Auto-tuning stage settling time with feedback in charged particle microscopy

A charged particle microscopy system, comprising:

• an imaging system;
• a movement stage;
• and
• a processor and memory configured with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
• estimate a stage settling duration of the movement stage based on an image sequence obtained with the imaging system;
• and
• automatically adjust a stage settling wait duration for the movement stage based on the stage settling duration.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an imaging system configured to image a sample;
• a movement stage configured to support the sample in view of the imaging system;
• and
• an imaging controller configured to determine settling time parameters of the movement stage at a first stage location based on an image sequence obtained with the imaging system, to adjust a stage settling wait duration for the movement stage based on the settling time parameter, and to cause the imaging system to capture an image of the sample on the movement stage at a second location using the adjusted stage settling wait duration.