Reduced charging by low negative voltage in FIB systems

A system for processing 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 processing operation;
• a focused ion beam (FIB) column configured to direct an ion beam into the vacuum chamber toward the region of the sample during the processing operation;
• an electrically conductive structure moveable into a position such that, when the sample is positioned on the sample support, the electrically conductive structure is proximate the region of the sample, wherein the electrically conductive structure is one of a gas injection nozzle, a voltage pin or a nano-manipulator;
• and
• a voltage source operable to apply a negative bias voltage to the electrically conductive structure.

A non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising a plurality of computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to:

• position a sample within a vacuum chamber;
• generate an ion beam with a focused ion beam (FIB) column;
• focus the ion beam on the sample and scan the focused ion beam across the region of the sample thereby generating secondary electrons that are ejected from a surface of the sample within the region;
• and
• during the scanning, apply a negative bias voltage to an electrically conductive structure proximate the region to alter a trajectory of the secondary electrons and repel the secondary electrons back to the sample surface, wherein the electrically conductive structure is one of a gas injection nozzle, a voltage pin or a nano-manipulator.