Abstract: A multipole array for a multi-beam system that can exhibit better evacuation, less contamination risk, and/or increased manipulation range via a mechanism comprising rounded edges within vacuum gaps, deep pockets formed in conducting material, and/or electrodes within vacuum gaps for generating repelling or attracting forces to charged particles.

Abstract: A multi-beam charged particle system is configured to execute a series of image acquisitions at a series of inspection sites and for determining an adjustment of an image acquisition at a subsequent inspection from previous image acquisitions at previous inspection sites. The disclosure can be applied, for example, to multi-beam charged particle beam system for high-throughput wafer inspection tasks. A method of operating a multi-beam charged particle system is provided. The system and method can exhibit improved throughput.

Abstract: A method for designing a multi-beam particle microscope and a multi-beam particle microscope operating with a multiplicity of charged individual particle beams and imaging the latter into an object plane and comprising a plurality of path trajectory correction plates are disclosed. Each of the path trajectory correction plates has a multiplicity of apertures for the multiplicity of individual particle beams and exactly one settable correction voltage is applied to each of the path trajectory correction plates during the operation of the multi-beam particle microscope. A path trajectory correction plate is fixedly assigned to an operating parameter of the multi-beam particle microscope. When designing the path trajectory correction plates, the apertures in the path trajectory correction plates are adapted in view of shape and size such that operating parameter-related path deviations of all individual particle beams can be corrected.

Abstract: A multi-beam generator for a charged-particle multi-beam system comprises: a stack of multi-aperture plates with at least a first multi-lens array for long range focal length variation; and a second multi-lens array for short range focal length variation. Aperture diameters of the first multi-lens array vary to encode a pre-compensation of a spherically curved image field in an object plane of the multi-beam system. Aperture diameters of the second multi-lens array vary to encode a pre-compensation of a residual image field error in the object plane which is not pre-compensated by the first multi-lens array. The control unit of the multi-beam generator provides driving voltages to the first and second lens arrays based on the current working point of the charged-particle multi-beam system.

Abstract: A multi-beam particle microscope comprising a particle source configured to emit charged particles, and a multi-aperture arrangement configured to generate a first field of a multiplicity of charged first individual particle beams from the charged particles. A beam tube portion is arranged between the particle source and the multi-aperture arrangement. A condenser lens system with a magnetic lens can be arranged in the region of the beam tube portion. The beam tube portion comprises pure titanium or a titanium alloy, or the beam tube portion consists of pure titanium or a titanium alloy. The permeability coefficient of the pure titanium or of the titanium alloy is 1.0005 or less, such as 1.00005 or less. This can help make it possible to generate individual particle beams of better quality.

Abstract: The invention relates to granulated zeolites with high adsorption capacity for organic molecules and the use of the zeolites for adsorbing organic molecules from liquids or gas streams.