Particle beam system and method for operating the same

Abstract

A method of operating a particle beam system includes digitally controlling first and second digitally controlled modules of the particle beam system, and sending digital command data to the first and second digitally controlled modules. The digital command data include at least a first command for the first digitally controlled module and at least a second command for the second digitally controlled module. The digital command data is generated based on information representing: a) a time when the first command is to be executed by the first digitally controlled module; and b) a time when the second command is to be executed by the second digitally controlled module.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of operating a particle beam system, the method comprising:
 digitally controlling first and second digitally controlled modules of the particle beam system; and   sending digital command data to the first and second digitally controlled modules,   wherein:
 the digital command data comprise at least a first command for the first digitally controlled module and at least a second command for the second digitally controlled module; and 
 the digital command data is generated based on information representing: a) a time when the first command is to be executed by the first digitally controlled module; and b) a time when the second command is to be executed by the second digitally controlled module. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one digitally controlled module comprises a beam deflection module, and the at least one digitally controlled module is selected from the group consisting of the first digitally controlled module and the second digitally controlled module. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first digitally controlled module comprises a first beam deflection module, and the second digitally controlled module comprises a second beam deflection module. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first digitally controlled module comprises a beam deflection module, and the second digitally controlled module comprises a data acquisition module. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the second digitally controlled module comprises a data acquisition module. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one digitally controlled module comprises a beam blanking module, and the at least one digitally controlled module is selected from the group consisting of the first digitally controlled module and the second digitally controlled module. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the first digitally controlled module comprises a first blanking module, and the second digitally controlled module comprises a second blanking module. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining a first execution time at which the first digitally controlled module is to execute the first command;   determining a second execution time at which the second digitally controlled module is to execute the second command;   determining a first command time representing a time at which the command data for the first digitally controlled module is to be sent to the first digitally controlled module such that the first command will be executed by the first digitally controlled module at the first execution time;   determining a second command time representing a time at which the command data for the second digitally controlled module is to be sent to the second digitally controlled module such that the second command will be executed by the second digitally controlled module at the second execution time; and   sending the command data for the first digitally controlled module and the command data for the second digitally controlled module to the first and second digitally controlled modules in an order corresponding to a sort order of the first and second command times.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein at least one digitally controlled module comprises a beam deflection module, and the at least one digitally controlled module is selected from the group consisting of the first digitally controlled module and the second digitally controlled module. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein at least one digitally controlled module comprises a beam blanking module, and the at least one digitally controlled module is selected from the group consisting of the first digitally controlled module and the second digitally controlled module. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the first digitally controlled module comprises a beam deflection module, and the second digitally controlled module comprises a data acquisition module. 
     
     
         32 . A particle beam system comprising:
 a first digitally controlled module;   a second digitally controlled module; and   an encoding module configured generate digital command data,   wherein:
 the digital command data comprises at least a first command for the first digitally controlled module and at least a second command for the second digitally controlled module; and 
 the digital command data is generated based on information representing: a) a time when the first command is to be executed by the first digitally controlled module; and b) a time when the second command is to be executed by the second digitally controlled module. 
   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein at least one digitally controlled module comprises a beam deflection module, and the at least one digitally controlled module is selected from the group consisting of the first digitally controlled module and the second digitally controlled module. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the first digitally controlled module comprises a first beam deflection module, and the second digitally controlled module comprises a second beam deflection module. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the first digitally controlled module comprises a beam deflection module, and the second digitally controlled module comprises a data acquisition module. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the second digitally controlled module comprises a data acquisition module. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein at least one digitally controlled module comprises a beam blanking module, and the at least one digitally controlled module is selected from the group consisting of the first digitally controlled module and the second digitally controlled module. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the first digitally controlled module comprises a first blanking module, and the second digitally controlled module comprises a second blanking module. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising a particle beam source. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising a plurality of devices configured to guide a beam of particles from the particle beam source to a sample.