Provided herein are approaches for controlling an ion beam using an electrostatic filter with curved electrodes. In some embodiments, a system may include an electrostatic filter receiving an ion beam, the filter including first and second electrodes disposed opposite sides of an ion beam line, each of the first and second electrodes having a central region between first and second ends, wherein a distance between a first outer surface of the first electrode and a second outer surface of the second electrode varies along an electrode length axis extending between the first and second ends. The system may further include a power supply in communication with the electrostatic filter, the power supply operable to supply a voltage and a current to the first and second electrodes, wherein the variable distance between the first and second outer surfaces causes the ion beam to converge or diverge.

Provided is a multiple electron beam inspection apparatus including: an irradiation source irradiating a substrate with multiple electron beams; a stage on which is cable of mounting the substrate; an electromagnetic lens provided between the irradiation source and the stage, the electromagnetic lens generating a lens magnetic field, the multiple electron beams being capable of passing through the lens magnetic field; an electrostatic lens provided in the lens magnetic field, the electrostatic lens including a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of through-holes having wall surfaces respectively, each of the multiple electron beams being capable of passing through the corresponding each of the plurality of through-holes, each of the plurality of electrodes provided on each of the wall surfaces of the plurality of through-holes, at least one of the through-holes provided apart from a central axis of trajectory of the multiple electron beams having a spiral shape; and a power source connected to the electrodes.

A system is disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes an electron source and a micro-lens array (MLA) configured to receive one or more primary electron beams from the electron source and split the one or more primary electron beams into a plurality of primary electron beamlets. In embodiments, the system further includes a micro-stigmator array (MSA) including a plurality of dodecapole electrostatic stigmators, wherein the MSA is configured to eliminate at least one of fourth-order focusing aberrations or sixth-order focusing aberrations of the plurality of primary electron beamlets. In embodiments, the system further includes projection optics configured to receive the plurality of primary electron beamlets and focus the plurality of primary electron beamlets onto a surface of a sample.

A low voltage scanning electron microscope is disclosed, which includes: an electron source configured to generate an electron beam; an electron beam accelerator configured to accelerate the electron beam; a compound objective lens configured to converge the electron beams accelerated by the electron beam accelerator; a deflection device arranged between the inner wall of the magnetic lens and the optical axis of the electron beam and configured to deflect the electron beam; a detection device comprising a first sub-detection device for receiving secondary and backscattered electrons from the specimen, a second sub-detection device for receiving backscattered electrons, and a control device for changing the trajectories of the secondary electrons and the backscattered electrons; an electrostatic lens comprising the second sub-detection device, a specimen stage, and a control electrode for reducing the moving speed of the electron beam and changing the moving directions of the secondary and the backscattered electrons.

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 low voltage scanning electron microscope is disclosed, which includes: an electron source configured to generate an electron beam; an electron beam accelerator configured to accelerate the electron beam; a compound objective lens configured to converge the electron beams accelerated by the electron beam accelerator; a deflection device arranged between the inner wall of the magnetic lens and the optical axis of the electron beam and configured to deflect the electron beam; a detection device comprising a first sub-detection device for receiving secondary and backscattered electrons from the specimen, a second sub-detection device for receiving backscattered electrons, and a control device for changing the trajectories of the secondary electrons and the backscattered electrons; an electrostatic lens comprising the second sub-detection device, a specimen stage, and a control electrode for reducing the moving speed of the electron beam and changing the moving directions of the secondary and the backscattered electrons.

Provided is a multiple electron beam inspection apparatus including: an irradiation source irradiating a substrate with multiple electron beams; a stage on which is cable of mounting the substrate; an electromagnetic lens provided between the irradiation source and the stage, the electromagnetic lens generating a lens magnetic field, the multiple electron beams being capable of passing through the lens magnetic field; an electrostatic lens provided in the lens magnetic field, the electrostatic lens including a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of through-holes having wall surfaces respectively, each of the multiple electron beams being capable of passing through the corresponding each of the plurality of through-holes, each of the plurality of electrodes provided on each of the wall surfaces of the plurality of through-holes, at least one of the through-holes provided apart from a central axis of trajectory of the multiple electron beams having a spiral shape; and a power source connected to the electrodes.

A multi-beam electron source is disclosed. The multi-beam source includes an electron source, a grid lens assembly, and a multi-lens array assembly. The multi-lens array assembly includes a set of lenses disposed across a substrate. The grid lens assembly is configured to cause a primary electron beam from the electron beam source to land on the multi-lens array assembly telecentrically. The multi-lens array assembly is configured to split the electron beam from the electron beam source into a plurality of primary electron beams. The grid lens assembly includes a first lens element and a second lens element, wherein the first lens element and the second lens element are separated by a gap of a selected distance. The grid lens assembly further includes a grid element including a set of apertures, wherein the grid element is disposed within the gap between the first lens element and the second lens element.

Disclosed herein is a manipulator or an array of manipulator. A manipulator manipulates a charged particle beam in a projection system. The manipulator comprising a substrate with major surfaces and a through-passage between associated apertures in the major surfaces. The through passage configured for passage of a path of a charged particle beam. An inner wall of the through-passage between the major surfaces comprises a plurality of electrodes configured to manipulate the charged particle beam. Each electrode comprises doped substrate. The through-passage comprises recesses that extend away from the path of the charged particle beam. Each recess defines a gap between the adjacent electrodes and further comprising an electrically insulating region between the adjacent electrodes. The recesses extend behind at least one of the adjacent electrodes relative to the path of the charged particle beam and comprising at least part of the electrically insulating region.

This composite charged particle beam device comprises a first charged particle beam column (6), a second charged particle beam column (1) which is equipped with a deceleration system, and is equipped with a detector (3) inside the column, a test piece stage (10) on which a test piece (9) is placed, and an electric field correction electrode (13) which is provided around the tip of the first charged particle beam column, wherein the electric field correction electrode is an electrode that corrects the electric field distribution formed in the vicinity of the test piece, and the electric field correction electrode is positioned between the test piece and the first charged particle beam column, and on the opposite side from the second charged particle beam column with respect to the optical axis of the first charged particle beam column.