Charged particle beam apparatus and method for operating the same

A method for serially operating a charged particle beam apparatus having a charged particle source for producing a primary beam of charged particles, a condenser lens for shaping the primary beam of charged particles, a beam shaping means adapted to switch between a collimation of the primary beam to a width appropriate for serial imaging as well as a collimation of the primary beam to a width appropriate for parallel imaging, a scanning means for deflecting said primary beam of charged particles, and a sectorized detector for detecting secondary charged particles, the method comprising:

• providing the charged particle beam apparatus;
• adjusting the beam shaping means for collimating the primary beam of charged particles to collimate said primary beam of charged particles to the width appropriate for serial imaging of a sample,
• scanning said sample using the scanning means, wherein said primary beam of charged particles is directed to a respective position of a single pixel on said sample, and
• detecting secondary charged particles by means of the sectorized detector, wherein signals produced by individual sectors of said detector are merged to form a signal corresponding to said single pixel.

A method for operating a charged particle beam apparatus having a charged particle source for producing a primary beam of charged particles, a condenser lens for shaping the primary beam of charged particles, a beam shaping means adapted to switch between a collimation of the primary beam to a width appropriate for serial imaging as well as a collimation of the primary beam to a width appropriate for parallel imaging, a scanning means for deflecting said primary beam of charged particles, and a sectorized detector for detecting secondary charged particles, the method comprising:

• providing the charged particle beam apparatus;
• adjusting the beam shaping means for collimating the primary beam of charged particles to collimate said primary beam of charged particles to the width appropriate for parallel imaging of a sample;
• directing said primary beam of charged particles to a predetermined position on said sample;
• and
• detecting secondary charged particles by means of the sectorized detector, wherein the signals produced by individual sectors of said detector are individually collected.

A method for operating a charged particle beam apparatus having a charged particle source for producing a primary beam of charged particles, a condenser lens for shaping the primary beam of charged particles, a beam shaping means adapted to switch between a collimation of the primary beam to a width appropriate for serial imaging as well as a collimation of the primary beam to a width appropriate for parallel imaging, a scanning means for deflecting said primary beam of charged particles, and a sectorized detector for detecting secondary charged particles, the method comprising:

• providing the charged particle beam apparatus,
• adjusting the beam shaping means for collimating the primary beam of charged particles to collimate said primary beam of charged particles to the width appropriate for parallel imaging of a sample,
• producing a light beam,
• directing said primary beam of charged particles and said light beam to a predetermined position on said sample, and
• detecting secondary charged particles by means of the sectorized detector, wherein the signals produced by individual sectors of said detector are individually collected.

A method for operating a charged particle beam apparatus comprising a charged particle source for producing a primary beam of charged particles, a condenser lens for shaping the primary beam of charged particles, a beam shaping means adapted to switch between a collimation of the primary beam to a width appropriate for serial imaging as well as a collimation of the primary beam to a width appropriate for parallel imaging, a scanning means for deflecting said primary beam of charged particles, and a sectorized detector for detecting secondary charged particles, said method comprising:

• generating a primary beam of charged particles by said particle source;
• collimating said primary beam by an aperture;
• and
• focusing said collimated primary beam by said objective lens, wherein said objective lens is adjusted to form an image of said aperture in the working plane of said objective lens.