A multiple particle beam system with a mirror mode of operation, a method for operating a multiple particle beam system with a mirror mode of operation and an associated computer program product are disclosed. The multiple particle beam system can be operated in different mirror modes of operation which allow the multiple particle beam system to be inspected and recalibrated thoroughly. A detection system configured to operate in a first detection mode and/or in a second detection mode is used for the analysis.

In one embodiment, a charged particle beam drawing apparatus deflects a charged particle beam with a deflector to draw a pattern. The apparatus includes a storage unit that stores an approximate formula indicating a correspondence relationship between a settling time for a DAC amplifier that controls the deflector, and a position shift amount, from a design position, of a drawn position of each evaluation pattern drawn on a first substrate while the settling time and an amount of deflection by the deflector are changed, a shot position correction unit that creates a correction formula indicating a relationship between an amount of deflection and a shot position shift amount at the settling time, from the approximate formula and the settling time for the DAC amplifier based on an amount of deflection of a shot, obtains a position correction amount by using the amount of deflection of the shot and the correction formula, and corrects a shot position defined by the shot data based on the position correction amount, and a drawing unit that performs drawing by using the shot data with a corrected shot position.

A multi charged particle beam writing method includes emitting each corresponding beam in an “on” state while starting and continuing tracking control, shifting a writing position by beam deflection of the multi beams, in addition to tracking control, while continuing tracking control, emitting each corresponding beam in the next “on” state to the next writing position having been shifted while continuing tracking control, and returning the tracking position by resetting tracking control, after emitting each next corresponding beam to the next writing position having been shifted at least once, wherein writing of a predetermined region is completed by repeating the number of preset times a group of performing emitting, shifting, emitting, and returning, wherein the tracking time from start to reset of tracking control in at least one of the repeated groups is longer than the others.

A signal charged particle deflection device for a charged particle beam device is provided. The signal charged particle deflection device includes a beam bender configured for deflecting the signal charged particle beam, wherein the beam bender includes a first electrode and a second electrode providing an optical path for the signal charged particle beam therebetween, wherein the first electrode has a first cross section in a plane perpendicular to the optical path, and the second electrode has a second cross section in the plane perpendicular to the optical path, and wherein a first part of the first cross section and a second part of the second cross section provide the optical path therebetween, and wherein the first part and the second part are different in shape.

A charged particle beam system is disclosed, comprising: a charged particle beam generator for generating a beam of charged particles; a charged particle optical column arranged in a vacuum chamber, wherein the charged particle optical column is arranged for projecting the beam of charged particles onto a target, and wherein the charged particle optical column comprises a charged particle optical element for influencing the beam of charged particles; a source for providing a cleaning agent; a conduit connected to the source and arranged for introducing the cleaning agent towards the charged particle optical element;

wherein the charged particle optical element comprises: a charged particle transmitting aperture for transmitting and/or influencing the beam of charged particles, and at least one vent hole for providing a flow path between a first side and a second side of the charged particle optical element,

wherein the vent hole has a cross section which is larger than a cross section of the charged particle transmitting aperture.

Further, a method for preventing or removing contamination in the charged particle transmitting apertures is disclosed, comprising the step of introducing the cleaning agent while the beam generator is active.

A multi charged particle beam irradiation apparatus includes a shaping aperture array substrate, where plural openings are formed as an aperture array, to shape multi-beams by making a region including entire plural openings irradiated by a charged particle beam, and making portions of a charged particle beam individually pass through a corresponding one of the plural openings; and a plurality of stages of lenses, arranged such that a reduction ratio of multi-beams by at least one lens of a stage before the last stage lens is larger than that of the multi-beams by the last stage lens, to correct distortion of a formed image obtained by forming an image of the aperture array by the multi-beams, and to form the image of the aperture array by the multi-beams at a height position between the last stage lens and a last-but-one stage lens, and at the surface of a target object.

A multi charged particle beam exposure method includes transmitting ON/OFF control signals each being an ON/OFF control signal for a corresponding beam of multi-beams of charged particle beams in a batch to a blanking apparatus in which there are mounted a substrate where a plurality of passage holes are formed to let a corresponding beam of the multi-beams individually pass therethrough, and a plurality of individual blanking mechanisms arranged in the substrate to individually perform blanking deflection of each beam of the multi-beams, and irradiating the substrate with the multi-beams in accordance with the ON/OFF control signals transmitted in a batch, while shifting an irradiation timing for each group obtained by grouping the multi-beams into a plurality of groups by a plurality of individual blanking mechanisms mounted in the blanking apparatus.

A deceleration apparatus capable of decelerating a short spot beam or a tall ribbon beam is disclosed. In either case, effects tending to degrade the shape of the beam profile are controlled. Caps to shield the ion beam from external potentials are provided. Electrodes whose position and potentials are adjustable are provided, on opposite sides of the beam, to ensure that the shape of the decelerating and deflecting electric fields does not significantly deviate from the optimum shape, even in the presence of the significant space-charge of high current low-energy beams of heavy ions.

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.

The present application relates to an apparatus for processing a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one time-varying particle beam, which is embodied for a local deposition reaction and/or a local etching reaction on the photolithographic mask; (b) at least one first means for providing at least one precursor gas, wherein the precursor gas is embodied to interact with the particle beam during the local deposition reaction and/or the local etching reaction; and (c) at least one second means, which reduces a mean angle of incidence (φ) between the time-varying particle beam and a surface of the photolithographic mask.