One modified source-conversion unit and one method to reduce the Coulomb Effect in a multi-beam apparatus are proposed. In the modified source-conversion unit, the aberration-compensation function is carried out after the image-forming function has changed each beamlet to be on-axis locally, and therefore avoids undesired aberrations due to the beamlet tilting/shifting. A Coulomb-effect-reduction means with plural Coulomb-effect-reduction openings is placed close to the single electron source of the apparatus and therefore the electrons not in use can be cut off as early as possible.

One modified source-conversion unit and one method to reduce the Coulomb Effect in a multi-beam apparatus are proposed. In the modified source-conversion unit, the aberration-compensation function is carried out after the image-forming function has changed each beamlet to be on-axis locally, and therefore avoids undesired aberrations due to the beamlet tilting/shifting. A Coulomb-effect-reduction means with plural Coulomb-effect-reduction openings is placed close to the single electron source of the apparatus and therefore the electrons not in use can be cut off as early as possible.

The invention relates to an exposure apparatus and a method for projecting a charged particle beam onto a target. The exposure apparatus comprises a charged particle optical arrangement comprising a charged particle source for generating a charged particle beam and a charged particle blocking element and/or a current limiting element for blocking at least a part of a charged particle beam from a charged particle source. The charged particle blocking element and the current limiting element comprise a substantially flat substrate provided with an absorbing layer comprising Boron, Carbon or Beryllium. The substrate further preferably comprises one or more apertures for transmitting charged particles. The absorbing layer is arranged spaced apart from the at least one aperture.

A technique for outputting heterologous ions having the same per-nucleon energy at different timings by using one ion source is provided.

An ion generation device includes: an ion generation energy setter that causes first ions and second ions generated by ionization in a vacuum chamber to be emitted in a mixed state from an opening; an electric-field voltage adjuster that imparts a same predetermined per-nucleon energy to each of the first and second ions by applying electric potential formed between the opening and extraction electrodes while switching the electric potential between first and second electric-field voltages; and an excitation current adjuster that causes the first and second ions to be outputted at different timings by supplying a coil of a separation electromagnet with an excitation current while switching the excitation current between first and second excitation currents.

An ion beam etching system includes an etching cavity, an etching electrode, and an electrode displacement apparatus used for enabling the electrode to change a working position in the etching cavity. The electrode displacement apparatus includes a dynamic sealing mechanism, a dynamic electrode balance counterweight mechanism, an electrode displacement transmission mechanism, and an electrode displacement driving mechanism. The etching cavity includes a cavity and a cavity cover connected with the cavity. The cavity is of an irregular shape. The cavity includes a partial cylindrical body, a side plate, a tapered transition portion, and a bottom plate. The partial cylindrical body is laterally sealed by means of the side plate. The bottom plate is connected to an end of the partial cylindrical body by means of the tapered transition portion and seals the end of the partial cylindrical body.

An ion beam etching system includes an etching cavity, an etching electrode, and an electrode displacement apparatus used for enabling the electrode to change a working position in the etching cavity. The electrode displacement apparatus includes a dynamic sealing mechanism, a dynamic electrode balance counterweight mechanism, an electrode displacement transmission mechanism, and an electrode displacement driving mechanism. The etching cavity includes a cavity and a cavity cover connected with the cavity. The cavity is of an irregular shape. The cavity includes a partial cylindrical body, a side plate, a tapered transition portion, and a bottom plate. The partial cylindrical body is laterally sealed by means of the side plate. The bottom plate is connected to an end of the partial cylindrical body by means of the tapered transition portion and seals the end of the partial cylindrical body.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an electron beam irradiation apparatus includes a photoelectric surface configured to receive irradiation of excitation light on a side of a front surface, and generate electron beams from a side of a back surface; a blanking aperture array mechanism provided with passage holes corresponding to the electron beams and configured to perform deflection control on each of the plurality of electron beams passing through the passage holes; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust at least one of an orbit of transmitted light that passes through at least one of arrangement objects including the photoelectric surface, the blanking aperture array mechanism, and the limit aperture substrate up to the stage and reaches the stage, among an irradiated excitation light, and an orbit of the electron beams, wherein the arrangement objects shield at least a part of the transmitted light.

The energy filter for use in the implantation of ions into a substrate is micropatterned for establishing, in the substrate, a dopant depth profile and/or defect depth profile brought about by the implantation, and has two or more layers or layer sections which are arranged one after another in the height direction of the energy filter. The energy filter also has a plurality of cavities each of which arranged between at least two layers or layer sections, with interior walls bounding the cavities and joining the at least two layers or layer sections to one another.

In one embodiment, a multi-beam blanking device includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating film that is disposed on the semiconductor substrate, an antistatic film that is disposed on the insulating film, a plurality of cells each of which is related to a through-hole that penetrate the semiconductor substrate and the insulating film and each of which includes a blanking electrode and a ground electrode that are disposed on the insulating film, and a ground wiring line that is disposed in the insulating film. The antistatic film and the ground wiring line are connected to each other at a joint that extends through the insulating film on the ground wiring line.

A blanking deflector according to an embodiment includes: a first electrode comprising a first insulator, a first material film coating all surfaces of the first insulator and having lower resistance than the first insulator, and a first low-resistance film coating part or all of surfaces of the first material film and having lower resistance than the first material film; and a second electrode comprising a second insulator, a second material film coating all surfaces of the second insulator and having lower resistance than the second insulator, and a second low-resistance film coating part or all of surfaces of the second material film and having lower resistance than the second material film, wherein the blanking deflector controls whether to irradiate a specimen with a charged particle beam by causing the charged particle beam to pass between the first electrode and the second electrode.