Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of creating a topography at a surface of a specimen, the method comprising:providing desired surface height values for one or more locations at the surface of the specimen;providing,an energetic particle column comprising a source of energetic particles, the energetic particle column operatively arranged to form the energetic particles into a beam,a controller connected to the energetic particle column, the controller and the energetic particle column operatively arranged to direct the beam of energetic particles to the one or more locations and to provide doses of energetic particles to the one or more locations and,an interferometer integrated with the energetic particle column, the interferometer comprising a light source and a reference mirror, the interferometer connected to the controller, the interferometer operatively arranged with respect to the energetic particle column to illuminate an area at the surface of the specimen comprising at least a part of the one or more locations with a first portion of light from the light source and, to illuminate the reference mirror with a second portion of light from the light source;exposing to first doses of energetic particles, the one or more locations;measuring current surface height values at the one or more locations by interferometrically combining a reflected first portion of light from the illuminated area, with a reflected second portion of light from the reference mirror;comparing the desired surface height values to the current surface height values to determine a difference and, calculating second doses of energetic particles for the one or more locations, based upon the difference; and,exposing to second doses of energetic particles, the one or more locations. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the energetic particles comprise one or more particles selected from the group consisting of ions, electrons, photons and accelerated neutrals. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of exposing to first doses and exposing to second doses, cause one or more actions selected from the group consisting of adding material to the surface of the specimen and, removing material from the surface of the specimen. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring current surface height values is performed simultaneously with one or more steps selected from the group consisting of exposing to first doses and, exposing to second doses. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring current surface height values is performed sequentially with one or more steps selected from the group consisting of exposing to first doses and, exposing to second doses. 6. The method of claim 5 comprising one or more steps selected from the group consisting of directing the beam of energetic particles away from the surface of the specimen and, turning off the source of energetic particles, prior to the step of measuring current surface height values. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the surface of the specimen comprises one or more features selected from the group consisting of a planar surface, a multi-planar surface, a faceted surface, a curved surface, and a blind hole. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring current surface height values comprises translating one or more constituents selected from the group consisting of the specimen, a mirror disposed on an optical path and, the reference mirror. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference mirror comprises a reference area at the surface of the specimen, the reference area comprising unexposed locations at the surface of the specimen, the unexposed locations not exposed to the beam of energetic particles. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one step selected from the group consisting of exposing to first doses and, exposing to second doses, comprises exposing the one or more locations to the beam of energetic particles for one or more beam dwell times. 11. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of measuring surface height values at one or more unexposed locations at the surface of the specimen, the one or more unexposed locations not exposed to the beam of energetic particles. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one step selected from the group consisting of exposing to first doses and, exposing to second doses, comprises rastering the beam of energetic particles over the surface of the specimen. 13. The method of claim 12 comprising the step of partitioning one or more doses selected from the group consisting of the first doses and, the second doses, over multiple raster scans. 14. A method of creating a topography at a surface of a specimen, the method comprising:providing,initial and desired surface height values for one or more locations at the surface of the specimen;providing,an energetic particle column comprising a source of energetic particles, the energetic particle column operatively arranged to form the energetic particles into a beam,a controller connected to the energetic particle column, the controller and the energetic particle column operatively arranged to direct the beam of energetic particles to the one or more locations and to provide doses of energetic particles to the one or more locations and,an interferometer integrated with the energetic particle column, the interferometer comprising a light source and a reference mirror, the interferometer connected to the controller, the interferometer operatively arranged with respect to the energetic particle column to illuminate an area comprising at least a part of the one or more locations with a first portion of light from the light source and, to illuminate the reference mirror with a second portion of light from the light source;comparing the initial surface height values to the desired surface height values to determine a first difference and calculating first doses of energetic particles for the one or more locations based upon the first difference;exposing to the first doses of energetic particles, the one or more locations;measuring current surface height values at the one or more locations by interferometrically combining a reflected first portion of light from the illuminated area, with a reflected second portion of light from the reference mirror;comparing the desired surface height values to the current surface height values to determine a second difference and, calculating second doses of energetic particles for the one or more locations based upon the second difference; and,exposing to the second doses of energetic particles, the one or more locations. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the energetic particles comprise one or more particles selected from the group consisting of ions, electrons, photons and accelerated neutrals. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of providing initial surface height values comprises interferometrically measuring the initial surface height values at the one or more locations. 17. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of providing initial surface height values comprises providing coordinates for the one or more locations and predetermined surface height values for the one or more locations. 18. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one step selected from the group consisting of exposing to first doses and, exposing to second doses, comprises rastering the beam of energetic particles over the surface of the specimen. 19. The method of claim 18 comprising the step of partitioning one or more doses selected from the group consisting of the first doses and, the second doses, over multiple raster scans. 20. An apparatus for creating a topography at a surface of a specimen, the apparatus comprising:an energetic particle column comprising a source of energetic particles, the energetic particle column operatively arranged to form the energetic particles into a beam;a controller connected to the energetic particle column, the controller and the energetic particle column operatively arranged to direct the beam of energetic particles to one or more locations at the surface of the specimen and to provide doses of energetic particles to the one or more locations;an interferometer integrated with the energetic particle column, the interferometer comprising a light source and a reference mirror, the interferometer connected to the controller, the interferometer operatively arranged with respect to the energetic particle column to illuminate an area comprising at least a part of the one or more locations with a first portion of light from the light source and, to illuminate the reference mirror with a second portion of light from the light source, the interferometer comprising at least one objective lens having a working distance equal to or greater than about 32 mm. 21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the at least one objective lens comprises a charge dissipative coating. 22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the light from the light source comprises a wavelength of from about 510 nm to about 550 nm. 23. An apparatus for creating a topography at a surface of a specimen, the apparatus comprising:an energetic particle column comprising a source of energetic particles, the energetic particle column operatively arranged to form the energetic particles into a beam;a controller connected to the energetic particle column, the controller and the energetic particle column operatively arranged to direct the beam of energetic particles to one or more locations at the surface of the specimen and to provide doses of energetic particles to the one or more locations;an interferometer integrated with the energetic particle column, the interferometer comprising a light source and a reference mirror, the interferometer connected to the controller, the interferometer operatively arranged with respect to the energetic particle column to illuminate an area comprising at least a part of the one or more locations with a first portion of light from the light source and, to illuminate the reference mirror with a second portion of light from the light source, the interferometer comprising an objective mirror having an aperture there through, the objective mirror located between the energetic particle column and the specimen, the objective mirror external of the energetic particle column and, the objective mirror operatively arranged to allow the beam of energetic particles to pass through the aperture and onto the one or more locations at the surface of the specimen. 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the energetic particle column comprises an ion beam column including an ion source.