Charged Particle Microscope Scan Masking for Faster 3D Reconstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional charged particle microscopy for three-dimensional reconstruction is hindered by the need for high radiation doses and lengthy acquisition times, which can damage specimens and limit the amount of statistical information obtained due to the requirement for full-frame analytical measurements at multiple tilt angles.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a charged particle microscope system that selectively performs high-resolution analytical acquisitions using a scan mask created from an initial low-resolution image, reducing irradiation of irrelevant regions and significantly decreasing acquisition time and radiation dose, allowing for successful three-dimensional reconstruction with improved performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If full-frame analytical measurements are performed at multiple tilt angles, then three-dimensional reconstruction quality is improved, but acquisition time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the full-frame analytical measurement into two stages: first acquiring low-resolution images to identify regions of interest, then performing high-resolution analytical measurements only on those specific regions. This segmentation approach maintains three-dimensional reconstruction quality by ensuring that all necessary regions are captured, while dramatically reducing acquisition time by excluding irrelevant areas from the time-consuming analytical measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between regions that require high-resolution analytical measurements and those that do not. By identifying regions of interest in low-resolution images and applying analytical measurements only to those specific locations, the system optimizes resource allocation and reduces overall acquisition time while preserving the quality necessary for accurate three-dimensional reconstruction.
2Measurement precision
If high radiation dose is delivered to obtain analytical signals, then measurement precision is improved, but specimen damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for three-dimensional reconstruction by identifying regions of interest in low-resolution images. By performing analytical measurements only on these extracted regions rather than the entire frame, the radiation dose required is dramatically reduced, thereby maintaining analytical signal quality for necessary areas while minimizing specimen damage that would occur with full-frame high-dose irradiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing analytical measurements on only a subset of the total frame area - specifically, only on regions identified as containing particles or features of interest. This partial measurement approach provides sufficient analytical signal quality for three-dimensional reconstruction while avoiding the excessive radiation exposure that would result from measuring the entire frame, thus reducing specimen damage.
3Loss of information
If full-frame images are acquired at multiple angles, then completeness of data is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by first acquiring low-resolution images at multiple tilt angles to identify regions of interest before performing the time-consuming analytical measurements. This preliminary step ensures that all necessary regions are located and marked, so that subsequent analytical measurements can be performed efficiently only on those regions, maintaining data completeness while significantly improving overall acquisition speed and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are CPM support systems, as well as related apparatuses, methods, computing devices, and computer-readable media. For example, in some embodiments, a charged particle microscope computational support apparatus may include: first logic to, for each angle of a plurality of angles, receive an associated image of a specimen at the angle, and generate an associated scan mask based on one or more regions-of-interest in the associated image; second logic to, for each angle of the plurality of angles, generate an associated data set of the specimen by processing data from a scan, in accordance with the associated scan mask, by a charged particle microscope of the specimen at the angle; and third logic to provide, for each angle of the plurality of angles, the associated data set of the specimen to reconstruction logic to generate a three-dimensional reconstruction of the specimen.