample by:

• positioning a sample within a field of view of a scanning electron microscope;
• generating an electron beam having a landing energy about equal to an ionization energy of materials within the region of interest of the sample;
• scanning the region of interest with the electron beam set to collide with the sample thereby generating x-rays emitted from near a surface of the sample, the x-rays including characteristic x-rays and Bremsstrahlung radiation;
• and
• detecting x-rays generated while the region of interest is scanned by the electron beam after the x-rays pass through an x-ray polarizer that blocks a higher percentage of the Bremsstrahlung radiation than the characteristic x-rays.

A system for evaluating a region of a sample, the system comprising:

• a vacuum chamber;
• a sample support configured to hold a sample within the vacuum chamber during a sample evaluation process;
• a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column configured to direct a charged particle beam into the vacuum chamber toward the sample;
• a detector configured to detect x-rays generated from the collision between the charged particle beam and the sample;
• and
• a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including a plurality of computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
• position a sample within a field of view of the scanning electron microscope column;
• generate an electron beam having a landing energy about equal to an ionization energy of materials within the region of interest of the sample;
• scan the region of interest with the electron beam set to collide with the sample thereby generating x-rays emitted from near a surface of the sample, the x-rays including characteristic x-rays and Bremsstrahlung radiation;
• and
• detect x-rays generated while the region of interest is scanned by the electron beam after the x-rays pass through an x-ray polarizer that blocks a higher percentage of the Bremsstrahlung radiation than the characteristic x-rays.