Abstract: The invention provides a lens system for a plurality of charged particle beams. The lens system comprises an excitation coil providing a magnetic flux to a pole piece unit having a first pole piece, a second pole piece and at least two openings for charged particle beams, wherein the two openings are arranged in one row, thereby forming a lens row, and wherein the pole piece unit has an elongated shape.

Abstract: An ion beam apparatus and a method for providing an energy-filtered primary ion beam are described. Therein, a primary ion beam having an asymmetric first energy distribution is generated by means of an ion source. The primary ion beam is energy filtered using, for example, a retarding lens.

Abstract: A method of operating a focused ion beam device for emitting during operation a focused ion beam including ions of a gas generated at a first partial pressure, comprising cleaning an emitter tip positioned in an emitter tip region of the focused ion beam device, the cleaning comprises introducing the gas into the emitter tip region such that the gas has a second partial pressure of at least two times the first pressure. Further, a focused ion beam device is provided, comprising a gas field emitter tip (13) in an emitter tip region emitting an ion beam including ions of a gas, a gas inlet for supplying a gas with different pressures (110), a gas outlet (120), a pressure measurement device for measuring the pressure in the emitter tip region and a control unit (130) for controlling switching between an operation mode and a cleaning mode, further controlling the pressures in the emitter tip region and being connected to the pressure measurement device.

Abstract: A charged particle gun alignment assembly for emitting a charged particle beam along an optical axis of a charged particle beam device is described. The charged particle gun alignment assembly is configured to compensate for misalignment of the charged particle beam and includes a charged particle source having an emitter with a virtual source defining a virtual source plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis; a condenser lens for imaging the virtual source; a final beam limiting aperture adapted for shaping the charged particle beam; and a double stage deflection assembly positioned between the condenser lens and the final beam limiting aperture, wherein the working distance of the condenser lens is 15 mm or less.

Abstract: A gas field ion source is described. The gas field ion source includes an emitter module. The emitter module includes an emitter holder, an emitter structure, a detachably connectable electrical connection assembly of the emitter module, and a detachably connectable gas supply connection assembly of the emitter module. The gas field ion source further includes a supply module, wherein the supply module includes an electrical conductor for providing voltage and/or current, a gas supply conduit, a thermal conductor, a detachably connectable electrical connection assembly of the supply module, and a detachably connectable gas supply connection assembly of the supply module. The emitter module and the supply module are detachably connectable by the detachably connectable connection assemblies of the emitter module and the detachably connectable connection assemblies of the supply module.

Abstract: A gas field ion source is described for a charged particle beam device having a charged particle beam column. The gas field ion source includes an emitter unit, a cooling unit, and a thermal conductivity unit for thermal conductivity from the cooling unit to the emitter unit, wherein the thermal conductivity unit is adapted for reduction of vibration transfer from the cooling unit to the emitter unit.

Abstract: A focused ion beam device is provided, including: an ion beam column adapted to house a gas field ion source emitter with an emitter tip and an emitter area for generating ions, a heating means adapted to heat the emitter tip, one or more gas inlets adapted to introduce a first gas and at least one second gas to the emitter area, an objective lens adapted to focus the ion beam generated from the first gas or the second gas, and a controller adapted to switch between a first emitter tip temperature and a second emitter tip temperature for generating an ion beam of ions of the first gas or an ion beam of ions of the at least one second gas.

Abstract: A method and a device for stabilizing the emission current of an emitter of a charged particle beam device are provided. In the method, the emitter is operated under predetermined operation parameters including at least one voltage with a predetermined value. The method includes determining a first value of the emission current under the predetermined operation parameters and flash cleaning the emitter while a first electric field is applied to the emitter. The first electric field is generated by the at least one voltage having a first value of the at least one voltage, wherein the first value of the at least one voltage is provided in dependence of the determined first value of the emission current.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device is provided. The device includes a primary objective lens for focusing a primary charged particle beam, the primary objective lens defining an optical axis, a specimen stage defining a specimen location area, a deflection unit for deflecting the primary charged particle beam between the primary objective lens and the specimen location area, towards a beam path for impingement on the specimen, wherein the deflection unit is movable with respect to the optical axis.

Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described. The focused ion beam device includes an ion beam column including an enclosure for housing a gas field ion source emitter with an emitter area for generating ions, an electrode for extracting ions from the gas field ion source emitter, one or more gas inlets adapted to introduce a first gas and a second gas to the emitter area, an objective lens for focusing the ion beam generated from the first gas or the second gas, a voltage supply for providing a voltage between the electrode and the gas field ion source emitter, and a controller for switching between a first voltage and a second voltage of the voltage supply for generating an ion beam of ions of the first gas or an ion beam of ions of the second gas.

Abstract: A detection apparatus for use in a charged particle beam device is provided. The detection apparatus includes a separation field generating portion adapted to generate a separation field separating positively and negatively charged secondary particles, at least one first detector for detecting positively charged particles, at least one second detector for detecting negatively charged particles, wherein the detection apparatus is adapted to simultaneously detect the positively charged secondary particles in the at least one first detector and the negatively charged secondary particles in the at least one second detector. Further, a method of simultaneously detecting negatively and positively charged particles is provided.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device is provided including a particle source emitting a primary particle beam, a secondary particle beam generated by the impingement of the primary particle beam on the sample, a detection unit for detecting the secondary particle beam, the detector having at least two detector channels, and a distribution deflecting device for deflecting the secondary particle beam in a chronological sequence. Further, a detection assembly for a fast wafer inspection system is provided including a distribution deflecting device for distributing a secondary particle beam in a chronological sequence and a detector for detecting the secondary particle beam, the detector having multiple detector channels. Further, a method of operating a particle beam device with chronological resolution is provided.

Abstract: A lens assembly having a magnetic lens assembly for a charged particle beam system is provided. The lens assembly includes: a first pole piece having a connecting portion of the first pole piece and a gap portion of the first pole piece, a second pole piece having a connecting portion of the second pole piece and a gap portion of the second pole piece, wherein the first pole piece and the second pole piece provide a gap at the respective gap portions, a coil for exciting the magnetic lens assembly, a centering element comprising a material that has a smaller Young's modulus than the material of the first and the material of the second pole piece, wherein the pole pieces are connected with each other at the respective connecting portions and have a centering element receiving portion towards the respective gap portion ends of the pole pieces.

Abstract: The invention provides a multiple-lens assembly 1 for a charged particle beam device which comprises at least two lens sub units 2, each sub unit having an optical axis 3, wherein at least two of the optical axes of the lens sub units are inclined to each other. Further, the invention provides a charged particle beam device which comprises at least one multiple-lens assembly and a method for operating a charged particle beam device.

Abstract: An electron beam apparatus and a method for providing an energy-filtered primary electron beam are described. Therein, a primary electron beam having an asymmetric first energy distribution is generated by means of an electron source. The primary electron beam is high-pass energy filtered using a retarding lens.

Abstract: A lens assembly having an electrostatic lens component for a charged particle beam system is provided. The assembly includes: a first electrode having a conically shaped portion, a second electrode having a conically shaped portion, and a first insulator having a conically shaped portion, wherein the first insulator comprises two extending portions towards each of its ends, and wherein the two extending portions are formed to generate a gap between the insulator and each of the adjacent electrodes.

Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described comprising a gas field ion source with an emitter emitting an ion beam including ions of gas, an ion beam column and a beam current control loop comprising a beam current measurement device. Furthermore, the focused ion beam device may have a sample charge control comprising measuring the sample charge. A method of operating a focused ion beam device is provided comprising applying a voltage between an emitter an electrode, applying gas to the emitter, emitting ions of a gas from the emitter and controlling a beam current by measuring the beam current with a beam current measurement device.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus and a method for measuring an emission pattern of such an apparatus are provided. The apparatus comprises an emitter with an emission pattern including at least two emission peaks, a gun lens, and a diaphragm, wherein the gun lens comprises a deflector unit and the deflector unit is adapted to direct an emission peak of the at least two emission peaks to an opening of the diaphragm to thereby select the emission peak of the at least two emission peaks from the emission pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus for in-situ specimen preparation is described. The apparatus includes an ion beam column 21 including at least: an liquid metal alloy ion source 56 including a first element for providing a light ion species with a mass of 10 g/mol to 60 g/mol and a second element for providing a heavy ions species with a mass of 150 g/mol or higher, a mass separator 58 for selectively separating the light ion species and the heavy ion species, and a focusing element for focusing the ion beam on a specimen. The apparatus further includes a specimen-beam-tilt unit for tilting the ion beam with respect to the specimen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a charged particle beam device (1) for inspecting or structuring a specimen (3) comprising a charged particle beam source (5) to generate a charged particle beam (7), a focussing lens (9) to focus the charged particle beam (7) onto the specimen (3), and an aperture system (13) for defining an aperture (6) for the charged particle beam (7). The aperture system (13) includes a first member (20) to block a first portion (7a) of the charged particle beam (7) between the charged particle beam source (5) and the focussing lens (9), a second member (30) to block a second portion (7b) of the charged particle beam (7) between the charged particle beam source (5) and the focussing lens (9), first means (24) for moving the first member (20) to adjust the size of the blocked first portion (7a) of the charged particle beam (7), and second means (34) for moving the second member (30) independently from the first portion (7b).