Method and system for orientating a sample for inspection with charged particle microscopy

A scientific instrument, comprising:

• a manipulator configured to controllably rotate a sample about a first rotation axis and about a second rotation axis oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to the first rotation axis;
• an electron-beam column configured to direct an electron beam to a selected impact point on the sample;
• one or more detectors configurable to detect an angularly resolved pattern of back-scattered electrons emitted from the selected impact point in response to the electron beam and further configurable to detect a flux of back-scattered electrons emitted from the selected impact point in response to the electron beam;
• and
• an electronic controller configured to:
• determine a first crystal orientation of a region of interest (ROI) within the sample based on an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) pattern acquired with the one or more detectors when the electron-beam column is operated to direct the electron beam at a first impact point within the ROI;
• operate the manipulator to place the ROI into a second crystal orientation to substantially cancel an angular difference between the determined first crystal orientation and a target crystal orientation;
• and
• determine the second crystal orientation based on a first selected area electron channeling pattern (SACP) acquired with the one or more detectors when the scientific instrument is operated to direct the electron beam at a second impact point within the ROI.

A method, comprising:

• acquiring an electron backscatter diffraction pattern (EBSD) with one or more detectors when an electron-beam column is operated to direct an electron beam at a first impact point within a region of interest (ROI) of a sample held by a sample holder;
• determining a first crystal orientation of the ROI based on the acquired EBSD;
• operating a manipulator coupled to the sample holder to place the ROI into a second crystal orientation to substantially cancel an angular difference between the determined first crystal orientation and a target crystal orientation;
• acquiring a first selected area electron channeling pattern (SACP) of the ROI placed in the second crystal orientation with the one or more detectors when the electron beam is operated to direct the electron beam at a second impact point within the ROI;
• and
• determining the second crystal orientation based on the acquired first SACP.