Abstract: A multi-beam lens device is described, which includes: a first beam passage for a first charged particle beam formed along a first direction between a first beam inlet of the first beam passage and a first beam outlet of the first beam passage; a second beam passage for a second charged particle beam formed along a second direction between a second beam inlet of the second beam passage and a second beam outlet of the second beam passage, wherein the first direction and the second direction are inclined with respect to each other by an angle (?) of 5° or more such that the first beam passage approaches the second beam passage toward the first beam outlet; and a common excitation coil or a common electrode arrangement configured for focussing the first charged particle beam and the second charged particle beam. Further, a charged particle beam device as well as a method of operating a multi-beam lens device are described.

Abstract: A secondary charged particle imaging system for imaging a secondary charged particle beam emanating from a sample by impingement of a primary charged particle beam is provided. The system includes a detector arrangement, and an adaptive secondary charged particle optics. The detector arrangement comprises a first detection element for detecting a first secondary charged particle sub-beam of the secondary charged particle beam, and a second detection element for detecting a second secondary charged particle sub-beam of the secondary charged particle beam.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electron beam device (500) for inspecting a sample (10) with an electron beam, comprising an electron beam source comprising a cold field emitter (100) for emitting an electron beam, electron beam optics for directing and focusing the electron beam onto the sample (10), and a detector device (540) for detecting secondary charged particles generated by impingement of the electron beam on the sample (10).

Abstract: An electrostatic multipole device for influencing a charged particle beam propagating along an optical axis is described. The electrostatic multipole device comprises a substrate with at least one aperture opening for the charged particle beam, which extends along the optical axis through the substrate, and four or more electrodes which are formed on a first main surface of the substrate to influence the charged particle beam propagating through the aperture opening, wherein each of the four or more electrodes is arranged at a radial distance from a beam limiting edge of the aperture opening. Further, a method of manufacturing an electrostatic multipole device is described.

Abstract: An electron beam device for inspecting a sample with an electron beam is described. The electron beam device includes an electron beam source including a thermal field emitter, which includes an emitter tip having an emission facet configured for electron emission, wherein the emission facet has an emission facet width; and a first side facet and a second side facet, wherein an edge facet is formed between the first side facet and the second side facet, which has an edge facet width. The edge facet width is between 20% and 40% of the emission facet width. The electron beam source further includes an extractor device; and a heating device for heating the thermal field emitter. The electron beam device further includes electron beam optics and a detector device for detecting secondary charged particles generated at an impingement or hitting of the primary electron beam on the sample.

Abstract: A housing device for providing a magnetic shielding of a charged particle beam is described. The housing device includes a housing element configured to at least partially enclose a charged particle beam propagation path and comprising a magnetic shielding material, wherein the housing element includes an inner surface directed toward the charged particle beam propagation path, an outer surface directed away from the charged particle beam propagation path and at least one edge region with an edge surface connecting the inner surface with the outer surface; and a contacting element comprising a conductive material and fixed to the at least one edge region in at least one of a form-fit connection and a bonded connection. Further, a housing arrangement including two or more electrically contacting housing devices, a charged particle beam device with a housing device, and methods of manufacturing a housing device are described.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for imaging a signal charged particle beam emanating from a sample by impingement of a primary charged particle beam. The system includes a detector arrangement having a first detection element for detecting a first signal charged particle sub-beam of the signal charged particle beam originating from a first spot on the sample and a second detection element for detecting a second signal charged particle sub-beam of the signal charged particle beam originating from a second spot on the sample, wherein the first detection element and the second detection element are separated from each other, and signal charged particle optics.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a charged particle beam device. The charged particle beam device includes an emitter arrangement configured to generate a primary charged particle beam having two or more primary charged particle sub-beams, a sample stage for supporting a sample, an objective lens for focusing the two or more primary charged particle sub-beams onto the sample, and a primary charged particle optics. The primary charged particle optics includes a coil provided between the emitter arrangement and the objective lens. The coil is configured to generate a magnetic field having a magnetic field component parallel to a longitudinal axis of the coil, wherein the magnetic field acts on the two or more primary charged particle sub-beams propagating along the longitudinal axis, and wherein an aspect ratio of the coil is at least 1.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a charged particle source arrangement for a charged particle beam device. The charged particle source arrangement includes: a first vacuum region and a second vacuum region; a charged particle source in the first vacuum region, wherein the charged particle source is configured to generate a primary charged particle beam; and a membrane configured to provide a gas barrier between the first vacuum region and the second vacuum region, and wherein the membrane is configured to let at least a portion of the primary charged particle beam pass through the membrane, wherein a first vacuum generation device is connectable to the first vacuum region and a second vacuum generation device is connectable to the second vacuum region.

Abstract: A cold field emitter for emitting an electron beam for an electron beam device is described. The emitter includes an emitter tip having a tip surface; and two or more adjacent facets formed at the tip surface and having facet boundaries, each of the facets forming a recess in the emitter tip, wherein the facets are separated. An intermediate area is provided between and around the two or more adjacent facets and the intermediate area is configured for electron emission. Further, an electron beam device, a method for operating an electron beam device and a method for producing an emitter for an electron beam device is described.

Abstract: An electrostatic multipole device for influencing a charged particle beam propagating along an optical axis is described. The multipole device includes a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a high-resistance layer which extends at least partially around the optical axis and is configured to allow a current flow between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein the first electrical contact contacts the high-resistance layer at a first circumferential position and is configured to provide a first potential to the first circumferential position, and wherein the second electrical contact contacts the high-resistance layer at a second circumferential position at an angular distance from the first circumferential position and is configured to provide a second potential to the second circumferential position. Further, an electrostatic multipole arrangement including two or more such multipole devices and a charged particle beam device are described.

Abstract: A multipole device for influencing a charged particle beam propagating along an optical axis is described. The multipole device includes: an electrostatic deflector with at least two deflector electrodes for deflecting the charged particle beam by a deflection angle, wherein the deflector electrodes extend over a first length along the optical axis; and an electrostatic corrector comprising at least four corrector electrodes to compensate for an aberration of the charged particle beam, wherein the corrector electrodes extend over a second length along the optical axis, which is shorter than the first length.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device for imaging and/or inspecting a sample is described. The charged particle beam device includes a beam emitter for emitting a primary charged particle beam; and a retarding field device for retarding the primary beam before impinging on the sample, the retarding field device including a magnetic-electrostatic objective lens and a proxy electrode. The charged particle beam device is adapted for guiding the primary beam along an optical axis to the sample for generating secondary particles released from the sample and backscattered particles. The proxy electrode comprises a first opening allowing the passage of the primary beam and at least one second opening for allowing the passage of off-axial backscattered particles. Further, a proxy electrode and a method for imaging and/or inspecting a sample by a charged particle beam are described.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device is provided which includes a primary beam source device adapted for generating a primary charged particle beam, a mirror corrector device adapted for providing compensation of spherical and/or chromatic aberrations, a first beam separator adapted for transmitting the primary charged particle beam to the mirror corrector device and for separating the primary charged particle beam from a compensating primary charged particle beam reflected by the mirror corrector device, wherein the first beam separator has a magnetic deflector configured to generate at least one dipole magnetic field, an objective lens adapted for focusing the compensating primary charged particle beam onto a specimen, and a second beam separator adapted for transmitting the compensating primary charged particle beam to the specimen and for separating the compensating primary charged particle beam from a secondary charged particle beam originating from the specimen.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for detecting signal charged particles in a charged particle beam device. The method includes emitting a primary charged particle beam, illuminating a specimen with the primary charged particle beam, wherein the primary charged particle beam has a landing energy on the specimen of less than 40 keV, wherein signal charged particles with a first energy spectrum are generated, energy filtering the signal charged particles such that signal charged particles in an energy range from an energy of 85% of the landing energy to 100% propagate for subsequent detection, and detecting the signal charged particles within the energy range using at least one detector.

Abstract: A beam separator device (200) is described.

Abstract: A retarding field scanning electron microscope for imaging a specimen is described. The microscope includes a scanning deflection assembly configured for scanning an electron beam over the specimen, one or more controllers in communication with the scanning deflection assembly for controlling a scanning pattern of the electron beam, and a combined magnetic-electrostatic objection lens configured for focusing the electron beam, wherein the objective lens includes a magnetic lens portion and an electrostatic lens portion. The electrostatic lens portion includes an first electrode configured to be biased to a high potential, and a second electrode disposed between the first electrode and the specimen plane, the second electrode being configured to be biased to a potential lower than the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is configured for providing a retarding field of the retarding field scanning electron microscope.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device (100) is described. The charged particle beam device includes a beam source (150) for generating a charged particle beam (101); a lens device (160); and a beam deflector device (110) for deflecting the charged particle beam with respect to a direction of incidence (A).

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method of operating a charged particle beam device is provided. The charged particle beam device includes a beam separation unit, a first optical component distanced from the beam separation unit and a second optical component distanced from the beam separation unit and distanced from the first optical component. The method includes generating a primary charged particle beam. The method further includes generating a first electric field and a first magnetic field in the beam separation unit. The method further includes guiding the primary charged particle beam through the beam separation unit in which the first electric field and the first magnetic field are generated, wherein a travel direction of the primary charged particle beam leaving the beam separation unit is aligned with a first target axis under the influence of the first electric field and the first magnetic field.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device is described. In one aspect, the charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam source, and a switchable multi-aperture for generating two or more beam bundles from a charged particle beam which includes: two or more aperture openings, wherein each of the two or more aperture openings is provided for generating a corresponding beam bundle of the two or more beam bundles; a beam blanker arrangement configured for individually blanking the two or more beam bundles; and a stopping aperture for blocking beam bundles. The device further includes a control unit configured to control the individual blanking of the two or more beam bundles for switching of the switchable multi-aperture and an objective lens configured for focusing the two or more beam bundles on a specimen or wafer.