Patent ID: 7205555

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an electro-optic system configured to irradiate an object with an electron beam; a first detector configured to detect secondary electrons emitted from the object in response to the irradiation of the electron beam from the electro-optic system; an image processor configured to process a signal that is output from the first detector to generate an image of the object; a second detector configured to detect X-rays generated by the object in response to the irradiation of the electron beam and output an X-ray spectrum signal generated by the detector; a first computer configured to estimate elements contained at a portion of the object on which the electron beam is irradiated based on information of the x-ray spectrum signal output from the second detector, a signal processor configured to calculate features of the image generated by the image processor; and a second computer configured to classify the object using information for the features of the images calculated by the signal processor and information for the elements contained at the portion of the object estimated by the first computer.