DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 28 specifies an “emission angle” but does not provide a frame of reference for such an angle. Therefore the exact angular measurement cannot be ascertained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, and 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sasaki et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2017/0271124 in view of Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2008/0121810.
Regarding claim 16, Sasaki discloses an electron beam apparatus (“A scanning electron microscope” [Abstract]) comprising: an electron source 1 configured to generate a primary electron beam 101 along a primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); an objective lens 8 configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a sample 11 (“a combined objective lens configured to focus the primary beam on a surface of the specimen” [Abstract]) and comprising a cavity configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through (figure 1 illustrates a cavity within the objective lens 8 in which electrostatic deflection system 9 is present); a beam deflector 9 (“This electrostatic deflection system 9 may be an electrostatic octapole deflection system” [0067]) located within the cavity of the objective lens 8 (as illustrated in figure 1) and configured to deflect the primary electron beam onto a surface of the sample (“an electrostatic deflection system 9 for deflecting the primary beam that has been focused by the combined objective lens 30 and directing the primary beam to each of points in a field of view on the surface of the specimen 11” [0067]); and a first electron detector 20 located downstream from all beam deflectors 9 with respect to a path of the primary electron beam 101 along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1). Sasaki discloses the claimed invention except that while Sasaki discloses an electrostatic deflection system located within a cavity of the objective lens, there is no explicit disclosure of a plurality of beam deflectors located within the cavity of the objective lens.
Liu discloses an electron beam apparatus (“the present invention has been used to provide a low-landing scanning electron microscope “ [0002]) comprising: an electron source 101/102/103 configured to generate a primary electron beam 125 (“a charged particle source (101, 102 and 103) for generating a primary particle beam (125) onto specimen (120) “ [0034]) along a primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); an objective lens 115/116/118/120 configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a sample (“a compound objective lens (115,116, 118 and 120) for forming the magnetic field and the electrostatic field to focus the primary charged particle beam (125) onto the specimen (120) along the charged particle beam path” [0034]) and comprising a cavity configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through (as illustrated in figure 1); a plurality of beam deflectors 110/122 located within the cavity of the objective lens 115/116/118/120 (as illustrated in figure 1) and configured to deflect the primary electron beam 125 onto a surface of the sample 120 (“a deflection system for deflecting the primary charged particle beam over the specimen surface to form a scanning pattern” [0006] – “the preferred deflection system comprises a pre-lens deflector (110) and an in-lens deflector (122)” [0041]); and a first electron detector 119 located downstream from all beam deflectors 110/122 of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of the primary electron beam along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the deflection system of Sasaki (having a single deflector within the cavity of an objective lens) with the deflection system of Liu (having multiple deflectors within the cavity of an objective lens), in order to provide additional control over the scanning of the electron beam so as to more precisely move the electron beam over the sample.
Regarding claim 17, Sasaki discloses that the first electron detector 20 is configured to detect a first portion of a plurality of backscattered electrons generated from the sample 11 (“A low-angle back-scattered electron detector (LA-BSED) 20 is secured to a lower portion of the objective lens 8” [0066]).
Regarding claim 18, Sasaki discloses that the first electron detector 20 is located outside the cavity of the objective lens 8 (“A low-angle back-scattered electron detector (LA-BSED) 20 is secured to a lower portion of the objective lens 8” [0066] – see also figure 1).
Regarding claim 19, Sasaki discloses that the first electron detector 20 is located immediately downstream from a polepiece of the objective lens 8 with respect to the path of the primary electron beam 101 (as illustrated in figure 1).
Regarding claim 20, Sasaki discloses the claimed invention except that there is no explicit disclosure that the first electron detector is located within the cavity of the objective lens.
Liu discloses that the first electron detector 119 is located within the cavity of the objective lens (since the objective lens includes elements 115, 116, 118, and 120, as described in paragraph [0034] and figure 1 illustrates that electron detector 119 is located between elements 116 and 118 along the path of the electron beam).
It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sasaki with the detector location of Liu in order to provide additional focusing of secondary and/or backscattered electrons (by the objective lens) prior to detection.
Regarding claim 21, Sasaki discloses the claimed invention except that there is no explicit disclosure that the first electron detector is located immediately upstream from a polepiece of the objective lens with respect to the path of the primary electron beam.
Liu discloses that the first electron detector 119 is located immediately upstream from a polepiece 118 of the objective lens 115/116/118/120 with respect to the path of the primary electron beam 120.
It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sasaki with the detector location of Liu in order to provide additional focusing of secondary and/or backscattered electrons (by the objective lens) prior to detection.
Regarding claim 22, Sasaki discloses that the first electron detector 20 is positioned such that a central axis of an opening of the first electron detector 20 is aligned with the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1).
Regarding claim 23, Sasaki discloses that the first electron detector 20 is disposed between the objective lens 8 and the sample 11 along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1).
Regarding claim 24, Sasaki discloses a control electrode 10, wherein the first electron detector 20 is disposed between the objective lens 8 and the control electrode 10 (as illustrated in figure 1).
Regarding claim 25, Sasaki discloses a second electron detector 19 configured to detect a second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons (“high-energy back-scattered electrons that have been emitted at high take-off angles are detected by a dedicated third detector 19” [0080]), and disposed upstream from the first electron detector 20 along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1).
Regarding claim 27, Sasaki discloses the claimed invention except that there is no explicit disclosure that the second electron detector comprises an opening configured to allow a portion of the primary electron beam to pass through.
Liu discloses a first electron detector 119 located downstream from all beam deflectors 110/122 of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of the primary electron beam 125 along the primary optical axis; further comprising a second electron detector 109 configured to detect a second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons (“The in-lens detector (109) will collect most of the back-scattered charged particles released from the specimen (120)” [0049]), and disposed upstream from the first electron detector 119 along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); wherein the second electron detector comprises an opening configured to allow a portion of the primary electron beam 125 to pass through (as illustrated in figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sasaki with the second electron detector of Liu in order to provide additional detection of electrons backscattered from different angles on the sample using a commercially available detector that allows passage of the primary electron beam while detecting electrons backscattered from a range of angles.
Regarding claim 28, Sasaki discloses that an emission angle of the second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons is smaller than an emission angle of the first portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons (“A low-angle back-scattered electron detector (LA-BSED) 20 is secured to a lower portion of the objective lens 8 “ [0066] – “high-energy back-scattered electrons that have been emitted at high take-off angles are detected by a dedicated third detector 19” [0080]).
Regarding claim 34, Sasaki discloses a method performed by an electron beam apparatus (“A scanning electron microscope” [Abstract]) for observing a sample 11 (“a field of view on the surface of the specimen” [0026]), the method comprising: focusing a primary electron beam onto the sample 11 using an objective lens 8 (“a combined objective lens configured to focus the primary beam on a surface of the specimen” [Abstract]) comprising a cavity (figure 1 illustrates a cavity within the objective lens 8 in which electrostatic deflection system 9 is present) that includes a beam deflector 9 (“This electrostatic deflection system 9 may be an electrostatic octapole deflection system” [0067]) and that allows the primary electron beam to pass through to interact with the sample 11 (“an electrostatic deflection system 9 for deflecting the primary beam that has been focused by the combined objective lens 30 and directing the primary beam to each of points in a field of view on the surface of the specimen 11” [0067]); and detecting a first portion of a plurality of signal backscattered electrons (“These back-scattered electrons are detected by the axisymmetric low-angle back-scattered electron detector 20 having an opening in its center” [0079]) generated from the sample 11 after interaction with the primary electron beam (“When the primary beam impinges on the specimen 11 while scanning the specimen 11, secondary particles, such as secondary electrons and back-scattered electrons, are emitted from the specimen 11” [0071]) using a first electron detector 20 located downstream from the beam deflector 9 with respect to a path of the primary electron beam 101 along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1). Sasaki discloses the claimed invention except that while Sasaki discloses an electrostatic deflection system located within a cavity of the objective lens, there is no explicit disclosure of a plurality of beam deflectors located within the cavity of the objective lens.
Liu discloses an electron beam apparatus (“the present invention has been used to provide a low-landing scanning electron microscope “ [0002]) comprising: an electron source 101/102/103 configured to generate a primary electron beam 125 (“a charged particle source (101, 102 and 103) for generating a primary particle beam (125) onto specimen (120) “ [0034]) along a primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); an objective lens 115/116/118/120 configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a sample (“a compound objective lens (115,116, 118 and 120) for forming the magnetic field and the electrostatic field to focus the primary charged particle beam (125) onto the specimen (120) along the charged particle beam path” [0034]) and comprising a cavity configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through (as illustrated in figure 1); a plurality of beam deflectors 110/122 located within the cavity of the objective lens 115/116/118/120 (as illustrated in figure 1) and configured to deflect the primary electron beam 125 onto a surface of the sample 120 (“a deflection system for deflecting the primary charged particle beam over the specimen surface to form a scanning pattern” [0006] – “the preferred deflection system comprises a pre-lens deflector (110) and an in-lens deflector (122)” [0041]); and a first electron detector 119 located downstream from all beam deflectors 110/122 of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of the primary electron beam along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the deflection system of Sasaki (having a single deflector within the cavity of an objective lens) with the deflection system of Liu (having multiple deflectors within the cavity of an objective lens), in order to provide additional control over the scanning of the electron beam so as to more precisely move the electron beam over the sample.
Claim(s) 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sasaki et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2017/0271124 in view of Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2008/0121810 in further view of Ren et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2019/0279844.
Regarding claim 35, Sasaki discloses a method performed by an electron beam apparatus (“A scanning electron microscope” [Abstract]) for observing a sample 11 (“a field of view on the surface of the specimen” [0026]), the method comprising: focusing a primary electron beam onto the sample 11 using an objective lens 8 (“a combined objective lens configured to focus the primary beam on a surface of the specimen” [Abstract]) comprising a cavity (figure 1 illustrates a cavity within the objective lens 8 in which electrostatic deflection system 9 is present) that includes a beam deflector 9 (“This electrostatic deflection system 9 may be an electrostatic octapole deflection system” [0067]) and that allows the primary electron beam to pass through to interact with the sample 11 (“an electrostatic deflection system 9 for deflecting the primary beam that has been focused by the combined objective lens 30 and directing the primary beam to each of points in a field of view on the surface of the specimen 11” [0067]); and detecting a first portion of a plurality of signal backscattered electrons (“These back-scattered electrons are detected by the axisymmetric low-angle back-scattered electron detector 20 having an opening in its center” [0079]) generated from the sample 11 after interaction with the primary electron beam (“When the primary beam impinges on the specimen 11 while scanning the specimen 11, secondary particles, such as secondary electrons and back-scattered electrons, are emitted from the specimen 11” [0071]) using a first electron detector 20 located downstream from the beam deflector 9 with respect to a path of the primary electron beam 101 along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1). Sasaki discloses the claimed invention except that while Sasaki discloses an electrostatic deflection system located within a cavity of the objective lens, there is no explicit disclosure of a plurality of beam deflectors located within the cavity of the objective lens.
Liu discloses an electron beam apparatus (“the present invention has been used to provide a low-landing scanning electron microscope “ [0002]) comprising: an electron source 101/102/103 configured to generate a primary electron beam 125 (“a charged particle source (101, 102 and 103) for generating a primary particle beam (125) onto specimen (120) “ [0034]) along a primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); an objective lens 115/116/118/120 configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a sample (“a compound objective lens (115,116, 118 and 120) for forming the magnetic field and the electrostatic field to focus the primary charged particle beam (125) onto the specimen (120) along the charged particle beam path” [0034]) and comprising a cavity configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through (as illustrated in figure 1); a plurality of beam deflectors 110/122 located within the cavity of the objective lens 115/116/118/120 (as illustrated in figure 1) and configured to deflect the primary electron beam 125 onto a surface of the sample 120 (“a deflection system for deflecting the primary charged particle beam over the specimen surface to form a scanning pattern” [0006] – “the preferred deflection system comprises a pre-lens deflector (110) and an in-lens deflector (122)” [0041]); and a first electron detector 119 located downstream from all beam deflectors 110/122 of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of the primary electron beam along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1). It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the deflection system of Sasaki (having a single deflector within the cavity of an objective lens) with the deflection system of Liu (having multiple deflectors within the cavity of an objective lens), in order to provide additional control over the scanning of the electron beam so as to more precisely move the electron beam over the sample. Sasaki and Liu disclose the claimed invention except that there is no explicit disclosure of a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of instructions that is executable by one or more processors of an electron beam apparatus to cause the electron beam apparatus to perform operations for observing a sample, the operations comprising the operations of Sasaki and Liu.
Ren discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of instructions that is executable by one or more processors of an electron beam apparatus to cause the electron beam apparatus to perform operations for observing a sample (“The non-transitory computer readable medium stores a set of instructions that is executable by one or more processors of a controller causing the controller to perform a method forming images of a sample” [0011]), the operations comprising: focusing a primary electron beam onto the sample using an objective lens (“Objective lens 131 (further explained below) may be configured to focus beamlets 102_1, 102_2, and 102_3 onto a sample 8 for inspection” [0036]); and detecting a first portion of a plurality of signal backscattered (“Objective lens 131 (further explained below) may be configured to focus beamlets 102_1, 102_2, and 102_3 onto a sample 8 for inspection” [0038]) electrons (“The method also includes instructing a secondary imaging system to project the plurality of secondary electron beams onto an electron detection device to obtain the images” [0011]) generated from the sample after interaction with the primary electron beam (“Due to this focused probe spot of primary electrons, secondary electrons will be generated from the surface” [0004]). It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sasaki and Liu with the non-transitory computer readable medium of Ren in order to provide a control mechanism for automated control of an electron beam imaging system, whereby automated control improves repeatability and accuracy of manipulating variables so as to generate higher quality images of a sample specimen in electron microscopy.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 26, Sasaki et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2017/0271124 discloses an electron beam apparatus (“A scanning electron microscope” [Abstract]) comprising: an electron source 1 configured to generate a primary electron beam 101 along a primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); an objective lens 8 configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a sample 11 (“a combined objective lens configured to focus the primary beam on a surface of the specimen” [Abstract]) and comprising a cavity configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through (figure 1 illustrates a cavity within the objective lens 8 in which electrostatic deflection system 9 is present); a beam deflector 9 (“This electrostatic deflection system 9 may be an electrostatic octapole deflection system” [0067]) located within the cavity of the objective lens 8 (as illustrated in figure 1) and configured to deflect the primary electron beam onto a surface of the sample (“an electrostatic deflection system 9 for deflecting the primary beam that has been focused by the combined objective lens 30 and directing the primary beam to each of points in a field of view on the surface of the specimen 11” [0067]); and a first electron detector 20 located downstream from all beam deflectors 9 with respect to a path of the primary electron beam 101 along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1). However, although Sasaki discloses detectors 16, 17, and 19, Sasaki does not disclose a first electron detector located downstream from all beam deflectors of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of the primary electron beam along the primary optical axis and a second electron detector configured to detect a second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons, wherein the second electron detector is located within the cavity of the objective lens and the first electron detector is located outside of the cavity.
Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2008/0121810 discloses an electron beam apparatus (“the present invention has been used to provide a low-landing scanning electron microscope “ [0002]) comprising: an electron source 101/102/103 configured to generate a primary electron beam 125 (“a charged particle source (101, 102 and 103) for generating a primary particle beam (125) onto specimen (120) “ [0034]) along a primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); an objective lens 115/116/118/120 configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a sample (“a compound objective lens (115,116, 118 and 120) for forming the magnetic field and the electrostatic field to focus the primary charged particle beam (125) onto the specimen (120) along the charged particle beam path” [0034]) and comprising a cavity configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through (as illustrated in figure 1); a plurality of beam deflectors 110/122 located within the cavity of the objective lens 115/116/118/120 (as illustrated in figure 1) and configured to deflect the primary electron beam 125 onto a surface of the sample 120 (“a deflection system for deflecting the primary charged particle beam over the specimen surface to form a scanning pattern” [0006] – “the preferred deflection system comprises a pre-lens deflector (110) and an in-lens deflector (122)” [0041]); and a first electron detector 119 located downstream from all beam deflectors 110/122 of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of the primary electron beam along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1). However, although Liu discloses detectors 109, 117, and 119, the only detector located outside of the cavity of the objective lens is detector 109, and this detector does not meet the claim limitation of a second detector upstream from the first detector that is located outside of the cavity. Therefore, Liu does not disclose a first electron detector located downstream from all beam deflectors of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of the primary electron beam along the primary optical axis and a second electron detector configured to detect a second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons, wherein the second electron detector is located within the cavity of the objective lens and the first electron detector is located outside of the cavity.
The prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest, in combination with the other claim limitations, an electron beam apparatus comprising: a plurality of beam deflectors located within a cavity of an objective lens; a first electron detector located downstream from all beam deflectors of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of a primary electron beam along a primary optical axis; further comprising a second electron detector configured to detect a second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons, and disposed upstream from the first electron detector along the primary optical axis; wherein the second electron detector is located within the cavity of the objective lens and the first electron detector is located outside of the cavity.
Regarding claim 29; Sasaki et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2017/0271124 discloses an electron beam apparatus (“A scanning electron microscope” [Abstract]) comprising: an electron source 1 configured to generate a primary electron beam 101 along a primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); an objective lens 8 configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a sample 11 (“a combined objective lens configured to focus the primary beam on a surface of the specimen” [Abstract]) and comprising a cavity configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through (figure 1 illustrates a cavity within the objective lens 8 in which electrostatic deflection system 9 is present); a beam deflector 9 (“This electrostatic deflection system 9 may be an electrostatic octapole deflection system” [0067]) located within the cavity of the objective lens 8 (as illustrated in figure 1) and configured to deflect the primary electron beam onto a surface of the sample (“an electrostatic deflection system 9 for deflecting the primary beam that has been focused by the combined objective lens 30 and directing the primary beam to each of points in a field of view on the surface of the specimen 11” [0067]); and a first electron detector 20 located downstream from all beam deflectors 9 with respect to a path of the primary electron beam 101 along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1). However, although Sasaki discloses detectors 16, 17, and 19, Sasaki does not disclose a third electron detector configured to detect a third portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons generated from the sample, wherein the third electron detector is located upstream (with respect to the path of the primary electron beam) from the first electron detector and a second electron detector that is configured to detect a second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons, and disposed upstream from the first electron detector along the primary optical axis.
Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2008/0121810 discloses an electron beam apparatus (“the present invention has been used to provide a low-landing scanning electron microscope “ [0002]) comprising: an electron source 101/102/103 configured to generate a primary electron beam 125 (“a charged particle source (101, 102 and 103) for generating a primary particle beam (125) onto specimen (120) “ [0034]) along a primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1); an objective lens 115/116/118/120 configured to focus the primary electron beam onto a sample (“a compound objective lens (115,116, 118 and 120) for forming the magnetic field and the electrostatic field to focus the primary charged particle beam (125) onto the specimen (120) along the charged particle beam path” [0034]) and comprising a cavity configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through (as illustrated in figure 1); a plurality of beam deflectors 110/122 located within the cavity of the objective lens 115/116/118/120 (as illustrated in figure 1) and configured to deflect the primary electron beam 125 onto a surface of the sample 120 (“a deflection system for deflecting the primary charged particle beam over the specimen surface to form a scanning pattern” [0006] – “the preferred deflection system comprises a pre-lens deflector (110) and an in-lens deflector (122)” [0041]); and a first electron detector 119 located downstream from all beam deflectors 110/122 of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of the primary electron beam along the primary optical axis (as illustrated in figure 1). However, although Liu discloses detectors 109, 117, and 119, Liu does not disclose a third electron detector configured to detect a third portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons generated from the sample, wherein the third electron detector is located upstream (with respect to the path of the primary electron beam) from the first electron detector and a second electron detector that is configured to detect a second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons, and disposed upstream from the first electron detector along the primary optical axis..
The prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest, in combination with the other claim limitations, an electron beam apparatus comprising: a plurality of beam deflectors located within a cavity of an objective lens; a first electron detector located downstream from all beam deflectors of the plurality of beam deflectors with respect to a path of a primary electron beam along a primary optical axis; further comprising a second electron detector configured to detect a second portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons, and disposed upstream from the first electron detector along the primary optical axis; further comprising a third electron detector configured to detect a third portion of the plurality of backscattered electrons generated from the sample, wherein the third electron detector is located upstream from the first electron detector and the second electron detector with respect to the path of the primary electron beam.
Regarding claims 30-33; these claims would be allowable at least for their dependence upon claim 29.
Conclusion
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/JASON L MCCORMACK/ Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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