Abstract: A method of determining a beam convergence of a charged particle beam (11) focused by a focusing lens (120) toward a sample (10) in a charged particle beam system (100) is provided. The method includes (a) taking one or more images of the sample when the sample is arranged at one or more defocus distances from a respective beam focus of the charged particle beam; (b) retrieving one or more beam cross sections from the one or more images; (c) determining one or more beam widths from the one or more beam cross sections; and (d) calculating at least one beam convergence value based on the one or more beam widths and the one or more defocus distances. Further, a charged particle beam system for imaging and/or inspecting a sample that is configured for any of the methods described herein is provided.

Abstract: It is provided a charged particle beam manipulation device for a plurality of charged particle beamlets, the charged particle beam manipulation device including a lens having a main optical axis, the lens including at least a first array of multipoles, each multipole of the first array of multipoles configured to compensate for a lens deflection force on a respective charged particle beamlet of the plurality of charged particle beamlets, the lens deflection force being a deflection force produced by the lens on the respective charged particle beamlet towards the main optical axis of the lens.

Abstract: An electron microscope (100) is described. The electron microscope comprises an electron source (110) for generating an electron beam, a condenser lens (130) for collimating the electron beam downstream of the electron source, and an objective lens (140) for focusing the electron beam onto a specimen (16). The electron source comprises a cold field emitter with an emission tip (112), an extractor electrode (114) for extracting the electron beam (105) from the cold field emitter for propagation along an optical axis (A), the extractor electrode having a first opening (115) configured as a first beam limiting aperture, a first cleaning arrangement (121) for cleaning the emission tip (112) by heating the emission tip, and a second cleaning arrangement (122) for cleaning the extractor electrode (114) by heating the extractor electrode. Further described is a method of operating such an electron microscope.

Abstract: A method of determining a beam convergence of a charged particle beam (11) focused by a focusing lens (120) toward a sample (10) in a charged particle beam system (100) is provided. The method includes (a) taking one or more images of the sample when the sample is arranged at one or more defocus distances from a respective beam focus of the charged particle beam; (b) retrieving one or more beam cross sections from the one or more images; (c) determining one or more beam widths from the one or more beam cross sections; and (d) calculating at least one beam convergence value based on the one or more beam widths and the one or more defocus distances. Further, a charged particle beam system for imaging and/or inspecting a sample that is configured for any of the methods described herein is provided.

Abstract: A method of determining aberrations of a charged particle beam (11) focused by a focusing lens (120) toward a sample (10) in a charged particle beam system is described. The method includes: (a) taking one or more images of the sample at one or more defocus settings to provide one or more taken images (h1...N); (b) simulating one or more images of the sample taken at the one or more defocus settings based on a set of beam aberration coefficients (iC) and a focus image of the sample to provide one or more simulated images; (c) comparing the one or more taken images and the one or more simulated images for determining a magnitude (Ri) of a difference therebetween; and (d) varying the set of beam aberration coefficients (iC) to provide an updated set of beam aberration coefficients (i+1C) and repeating (b) and (c) using the updated set of beam aberration coefficients (i+1C) in an iterative process for minimizing said magnitude (Ri).

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus with a charged particle source to generate a primary charged particle beam, a sample holder to hold a sample for impingement of the primary charged particle beam on the sample, a pulsed laser configured to generate a pulsed light beam for impingement onto an area on the sample, and an electrode to collect electrons emitted from the sample in a non-linear photoemission.

Abstract: Provided is an aberration corrector having a plurality of magnetic poles including a first magnetic pole and further magnetic poles, a ring that magnetically connects the plurality of magnetic poles with one another, the ring having a constant spacing to at least the first magnetic pole, a plurality of magnetic field modulators including a first magnetic field modulator and further magnetic field modulators, and a plurality of guides including a first guide and further guides; wherein the first magnetic field modulator includes a soft magnetic material, wherein the first magnetic field modulator is disposed in a first position, the first position being one of the following: adjacent to a first air gap separating the first magnetic pole and the ring, or at an inner ring surface or radially outward of the inner ring surface along an axis of the first magnetic pole, and wherein the first guide constrains the first magnetic field modulator to positions along a first axis substantially parallel to or coincident wi

Abstract: A method of influencing a charged particle beam (11) propagating along an optical axis (A) is described. The method includes: guiding the charged particle beam (11) through at least one opening (102) of a multipole device (100, 200) that comprises a first multipole (110, 210) with four or more first electrodes (111, 211) and a second multipole (120, 220) with four or more second electrodes (121, 221) arranged in the same sectional plane, the first electrodes and the second electrodes being arranged alternately around the at least one opening (102); and at least one of exciting the first multipole to provide a first field distribution for influencing the charged particle beam in a first manner, and exciting the second multipole to provide a second field distribution for influencing the charged particle beam in a second manner.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus for inspecting a specimen with a plurality of beamlets is described. The charged particle beam apparatus includes a charged particle beam emitter (105) for generating a charged particle beam (11) propagating along an optical axis (A) and a multi-beamlet generation- and correction-assembly (120), including a first multi-aperture electrode (121) with a first plurality of apertures for creating the plurality of beamlets from the charged particle beam, at least one second multi-aperture electrode (122) with a second plurality of apertures of varying diameters for the plurality of beamlets for providing a field curvature correction, and a plurality of multipoles (123) for individually influencing each of the plurality of beamlets, wherein the multi-beamlet generation- and correction-assembly (120) is configured to focus the plurality of beamlets to provide a plurality of intermediate beamlet crossovers.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus (100) is described. The charged particle beam apparatus includes a first vacuum region (121) in which a charged particle beam emitter (105) for emitting a charged particle beam (102) along an optical axis (A) is arranged, a second vacuum region (122) downstream of the first vacuum region and separated from the first vacuum region by a first gas separation wall (132) with a first differential pumping aperture (131), wherein the first differential pumping aperture (131) is configured as a first beam limiting aperture for the charged particle beam (102); and a third vacuum region (123) downstream of the second vacuum region and separated from the second vacuum region by a second gas separation wall (134) with a second differential pumping aperture (133), wherein the second differential pumping aperture (133) is configured as a second beam limiting aperture for the charged particle beam (102).

Abstract: A method of operating a charged particle beam device is disclosed, including focusing a charged particle beam onto a sample with an objective lens assembly; passing a reflected light beam through a bore of the objective lens assembly to an interferometer; and interferometrically determining a z-position of the sample with the interferometer. A charged particle beam device is disclosed, including a charged particle beam generator which has a charged particle source. A charged particle path for the charged particle beam extends through a bore of an objective lens assembly toward a sample stage. An interferometer is arranged to receive a reflected light beam which passes through the bore of the objective lens assembly.

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; a retarding field device for retarding the primary beam before impinging on the sample, the retarding field device including an objective lens and a proxy electrode; and a first detector for off-axial backscattered particles between the proxy electrode and the objective lens. The charged particle beam device is adapted for guiding the primary beam along an optical axis to the sample for releasing signal particles. The proxy electrode includes one opening allowing a passage of the primary charged particle beam and of the signal particles, wherein the one opening is sized to allow a passage of charged particles backscattered from the sample at angles from 0° to 20° or above relative to the optical axis. Further, a method for imaging and/or inspecting a sample with a charged particle beam device is described.

Abstract: A charged particle gun for a charged particle beam device is described. The charged particle gun includes a gun housing; an emitter provided in the gun housing, the emitter being configured to emit a charged particle beam along an axis; an emitter power supply connected to the emitter; a trapping electrode provided in the gun housing, the trapping electrode at least partially surrounding the axis; a trapping power supply connected to the trapping electrode; and a shielding element shielding an electrostatic field of the trapping electrode from the axis during operation of the gun housing.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device for imaging and/or inspecting a sample is described.

Abstract: An electrode arrangement for acting on a charged particle beam in a charged particle beam apparatus is described. The electrode arrangement includes a first electrode with a first opening for the charged particle beam; a first spacer element positioned in a first recess provided in the first electrode on a first electrode side for aligning the first electrode relative to a second electrode, the first spacer element having a first blind hole; a first conductive shield provided in the first blind hole; and a contact assembly protruding from the first electrode into the first blind hole for ensuring an electrical contact between the first electrode and the first conductive shield. Further, a contact assembly for such an electrode arrangement, a charged particle beam device with such an electrode arrangement, as well as a method of reducing an electrical field strength in an electrode arrangement are described.

Abstract: A beam blanking device for a multi-beamlet charged particle beam apparatus is provided. The beam blanking device includes a first blanking unit, a second blanking unit and a third blanking unit. The first blanking unit includes a first blanking electrode and a first aperture. The second blanking unit includes a second blanking electrode and a second aperture. The third blanking unit includes a third blanking electrode and a third aperture. The beam blanking device includes a common electrode forming a first counter electrode for the first blanking electrode, a second counter electrode for the second blanking electrode and a third counter electrode for the third blanking electrode. The first blanking unit, the second blanking unit and the third blanking unit are arranged in a planar array and define a plane of the planar array.

Abstract: A secondary charged particle imaging system comprising: a backscattered electron detector module, wherein the backscattered electron detector module is rotatable between a first angular position and a second angular position about an axis.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device for inspecting a specimen is described. The charged particle beam device includes a beam source for emitting a charged particle beam, an electrode for influencing the charged particle beam, and a damping unit provided on the electrode for damping vibrations of the electrode. Further, an objective lens module with an electrode is described, wherein a damping unit is provided on the electrode. Further, an electrode device is described, wherein a mass damper is mounted on a disk-shaped electrode body of the electrode device.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device, comprising a charged particle source configured to emit a charged particle beam; a movable stage comprising an assembly of aperture arrays having at least a first aperture array and a second aperture array, the movable stage is configured to align the assembly of aperture arrays with the charged particle beam, and at least one aperture array comprises a shielding tube coupled to the movable stage.

Abstract: The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle source and a beamlet-forming multiaperture plate. The device also includes a precompensator for reducing aberrations of the beamlets at a target, a scanner for scanning each of the beamlets, an objective lens for focusing each beamlet onto the target, and a controller configured to synchronize the precompensator and the scanner. The precompensator includes: at least one “radially variable” multiaperture electrode in which the diameter of each aperture thereof scales with the distance of the aperture from the optical axis, z; and at least one “cartesianally variable” multiaperture electrode in which the diameter of each aperture thereof scales with an x component of the position of the aperture.