Patent Publication Number: US-2013234011-A2

Title: Method for setting an operating parameter of a particle beam device and a sample holder for performing the method

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates to particle beam devices and, more particularly, to a method for setting an operating parameter of a particle beam device as well as to a sample holder, which is suitable in particular for performing the method. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Particle beam devices, e.g., electron beam devices, have long been known for examining samples. In particular scanning electron microscopes and transmission electron microscopes are known. With a transmission electron microscope, electrons generated by a beam generator are directed at a sample to be examined. The electrons of the electron beam are scattered in the sample. The scattered electrons are detected and used to generate images and diffraction patterns. 
     It is known that one or more samples to be examined may be placed on a single sample holder, which is then transferred to the transmission electron microscope for examining the one or more samples. The known sample holder is designed with a rod shape having a first end and a second end, the one or more samples to be examined being placed at the first end. 
     Furthermore, it is known from the prior art that several sample receptacles may be provided on the sample holder, each being tiltable in relation to the sample holder. A sample holder provided with a sample receptacle which is heatable or coolable is also known. 
     With regard to the prior art cited above, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,856 as well as pages 124 to 128 of the book  Transmission Electron Microscopy,  Vol. 1 by David B. Williams and C. Barry Carter, 1996, which are both incorporated herein by reference. 
     Sample holders whose sample receptacle(s) is/are situated immovably in relation to the sample holder (i.e., to, assume a nonadjustable position in relation to the sample holder) are a disadvantage because they are not very suitable for examining crystalline samples. With these sample holders, it is essential that samples situated in the sample receptacle(s) may be examined from various angles by the electron beam to obtain information about the crystal structure of the sample(s). 
     Furthermore, it is known that with a transmission electron microscope, it may be necessary to calibrate a guidance device for the electron beam, e.g., an electromagnetic and/or electrostatic device in the form of a so-called corrector, at certain intervals. The aforementioned corrector is used in particular in a transmission electron microscope to correct a spherical aberration (C s ) and/or a chromatic aberration (C c ) of an objective lens of the transmission electron microscope. Reference is made here to DE 199 26 927 A1 as an example, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     To achieve a sufficiently good and reproducible image quality, it is necessary to calibrate the corrector at predefinable intervals of time. To do so, in the past a reference object (hereinafter also referred to as a reference sample) has been placed on a sample holder known from the prior art and transferred to a sample area of the transmission electron microscope, which is kept under vacuum. Next the calibration is performed. After successful calibration, the sample holder is transferred out of the sample area of the transmission electron microscope, and the reference object is removed from the sample holder. In another step, one or more samples to be examined are then placed on the sample holder. The sample holder is next transferred to the sample area of the transmission electron microscope. The procedure described above from the prior art has the disadvantage that it is very time-consuming because transfer of the sample holder into the sample area of the transmission electron microscope, which is kept under vacuum, and transfer out of the sample area take a certain amount of time. Since it may be necessary to perform a renewed calibration of the corrector after a certain operating time of the transmission electron microscope, the procedure described above must be performed again. Renewed transfer into and out make the method described above even more time-consuming. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method and a sample holder with which it is not absolutely necessary to transfer the sample holder out to adjust an operating parameter of a particle beam device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the system described herein, a method is provided to adjust at least one operating parameter of a particle beam device, e.g., an operating parameter of a corrector and/or a stigmator of a transmission electron microscope. Furthermore, the method may also be used to correct an operating parameter of a device for illuminating a sample in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Reference is made explicitly to the fact that the aforementioned examples are not conclusive. Instead, the method according to the system described herein is suitable for adjusting any operating parameter of any particle beam device. 
     In the method according to the system described herein, a sample holder having at least one first sample receptacle for receiving a reference sample and having at least one second sample receptacle for receiving a sample to be examined with the aid of a particle beam in a particle beam device may be used. In this method, a reference sample may be placed on the first sample receptacle. In addition, a sample to be examined with the aid of a particle beam may be placed on the second sample receptacle. The sample holder may be moved in such a way that the particle beam strikes the reference sample in the first sample receptacle. By examining the reference sample with the aid of the particle beam and/or through the examination results obtained, at least one operating parameter of the particle beam device may be adjusted. Following that, the sample holder may be moved in such a way that the particle beam strikes the sample to be examined in the second sample receptacle. The sample to be examined may then be examined with the aid of the particle beam. 
     It is pointed out explicitly that the method according to the system described herein may also be performed if, instead of the sample holder, the particle beam is moved in such a way that it strikes the reference sample or the sample to be examined. In an embodiment, the sample holder may move only in relation to the particle beam. 
     The method according to the system described herein has the advantage that at least one operating parameter of a particle beam device, e.g., a transmission electron microscope, may be adjusted without transferring the sample holder out of the sample area of the particle beam device, which may be kept under vacuum. This method makes it possible to place a reference sample on the first sample receptacle so that in ongoing operation of the particle beam device the sample holder need be positioned relatively only in such a way that the reference sample is bombarded and measured using the particle beam generated in the particle beam device. It is possible in this way to adjust at least one operating parameter of at least one component of the particle beam device so that sufficiently good functioning of this component is achieved in this way. This yields a sufficiently good and reproducible image quality. 
     In an embodiment of the method according to the system described herein, after placing the reference sample on the first sample receptacle and/or placing the sample to be examined on the second sample receptacle, the sample holder may be transferred into the particle beam device. In an alternative embodiment, this is not necessary because in this alternative embodiment the reference sample may be placed on the first sample receptacle and/or the sample to be examined may be placed on the second sample receptacle inside the particle beam device instead of outside the particle beam device. 
     According to another embodiment of the method according to the system described herein, the sample holder position may be adjusted by rotating the sample holder by a predefinable angle, starting from an initial position of the sample holder in a first sample holder direction and/or in a second sample holder direction. Alternatively or additionally, the sample holder may be moved along a first axis, a second axis and a third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis and the third axis are each perpendicular to one another, and the third axis is oriented parallel to an optical axis of the particle beam device. 
     The sample holder may be rotated about at least one of the following axes, for example: the first axis, the second axis and the third axis. For example, the sample holder may be rotated by an angle of 0° to 180°, in particular 0° to 90°. As already mentioned above, the sample holder may be rotatable by the predefinable angle, starting from the initial position of the sample holder, in the first sample holder direction and/or in the second sample holder direction. Therefore, this means that with the aforementioned exemplary embodiment, rotation by an angle of 0° to 180° is possible in the first sample holder direction and also in the second sample holder direction. 
     Furthermore, in another embodiment of the method in which the sample holder having a movable second sample receptacle is used, it is provided that an examining position may be adjusted by moving the second sample receptacle in relation to the sample holder. It is provided in particular that the examination position of the second sample receptacle may be adjusted by rotating the second sample receptacle by an angle of 0° to 180°, preferably 20° to 160°, starting from an initial position of the second sample receptacle. Alternatively or additionally, the examination position of the second sample receptacle may be adjusted by rotating the second sample receptacle in a first direction and/or in a second direction, each by an angle of 0° to 90°, starting from the initial position of the second sample receptacle. The aforementioned exemplary embodiments are suitable for measuring crystalline samples in particular, as described in greater detail below. 
     As already mentioned above, the method according to the system described herein may be used in particular for calibrating an electromagnetic and/or electrostatic device of the particle beam device, in particular a corrector of a transmission electron microscope. 
     In another embodiment of the method according to the system described herein, the sample placed in the second sample receptacle may be brought to a certain temperature by heating or cooling. For example, the sample placed in the second sample receptacle may be cooled to a temperature of approximately −173° C. or heated to a temperature of approximately 1000° C. 
     The method according to the system described herein may be used with any suitable particle beam device, including in particular the aforementioned transmission electron microscope (TEM), a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM), an energy-filtered transmission electron microscope (EFTEM) and an energy-filtered scanning transmission electron microscope (EFSTEM). The list given here is not exclusive but is to be understood only as an example. 
     The system described herein also relates to a sample holder. The sample holder according to the system described herein may be provided for holding a sample to be examined with the aid of a particle beam. Furthermore, it may be provided for use in a method having at least one of the aforementioned features or a combination of several of the aforementioned features. According to the system described herein, the sample holder may assume a predefinable sample holder position. Furthermore, the sample holder may have at least one first sample receptacle, which may be immovable in relation to the sample holder. The first sample receptacle may thus be fixedly attached on the sample holder and cannot move in relation to the sample holder. Furthermore, the sample holder may be provided with at least one second sample receptacle, which may be movable in relation to the sample holder, in contrast with the first sample receptacle, to assume an examination position. 
     Another sample holder according to the system described herein may also be provided for holding a sample to be examined with the aid of a particle beam. This sample holder may also be provided for use in a method having at least one of the aforementioned features or a combination of several of the aforementioned features. This sample holder may again be movable to assume a predefinable sample holder position. Furthermore, the sample holder may have at least one first sample receptacle, which may be immovable in relation to the sample holder. The first sample receptacle may thus be fixedly attached on the sample holder and cannot move in relation to the sample holder. Furthermore, the sample holder may be provided with a second sample receptacle, which may have a device for adjusting a predefinable temperature of a sample that may be held in the second sample receptacle. 
     The system described herein also relates to another sample holder, which may also be provided for holding a sample to be examined with the aid of a particle beam. This sample holder may also be provided for use in a method having at least one of the aforementioned features or a combination of several of the aforementioned features. This sample holder may be movable to assume a predefinable sample holder position. Furthermore, the sample holder may have at least one holding device, which may be movable in relation to the sample holder to assume an examination position. Furthermore, the holding device may have at least one first sample receptacle to receive a reference sample and at least one second sample receptacle to receive a sample to be examined. 
     The system described herein also relates to another sample holder which may also be provided for holding a sample to be examined with the aid of a particle beam. This sample holder may also be provided for use in a method having at least one of the aforementioned features or a combination of several of the aforementioned features. With this sample holder according to the system described herein, a grid-type holding device having a plurality of openings may be provided, at least one first opening and at least one second opening being separated from one another by at least one dividing web. The holding device, for example, may have a lattice structure with a plurality of meshes (openings) and dividing webs. The holding device, however, is not limited to a certain grid-type design. Instead, any grid-type design may be provided, e.g., a honeycomb design and/or a grid-type design in which the openings are designed to be circular. The holding device of this sample holder according to the system described herein may have at least one first sample receptacle to receive a reference sample and at least one second sample receptacle to receive a sample to be examined. 
     The sample holders according to the system described herein have the same advantage already described above: it is possible to adjust at least one operating parameter of a particle beam device, e.g., a transmission electron microscope, without transferring one of the sample holders out of the sample area of the particle beam device, which may be kept under a vacuum. With the sample holders, it is possible to place a reference sample on the first sample receptacle, so that in ongoing operation of the particle beam device, the sample holder need be positioned only in such a way that the reference sample is bombarded and measured using a particle beam generated in the particle beam device. 
     The sample holder according to the system described herein, whose second sample receptacle may be movable in relation to the sample holder, also makes it possible to measure a crystalline sample sufficiently well by examining it at various angles of incidence of the particle beam on the crystalline sample. 
     If reference is made to the sample holder below, this always refers to all the aforementioned sample holders unless explicitly mentioned otherwise. 
     In an embodiment of the sample holder according to the system described herein, which has the movably designed second sample receptacle, it is additionally possible to provide for this embodiment to have a device for adjusting a predefinable temperature of a sample receivable in the second sample receptacle. 
     As already mentioned above, the first sample receptacle of the sample holder may be provided to receive a reference sample, for example. The second sample receptacle may be provided to receive a sample to be examined. The system described herein of course may also relate to all sample holders with which a reference sample has already been provided on the first sample receptacle and a sample to be examined has already been provided on the second sample receptacle. 
     In another embodiment of the system described herein, the sample holder may be movable along a first axis, a second axis and a third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis and the third axis are each situated perpendicular to one another. The third axis may be parallel to an optical axis of the particle beam device. In addition, in another embodiment, it is provided that the sample holder may be rotatable about at least one of the following axes: the first axis, the second axis and the third axis. Rotation may take place by an angle of 0° to 180°, for example, or from 0° to 90°, for example; the rotation may take place in two directions, as already described above. In an embodiment, the sample holder may be movable in a translatory movement along a first axis in the x direction, a second axis in the y direction and a third axis in the z direction, each being perpendicular to the others. In addition, the sample holder may be rotatable about the first axis in the x direction. In an embodiment, the sample holder may be placed on a goniometer, which moves the sample holder by translatory and/or rotational movement. 
     In another embodiment of the sample holder according to the system described herein, the second sample receptacle, which may be movable, is rotatable about a receptacle axis, wherein the receptacle axis, starting from an initial position of the second sample receptacle, may be situated in or parallel to a plane spanned by two of the following axes: the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis. It is provided in particular that the second sample receptacle, starting from the initial position of the second sample receptacle, may be rotatable by an angle of 0° to 180°, in particular 0° to 90°. As explained below, the rotation may be in two directions. In another embodiment, the receptacle axis may run perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sample holder, and the second sample receptacle, starting from the initial position of the second sample receptacle, may be rotatable in a first direction and/or in a second direction at an angle of 0° to 90°. It is pointed out explicitly that the system described herein is not restricted to the aforementioned angles (or angle ranges). Instead, any angle suitable for examining a sample may be selected. 
     In another embodiment of the sample holder according to the system described herein, a mechanical and/or electronic adjustment device may be provided on the sample holder for adjusting the examination position. It is provided in particular that the adjustment device may have a sprocket wheel mechanism; however, the adjustment device is not limited to a sprocket wheel mechanism. Instead, any suitable adjustment device may be selected, e.g., including an adjustment device having a belt gear and/or an eccentric disc. 
     With the sample holder according to the system described herein having the grid-type holding device, in an alternative embodiment, the holding device may be provided with a surface having a recess. The sample to be examined may be received in this recess. In another embodiment, the ratio of the area to the recess may have a value of 5:1 to 3:1. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the system described herein are explained in greater detail below based on the figures, which are briefly described as follows: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a transmission electron microscope according to an embodiment of the system described herein; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of another transmission electron microscope according to an embodiment of the system described herein; 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic view of a sample holder according to an embodiment of the system described herein; 
         FIG. 4  shows another schematic view of a sample holder according to  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic view of the sample holder according to  FIG. 3  having a movable second sample receptacle; 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic view of the sample holder according to  FIG. 3  having a heating and cooling device; 
         FIG. 7A  shows a schematic view of another sample holder according to an embodiment of the system described herein; 
         FIG. 7B  shows a schematic view of another sample holder according to an embodiment of the system described herein; 
         FIG. 8  shows a flow chart of a method for adjusting an operating parameter of a particle beam device according to an embodiment of the system described herein; 
         FIG. 8A  shows an intermediate step of the method according to  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 9  shows another intermediate step of the method according to  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS 
     The system described herein is explained in particular on the basis of a particle beam device in the form of a transmission electron microscope (hereinafter referred to as TEM). However, it is already pointed out here that the system described herein is not limited to a TEM, but instead the system described herein may also be used with any particle beam device suitable for receiving the sample holder according to the system described herein and/or for performing the method according to the system described herein. 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a TEM  100  according to an embodiment of the system described herein. The TEM  100  may have an electron source  1  in the form of a thermal field emission source. However, another electron source may also be used. Along optical axis OA of the TEM  100 , an extraction electrode  2 , whose potential extracts electrons from electron source  1 , may be situated downstream from the electron source  1 . Furthermore, a first electrode  3  may be provided for focusing the source position, and at least one second electrode  4  in the form of an anode may be provided for accelerating the electrons. Because of the second electrode  4 , the electrons coming from the electron source  1  may be accelerated with the aid of an electrode voltage to a desired and adjustable energy. 
     In the remaining length on optical axis OA, a multistage condenser may be provided, having three magnetic lenses  5  to  7  (namely a first magnetic lens  5 , a second magnetic lens  6  and a third magnetic lens  7 ), to which an objective  8  in the form of a magnetic lens may be arranged. An object plane  9  on which a sample to be examined may be placed with the aid of a sample manipulator may be provided on the objective  8 . In particular, the illuminated field of the object plane  9  may be adjustable through appropriate adjustment of the operating parameters (for example, a lens current) of the first magnetic lens  5 , the second magnetic lens  6 , the third magnetic lens  7  and the objective  8 . 
     A corrector  16  having several units described below may be situated downstream from the objective  8  in the opposite direction from the electron source  1 . The corrector  16  may be used to correct a spherical aberration (CO of the objective  8 . The corrector  16  may have a first transfer lens  11  embodied as a magnetic lens. The first transfer lens  11  may image a rear focal plane of the objective  8 . Furthermore, the first transfer lens  11  may generate a real intermediate image  14  of the object plane  9 . A first correction system  12  in the form of a multipole may be provided in the plane of the intermediate image  14  generated by the first transfer lens  11 . A second correction system  13  in the form of another multipole and a second transfer lens  15  may be connected downstream from the first correction system  12 . The second transfer lens  15  may image the intermediate image  14  of the object plane  9  in an input image plane  17  of a projector system including lenses  18  and  19 . The projector system  18 ,  19  may then generate an image on a detector  20  of the sample situated in the object plane  9  and imaged in the input image plane  17  of the projector system  18 ,  19 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of another embodiment of a particle beam device according to the system described herein, wherein  FIG. 2  shows a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM)  101 . The same components are labeled with the same reference numerals. The particle beam device according to  FIG. 2  differs in principle from the particle beam device according to  FIG. 1  only in that the corrector  16  may be situated upstream from the objective  8 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic view of a rod-shaped sample holder  21  having a longitudinal axis and provided with a first end  21 A and a second end  21 B according to an embodiment of the system described herein. Samples are situated at the first end  21 A, as is explained further below.  FIG. 4  shows the first end  21 A of the sample holder  21  in a somewhat enlarged view. The sample holder  21  may be situated on a goniometer, which may be used to move the sample holder  21  in a translatory and/or rotational manner. Situating the sample holder  21  in a goniometer is known from the prior art. Reference is made to DE 35 46 095 A1 as an example, which is incorporated herein by reference. For this reason, the details of the arrangement of the sample holder  21  in the goniometer will not be given here. With the goniometer, it is possible to move the sample holder  21  along a first axis in x direction (x axis), along a second axis in y direction (y axis) and along a third axis in z direction (z axis). The first axis (x axis), the second axis (y axis) and the third axis (z axis) are each perpendicular to one another. In addition, it is possible to rotate the sample holder  21  about the first axis (x axis), for example, by a predefinable angle α (cf. also  FIG. 4 ). 
     A first sample receptacle  23  may be provided on the sample holder  21  and may be fixedly attached to thereto. The first sample receptacle  23  may therefore not be movable in relation to the sample holder  21 . A reference sample  25  may be placed in the first sample receptacle  23 . 
     A second sample receptacle  24 , in which a sample  26  to be examined is accommodated, may be situated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the sample holder  21  a distance away from the first sample receptacle  23 . The second sample receptacle  24  may be arranged in a recess  27  in the sample holder  21  and may be rotatable about a receptacle axis  28 . The second sample receptacle  24  may thus be movable in relation to the sample holder  21 . The receptacle axis  28  may run perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sample holder  21 . The second sample receptacle  24 , starting from an initial position, may be rotatable by an angle 0 of 0° to 90° in a first direction A and/or a second direction B. In this embodiment, the initial position may be defined by the fact that a surface of the sample  26  to be examined may be situated essentially parallel to a surface  29  of the sample holder  21 . The second sample receptacle  24  may be rotated by a sprocket wheel device  30 , for example, which is shown schematically in  FIG. 5 . However, the system described herein is not limited to the sprocket wheel device  30 . Instead, any mechanical and/or electronic device suitable for moving the second sample receptacle  24  in relation to the sample holder  21  by rotation about the receptacle axis  28  to assume predefinable examination positions may be used. 
     As already mentioned above, the sample holder  21  may be rotatable about the first axis (x axis). In this embodiment, starting from an initial position, the sample holder  21  may be movable in a first sample holder direction C and in a second sample holder direction D, each by an angle α of 0° to 90°. 
       FIG. 6  shows an alternative embodiment of sample holder  21  corresponding essentially to the sample holder  21  already described above. In contrast with the latter, the sample holder  21  shown in  FIG. 6  may have a second sample receptacle  31 , which may be provided with a cooling and/or heating device. It is thus possible to bring the sample held in the second sample receptacle  31  to a certain temperature. In addition to this, the second sample receptacle  31  of  FIG. 6  may be movable in exactly the same way as the second sample receptacle  24  of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 7A  shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of a holding device  32  for a sample, the holding device  32  being used with the sample holder  21  according to  FIG. 4 , as explained in greater detail below. The holding device  32  in this embodiment may be made of a copper carrier and may have a first sample receptacle  33 , which receives a reference sample  25 . Furthermore, the holding device  32  of this embodiment may be provided with two second sample receptacles  34  extending from a base element of the holding device  32 . The samples  26 , which are to be examined and are embodied in a lamellar form extending laterally from the second sample receptacles  34 , may be situated on an exposed end of each of the second sample receptacles  34 . 
     Instead of the sample  26  to be examined, the holding device  32  may thus be inserted into the second sample receptacle  24  of the sample holder  21 . It may thus be adjustable in the directions of movement exactly as already explained above and as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The reference sample  25  and the sample  26  to be examined may be moved in particular when the holding device  32  rotates in direction A or B about the receptacle axis  28 . In an embodiment, since the holding device  32  may usually have a diameter or a longitudinal extent of approximately 3 mm and since the sample  26  to be examined and the reference sample  25  may be situated in the range of less than 2 mm apart from one another, in order to examine the reference sample  25  or the sample  26  to be examined, the travel distances of the sample holder  21  may not be very great (as explained in greater detail below). 
     In another embodiment, in addition to the holding device  32  described here, the reference sample  25  may be left in the first sample receptacle  23  of the sample holder  21 . Thus, in this embodiment, the reference sample  25  may be provided in the first sample receptacle  23  of the sample holder  21  and also in the first sample receptacle  33  of the holding device  32 . In yet another embodiment of the system described herein (not shown here), no reference sample  25  is provided in the first sample receptacle  23  of the sample holder  21  but instead may be provided only in the holding device  32 . In another alternative embodiment, the holding device  32  may be situated in a sample holder having only a single sample receptacle (not shown here). Furthermore, in yet another embodiment, holding device  32  is situated in the first sample receptacle  23  of the sample holder  21  (instead of the reference sample  25 ). 
       FIG. 7B  shows another exemplary embodiment of a holding device  35  for a sample, wherein the holding device  35  may be used with the sample holder  21  according to  FIG. 4 , as explained in greater detail below. The holding device  35  may have a grid-type design and may be provided with a grid  36  made of webs  37  and meshes  38 . The meshes  38  may be openings in the grid-type design. The holding device  35  may be covered over its surface with a carbon film  39  and may have a recess  40  in the surface corresponding essentially to one-quarter of the total surface area of the holding device  35 . The reference sample  25  may be applied on the carbon film  39  or at least partially on the carbon film  39 . Alternatively or additionally, it is provided that the carbon film  39  may itself be the reference sample  25 . In this embodiment, the sample  26  to be examined may also be provided. The sample  26  may be situated in the recess  40  on a first web  37 A and on a second web  37 B, which border the recess  40 . The holding device  35  described here may be inserted into the second sample receptacle  24  on the sample holder  21  of  FIG. 4  instead of the sample  26  to be examined and may be, movable as described above. In addition, the same alternative exemplary embodiments may also be provided for the holding device  35  as for the holding device  32  of  FIG. 7A . 
     The exemplary embodiments described here having the sample holder  21  may be suitable in particular for performing the method, which is described in greater detail below. 
       FIG. 8  is a flow chart  200  showing steps of a method according to an embodiment of the system described herein, in which the sample holder  21  according to  FIG. 4  described above may be used. This method may be used in the TEM  100 , for example. However, it may also be used in other particle beam devices, e.g., in the EFTEM or STEM  101  already mentioned above. In the method shown here, a correction of the corrector  16 , which is used to correct the spherical aberration (CO, may be performed. 
     In a method step S 1 , the first reference sample  25  may be placed on the first sample receptacle  23  of the sample holder  21 . Next the sample  26  to be examined with the aid of the electron beam of the TEM  100  may be placed on the second sample receptacle  24  (method step S 2 ). 
     After the placement in method steps S 1  and S 2 , the sample holder  21  may be transferred into the TEM  100  in the area of the object plane  9  (method step S 3 ). 
     In a next method step S 4 , the sample holder  21  may be moved, so that the second sample receptacle  24  with the sample  26  to be examined may be situated beneath the electron beam of the particle beam device (examination position, also referred to as the second sample holder position). To assume the examination position, the second sample receptacle  24  may be moved about the receptacle axis  28  in relation to the sample holder  21 . In the embodiment described above, the second sample receptacle  24  may be rotated by an angle of 0° to 90° in first direction A and second direction B, starting from the initial position described above. 
     In a method step S 5 , the electron beam may then be generated and directed at the sample  26  to be examined, and the resulting interaction particles, e.g., electrons scattered on the sample  26  to be examined, may be detected by the detector  20 . In an alternative embodiment, the electron beam may be generated between method steps S 3  and S 4 . 
     In a method step S 6  following method step S 5 , operating parameters of the TEM  100  may be set. In the embodiment shown here, this may be a calibration of the first magnetic lens  5 , the second magnetic lens  6  and/or the third magnetic lens  7  by adjusting the lens currents used for the aforementioned magnetic lenses. Furthermore, the corrector  16  may be set in a suitable manner with the aid of operating parameters. 
     The adjusted examination position may then be stored in a memory medium (method step S 7 ), that may be a computer-readable storage medium. In a subsequent method step S 8 , the sample holder  21  may then be moved in such a way that the reference sample  25  in the first sample receptacle  23  is brought under the electron beam (reference position,, also referred to as the first sample holder position). This reference position may then be stored in the memory medium (method step S 9 ). In a method step S 10 , the electron beam may be directed onto the reference sample  25 , and the resulting interaction particles may be detected. The corrector  16  may be arranged by adjusting operating parameters of the corrector  16  to obtain a good image quality (method step S 11 ). The sample holder  21  may then be moved into the examination position stored previously (method step S  12 ). The electron beam may be next guided onto the sample  26  to be examined, and the resulting interaction particles may be detected. Corresponding detection signals may be used in particular to generate images and diffraction patterns (method step S 13 ). 
     The corresponding images and diffraction patterns may be stored in the memory medium (method step S 14 ). 
     In another method step S 15 , the quality of the resulting images and diffraction patterns may be evaluated. If the quality is inadequate, the method steps S 8  through S 15  may be run through again, while in the method step S 11 , the operating parameters of the corrector  16  may be adjusted, so that the quality of the images and diffraction patterns is improved. 
     If the quality of the images and diffraction patterns is sufficient, the method may be terminated in method step S 16 . 
     The method illustrated in  FIG. 8  may also be used when the holding device  32  according to  FIG. 7A  described above or the holding device  35  according to  FIG. 7B  described above is situated in the sample holder  21 , but with the following changes. In the method step S 1 , the reference sample  25  may be placed on the first sample receptacle  33  of the holding device  32 . With the holding device  35  according to  FIG. 7B , the reference sample  25  may be placed on the carbon film  39 . As an alternative to this, it is provided that the carbon film  39  itself may be the reference sample  25 . In the method step S 2 , the sample  26  to be examined may then be placed in the second sample receptacle  34  of the holding device  32 , or on the first web  37 A and the second web  37 B. 
     In a method step S 2 A, which then follows, the holding device  32  or the holding device  35  instead of the sample  26  to be examined may be placed in the second sample receptacle  24  of the sample holder  21 . Following that, the method step S 3  already described above may be performed (cf.  FIG. 8A ). 
     The method step S 4  may also be modified slightly in comparison with the embodiment already described above. The sample holder  21  may be moved in such a way that the second sample receptacle  34  or the first web  37 A and the second web  37 B with the sample  26  to be examined, may be placed beneath the electron beam of the particle beam device (examination position, also referred to as the second sample holder position). To assume the examination position, the second sample receptacle  24  having the holding device  32  or the holding device  35  may be moved about the receptacle axis  28  in relation to the sample holder  21 , as already described above. 
     The method step S 8  may also be modified slightly when using the holding device  32  or the holding device  35 . In this method step S 8 , the sample holder  21  may be moved in such a way that the reference sample  25  of the holding device  32  or the holding device  35  may be moved beneath the electron beam (reference position, also referred to as the first sample holder position). All other method steps when using the holding device  32  or the holding device  35  may be the same as those described above with respect to  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 9  shows an intermediate step S 12 A, which may be inserted between the method steps S 12  and S 13  of the method according to  FIG. 8 . In the method step S 12 A, the sample  26  to be examined may be brought to the desired temperature by a heating and/or cooling device. The sample  26  to be examined may then be measured as already described above. 
     Various embodiments discussed herein may be combined with each other in appropriate combinations in connection with the system described herein. Additionally, in some instances, the order of steps in the flow charts or flow diagrams may be modified, where appropriate. Further, various aspects of the system described herein may be implemented using software, hardware, and/or a combination of software and hardware. Software implementations of the system described herein may include executable code that is stored in a computer readable storage medium and executed by one or more processors. The computer readable storage medium may include a computer hard drive, ROM, RAM, flash memory, portable computer storage media such as a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a flash drive and/or other drive with, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or any other appropriate tangible storage medium or computer memory on which executable code may be stored and executed by a processor. The system described herein may be used in connection with any appropriate operating system. 
     Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.