A multi-column scanning electron microscopy (SEM) system includes a column assembly, where the column assembly includes a first substrate array assembly and at least a second substrate array assembly. The system also includes a source assembly, the source assembly including two or more illumination sources configured to generate two or more electron beams and two or more sets of a plurality of positioners configured to adjust a position of a particular illumination source of the two or more illumination sources in a plurality of directions. The system also includes a stage configured to secure a sample, where the column assembly directs at least a portion of the two or more electron beams onto a portion of the sample.

A charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source that generates a first charged particle beam and a multi beam generator that generates a plurality of charged particle beamlets from an incoming first charged particle beam. Each individual beamlet is spatially separated from other beamlets. The charged particle beam system also includes an objective lens that focuses incoming charged particle beamlets in a first plane so that a first region in which a first individual beamlet impinges in the first plane is spatially separated from a second region in which a second individual beamlet impinges in the first plane. The charged particle beam system also includes a projection system and a detector system including a plurality of individual detectors. The projection system images interaction products leaving the first region within the first plane due to impinging charged particles onto a first detector and images interaction products leaving the second region in the first plane onto a second detector.

The present disclosure describes an image forming element having a semiconductor chip with micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) devices and voltage generators, each voltage generator being configured to generate a voltage used by one or more of the MEMS devices. A floating ground may be used to add a voltage to the voltage generated by the voltage generators. The semiconductor chip may include electrical connections, where each voltage generator is configured to provide the voltage to the one or more MEMS devices through the electrical connections. The MEMS devices may define a boundary in the semiconductor chip within which the MEMS devices, the voltage generators, and the electrical connections are located. Each MEMS device may generate an electrostatic field to manipulate an electron beamlet of a multi-beam charged particle microscope. The MEMS devices may be organized into groups based on a distance to a reference location (e.g., optical axis) in the semiconductor chip.

A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput and in flexibly varying observing conditions is proposed. The apparatus uses a movable collimating lens to flexibly vary the currents of the plural probe spots without influencing the intervals thereof, a new source-conversion unit to form the plural images of the single electron source and compensate off-axis aberrations of the plural probe spots with respect to observing conditions, and a pre-beamlet-forming means to reduce the strong Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam.

A multi-beam apparatus for multi-beam inspection with an improved source conversion unit providing more beamlets with high electric safety, mechanical availability and mechanical stabilization has been disclosed. The source-conversion unit comprises an image-forming element array having a plurality of image-forming elements, an aberration compensator array having a plurality of micro-compensators, and a pre-bending element array with a plurality of pre-bending micro-deflectors. In each of the arrays, adjacent elements are placed in different layers, and one element may comprise two or more sub-elements placed in different layers. The sub-elements of a micro-compensator may have different functions such as micro-lens and micro-stigmators.

A multiple electron beam irradiation apparatus includes a forming mechanism which forms multiple primary electron beams; a plurality of electrode substrates being stacked in each of which a plurality of openings of various diameter dimensions are formed, the plurality of openings being arranged at passage positions of the multiple primary electron beams, and through each of which a corresponding one of the multiple primary electron beams passes, the plurality of electrode substrates being able to adjust an image plane conjugate position of each of the multiple primary electron beams depending on a corresponding one of the various diameter dimensions; and a stage which is capable of mounting thereon a target object to be irradiated with the multiple primary electron beams having passed through the plurality of electrode substrates.

A charged particle multi-beam device includes a charged particle source, a collimator lens, a multi-light-source forming unit, and a reduction projection optical system. The multi-light-source forming unit has first to third porous electrodes disposed side by side in an optical axis direction. A plurality of holes for causing the multi-beams to pass is formed in each of the first to third porous electrodes. The first porous electrode and the third porous electrode have the same potential and the second porous electrode has potential different from the potential of the first porous electrode and the third porous electrode. A diameter of the holes on the second porous electrode is formed larger further away from an optical axis such that a surface on which the multi-light sources are located is formed in a shape convex to the charged particle source side.

The invention relates to a charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The charged particle beam device comprises a specimen holder for holding a specimen; a source for producing a beam of charged particles; and an illuminator for converting said beam of charged particles into a plurality of charged particle beamlets and directing said plurality of charged particle beamlets onto said specimen. According to the disclosure, the illuminator comprises a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for defining the corresponding plurality of charged particle beamlets; as well as at least a first electrode for generating an electrical field at a surface of the multi-aperture lens plate. The apertures in said multi-aperture lens plate have a noncircular cross-sectional shape to correct for neighbouring aperture induced aberrations. This allows for decreased spot size, and with this imaging resolution of the device is increased.

An optical characterization system utilizing a micro-lens array (MLA) is provided. The system may include an electron source and a MLA including a micro-deflection array (MDA). The MDA may include an insulator substrate and a plurality of hexapole electrostatic deflectors disposed on the insulator substrate. The MDA may further include a plurality of voltage connecting lines configured to electrically couple the plurality of hexapole electrostatic deflectors to one or more voltage sources. The MDA may be configured to split a primary electron beam from the electron source into a plurality of primary electron beamlets. The system may be configured to focus the plurality of primary electron beamlets at a wafer plane.

A multiple electron beam irradiation apparatus includes a shaping aperture array substrate to form multiple primary electron beams, a plurality of electrode array substrates stacked each to dispose thereon a plurality of electrodes each arranged at a passage position of each of the multiple primary electron beams, each of the multiple primary electron beams surrounded by an electrode of the plurality of electrodes when each of the multiple primary electron beams passes through the passage position, the first wiring and the second wiring applied with one of different electric potentials, and a stage to mount thereon a target object to be irradiated with the multiple primary electron beams having passed through the plurality of electrode array substrates, wherein, in each of the plurality of electrode array substrates, each of the plurality of electrodes is electrically connected to either one of the first wiring and the second wiring.