Electron detector including an intimately-coupled scintillator-photomultiplier combination, and electron microscope and X-ray detector employing same

A method of producing an image of a specimen positioned within a sample chamber coupled to an electron column using electron imaging, comprising:

• generating an electron beam;
• directing the electron beam through the electron column and toward the specimen, wherein a plurality electrons are ejected from the specimen in response to the electron beam impinging on the specimen;
• generating a signal based on an intensity of the plurality of electrons using an electron detector, the electron detector including an assembly positioned within the electron column or the sample chamber, the assembly including an SiPM and a scintillator connected, face to face, to an active light sensing surface of the SiPM, wherein the electrons impinge on the scintillator and in response thereto the scintillator emits a plurality of photons, wherein the SiPM generates the signal responsive to receipt of the plurality of photons from the scintillator, and wherein the signal generated by the SiPM is based on the intensity of the electrons that impinged on the scintillator;
• and
• generating the image of the specimen based on the signal.

A charged particle beam device for generating an image of a specimen using electron imaging, comprising:

• an electron source structured to generate an electron beam, the electron source being coupled to an electron column, the column at least partially housing a system structured to direct the electron beam toward the specimen held on a specimen holder within a sample chamber coupled to the electron column, the system including a final lens;
• a backscattered electron detector, the backscattered electron detector including an assembly positioned in between a bottom of the final lens and the specimen holder, the assembly including a scintillator and an SiPM, the scintillator having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, the front surface facing the specimen holder and being positioned to receive a plurality of electrons ejected from the specimen in response to the electron beam impinging on the specimen, the back surface of the scintillator being connected, face to face, to an active light sensing surface of the SiPM, wherein the scintillator is structured to emit a plurality of photons from the back surface when the plurality of electrons impinge on the front surface and wherein the SiPM is structured to generate a signal responsive to receipt of the plurality of photons from the scintillator;
• and
• electronic circuitry, wherein the signal generated by the SiPM is based on an intensity of the plurality of electrons, and wherein the electronic circuitry is structured to generate an image of the specimen based on the signal.

A method of producing an image of a specimen positioned on a specimen holder within a sample chamber coupled to an electron column of a charged particle device using electron imaging, comprising:

• generating an electron beam;
• directing the electron beam through the electron column and toward the specimen using a system including an final lens, wherein a plurality of electrons are backscattered from the specimen in response to the electron beam impinging on the specimen;
• generating a signal based on an intensity of the plurality electrons using an electron detector, the electron detector including an assembly positioned in between a bottom of the final lens and the specimen holder, the assembly including a scintillator and an SiPM, scintillator having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, the front surface facing the specimen holder and being positioned to receive the plurality electrons, the back surface of the scintillator being connected, face to face, to an active light sensing surface of the SiPM, wherein the plurality of electrons impinge on the front surface of the scintillator and in response thereto the scintillator emits a plurality of photons from the back surface, wherein the SiPM generates the signal responsive to receipt of the plurality of photons from the scintillator, and wherein the signal generated by the SiPM is based on the intensity of the electrons that impinged on the scintillator;
• and
• generating the image of the specimen based on the signal.

A method of producing an image of a specimen positioned within a sample chamber coupled to an electron column of a charged beam device using electron imaging, comprising:

• generating an electron beam;
• directing the electron beam through the electron column and toward the specimen, wherein a plurality electrons are ejected from the specimen in response to the electron beam impinging on the specimen;
• directly detecting the plurality electrons using an electron detector device without using a scintillator, the electron device including an SiPM having an array of independent detecting elements connected in parallel on a substrate, each detecting element comprising a lithographically produced passive-quenched APD microcell operated in limited Geiger mode, the electron detector being structured to allow substantially all electrons incident on the electron detector device to impinge on the detecting elements rather than being structured to absorb substantially all electrons incident on the electron detector device;
• generating and outputting from the electron detector a signal based on an intensity of the plurality electrons responsive to the directly detecting the plurality electrons;
• and
• generating the image of the specimen based on the signal.

A charged particle beam device for generating an image of a specimen using electron imaging, comprising:

• an electron source structured to generate an electron beam, the electron source being coupled to an electron column, the electron column at least partially housing a system structured to direct the electron beam toward a specimen positioned in a sample chamber to which the electron column is coupled;
• an electron detector device positioned within the electron column or the sample chamber, the electron detector device being structured to detect a plurality electrons ejected from the specimen in response to the electron beam impinging on the specimen without using a scintillator, the election detector device including SiPM having an array of independent detecting elements connected in parallel on a substrate, each detecting element comprising a lithographically produced passive-quenched APD microcell operated in limited Geiger mode, the electron detector device being structured to allow substantially all electrons incident on the electron detector to impinge on the detecting elements rather than being structured to absorb substantially all electrons incident on the electron detector;
• and
• electronic circuitry coupled to the SiPM, wherein a signal generated by the SiPM is based on an intensity of the plurality of electrons, and wherein the electronic circuitry is structured to generate an image of the specimen based on the signal.