Fei Comapny

Cameron James Zachreson

Aurélien Philippe Jean Maclou Botman

Milos Toth

Steven J Randolph

Aurelien Philippe Jean Maclou Botman

Jorge Filevich

Dolf Timmerman

A method and system are disclosed for observing and aligning a beam of light in the sample chamber of a charged particle beam (CPB) system, such as an electron microscope or focused ion beam system. The method comprises providing an imaging aid inside the sample chamber with a calibration surface configured such that when illuminated by light, and simultaneously illuminated by a CPB, the intensity of the secondary radiation induced by the CPB is different in regions also illuminated by light relative to regions with lower light illumination levels, thereby providing an image of the light beam on the calibration surface. The image of the light beam may be used to align the light beam to the charged particle beam.

Method for alignment of a light beam to a charged particle beam

Vapor is provided locally at a sample surface to allow fluorescence of the fluorescent markers in a vacuum chamber. For example, a nanocapillary can dispense a liquid near a region of interest, the liquid evaporating to increase the vapor pressure near the fluorescent markers. The increase in vapor pressure at the fluorescent marker is preferably sufficiently great to prevent deactivation or to reactivate the fluorescent marker, while the overall pressure in the vacuum chamber is preferably sufficiently low to permit charged particle beam operation with little or no additional evacuation pumping.

System for in situ reactivation of fluorescence marker

In situ reactivation of fluorescence marker

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Cameron James Zachreson