There is provided an electron microscope in which a crossover position can be kept constant. The electron microscope (100) includes: an electron source (110) for emitting an electron beam; an acceleration tube (170) having acceleration electrodes (170a-170f) and operative to accelerate the electron beam; a first electrode (160) operative such that a lens action is produced between this first electrode (160) and the initial stage of acceleration electrode (170a); an accelerating voltage supply (112) for supplying an accelerating voltage to the acceleration tube (170); a first electrode voltage supply (162) for supplying a voltage to the first electrode (160); and a controller (109b) for controlling the first electrode voltage supply (162). The lens action produced between the first electrode (160) and the initial stage of acceleration electrode (170a) forms a crossover (CO2) of the electron beam. The controller (109b) controls the first electrode voltage supply (162) such that, if the accelerating voltage is modified, the ratio between the voltage applied to the first electrode (160) and the voltage applied to the initial stage of acceleration electrode (170a) is kept constant.

There is provided an electron microscope in which a crossover position can be kept constant. The electron microscope (100) includes: an electron source (110) for emitting an electron beam; an acceleration tube (170) having acceleration electrodes (170a-170f) and operative to accelerate the electron beam; a first electrode (160) operative such that a lens action is produced between this first electrode (160) and the initial stage of acceleration electrode (170a); an accelerating voltage supply (112) for supplying an accelerating voltage to the acceleration tube (170); a first electrode voltage supply (162) for supplying a voltage to the first electrode (160); and a controller (109b) for controlling the first electrode voltage supply (162). The lens action produced between the first electrode (160) and the initial stage of acceleration electrode (170a) forms a crossover (CO2) of the electron beam. The controller (109b) controls the first electrode voltage supply (162) such that, if the accelerating voltage is modified, the ratio between the voltage applied to the first electrode (160) and the voltage applied to the initial stage of acceleration electrode (170a) is kept constant.

An electrode structure for guiding and, for example, for splitting a beam of charged particles, for example an electron beam, along a longitudinal path has multipole electrode arrangements that are spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal path and that have DC voltage electrodes. The electrode arrangements are configured to generate static multipole fields centered around the path in transverse planes oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal path, wherein the field strengths of the static multipole fields in the transverse planes each have a local minimum at the location of the path and increase as the distance from the location of the path increases. Field directions of the static multipole fields vary periodically with a period length along the path so that the particles propagating along the path are subjected to an inhomogeneous alternating electric field due to their intrinsic movement and experience a transverse return force towards the longitudinal path on average over time.

An electrode structure for guiding and, for example, for splitting a beam of charged particles, for example an electron beam, along a longitudinal path has multipole electrode arrangements that are spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal path and that have DC voltage electrodes. The electrode arrangements are configured to generate static multipole fields centered around the path in transverse planes oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal path, wherein the field strengths of the static multipole fields in the transverse planes each have a local minimum at the location of the path and increase as the distance from the location of the path increases. Field directions of the static multipole fields vary periodically with a period length along the path so that the particles propagating along the path are subjected to an inhomogeneous alternating electric field due to their intrinsic movement and experience a transverse return force towards the longitudinal path on average over time.

A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a three-dimensional evaluation system for providing three dimensional information regarding structural elements of a specimen. The method can include illuminating the structural elements with electron beams of different incidence angles, where the electron beams pass through the structural elements and the structural elements are of nanometric dimensions; detecting forward scattered electrons that are scattered from the structural elements to provide detected forward scattered electrons; and generating the three dimensional information regarding structural elements based at least on the detected forward scattered electrons.

A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a three-dimensional evaluation system for providing three dimensional information regarding structural elements of a specimen. The method can include illuminating the structural elements with electron beams of different incidence angles, where the electron beams pass through the structural elements and the structural elements are of nanometric dimensions; detecting forward scattered electrons that are scattered from the structural elements to provide detected forward scattered electrons; and generating the three dimensional information regarding structural elements based at least on the detected forward scattered electrons.

A particle beam system includes a particle source to produce a first beam of charged particles. The particle beam system also includes a multiple beam producer to produce a plurality of partial beams from a first incident beam of charged particles. The partial beams are spaced apart spatially in a direction perpendicular to a propagation direction of the partial beams. The plurality of partial beams includes at least a first partial beam and a second partial beam. The particle beam system further includes an objective to focus incident partial beams in a first plane so that a first region, on which the first partial beam is incident in the first plane, is separated from a second region, on which a second partial beam is incident. The particle beam system also a detector system including a plurality of detection regions and a projective system.

A particle beam system includes a particle source to produce a first beam of charged particles. The particle beam system also includes a multiple beam producer to produce a plurality of partial beams from a first incident beam of charged particles. The partial beams are spaced apart spatially in a direction perpendicular to a propagation direction of the partial beams. The plurality of partial beams includes at least a first partial beam and a second partial beam. The particle beam system further includes an objective to focus incident partial beams in a first plane so that a first region, on which the first partial beam is incident in the first plane, is separated from a second region, on which a second partial beam is incident. The particle beam system also a detector system including a plurality of detection regions and a projective system.

A method of improving the surface of an object treats the surface with a neutral beam formed from a gas cluster ion mean to create a surface texture and/or increase surface area.

A method of improving the surface of an object treats the surface with a neutral beam formed from a gas cluster ion mean to create a surface texture and/or increase surface area.