Sample pre-charging methods and apparatuses for charged particle beam inspection

A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a set of instructions that is executable by at least one processor of a computer system to cause the computer system to perform operations for imaging a sample using an apparatus comprising a source of charged particles, a condenser lens, an aperture, a first multi-pole lens, and a second multi-pole lens, the operations comprising:

• setting a beam of charged particles into a first configuration suitable for pre-charging the sample;
• pre-charging an area of the sample using the beam of charged particles in the first configuration;
• setting the beam of charged particles into a second configuration suitable for imaging the sample;
• configuring the first and the second multi-pole lenses to adjust a current of the beam of charged particles to be incident on the sample by adjusting a portion of the beam of charged particles passing through the aperture;
• and
• imaging the area using the beam of charged particles in the second configuration.

A method for imaging a sample using an apparatus comprising a source of charged particles, a condenser lens, an aperture, a first multi-pole lens, and a second multi-pole lens, the method comprising:

• setting a beam of charged particles into a first configuration suitable for pre-charging a sample;
• pre-charging an area of the sample using the beam of charged particles in the first configuration;
• setting the beam of charged particles into a second configuration suitable for imaging the sample;
• configuring the first and the second multi-pole lenses to adjust a current of the beam of charged particles to be incident on the sample by adjusting a portion of the beam of charged particles passing through the aperture;
• and
• imaging the area using the beam of charged particles in the second configuration.