Switch matrix configuration for improved bandwidth performance

The charged particle beam apparatus of claim +6, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the charged particle beam apparatus to perform:

• disabling a third pickup switch between a third sensing element and the first node to prevent charge from flowing between the third sensing element and the first node via the third pickup switch;
• and
• enabling a ground switch between the third sensing element and a ground connection to prevent charge from accumulating at the third sensing element,
• wherein the third sensing element forms part of the first section of the plurality of sections.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions that is executable by at least one processor of an apparatus to cause the apparatus to perform a method for configuring a switch matrix in a charged particle detector, the method comprising:

• disabling a first inter-element switch between a first sensing element and a second sensing element of the charged particle detector to prevent charge from flowing between the first sensing element and the second sensing element via the first inter-element switch, the first inter-element switch forming part of a lower hierarchy of a switch matrix;
• enabling a first pickup switch between the first sensing element and an upper hierarchy of the switch matrix to allow charge to flow between the first sensing element and the upper hierarchy via the first pickup switch;
• and
• enabling a second pickup switch between the second sensing element and the upper hierarchy to allow charge to flow between the second sensing element and the upper hierarchy via the second pickup switch;
• wherein the first sensing element and the second sensing element are coupled to a common analog signal path of the detector at the upper hierarchy.

A method of configuring a switch matrix in a charged particle detector, comprising:

• disabling a first inter-element switch between a first sensing element and a second sensing element of the charged particle detector to prevent charge from flowing between the first sensing element and the second sensing element via the first inter-element switch, the first inter-element switch forming part of a lower hierarchy of the switch matrix;
• enabling a first pickup switch between the first sensing element and an upper hierarchy of the switch matrix to allow charge to flow between the first sensing element and the upper hierarchy via the first pickup switch;
• and
• enabling a second pickup switch between the second sensing element and the upper hierarchy to allow charge to flow between the second sensing element and the upper hierarchy via the second pickup switch;
• wherein the first sensing element and the second sensing element are coupled to a common analog signal path of the detector at the upper hierarchy.