Particle beam system and method for operating a particle optical unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9991089-B2
Application number	US-201715788338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 6, 2014
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A method for operating a multi-beam particle optical unit comprises includes providing a first setting of effects of particle-optical components, wherein a particle-optical imaging is characterizable by at least two parameters. The method also includes determining a matrix A, and determining a matrix S. The method further includes defining values of parameters which characterize a desired imaging, and providing a second setting of the effects of the components in such a way that the particle-optical imaging is characterizable by the parameters having the defined values.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A particle beam system, comprising:
a multi-beam source configured to generate a first array of a plurality of first particle beams;
a first particle optical unit configured to direct the first particle beams onto an object; and
a controller;
wherein:
the first particle optical unit comprises at least two particle-optical lenses arranged in a beam path of the first particle optical unit;
the controller is configured to set an effect of each of the at least two particle-optical lenses on the first particle beams so that, during use of the particle beam system:
particles of the first particle beams are used to image a first plane onto a second plane; and
the second plane coincides with an object plane so that the first particle beams impinge on the object at impingement locations which form a second array;

the multi-beam source is fixed relative to the particle-optical lenses of the first particle optical unit;
during use of the particle beam system, the first particle beams are situated within the first array at positions with fixed distances between one another;
the controller is configured to change distances between the impingement locations within the second array by changing the effects of the particle-optical lenses of the first particle optical unit;
the controller is configured to change an orientation of the second array of impingement locations relative to the particle-optical lenses by changing the effects of the particle-optical lenses of the first particle optical unit; and
the controller is configured to change the distance between the impingement locations within the second array of impingement locations without changing the orientation of the second array of impingement locations and without changing a convergence of a beam path of the first particle optical unit.

2. The particle beam system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a detector comprising a plurality of detection regions arranged in a third array; and
a second particle optical unit configured to direct second particle beams emerging from the impingement locations in the second array of impingement locations at the object onto the third array of detection regions,
wherein:
the second particle optical unit comprises at least two particle-optical lenses arranged in a beam path of the second particle optical unit; and
the controller is configured to set an effect of each of the particle-optical lenses of the second particle optical unit on the second particle beams so that, during use of the particle beam system:
particles of the second particle beams are used to image a third plane onto a fourth plane;
the third plane is situated at the object and the fourth plane is situated at the third array of detection regions so that each of the second particle beams impinges on at least one of the detection regions arranged in the third array and mutually different second particle beams impinge on mutually different detection regions.

3. The particle beam system of claim 2 , wherein:
the detection regions are fixed relative to the particle-optical lenses of the second particle optical unit;
the detection regions are within the third array at fixed distances from one another; and
the controller is configured to compensate for changes in the distances between the impingement locations within the second array by changing the effects of the particle-optical lenses of the second particle optical unit so that, during use of the particle beam system, when there are changes in the distances between the impingement locations within the second array, each of the second particle beams impinges on the at least one of the detection regions arranged in the third array and mutually different second particle beams impinge on mutually different detection regions.

4. The particle beam system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to compensate for changes in the orientation of the second array of impingement locations relative to the particle-optical lenses of the second particle optical unit by changing the effects of the particle-optical lenses of the second particle optical unit so that, during use of the particle beam system, when there are changes in the orientation of the second array of impingement locations, each of the second particle beams impinges on the at least one of the detection regions arranged in the third array and mutually different second particle beams impinge on mutually different detection regions.

5. The particle beam system of claim 2 , wherein one of the at least two particle-optical lenses of the first particle optical unit is one of the at least two particle-optical lenses of the second particle optical unit.

6. The particle beam system of claim 2 , further comprising a particle-optical switch in the beam path of the first particle optical unit and in the beam path of the second particle optical unit.

7. A particle beam system, comprising:
a multi-beam source configured to generate a first array of a plurality of first particle beams;
a first particle optical unit configured to direct the first particle beams onto an object; and
a controller;
wherein:
the first particle optical unit comprises at least two particle-optical lenses arranged in a beam path of the first particle optical unit;
the controller is configured to set an effect of each of the at least two particle-optical lenses on the first particle beams so that, during use of the particle beam system:
particles of the first particle beams are used to image a first plane onto a second plane; and
the second plane coincides with an object plane so that the first particle beams impinge on the object at impingement locations which form a second array;

the multi-beam source is fixed relative to the particle-optical lenses of the first particle optical unit;
during use of the particle beam system, the first particle beams are situated within the first array at positions with fixed distances between one another;
the controller is configured to change distances between the impingement locations within the second array by changing the effects of the particle-optical lenses of the first particle optical unit;
the controller is configured to change an orientation of the second array of impingement locations relative to the particle-optical lenses by changing the effects of the particle-optical lenses of the first particle optical unit; and
the controller is configured to change the orientation of the second array of impingement locations without changing the distances between the impingement locations within the second array of impingement locations and without changing a convergence of a beam path of the first particle optical unit.

8. The particle beam system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a detector comprising a plurality of detection regions arranged in a third array; and
a second particle optical unit configured to direct second particle beams emerging from the impingement locations in the second array of impingement locations at the object onto the third array of detection regions,
wherein:
the second particle optical unit comprises at least two particle-optical lenses arranged in a beam path of the second particle optical unit; and
the controller is configured to set an effect of each of the particle-optical lenses of the second particle optical unit on the second particle beams so that, during use of the particle beam system:
particles of the second particle beams are used to image a third plane onto a fourth plane;
the third plane is situated at the object and the fourth plane is situated at the third array of detection regions so that each of the second particle beams impinges on at least one of the detection regions arranged in the

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Microscopy Gmbh

Inventors

• Mueller Ingo
• Rauwolf Nicole
• Riedesel Christof
• Kemen Thomas
• Jacobi Joerg
• Thoma Arne
• Doering Markus
• Zeidler Dirk
• Kynast Juergen
• Benner Gerd

Classifications

• H01J2237/31774

  Multi-beam · CPC title

• H01J2237/31764

  Dividing into sub-patterns · CPC title

• H01J2237/28

  Scanning microscopes · CPC title

• H01J2237/0435

  Multi-aperture · CPC title

• H01J37/28

  with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} · CPC title