Methods and devices for charge compensation
AssigneeCarl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
InventorsAndreas Schmaunz, Markus Esseling, Dirk Zeidler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods are provided for operating a particle-optical device, wherein electrical charging of a sample to be examined is reduced. The particle-optical device includes a vacuum chamber for receiving a sample, a particle source for generating a primary particle beam directed to the sample, a scan generator for directed guidance of the primary particle beam over the sample surface, and at least one detector for detecting interaction products created during the interaction between the primary particle beam and the sample.
Claims26
A method, comprising:
- a) scanning a primary particle beam over a surface of a sample for a duration of a time I1;
- b) detecting interaction products of the primary particle beam and the sample;
- c) introducing a gas pulse for a duration of time I2, which overlaps with I1, so that a region of the sample surface is discharged;
- d) generating a first image of the sample on the basis of the detected interaction products;
- and
- e) selecting a partial image from the first generated image so that image regions having image interference are not contained in the partial image.
A particle-optical device, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber configured to receive a sample;
- a particle source configured to generate a primary particle beam;
- a scan generator configured to guide the primary particle beam over a surface of the sample for a duration of a time I1;
- a gas supply arrangement configured to introduce a gas into the vacuum chamber for a duration of time I2, which overlaps with I1, so that a region of the sample surface is discharged;
- and
- a detector configured to detect interaction products of the primary particle beam and the sample.
A method, comprising:
- scanning a primary particle beam over a surface of a sample;
- providing a molecular beam of a gas to discharge a region of the sample surface;
- and
- detecting interaction products.
A particle-optical device, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber configured to house a sample;
- a particle source configured to generate a primary particle beam;
- a scan generator configured to guide the primary particle beam over a surface of the sample;
- and
- a detector configured to detect interaction products of the primary particle beam and the sample;
- and
- a member configured to introduce a molecular beam into the vacuum chamber.
A method, comprising:
- scanning a primary particle beam over a surface of a sample;
- generating charged gas particles by interacting a laser beam with molecules of a residual gas present in a chamber housing the sample, thereby discharging a region of the sample;
- and
- detecting interaction products of the primary particle beam and the sample.
A particle-optical device comprising:
- a vacuum chamber configured to receive a sample;
- a particle source configured to generate a primary particle beam directed to the sample;
- a scan generator configured to scan the primary particle beam over a surface of the sample;
- a detector configured to detect interaction products by the interaction of the primary particle beam and the sample;
- and
- a member configured to generate a laser beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.