Abstract: A charged particle beam device for irradiating or inspecting a specimen is described. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam source for generating a primary charged particle beam and a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for forming four or more primary. Two or more electrodes having one opening, e.g. having one opening each, for the primary charged particle beam or the four or more primary beamlets are provided. The charged particle beam device further includes a collimator for deflecting a first primary beamlet, a second primary beamlet, a third primary beamlet, and a fourth primary beamlet of the four or more primary beamlets with respect to each other. The charged particle beam device further includes an objective lens unit having three or more electrodes, each electrode having openings for the four or more primary beamlets.

Abstract: An optical system configured to focus a plurality of primary beamlets of a multi-beam apparatus is described. The optical system a first multipole arrangement with a plurality of first multipoles to provide a first astigmatism and a second multipole arrangement with a plurality of second multipoles to provide a second astigmatism, wherein the first astigmatism and the second astigmatism compensate each other. The optical system further includes three or more electrodes forming a plurality of electrostatic lenses for the plurality of primary beamlets, each electrode with an electrode body and a plurality of openings in the electrode body for guiding one primary beamlet of the plurality of primary beamlets through one opening of the plurality of openings; and an electrical connection to provide a potential to the electrode body at the plurality of openings.

Abstract: A signal electron beam deflector for an electron beam apparatus is provided. The signal electron beam deflector includes a first electrode extending in a curved manner; and a second electrode extending in a curved manner and having at least one electron transparent portion configured for a signal electron beam to pass through the at least one electron transparent portion. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged adjacent to each other to form a space between the first electrode and the second electrode. The space has an entrance opening and an exit opening; a first optical path is provided between the entrance opening and the exit opening; and a second optical path is provided between the entrance opening and the at least one electron transparent portion of the second electrode.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a detection path in a charged particle beam system having a primary charged particle beam, comprising positioning a charged particle mirror having a curved equipotential surface on a sample stage of the charged particle beam system; varying a reflection angle of the primary charged particle beam at the curved equipotential surface by varying a relative mirror position of the charged particle mirror, the curved equipotential surface being at a distance to a surface of the charged particle mirror, recording a plurality of detector signals of at least one detector of the charged particle beam system for a plurality of relative mirror positions; wherein varying a relative mirror position of the charged particle mirror comprises varying at least one of a mirror position of the charged particle mirror and a primary charged particle beam position with respect to each other in at least one dimension.

Abstract: An electron beam apparatus (100) is described, including an electron source (105) configured to generate a primary electron beam propagating along an optical axis (A), a sample stage (108) configured to support a sample, an objective lens (120) configured to focus the primary electron beam on the sample for causing an emission of a signal electron beam and a foil or grid lens (300, 400) for influencing the signal electron beam. The foil or grid lens includes an electrode (340) that surrounds the optical axis; and a first foil or grid (320) adjacent to the electrode and perpendicular to the optical axis, the first foil or grid being substantially transparent to electrons, wherein a central opening (325) configured to allow the primary electron beam to pass through the central opening is provided in the first foil or grid.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for generating a plurality of substantially collimated charged particle beamlets. The apparatus includes a charged particle source for generating a diverging charged particle beam, a beam splitter for splitting the charged particle beam in an array of charged particle beamlets, a deflector array includes an array of deflectors including one deflector for each charged particle beamlet of said array of charged particle beamlets, wherein the deflector array is configured for substantially collimating the array of diverging charged particle beamlets. The apparatus further includes a beam manipulation device configured for generating electric and/or magnetic fields at least in an area between the charged particle source and the deflector array. The apparatus has a central axis, and the beam manipulation device is configured for generating electric and/or magnetic fields substantially parallel to the central axis and substantially perpendicular to the central axis.

Abstract: A charged particle optics for a charged particle beam apparatus having a charged particle beam and a beam propagation direction of the charged particle beam apparatus is described. The charged particle optics includes a focusing lens. The focusing lens includes a first electrode with a first aperture; a second electrode with a second aperture, the second electrode being mechanically movable at least in a first direction perpendicular to the beam propagation direction; and an actuator coupled to the second electrode to move the second electrode in at least the first direction for displacement of the second aperture with respect to the first aperture. The charged particle optics further includes a deflection system positioned upstream of the second electrode to deflect the charged particle beam, based on the displacement, to guide the charged particle beam through the second aperture.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a beam deflection device capable of properly deflecting a beam. The present disclosure provides a beam deflection device for deflecting a beam inside a charged particle beam device, said beam deflection device being provided with: one or more electrostatic deflectors (207, 208) each having a pair of electrodes disposed so as to face each other across a beam path in a first direction orthogonal to the beam path; and one or more magnetic deflectors (209) each having a pair of magnetic poles disposed so as to face each other across the beam path in a second direction orthogonal to the beam path and to the first direction. When viewed from an incident direction of the beam, the one or more electrostatic deflectors and the one or more magnetic deflectors are stacked along the beam path such that the pair of electrodes at least partially overlap with the pair of magnetic poles and with a gap between the pair of magnetic poles.

Abstract: A charged particle beam chromatic aberration corrector is described. The charged particle beam chromatic aberration corrector includes a plurality of electrical conductors forming a segmented Wien filter including a plurality of Wien filter segments having at least a first Wien filter segment and a second Wien filter segment, wherein the first Wien filter segment is arranged for traversal of a first portion of the charged particle beam, and the second Wien filter segment is arranged for traversal of a second portion of the charged particle beam; and a power supply system configured for generating different electric fields and different magnetic fields for the first Wien filter segment and second Wien filter segment.

Abstract: A lens for a charged particle beam apparatus, the lens having lens components, is described. The lens includes a first magnetic lens having an upper pole piece and a middle pole piece; a second magnetic lens having the middle pole piece and a lower pole piece; a first coil arranged in the first magnetic lens and to provide a first magnetic field between the upper pole piece and the middle pole piece; a second coil arranged in the second magnetic lens and to provide a second magnetic field between the middle pole piece and the lower pole piece; and an electrostatic lens having an upper electrode and a lower electrode, wherein at least one of a first inner diameter defined by the upper pole piece and a second inner diameter defined by the middle pole piece is larger than a third inner diameter of the lower pole piece.

Abstract: A corrector for correcting aberrations of a charged particle beam in a charged particle beam device is described. The corrector includes a plurality of wires configured to be in a plane perpendicular to a beam axis. The wires forming two or more openings for passing of the charged particle beam through the two or more openings. The plurality of wires includes at least a first wire having a first connector configured to provide a first voltage to the first wire and a second wire having a second connector configured to provide a second voltage to the second wire. The second voltage being different than the first voltage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The charged particle beam device comprises a specimen holder for holding a specimen; a source for producing a beam of charged particles; and an illuminator for converting said beam of charged particles into a plurality of charged particle beamlets and directing said plurality of charged particle beamlets onto said specimen. According to the disclosure, the illuminator comprises a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for defining the corresponding plurality of charged particle beamlets; as well as at least a first electrode for generating an electrical field at a surface of the multi-aperture lens plate. The apertures in said multi-aperture lens plate have a noncircular cross-sectional shape to correct for neighbouring aperture induced aberrations. This allows for decreased spot size, and with this imaging resolution of the device is increased.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for generating a plurality of substantially collimated charged particle beamlets. The apparatus includes a charged particle source for generating a diverging charged particle beam, a beam splitter for splitting the charged particle beam in an array of charged particle beamlets, a deflector array includes an array of deflectors including one deflector for each charged particle beamlet of said array of charged particle beamlets, wherein the deflector array is configured for substantially collimating the array of diverging charged particle beamlets. The apparatus further includes a beam manipulation device configured for generating electric and/or magnetic fields at least in an area between the charged particle source and the deflector array. The apparatus has a central axis, and the beam manipulation device is configured for generating electric and/or magnetic fields substantially parallel to the central axis and substantially perpendicular to the central axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The charged particle beam device comprises a specimen holder for holding a specimen; a source for producing a beam of charged particles; and an illuminator for converting said beam of charged particles into a plurality of charged particle beamlets and directing said plurality of charged particle beamlets onto said specimen. According to the disclosure, the illuminator comprises a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for defining the corresponding plurality of charged particle beamlets; as well as at least a first electrode for generating an electrical field at a surface of the multi-aperture lens plate. The apertures in said multi-aperture lens plate have a noncircular cross-sectional shape to correct for neighbouring aperture induced aberrations. This allows for decreased spot size, and with this imaging resolution of the device is increased.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device for irradiating or inspecting a specimen is described. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam source for generating a primary charged particle beam and a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for forming four or more primary. Two or more electrodes having one opening, e.g. having one opening each, for the primary charged particle beam or the four or more primary beamlets are provided. The charged particle beam device further includes a collimator for deflecting a first primary beamlet, a second primary beamlet, a third primary beamlet, and a fourth primary beamlet of the four or more primary beamlets with respect to each other. The charged particle beam device further includes an objective lens unit having three or more electrodes, each electrode having openings for the four or more primary beamlets.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a beam deflection device capable of properly deflecting a beam. The present disclosure provides a beam deflection device for deflecting a beam inside a charged particle beam device, said beam deflection device being provided with: one or more electrostatic deflectors (207, 208) each having a pair of electrodes disposed so as to face each other across a beam path in a first direction orthogonal to the beam path; and one or more magnetic deflectors (209) each having a pair of magnetic poles disposed so as to face each other across the beam path in a second direction orthogonal to the beam path and to the first direction. When viewed from an incident direction of the beam, the one or more electrostatic deflectors and the one or more magnetic deflectors are stacked along the beam path such that the pair of electrodes at least partially overlap with the pair of magnetic poles and with a gap between the pair of magnetic poles.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for inspecting a sample. The apparatus includes: a sample holder, a multi beam charged particle generator for generating an array of primary charged particle beams, an electro-magnetic lens system for directing the array of primary charged particle beams into an array of separate focused primary charged particle beams on the sample, a multi-pixel photon detector arranged for detecting photons created by the focused primary charged particle beams when the primary charged particle beams impinge on the sample or after transmission of the primary charged particle beams through the sample, and an optical assembly for conveying photons created by at least two adjacent focused primary charged particle beams of the array of separate focused primary charged particle beams to distinct and/or separate pixels or groups of pixels of the multi-pixel photon detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The charged particle beam device comprises a specimen holder for holding a specimen; a source for producing a beam of charged particles; and an illuminator for converting said beam of charged particles into a plurality of charged particle beamlets and directing said plurality of charged particle beamlets onto said specimen. According to the disclosure, the illuminator comprises a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for defining the corresponding plurality of charged particle beamlets; as well as at least a first electrode for generating an electrical field at a surface of the multi-aperture lens plate. The apertures in said multi-aperture lens plate have a noncircular cross-sectional shape to correct for neighbouring aperture induced aberrations. This allows for decreased spot size, and with this imaging resolution of the device is increased.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lithography system, for example for projecting an image or an image pattern on to a target (1) such as a wafer, said target being included in said system by means of a target table (2), clamping means being present for clamping said target on said table. Said clamping means comprises a layer of stationary liquid (3), included at such thickness between target and target table that, provided the material of the liquid (C) and of the respective contacting faces (A, B) of the target (1) and target table (2), a pressure drop (PCap) arises.

Abstract: Lithography system, sensor and method for measuring properties of a massive amount of charged particle beams of a charged particle beam system, in particular a direct write lithography system, in which the charged particle beams are converted into light beams by using a converter element, using an array of light sensitive detectors such as diodes, CCD or CMOS devices, located in line with said converter element, for detecting said light beams, electronically reading out resulting signals from said detectors after exposure thereof by said light beams, utilizing said signals for determining values for one or more beam properties, thereby using an automated electronic calculator, and electronically adapting the charged particle system so as to correct for out of specification range values for all or a number of said charged particle beams, each for one or more properties, based on said calculated property values.