Retarding field analyzer integral with particle beam column

摘要

A retarding field analyzer uses the existing components of a charged particle beam system eliminating the need for inserting a separate retarding field analyzer device. In a method of analyzing the energy of a charged particle beam, a retarding field through which the beam (114) passes is provided by applying a voltage to the element (116B) of the electrostatic focusing lens (116) retarding the beam, and the retarding field is incrementally increased by incrementally changing this voltage to alter the number of charged particles that pass through the electrostatic lens. Using components of the existing column reduces the time required to analyze the beam. Using the imaging capabilities of the existing column facilitates alignment of the beam with the analyzer.