A charged particle beam microscope system is operated in a transmission imaging mode. During the operation, the charged particle beam microsystem directs a charged particle beam to the sample to produce images. A time series of beam tilts is applied in a pattern to the charged particle beam directed to the sample to produce a sequence of images. At least some of the images in the sequence of images are captured while the charged particle beam is transitioning between one beam tilt in the time series of beam tilts and a sequentially adjacent beam tilt in the time series of beam tilts. The pattern is configured to induce image changes between the images in the sequence of images that are indicative of optical aberrations in the charged particle beam microscope system.

A Wien filter and a charged particle beam imaging apparatus are provided. The Wien filter Wien filter, including a Wien filter body which includes: an electrostatic deflector, including at least one pair of electrodes, respective two electrodes in each pair of which are opposite to each other, each electrode including an electrode body constructed in an arc-shaped form, and respective electrode bodies of respective two electrodes in each pair of the at least one pair of electrodes being arranged concentrically with and opposite to each other in a diameter direction, and the at least one pair of electrodes being configured to generate respective electric fields by cooperation of the respective two electrodes in each pair of the at least one pair of electrodes, in the condition of respective bias voltages applied individually thereon; and a magnetic deflector, including at least one pair of magnetic poles, respective two magnetic poles in each pair of which are opposite to each other, each magnetic pole including a magnetic pole body constructed in an arc-shaped form, and respective magnetic pole bodies of respective two magnetic poles in each pair of the at least one pair of magnetic poles being arranged concentrically with and opposite to each other in the diameter direction, and the magnetic pole bodies of the at least one pair of magnetic poles in the magnetic deflector and the electrode bodies of the at least one pair of electrodes in the electrostatic deflector being arranged concentrically and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction, and the at least one pair of magnetic poles being configured to generate respective magnetic fields by cooperation of respective two magnetic poles in each pair of the at least one pair of magnetic poles; a resultant electric field formed collectively by all of the respective electric fields is perpendicular to a resultant magnetic field formed collectively by all of the respective magnetic fields; and each electrode is also provided with a respective first protrusion extending radially inwards from a radial inner side of the respective electrode body thereof, and each magnetic pole is also provided with a second protrusion extending radially inwards from a radial inner side of the respective magnetic pole body thereof.

As a device for correcting positive spherical aberration of an electromagnetic lens for a charged particle beam, a spherical aberration correction device combining a hole electrode and a ring electrode is known. In this spherical aberration correction device, when a voltage is applied between the hole electrode and the ring electrode, the focus of the charged particle beam device changes due to the convex lens effect generated in the hole electrode. Therefore, in a charged particle beam device including a charged particle beam source which generates a charged particle beam, a charged particle beam aperture having a ring shape, and a charged particle beam aperture power supply which applies a voltage to the charged particle beam aperture, the charged particle beam aperture power supply is configured to apply, to the charged particle beam aperture, a voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of charges of the charged particle beam.

Disclosed among other aspects is a charged particle inspection system including an absorbing component and a programmable charged-particle mirror plate arranged to modify the energy distribution of electrons in a beam and shape the beam to reduce the energy spread of the electrons and aberrations of the beam, with the absorbing component including a set of absorbing structures configured as absorbing structures provided on a transparent conductive layer and a method using such an absorbing component and with the programmable charged-particle mirror plate including a set of pixels configured to generate a customized electric field to shape the beam and using such a programmable charged-particle mirror plate.

Systems and methods are provided for compensating dispersion of a beam separator in a single-beam or multi-beam apparatus. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dispersion device comprising an electrostatic deflector and a magnetic deflector configured to induce a beam dispersion set to cancel the dispersion generated by the beam separator. The combination of the electrostatic deflector and the magnetic deflector can be used to keep the deflection angle due to the dispersion device unchanged when the induced beam dispersion is changed to compensate for a change in the dispersion generated by the beam separator. In some embodiments, the deflection angle due to the dispersion device can be controlled to be zero and there is no change in primary beam axis due to the dispersion device.

An aberration corrector includes a first multipole element for producing a hexapole field, a second multipole element for producing a hexapole field, and a transfer lens system disposed between the first and second multipole elements. The first and second multipole elements are arranged along an optical axis. At least one of the hexapole fields respectively produced by the first multipole element and the second multipole element varies in strength along the optical axis.

A multiple particle beam microscope and an associated method can provide a fast autofocus around an adjustable working distance. A system can have one or more fast autofocus correction lenses for adapting, in high-frequency fashion, the focusing, the position, the landing angle and the rotation of individual particle beams upon incidence on a wafer surface during the wafer inspection. Fast autofocusing in the secondary path of the particle beam system can be implemented in analogous fashion. An additional increase in precision can be attained via fast aberration correction mechanism in the form of deflectors and/or stigmators.

Provided are a multistage-connected multipole and a charged particle beam device that can be produced with precision in machining without requiring precision in brazing between a pole and an insulation material. This multi-stage connected multipole 100 comprises: a plurality of poles Q1-Q4 that are arranged along the optical-axis direction of a charged particle beam, and that have cutouts Non surfaces facing each other; and braces P1-P3 that are arranged between the plurality of poles Q1-Q4 and are made of an insulator. The poles Q1-Q4 and the braces P1-P3 are joined by fitting the braces P1-P3 into the cutouts N and applying brazing so as to be interposed by a bonding material.

An object is to provide a multipole unit capable of achieving both high positional accuracy and ease of assembling and preventing a decrease in the transmission rate of the magnetic flux. A multipole unit 109a includes a pole 1 that is made of a soft magnetic metal material, a shaft 2 that is made of a soft magnetic metal material and is magnetically connected to the pole, and a coil 3 that is wound around the shaft 2. The pole 1 is provided with a first fitting portion JP1 that forms a first recessed portion or a first protruding portion. The shaft 2 is provided with a second fitting portion JP2 that forms a second protruding portion or a second recessed portion. The first fitting portion JP1 and the second fitting portion JP2 are fitted with each other such that the pole 1 and the shaft 2 are physically separated from each other.

A method of measuring an aberration in an electron microscope includes: acquiring an image for measuring the aberration in the electron microscope; and measuring the aberration by using the image. In measuring the aberration, a direction of defocusing is specified based on a residual aberration that is uniquely determined by a configuration of an optical system of the electron microscope and an optical condition of the optical system.