Patent ID: 8153967
Filing Date: 2012-04-10
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: acquiring a first data set of intensity signals generated in a region of an object due to an interaction of a particle beam with the region of the object, the first data set being acquired at a first value of an overall amplification of a particle detection system, and the first data set representing an image having a dynamic range; acquiring a second data set of intensity signals generated in the region of the object due to an interaction of the particle beam with the region of the object, the second data set being acquired at a second value of an overall amplification of the particle detection system, the second value being different form the first value, and the second data set representing an image having a dynamic range; acquiring a third data set of intensity signals generated in the region of the object due to an interaction of the particle beam with the region of the object, the third data set being acquired at a third value of an overall amplification of the particle detection system, the third value being different form the first value and the second value, and the third data set representing an image having a dynamic range; and generating an image representation of at least a portion of the region of the object based on the first, second and third data sets, the image representation having a dynamic range, wherein: the dynamic range of the image representation is greater than the dynamic range of the image represented by the first data set, the dynamic range of the image representation is greater than the dynamic range of the image represented by the second data set, the dynamic range of the image representation is greater than the dynamic range of the image represented by the third data set, and the first, second and third data sets are consecutively generated in the region of the object.