Abstract: The invention is directed to a corrector for correcting energy-dependent first-order aberrations of the first degree as well as third-order spherical aberrations of electron-optical lens systems. The corrector includes at least one quadropole septuplet (S1) having seven quadrupoles (Q1 to Q7). The quadrupoles are mounted symmetrically to a center plane (ZS) so as to permit excitation along a linear axis. The corrector furthermore includes at least five octopoles (O1 to O7) which can be excited within the quadrupole septuplet. In an advantageous embodiment, two quadrupole septuplets are mounted in series one behind the other. The quadrupole fields of the two quadrupole septuplets are excited antisymmetrically to a center plane lying between the two quadrupole septuplets.

Abstract: A material processing system for processing a work piece is provided. The material processing is effected by supplying a reactive gas and energetic radiation for activation of the reactive gas to a surrounding of a location of the work piece to be processed. The radiation is preferably provided by an electron microscope. An objective lens of the electron microscope is preferably disposed between a detector of the electron microscope and the work piece. A gas supply arrangement of the material processing system comprises a valve disposed spaced apart from the processing location, a gas volume between the valve and a location of emergence of the reaction gas being small. The gas supply arrangement further comprises a temperature-adjusted, especially cooled reservoir for accommodating a starting material for the reactive gas.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a manipulator for an optical apparatus including a particle-optical apparatus. The manipulator is especially a diaphragm or specimen manipulator in an electron microscope. The component (4), which is to manipulated, is accommodated by a transfer body (2) movable relative to a spatially-fixed component (1) and the transfer body (2) includes a composite material having a high thermal conductivity while simultaneously having a vanishing or negative thermal expansion coefficient in the direction of the connecting axis (B—B) between the component (4) and the spatially-fixed component (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a particle beam system comprising a particle source (1), a mirror corrector (9, 21 to 25), and an objective lens (16). The mirror corrector comprises an electrostatic mirror (9) and a magnetic beam deflector (21, 22, 23, 24, 25), which is arranged between the particle source (1) and the electrostatic mirror (9) as well as between the electrostatic mirror (9) and the objective lens (16). The magnetic beam deflector (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) is free from dispersion for each single pass. The magnetic beam deflector (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) also comprises quadrupoles and/or quadrupole components, which are provided in such a manner that a maximum of two planes, which are conjugated with regard to the diffraction plane (28) of the objective lens (16), occur on the entire path length between the first outlet from the magnetic beam deflector (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) and from the objective lens (16).

Abstract: An electron microscopy system and an electron microscopy method for detection of time dependencies of secondary electrons generated by primary electrons is provided, in which the primary electron pulses are directed onto a sample surface and electrons emanating from the sample surface are detected, time resolved. To this end the system comprises in particular a cavity resonator. A cavity resonator can also be used to reduce aberrations of focusing lenses.

Abstract: An electron beam source comprises a source surface illuminated with a photon beam of adjustable intensity. The photon beam assists emission of electrons from the source surface due to a photo effect. An electric extraction field further assists in electron emission. Further, a heater is provided for further assisting in electron emission by a thermionic effect. An electron beam current is measured, and the intensity of the photon beam is adjusted based on the measured electron beam current.

Abstract: In a transmission electron microscope with phase contrast imaging, the illumination of the object to be imaged takes place with an annular illuminating aperture. An annular phase-shifting element with a central aperture is arranged in a plane Fourier transformed with respect to the object plane. The annular phase-shifting element confers a phase shift of &pgr;/2 on a null beam, while the radiation of higher diffraction orders diffracted at the object in the direction of the optical axis passes through the central aperture of the annular phase-shifting element and consequently is not affected, or only slightly affected, by the phase-shifting element. The annular illuminating aperture is preferably produced sequentially in time by a deflecting system, which produces a beam tilt in a plane conjugate to the object plane.

Abstract: An apparatus, which generates ionizing radiation, includes a column having a sandwich-like configuration. The column includes one or more tubes and a layer of a cured epoxy-resin mixture containing a heavy metal. The layer of epoxy-resin mixture adheres to the tube or, if the several tubes are provided, the layer adheres to the tubes. In this way, the layer defines a unit with the tube or tubes. The configuration of the apparatus provides a configuration, which is tight against exiting X-ray radiation, also in regions of breakouts and tube transitions.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a corrector for correcting energy-dependent first-order aberrations of the first degree as well as third-order spherical aberrations of electron-optical lens systems. The corrector includes at least one quadropole septuplet (S1) having seven quadrupoles (Q1 to Q7). The quadrupoles are mounted symmetrically to a center plane (ZS) so as to permit excitation along a linear axis. The corrector furthermore includes at least five octopoles (O1 to O7) which can be excited within the quadrupole septuplet. In an advantageous embodiment, two quadrupole septuplets are mounted in series one behind the other. The quadrupole fields of the two quadrupole septuplets are excited antisymmetrically to a center plane lying between the two quadrupole septuplets.

Abstract: An electron beam source comprises a source surface illuminated with a photon beam of adjustable intensity. The photon beam assists emission of electrons from the source surface due to a photo effect. An electric extraction field further assists in electron emission. Further, a heater is provided for further assisting in electron emission by a thermionic effect. An electron beam current is measured, and the intensity of the photon beam is adjusted based on the measured electron beam current.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method to manipulate at least one beam of charged particles are provided. The apparatus comprises two rows of field source members 13 which are disposed periodically at a distance from each other such that there exist planes of symmetry S, S′ with respect to which the field source members 13 are symmetrically disposed. The field has a component which is displaceable in the x-direction. To provide such field, a pattern of source strengths according to the formula F1(x)=Fm(x)+Fc(x) is applied to the field source members, wherein Fm is a component which is substantially independent of the displacement x0 and Fc is a correction component which is dependent on x0.

Abstract: A particle-optical apparatus is disclosed which combines the functions of an energy selector 27 and a beam splitter 21. The particle-optical apparatus is used in an electron microscopy system and serves to separate and superimpose, respectively, beam paths of a primary electron beam 11 and a secondary electron beam 13.

Abstract: A particle-optical apparatus is provided for directing a beam of charged particles on an object plane or to image the object plane with the beam onto an image plane or intermediate image plane. The apparatus comprises a stack of lens assemblies which are disposed in beam direction at a fixed distances spaced apart from which other and are controllable for providing successively adjustable deflection fields for a beam traversing the stack. Each lens assembly provides at least one field source member for a magnetic or electric field. In particular, two rows of a plurality of field source members per lens assembly can be provided.

Abstract: An objective lens with magnetic and electrostatic focusing for an electron microscopy system is provided whose at least partially conical outer shape allows orienting an object to be imaged at a large angle range in respect of an electron beam, said objective lens exhibiting, at the same time, good optical parameters. This is enabled by a specific geometry of the lens elements. Furthermore, an examination for the simultaneous imaging and processing of an object is proposed which comprises, besides an electron microscopy system with the above-mentioned objective lens, also an ion beam processing system and an object support.

Abstract: An electron microscopy system comprises an objective lens (19) which images a field displaceable in x-direction on a fixed beam axis (17). The objective lens has an astigmatic effect which is compensated for by a beam shaper (63) on the fixed axis. Furthermore, lens configurations can selectively act on the primary electron beam or the secondary electron beam.

Abstract: A probe-forming electron microscopy system 1 (SEM) is proposed which comprises a position-sensitive detector 15. As a result, position-dependent secondary electron intensities in the object plane 7 or angle-dependent secondary electron intensities in the object plane 7 may be observed.

Abstract: There are disclosed particle-optical beam splitters providing at least three beam-manipulating regions having magnetic fields of different field strengths provided therein for at least one particle beam passing the beam splitter. The beam splitter is, in first order, free of dispersion, astigmatism and distortion.

Abstract: A method for the electron-microscopic observation of a semiconductor arrangement is provided. It includes providing an electron microscopy optics for imaging secondary electrons emanating from the semiconductor arrangement within an extended object field on a position-sensitive detector, providing an illumination device for emitting a primary energy beam, directing the primary energy beam to at least the object field for extracting there secondary electrons from the semiconductor arrangement. The semiconductor arrangement comprises a region with an upper surface provided by a first material and a recess with a high aspect ratio which is surrounded by the upper surface and has a bottom provided by a second material.

Abstract: A particle-optical apparatus is proposed which comprises a particle-optical lens for deflecting a plurality of separate beam-charged particles which is provided by a plurality of finger electrodes provided along an opening of the lens.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particle-optic illuminating and imaging system with a condenser-objective single field lens (5) and a simple illuminating system which has only two condenser lenses (3, 4). The variation of the size of the illuminated field takes place exclusively by a change of the excitation of the source-side condenser lens (3). The objective-side second condenser lens (4) always has a constant excitation in the TEM mode. The excitation of the source-side condenser lens (3) is the greatest for maximum illuminating field diameter, and on the contrary is reduced for smaller illuminating field diameters. In TEM operation, two crossovers always exist in the illuminating beam path, of which the second is situated between the focal plane of the condenser-objective single field lens and the specimen plane (6).