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.

Systems and methods for forming structures (e.g., a plurality of support peaks) on a surface are described. Forming structures on a surface includes masking one or more portions of the surface; removing material from one or more unmasked portions of the surface; and iteratively repeating the masking and removing to reshape the unmasked portions of the surface until the plurality of structures (e.g., support peaks) are formed such that regions of the surface between individual structures (support peaks) have a target characteristic such as a target topography, roughness, etc.

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 () between the time-varying particle beam and a surface of the photolithographic mask.

The present invention relates to a beam blanker for a scanning particle microscope for blanking a charged particle beam having a beam axis, along which charged particles propagate before entering the beam blanker, wherein the beam blanker comprises: (a) at least one stop having an aperture, through which the charged particle beam can pass; (b) at least one first and one second deflection element, which are each configured to deflect the particle beam from the beam axis in a first and a second direction, respectively, upon a voltage being present; and (c) a deflection controller configured to apply a first AC voltage having a first frequency to the first deflection element and a second AC voltage having a second frequency to the second deflection element, wherein the deflection controller sets a difference frequency between the first and second AC voltages such that pulses of the charged particle beam have a predefined pulse period and during the pulse period outside the pulse duration substantially no charged particles pass through the aperture of the stop.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for examining and/or processing a lithographic object, in particular a photomask, with a beam of charged particles in a working region on the object. In addition, the present invention relates to computer programs for controlling such apparatuses to perform such methods.

A method for examining and/or processing a lithographic object, in particular a photomask, with a beam of charged particles in a working region on the object, comprises the following steps: (a.) dividing the working region into a set of partial regions, and (b.) positioning a first quantity of first reference markings over the working region so that the first quantity of first reference markings lie within the working region.

A further method for examining and/or processing a lithographic object, in particular a photomask, with a beam of charged particles in a working region on the object, comprises the following steps: (a.) assigning at least one reference marking from a first quantity of first reference markings, which are distributed over the working region and lie within the working region, to at least one partial region from a set of partial regions into which the working region is divided, and (b.) performing the examination and/or processing of the object in the at least one partial region while taking into account the position of the assigned at least one reference marking.

The present invention relates to a beam blanker for a scanning particle microscope for blanking a charged particle beam having a beam axis, along which charged particles propagate before entering the beam blanker, wherein the beam blanker comprises: (a) at least one stop having an aperture, through which the charged particle beam can pass; (b) at least one first and one second deflection element, which are each configured to deflect the particle beam from the beam axis in a first and a second direction, respectively, upon a voltage being present; and (c) a deflection controller configured to apply a first AC voltage having a first frequency to the first deflection element and a second AC voltage having a second frequency to the second deflection element, wherein the deflection controller sets a difference frequency between the first and second AC voltages such that pulses of the charged particle beam have a predefined pulse period and during the pulse period outside the pulse duration substantially no charged particles pass through the aperture of the stop.

An improved system and method for circuit edit or repair within multilayer structures comprising a large number of layers including layers with thicknesses of 20 nanometers or even less, for example less than 10 nanometers or 8 nanometers, are capable of an advanced end-pointing of a milling operation within the large number of layers, including of end-pointing of the thin layers without unnecessarily damaging the multilayer structure.