Method for operating a particle beam microscope, particle beam microscope and computer program product
A single detector in particle beam microscopes differentiates between secondary and backscattered electrons using encoded detection signals, addressing the need for multiple detectors in conventional systems and improving image generation efficiency.
DE102024122008B4Active Publication Date: 2026-06-11CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY GMBH
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-01
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-11
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Abstract
Method for operating a particle beam microscope (1), comprising: Generating a beam (5) of particles; Directing the beam (5) of particles to a location (7) on an object (9); Generating electrons at the location (7) of the object (9) with the particles of the beam (5) directed at the location (7); Directing the generated electrons onto a detector (13) with a plurality of detector pixels (23); Detecting detector events, each triggered by the electrons directed onto the detector (13) striking detector pixels (23) of the detector (13); Generating a detection signal (77) for each detector event detected by a detector pixel (23) with the detector pixel (23) by encoding a value (87) representing a set of charge carriers generated in the detector pixel (23) at the detector event, and by encoding a value (81) identifying the detector pixel (23) within the plurality of detector pixels (23); and Processing the detection signals (77) based on the values (87) encoded in the detection signals (77) representing the quantity of charge carriers and the values (81) identifying the detector pixel (23).
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