A charged particle beam apparatus for inspecting a specimen with a plurality of beamlets is described. The charged particle beam apparatus includes a charged particle beam emitter (105) for generating a charged particle beam (11) propagating along an optical axis (A) and a multi-beamlet generation- and correction-assembly (120), including a first multi-aperture electrode (121) with a first plurality of apertures for creating the plurality of beamlets from the charged particle beam, at least one second multi-aperture electrode (122) with a second plurality of apertures of varying diameters for the plurality of beamlets for providing a field curvature correction, and a plurality of multipoles (123) for individually influencing each of the plurality of beamlets, wherein the multi-beamlet generation- and correction-assembly (120) is configured to focus the plurality of beamlets to provide a plurality of intermediate beamlet crossovers. The charged particle beam apparatus further includes an objective lens (150) for focusing each of the plurality of beamlets to a separate location on the specimen, and a single transfer lens (130) for beamlet collimation arranged between the multi-beamlet generation- and correction-assembly and the objective lens. Further, a method of inspecting a specimen with a charged particle beam apparatus is described.

A high voltage inspection system that includes a vacuum chamber; electron optics that is configured to direct an electron beam towards an upper surface of a substrate; a substrate support module that comprises a chuck and a housing; wherein the chuck is configured to support a substrate; wherein the housing is configured to surround the substrate without masking the electron beam, when the substrate is positioned on the chuck during a first operational mode of the high voltage inspection system; and wherein the substrate, the chuck and the housing are configured to (a) receive a high voltage bias signal of a high voltage level that exceeds ten thousand volts, and (b) to maintain at substantially the high voltage level during the first operational mode of the high voltage inspection system.

A gas generation system for an ion implantation system has a hydrogen generator configured to generate hydrogen gas within an enclosure. A chuck, such as an electrostatic chuck, supports a workpiece in an end station of the ion implantation system, and a delivery system provides the hydrogen gas to the chuck. The hydrogen gas can be provided through the chuck to a backside of the workpiece. Sensors can detect a presence of the hydrogen gas within the enclosure. A controller can control the hydrogen generator. An exhaust system can pass air through the enclosure to prevent a build-up of the hydrogen gas within the enclosure. A purge gas system provides a dilutant gas to the enclosure. An interlock system can control the hydrogen generator, delivery system, purge gas system, and exhaust system to mitigate hydrogen release based on a signal from the one or more sensors.

A bottom ring is configured to support a moveable edge ring that is configured to be raised and lowered relative to a substrate support. The bottom ring includes an upper surface that is stepped, an annular inner diameter, an annular outer diameter, a lower surface, a plurality of vertical guide channels provided through the bottom ring from the lower surface to the upper surface of the bottom ring, each of the guide channels including a first region having a smaller diameter than the guide channel and being configured to receive respective lift pins for raising and lowering the edge ring, and a guide feature extending upward from the upper surface of the bottom ring.

Disclosed are a bottom electrode assembly, a plasma processing apparatus, and a method of replacing a focus ring, wherein the bottom electrode assembly comprises: a base for supporting a wafer to be processed; a focus ring provided surrounding the outer periphery of the base; a cover ring disposed beneath the focus ring, a plurality of recesses being arranged along the circumferential direction of the cover ring; moving blocks provided in the recesses, an inner top corner of each moving block being provided with a step, the step being configured to support part of the focus ring; and a drive device connected to the moving blocks to activate the moving blocks to drive the focus ring to move up and down. With the bottom electrode assembly, replacement of the focus ring can be performed without opening the process chamber.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for analyzing the energy of backscattered electrons generated from a specimen. The apparatus includes: an electron beam source (101) for generating a primary electron beam; an electron optical system (102, 105, 112) configured to direct the primary electron beam to a specimen while focusing and deflecting the primary electron beam; and an energy analyzing system configured to detect an energy spectrum of backscattered electrons emitted from the specimen. The energy analyzing system includes: a Wien filter (108) configured to disperse the backscattered electrons; a detector (107) configured to measure the energy spectrum of the backscattered electrons dispersed by the Wien filter (108); and an operation controller (150) configured to change an intensity of a quadrupole field of the Wien filter (108), while moving a detecting position of the detector (107) for the backscattered electrons in synchronization with the change in the intensity of the quadrupole field.

An apparatus may include a drift tube assembly, the drift tube assembly defining a triple gap configuration, and arranged to accelerate and transmit an ion beam along abeam path. The apparatus may include a resonator, to output an RF signal to the drift tube assembly, and an RF quadrupole triplet, connected to the drift tube assembly, and arranged circumferentially around the beam path.

A charged particle beam apparatus with a charged particle source to generate a primary charged particle beam, a sample holder to hold a sample for impingement of the primary charged particle beam on the sample, a pulsed laser configured to generate a pulsed light beam for impingement onto an area on the sample, and an electrode to collect electrons emitted from the sample in a non-linear photoemission.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber having an inner space, an electrostatic chuck in the process chamber and to which a substrate is mounted, a gas injection unit to inject a process gas into the process chamber at a side of the process chamber, a plasma applying unit to transform the process gas injected into the process chamber into plasma, and a plasma adjusting unit disposed around the electrostatic chuck and operative to adjust the density of the plasma across the substrate.

A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a system for focusing an electron beam. The method may include focusing the electron beam on at least one evaluated area of a wafer, based on a height parameter of each one of the at least one evaluated area. The wafer includes a transparent substrate. The height parameter of each one of the at least one evaluated area is determined based on detection signals generated as a result of an illumination of one or more height-measured areas of the wafer with a beam of photons. The illumination occurs while one or more supported areas of the wafer contact one or more supporting elements of a chuck, and while each one of the one or more height-measured areas are spaced apart from the chuck by a distance that exceeds a depth of field of the optics related to the beam of photons.