Provided is a multi-charged-particle beam writing apparatus including: an emitter emitting a charged particle beam; a first shaping aperture array substrate having a plurality of first apertures and forming first multiple beams by passing a part of the charged particle beam through the first apertures, respectively; a second shaping aperture array substrate having second apertures formed at positions corresponding to the respective first apertures and forming second multiple beams by passing at least a part of each of the first multiple beams through corresponding the second apertures, respectively; a blanking aperture array having third apertures formed at positions corresponding to the respective second apertures and including blankers disposed in the respective third apertures to perform blanking deflection on the respective beams of the corresponding second multiple beams; a movable mechanism moving at least one of the first shaping aperture array substrate and the second shaping aperture array substrate; and a controller controlling the movable mechanism.

The present invention relates to a multi-stage vacuum equipment, preferably a two-stage equipment, whose normal operation requires different pressures to be set, wherein the pressure variation may be achieved by a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) wire movement of a suitable element. The invention further discloses a method for operating said multi-stage vacuum equipment controlled by a SMA actuator.

A multi-beam charged particle system includes: a vacuum enclosure having an opening covered by a door; a particle source configured to generate charged particles, wherein the particle source is arranged within the vacuum enclosure; at least one multi-aperture plate module including at least one multi-aperture plate and a base; and a transfer box having an opening covered by a door. The at least one multi-aperture plate includes a plurality of apertures. The base is configured to hold the at least one multi-aperture plate. The base is configured to be fixed relative to the vacuum enclosure such that the multi-aperture plate module is arranged in an interior of the vacuum enclosure such that, during operation of the particle beam system, particles traverse the plural multi-aperture plates through the apertures of the plates.

Disclosed herein are approaches for adjusting extraction slits of an extraction plate using a set of adjustable beam blockers. In one approach, an ion extraction optics may include an extraction plate including a first opening and a second opening, and a first beam blocker extending over the first opening and a second beam blocker extending over the second opening. Each of the first and second beam blockers may include an inner slit defined by a first distance between an inner edge and the extraction plate, and an outer slit defined by a second distance between an outer edge and the extraction plate, wherein the first and second beam blockers are movable to vary at least one of the first distance and the second distance. As a result, extraction through the inner and outer slits of ion beamlets characterized by similar mean angles may be achieved.

An example of a sputtering apparatus comprises a first target and a second target that emit sputter particles, a substrate support configured to support a substrate, a shielding plate disposed between the first and the second target and the substrate and having a through-hole through which the sputter particles pass, and an obstructing mechanism. The through-hole has a first opening region through which the sputter particles emitted from the fit target pass and a second opening region through which the sputter particles emitted from the second target pass, and the obstructing mechanism is configured to obstruct the sputter particles emitted from the first target in passing through the second opening region and the sputter particles emitted in the second target from passing through the first opening region.

Signal electrons with high energy that pass near an optical axis, for example, backscattered electrons or secondary electrons in a booster optical system, can be detected. Therefore, there is provided a charged particle beam device including: a charged particle beam source configured to generate a charged particle beam; an objective lens configured to focus the charged particle beam to a sample; and a first charged particle detecting element disposed between the charged particle beam source and the objective lens and configured to detect charged particles generated by an interaction between the charged particle beam and the sample, in which a detection surface of the first charged particle detecting element is disposed on a center axis of the objective lens.

A system and method for optimizing a ribbon ion beam in a beam line implantation system is disclosed. The system includes a mass resolving apparatus having a resolving aperture, in which the resolving aperture may be moved in the X and Z directions. Additionally, a controller is able to manipulate the mass analyzer and quadrupole lenses so that the crossover point of desired ions can also be moved in the X and Z directions. By manipulating the crossover point and the resolving aperture, the parameters of the ribbon ion beam may be manipulated to achieve a desired result. Movement of the crossover point in the X direction may affect the mean horizontal angle of the beamlets, while movement of the crossover point in the Z direction may affect the horizontal angular spread and beam current.

Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.

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.

Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.