Patent ID: 7067807
Filing Date: 2006-06-27
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling inspection of a sample with a charged particle beam column, the method comprising: supplying a certain given voltage to an anode of the column selected to provide a required accelerating voltage for a charged particle beam, supplying a negative voltage V sample to the sample selected to provide a desirably high effective voltage of the column at said given voltage on the anode, and supplying a certain voltage V cap to an electrode of a lens arrangement located closer to the sample than an objective lens of the lens arrangement, said certain voltage V cap being selected to satisfy one of the following conditions: V cap slightly lower or substantially equal to V sample thereby enabling operation with a relatively low-gradient electric field in the vicinity of the sample, and V cap is significantly higher than V sample thereby enabling operation with a relatively high gradient field in the vicinity of the sample.