APPARATUS OF PLURAL CHARGED-PARTICLE BEAMS

Abstract

A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.

Claims

1-48. (canceled)

49. A multi-beam apparatus for observing a surface of a sample, comprising: a charged particle source configured to generate a charged particle beam; a beamlet-forming plate below the charged particle source, the beamlet-forming plate including a plurality of beam-limit openings, wherein each beam-limit opening is configured to allow one beamlet of a plurality of beamlets to pass therethrough; and a condenser lens below the beamlet-forming plate, wherein the condenser lens is configured to collimate each of the plurality of beamlets onto an image forming means that is configured to manipulate at least some of the plurality of beamlets to pass through a front focal point of an objective lens such that the plurality of beamlets land perpendicularly on the surface of the sample and produce probe spots on the surface of the sample.

50. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 49, wherein the beamlet-forming plate is configured to change a current of the plurality of beamlets by changing a size of the plurality of beam-limit openings.

51. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 49, wherein: the image forming means includes an array of micro-deflectors; and each beam-limit opening of the beamlet-forming plate is aligned with a corresponding micro-deflector of the micro-deflector array, the corresponding micro-deflector being configured to manipulate one of the plurality of beamlets to pass through the front focal point of the objective lens.

52. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 51, wherein at least some of the micro-deflectors are configured to manipulate one of the plurality of beamlets towards a primary optical axis of the multi-beam apparatus.

53. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 51, wherein each of the micro-deflectors includes a dipole lens with two electrodes oriented to generate a dipole field in a deflection direction of a beamlet.

54. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 51, wherein each of the micro-deflectors includes a quadrupole lens with four electrodes oriented to generate a dipole field in any direction.

55. A multi-beam apparatus for observing a surface of a sample, comprising: a charged particle source configured to generate a charged particle beam; a main aperture plate below the charged particle source, wherein the main aperture plate is configured to allow a primary electron beam to pass therethrough; a pre-beamlet forming means below the main aperture plate, wherein the pre-beamlet forming means includes a plurality of beamlet-forming apertures and is configured to split the primary electron beam into a plurality of beamlets; and a condenser lens below the pre-beamlet forming means, wherein: the condenser lens is configured to collimate each of the plurality of beamlets onto a source conversion unit; and the source conversion unit includes: an image forming means including an array of micro-deflectors; and a beamlet-forming plate above the array of micro-deflectors, the beamlet-forming plate including a plurality of beamlet-limit openings, wherein each beamlet-limit opening is aligned with a corresponding micro-deflector of the micro-deflector array, the corresponding micro-deflector being configured to manipulate one of the plurality of beamlets to pass through a front focal point of an objective lens such that the plurality of beamlets land perpendicularly on the surface of the sample and produce a probe spot on the surface of the sample.

56. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 55, wherein: the condenser lens includes an adjustable condenser lens; a principal plane of the condenser lens is adjustable between: a first position proximate to the pre-beamlet forming means; a second position farther from the pre-beamlet forming means than the first position; and one or more third positions between the first position and the second position; an optical axis of the condenser lens is coincident to the primary optical axis of the multi-beam apparatus; and the principal plane is moved along the primary optical axis to change a current of the plurality of beamlets.

57. A multi-beam apparatus for observing a surface of a sample, comprising: a charged particle source configured to generate a charged particle beam; a main aperture plate below the charged particle source, wherein the main aperture plate is configured to allow a primary electron beam to pass therethrough; a condenser lens below the main aperture plate; a pre-beamlet forming means below the condenser lens, wherein the pre-beamlet forming means includes a plurality of beamlet-forming apertures and is configured to split the primary electron beam into a plurality of beamlets; and a source conversion unit below the pre-beamlet forming means, including: an image forming means including an array of micro-deflectors; and a beamlet-forming plate above the array of micro-deflectors, the beamlet-forming plate including a plurality of beamlet-limit openings, wherein each beamlet-limit opening is aligned with a corresponding micro-deflector of the micro-deflector array, the corresponding micro-deflector being configured to manipulate one of the plurality of beamlets to pass through a front focal point of an objective lens such that the plurality of beamlets land perpendicularly on the surface of the sample and produce probe spots on the surface of the sample.

58. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 57, wherein: the condenser lens includes an adjustable condenser lens; a principal plane of the condenser lens is adjustable between: a first position proximate to the main aperture plate; a second position farther from the main aperture plate than the first position; and one or more third positions between the first position and the second position; and an optical axis of the condenser lens is coincident to the primary optical axis of the multi-beam apparatus.

59. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 58, wherein the condenser lens comprises: a first single magnetic lens; a second single magnetic lens positioned below the first single magnetic lens relative to the optical axis of the condenser lens, wherein the first single magnetic lens and the second single magnetic lens are adjustable by setting an excitation of the first single magnetic lens and the second single magnetic lens.

60. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 59, wherein the principal plane of the condenser lens is configured to: adjust to the first position in response to the setting of the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to a first value and the setting of the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to a zero value; adjust to the second position in response to the setting of the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to a zero value and the setting of the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to a second value; and adjust to one of the third positions in response to the setting of the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to the first value and the setting of the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to the second value.

61. A multi-beam apparatus for observing a surface of a sample, comprising: a charged particle source configured to generate a charged particle beam; a main aperture plate below the charged particle source, wherein the main aperture plate is configured to allow a primary electron beam to pass therethrough; a pre-beamlet forming means below the main aperture plate, wherein the pre-beamlet forming means includes a plurality of beamlet-forming apertures and is configured to split the primary electron beam into a plurality of beamlets; and an adjustable condenser lens below the pre-beamlet forming means, wherein: the condenser lens is configured to collimate each of the plurality of beamlets onto a source conversion unit; and the source conversion unit includes: an image forming means including an array of micro-deflector-and-compensator elements; and a beamlet-forming plate above the array of micro-deflector-and-compensator elements, the beamlet-forming plate including a plurality of beamlet-limit openings, wherein each beamlet-limit opening is aligned with a corresponding micro-deflector-and-compensator element of the micro-deflector-and-compensator element array, the corresponding micro-deflector-and-compensator element being configured to manipulate one of the plurality of beamlets to pass through a front focal point of an objective lens such that the plurality of beamlets land perpendicularly on the surface of the sample and produce a probe spot on the surface of the sample with reduced aberrations.

62. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 61, wherein: a principal plane of the condenser lens is adjustable between: a first position proximate to the pre-beamlet forming means; a second position farther from the pre-beamlet forming means than the first position; and one or more third positions between the first position and the second position; and an optical axis of the condenser lens is coincident to the primary optical axis of the multi-beam apparatus.

63. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 62, wherein the condenser lens comprises: a first single magnetic lens; a second single magnetic lens positioned below the first single magnetic lens relative to an optical axis of the condenser lens, wherein the first single magnetic lens and the second single magnetic lens are adjustable by setting an excitation of the first single magnetic lens and the second single magnetic lens.

64. The multi-beam apparatus of claim 63, wherein the principal plane of the condenser lens is configured to: adjust to the first position in response to the setting of the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to a first value and the setting of the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to a zero value; adjust to the second position in response to the setting of the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to a zero value and the setting of the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to a second value; and adjust to one of the third positions in response to the setting of the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to the first value and the setting of the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to the second value.

65. A condenser lens for use in a multi-beam apparatus, the condenser lens comprising: a first single magnetic lens; a second single magnetic lens positioned below the first single magnetic lens relative to the optical axis of the condenser lens, wherein the first single magnetic lens and the second single magnetic lens are adjustable by setting an excitation of the first single magnetic lens and the second single magnetic lens.

66. The condenser lens of claim 65, wherein a principal plane of the condenser lens is configured to: adjust to a first position proximate to a charged particle source in the multi-beam apparatus in response to setting the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to a first value and setting the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to a zero value; adjust to a second position farther from the charged particle source than the first position in response to setting the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to a zero value and setting the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to a second value; and adjust to one or more third positions between the first position and the second position in response to setting the excitation of the first single magnetic lens to the first value and setting the excitation of the second single magnetic lens to the second value.

67. The condenser lens of claim 66, wherein the principal plane of the condenser lens is moved along a primary optical axis of the multi-beam apparatus to change a current of a plurality of beamlets in the multi-beam apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a conventional multi-beam apparatus disclosed in the first cross reference.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of one configuration of a new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of another configuration of the new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of another configuration of the new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of one configuration of the micro-deflector-and-compensator array in FIG. 4 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 6A is a schematic illustration of one configuration of the micro-deflector-and-compensator array in FIG. 4 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIGS. 6B-6D are schematic illustrations of one example of the configuration of the micro-deflector-and-compensator array in FIG. 6A in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are respectively a schematic illustration of one configuration of the micro-deflector-and-compensator array in FIG. 4 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of one operation mode of the apparatus in FIG. 3.

[0046] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of another configuration of the new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of another configuration of the new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B are respectively a schematic illustration of one operation mode of the apparatus in FIG. 10.

[0049] FIG. 12, FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B are respectively a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the movable condenser lens in FIG. 10.

[0050] FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of another configuration of the new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 15A is a schematic illustration of another configuration of the new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 15B is a schematic illustration of another configuration of the new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] FIG. 16 is a schematic illustration of another configuration of the new multi-beam apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0054] Various example embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments of the invention are shown. Without limiting the scope of the protection of the present invention, all the description and drawings of the embodiments will exemplarily be referred to an electron beam. However, the embodiments are not used to limit the present invention to specific charged particles.

[0055] In the drawings, relative dimensions of each component and among every component may be exaggerated for clarity. Within the following description of the drawings the same or like reference numbers refer to the same or like components or entities, and only the differences with respect to the individual embodiments are described.

[0056] Accordingly, while example embodiments of the invention are capable of various

[0057] modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments of the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments of the invention are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention.

[0058] In this invention, axial means in the optical axis direction of an electron optics element (such as a round lens or a multipole lens), or an apparatus, radial means in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, on-axial means on or aligned with the optical axis, and off-axis means not on or not aligned with the optical axis.

[0059] In this invention, X, Y and Z axe form Cartesian coordinate, the optical axis is on the Z-axis and a primary-electron beam travels along the Z-axis.

[0060] In this invention, primary electrons means electrons emitted from an electron source and incident onto a being-observed or inspected surface of a sample, and secondary electrons means electrons generated from the surface by the primary electrons.

[0061] In this invention, all terms relate to through-holes, openings and orifices mean openings or holes penetrated through one plate.

[0062] In the new multi-beam apparatus, the primary-electron beam is focused parallel or substantially parallel into one source-conversion unit by one condenser. A plurality of beamlets of the primary-electron beam is at first deflected by the source-conversion unit towards the optical axis of one objective lens, then focused by the objective lens onto the sample surface, and finally forms a plurality of probe spots thereon. The deflection angles of the plurality of deflected beamlets are set to minimize the off-axis aberrations due to the objective lens. The currents of the plural probe spots can be varied by changing either or both of the focusing power and the position of the first principal plane of the condenser lens, and the sizes and their size differences of the plural probe spots can be further reduced by compensating the residual off-axis aberrations by the source-conversion unit. In addition, for the plural probe spots, the blurs due to strong Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam can be reduced by placing the beamlet-forming means of the source-conversion unit close to the single electron source or additionally using one pre-beamlet-forming means above the source-conversion unit.

[0063] Next, some embodiments of the new apparatus will be described. For sake of clarity, only three beamlets are shown and the number of beamlets can be anyone. The deflection scanning unit, the beam separator, the secondary projection imaging system and the electron detection device in prior art can be used here, and for sake of simplification, they are not shown or even not mentioned in the illustrations and the description of the embodiments.

[0064] One embodiment 200A of the new apparatus is shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the election source 101, the main opening of the main aperture plate 271, the condenser 210, the source-conversion unit 220 and the objective lens 131 are aligned with the primary optical axis 200_1 of the apparatus. The electron source 101 generates a primary-electron beam 102 along the primary optical axis 200_1 and with a source crossover (virtual or real) 101s, the condenser lens 210 focuses the primary-electron beam 102 to become a parallel beam along the primary optical axis 200_1 and perpendicularly incident onto the source-conversion unit 220. In the source-conversion unit 220, three beamlets 102_1, 102_2 and 102_3 of the primary-electron beam 102 are respectively deflected by three micro-deflectors 222_1d, 222_2d and 222_3d of the image-forming means 222 towards the primary optical axis 200_1 and pass through three beam-limit openings 221_1, 221_2 and 221_3 of the beamlet-limit means 221. The three beam-limit openings limit currents of the three deflected beamlets. The objective lens 131 focuses the three deflected beamlets onto the surface 7 of the sample 8, and accordingly generates three images 102_1s, 102_2s and 102_3s of the source crossover lots thereon. Each image forms one probe spot on the surface 7, and the three images are also called as three probe spots 102_1s, 102_2s and 102_3s. The deflection angles of the three deflected beamlets are set to minimize the off-axis aberrations of the three images due to the objective lens 131, wherein the three deflected beamlets typically pass through or approach the front focal point of the objective lens 131. The main aperture plate 271 cuts the peripheral electrons of the primary-electron beam 102 to reduce the Coulomb Effect thereof as much as possible.

[0065] The beamlet-forming means 221 can be an electric-conduction plate with through-holes, and three through-holes therein function as the three beam-limit openings (221_1221_3) respectively. In FIG. 2, the three deflected beamlets (102_1102_3) do not perpendicularly pass through the three beam-limit openings (221_1221_3), and therefore suffers electron scatterings to a certain degree related to the deflection angles. The scattering electrons in each beamlet will enlarge the probe spot and/or become a background noise and therefore deteriorate the image resolution of the corresponding scanned region. To avoid this issue, the currents of the three beamlets can be cut when the three beamlets are parallel to the primary optical axis 200_1. Accordingly, another embodiment 300A of the new apparatus is proposed in FIG. 3. In comparison with the embodiment 200A in FIG. 2, the beamlet-limit means 221 is placed above the image-forming means 222 and renamed as beamlet-forming means 321 in the source-conversion unit 320 in FIG. 3. The three beam-limit openings 321_1, 321_2 and 321_3 of the beamlet-forming means 321 are respectively aligned with the three micro-deflectors 222_1d, 222_2d and 222_3d of the image-forming means 222, and the three beamlets 102_1, 102_2 and 102_3 are perpendicularly incident into the three beam-limit openings and the three micro-deflectors in succession.

[0066] As well known, the condenser lens 210 and the objective lens 131 generate off-axis aberrations (such as field curvature, astigmatism and distortion) which enlarge the sizes and/or influence the positions of the probe spots formed by those off-axis beamlets (not along the primary optical axis of the apparatus). As mentioned above, the off-axis aberrations due to the objective lens 131 have been minimized by individually optimizing the trajectories of the off-axis beamlets (i.e. appropriately setting the deflection angles thereof). To further reduce the sizes and size differences of the probe spots, the off-axis aberrations due to the condenser lens 210 and the residual off-axis aberrations due to the objective lens 131 have to be compensated. Accordingly another embodiment 400A of the new apparatus is proposed in FIG. 4, wherein the image-forming means 422 has three micro-deflector-and-compensator elements 422_1dc, 422_2dc and 422_3dc. Each micro-deflector-and-compensator element is aligned with one of three beam-limit openings 321_1, 321_2 and 321_3 of the beamlet-forming means 321, functions as one micro-deflector to deflect one beamlet and one micro-compensator to compensate the field curvature, astigmatism and distortion of the corresponding probe spot.

[0067] Each of three micro-deflectors (222_1d222_3d) in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 can simply be formed by a dipole lens whose two electrodes is oriented to generate a dipole field in the required deflection direction of the corresponding beamlet, or a quadrupole or 4-pole lens whose four electrodes can generate a dipole field in any desired direction. In the later case, all the micro-deflectors can be configured to be same in structure and orientation. This is advantageous from the manufacturing point of view.

[0068] In FIG. 4, each of three micro-deflector-and-compensator elements (422_1dc422_3d) can simply be formed by a 4-pole lens whose four electrodes can generate a dipole field in any desired direction, a round-lens field and a quadrupole field in the required compensation direction of the corresponding probe spot, or a octupole or 8-pole lens whose eight electrodes can generate a round-lens field, a dipole field and a quadrupole field both in any desired direction. To generate a round-lens field, the inner surfaces of the four or the eight electrodes form a circular shape in a radial cross-section, as shown in FIG. 5. In the later case, all the micro-deflector-and-compensator elements can be configured to be same in structure and orientation. This is advantageous from the manufacturing point of view.

[0069] To generate all the foregoing fields, the voltages of the electrodes in one 4-pole lens or 8-pole lens are different and may be high enough to incur electric breakdown. To avoid this issue, each micro-deflector-and-compensator element can be formed by two or more micro-multipole-lenses, or one or more micro-multipole-lenses and one or more micro-lens. In addition, to reduce aberrations due to each micro-deflector-and-compensator element, the corresponding beamlet is better passing through the round-lens field and the quadrupole field along the optical axis thereof, i.e. the off-axis aberration compensation is better done before the beamlet deflection. Hence the dipole field is better generated by the micro-multipole-lens on the beamlet exit side of each micro-deflector-and-compensator element. Accordingly, FIG. 6A shows such an embodiment of the image-forming means 422 in FIG. 4, wherein each of three micro-deflector-and-compensator elements (422_1dc422_3dc) is formed by one micro-lens in the first layer 422-1, one micro-multipole-lens in the second layer 422-2 and one micro-multipole-lens in the third layer 422-3, and the micro-lens and the two micro-multipole-lenses are aligned with its optical axis. For example, the micro-lens 422-1_2 and two micro-multipole-lenses 422-2_2 and 422-3_2 form the micro-deflector-and-compensator element 422_2dc and are aligned with the optical axis 422_2dc_1 thereof.

[0070] In each micro-deflector-and-compensator element in FIG. 6A, the two micro-multipole-lenses can respectively be a dipole lens and a 4-pole lens, or a dipole lens and an 8-pole lens, or a 4-pole lens, etc. FIGS. 6B, 6C and 6D show one example, wherein each micro-lens is formed by one annular electrode with a round inner surface, each micro-multipole-lens is a 4-pole lens, and each 4-pole lens in the second layer 422-2 and the corresponding 4-pole lens in the third layer 422-3 have a 45 difference in azimuth or orientation. For each micro-deflector-and-compensator element, the micro-lens generates the round-lens field, the two 4-pole lenses generate the quadrupole field, and the dipole field is better generated by the 4-pole lens in the third layer 422-3.

[0071] To operate one micro-lens-and-compensator element in FIG. 4, a driving-circuit needs connecting with each electrode thereof. To prevent the driving-circuits from being damaged by the beamlets 102_1-102_3, the image-forming means 422 can comprises one electric-conduction cover-plate which has a plurality of through-holes and is placed above the electrodes of all the micro-lens-and-compensator elements. Each through-hole is for the corresponding beamlet passing through. The foregoing fields of each micro-lens-and-compensator element are better within a limited range so as to avoid influencing the adjacent beamlets. Therefore it is better to use two electric-conduction shielding-plates to sandwich the electrodes of all the micro-lens-and-compensator elements, wherein each shielding-plate has a plurality of through-holes for the beamlets passing through. FIG. 7A shows one way to implement the foregoing measures in the embodiment in FIG. 6A.

[0072] In FIG. 7A, the first-upper and the first-lower electric-conduction plates 422-1-CL1 and 422-1-CL2 are respectively placed above and below the micro-lens 422-1_1, 422-1_2 and 422-1 3 in the first layer 422-1. The first-upper and the first-lower insulator plates 422-1-IL1 and 422-1-IL2, respectively with three first-upper and first-lower orifices for beamlets passing through, support the micro-lenses 422-1_1, 422-1_2 and 422-1_3 and therefore make the first layer 422-1 more stable in configuration. Similarly, in the second layer 422-2, the second-upper and the second-lower electric-conduction plates 422-2-CL1 and 422-2-CL2 are respectively placed above and below the micro-multipole-lenses 422-2_1, 422-2_2 and 422-2_3. The second-upper and the second-lower insulator plates 422-2-IL1 and 422-2-IL2, respectively with three second-upper and second-lower orifices for beamlets passing through, support the micro-lenses 422-2_1, 422-2_2 and 422-2_3 and therefore make the second layer 422-1 more stable in configuration. In the third layer 422-3, the third-upper and the third-lower electric-conduction plates 422-3-CL1 and 422-3-CL2 and the third-upper and the third-lower insulator plates 422-3-IL1 and 422-3-IL2 function the same ways as their counterparts in the second layer 422-2.

[0073] In each layer in FIG. 7A, the radial dimensions of the through-holes are preferred smaller than the radial dimensions of the orifices so as to avoid charging-up on the inner sidewalls thereof, and smaller than the inner radial dimensions of the electrodes of the micro-lens/micro-multipole-lens so as to more efficiently reduce the fields leaking out. To reduce the possibility of beamlet incurring electron scattering, each through-hole in the first-upper electric-conduction plate is preferred in an upside-down funnel shape (i.e. the small end is on the beamlet incident side thereof). The beamlet-forming means 321 can be an electric-conduction plate with through-holes, and three through-holes therein functions as the three beam-limit openings (321_1321_3) respectively. Therefore the beamlet-forming means 321 can be combined with the embodiment of the image-forming means 422 in 7A for simplifications in structure and manufacturing. In FIG. 7B, the beamlet-forming means 321 and the first-upper electric-conduction plate 422-1-CL1 are combined, the first-lower electric-conduction plate 422-1-CL2 and the second-upper electric-conduction plate 422-2-CL1 are combined, and the second-lower electric-conduction plate 422-2-CL2 and the third-upper electric-conduction plate 422-3-CL1 are combined.

[0074] For the foregoing embodiments of the new apparatus in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the currents of the probe spots 102_1s102_3 can be varied within a small range by adjusting the focusing power of the condenser lens 210 to make the primary-electron beam 102 slightly divergent or convergent. FIG. 8 shows one divergent mode in the embodiment 300 in FIG. 3. In one divergent mode, the current density of the primary-electron beam 102 is smaller than that in the parallel mode in FIG. 3, and therefore the currents of the three beamlets below the beamlet-forming means 321 are reduced. In one divergent/convergent mode of the embodiments in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the three beamlets will not perpendicularly pass through the three beam-limit openings (321_1321_3), and therefore suffers electron scatterings to a certain degree. To avoid this issue, one pre-beamlet-bending means can be placed above the beamlet-forming means 321 of the source-conversion unit 320 in FIG. 3 or 420 in FIG. 4, which comprises three pre-bending micro-deflectors to respectively deflect the three beamlets perpendicularly passing through the three beam-limit openings. FIG. 9 shows how to implement this way in the embodiment 300A in FIG. 3, and in one divergent mode how to operate three pre-bending micro-deflectors 523_1d, 523_2d and 523_3d of the pre-beamlet-bending means 523 of the new source-conversion unit 520 in the corresponding embodiment 500A.

[0075] For the foregoing embodiments of the new apparatus in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the currents of the probe spots 102_1s102_3 can be varied within a large range by moving the first principal plane of the condenser 210 and accordingly adjusting the focusing power of the condenser lens 210 to make the primary-electron beam 102 become a parallel beam, i.e. the first principal plane of the condenser lens 210 is movable along the primary optical axis of the new apparatus. When the first principal plane is closer to the electron source 101, the primary-electron beam 102 is focused earlier and with a higher current density, and accordingly the currents of the three beamlets below the beamlet-forming means 321 are increased. The closer to the electron source 101 the first principal plane is, the higher the currents are, and vice versa. Hence as the first principal plane is moved along the primary optical axis, the currents of the three probe spots change accordingly and the three beamlets keep perpendicularly passing through the three beam-limit openings.

[0076] FIG. 10 shows one embodiment 600A which uses a movable condenser lens 610 to replace the condense lens 210 in the embodiment 300A in FIG. 3, wherein the first principal plane 610_2 is at position P1 and can be moved along the primary optical axis 600_1 of the apparatus. In FIG. 11A the first principal plane 610_2 is moved from the position P1 to the position P2 further away from the electron source 101, and accordingly the currents of the beamlets 102_1, 102_2 and 102_3 decrease. In FIG. 11B the first principal plane 610_2 is moved from the position P1 to the position P3 closer to the electron source 101, and accordingly the currents of the beamlets 102_1, 102_2 and 102_3 increase. Due to primary-electron beam 102 is kept as a parallel beam when varying the currents of the beamlets, the deflection angles thereof do not need to be re-tuned. This will avoid the time for adjusting the micro-deflectors.

[0077] To extend the current variant range, the primary-electron beam 102 in FIG. 11A can be weakly focused so as to keep a divergence, and the primary-electron beam 102 in FIG. 11B can be strongly focused to become a convergent beam. As well known, the size of each probe spot is determined by the Gaussian image size of the source crossover lots, the geometrical aberrations, the diffraction effect and the Coulomb Effect, and the size can be minimized by balancing these blurs. Adjusting the position of the first principal plane 610_2 of the movable condenser lens 610 will break the balance to a certain degree, and therefore the size of each probe spot may increase when the current thereof is changed. When changing the position of the first principal plane 610_2, slightly remaining an appropriate divergence or convergence of the primary-electron beam 102 can weaken the size increasing of the probe spots.

[0078] The displacement of the first principal plane 610_2 can be done by mechanically moving the position of the movable condenser lens 610 or electrically moving the position and/or changing the shape of the round-lens field thereof. The movable condenser lens 610 can be electrostatic, or magnetic, or electromagnetic compound. FIG. 12 shows one electrostatic embodiment 610e of the movable condenser lens 610, and shapes of the primary-electron beam 102 when the first principal plane 610e_2 is at the positions P1, P2 and P3 respectively. The movable condenser lens 610e is an electrostatic lens with four annular electrodes 610e-e1, 610e-e2, 610e-e3 and 610e-e4 aligned with its optical axis 610e_1. The optical axis 610e_1 is placed coincident with the primary optical axis 600_1. The focusing power and the position of the first principal plane 610e_2 of the embodiment 610e vary with the excitation mode of the annular electrodes 610e-e1-610e-e4. When the electrodes 610e-e1, 610e-e2 and 610e-e4 are at same potentials, by appropriately setting the potential of the electrode 610e-e3, the first principal plane 610e 2 will be at the position P2 close to the electrode 610e-e3 and the primary-electron beam 102 can be collimated over there. When the electrodes 610e-e1, 610e-e3 and 610e-e4 are at same potentials, by appropriately setting the potential of the electrode 610e-e2, the first principal plane 610e_2 will be at the position P3 close to the electrode 610e-e2 and the primary-electron beam 102 can be collimated over there. When the electrodes 610e-e1 and 610e-e4 are at same potentials, by appropriately setting the potentials of the electrodes 610e-e2 and 610-e3, the first principal plane 610e_2 will be at a position (such as P1) between the electrodes 610e-e2 and 610e-e3 and the primary-electron beam 102 can be collimated over there.

[0079] The current of the primary-electron beam 102 does not change with the position of the first principal plane 610e_2, but its width does and therefore its current density does too. As the first principal plane 610e_2 is moved closer to the electron source 101, the width of the primary-electron beam 102 become smaller and the current density therefore increases. Accordingly, as the first principal plane 610m 2 moves from P3 to P1 and then to P2, the width of the primary-electron beam 102 broadens from 102W_P3 to 102W_P1 and then to 102W_P2. If the electrostatic embodiment 610e comprises more electrodes placed within a longer area along the optical axis 610e_1, the current density can be varied more smoothly within a larger range.

[0080] FIG. 13A shows one magnetic embodiment 610m of the movable condenser lens 610 in FIG. 10, and shapes of the primary-electron beam 102 when the first principal plane 610m_2 is at the positions P1, P2 and P3 respectively. The movable condenser lens 610m is a compound magnetic lens, which comprises two single magnetic lenses 610m-m1 and 610m-m2 aligned with its optical axis 610m_1. The optical axis 610m_1 is placed coincident with the primary optical axis 600_1. The focusing power and the position of the first principal plane 610m_2 of the embodiment 610m vary with the excitation mode of the single magnetic lenses 610m-m1 and 610m-m2. When the excitation of the single magnetic lens 610m-m2 is set zero, by appropriately setting the excitation of the single magnetic lens 610m-m1, the first principal plane 610m_2 will be at the position P3 within the magnetic-circuit gap thereof and the primary-electron beam 102 can be collimated over there. When the excitation of the single magnetic lens 610m-m1 is set zero, by appropriately setting the excitation of the single magnetic lens 610m-m2, the first principal plane 610m_2 will be at the position P2 within the magnetic-circuit gap thereof and the primary-electron beam 102 can be collimated over there. When the excitations of the single magnetic lenses 610m-m1 and 610m-m2 are not zero, by appropriately setting the excitation ratios thereof, the first principal plane 610m_2 will be at a position (such as P1) between the magnetic-circuit gaps thereof and the primary-electron beam 102 can be collimated over there. Accordingly, as the first principal plane 610m_2 moves from P3 to P1 and then to P2, the width of the primary-electron beam 102 broadens from 102W_P3 to 102W_P1 and then to 102W_P2. If the magnetic embodiment 610m comprises more single magnetic lenses placed within a longer area along the optical axis 610m_1, the current density of the primary-electron beam 102 can be varied more smoothly within a larger range. To reduce the manufacturing cost, the neighboring magnetic lenses can share the magnetic circuit therebetween, as shown in FIG. 13B.

[0081] The movable condenser lens 610 can also be an electromagnetic-compound lens which comprises multiple annular electrodes and at least one single magnetic lens, and its first principal plane can be moved by adjusting the excitation mode of the annual electrodes and the single magnetic lens.

[0082] Due to the large current of the primary-electron beam 102, it is easily perceived that the interactions of the primary electrons may be very strong if the energies thereof are not high enough. For the primary-electron beam 102 passing through the main opening of the main aperture plate 271, only one part is used as the three beamlets (102_1102_3), and the other part is not useful. The current of the other part is higher than the total current of the three beamlets, and therefore generates a stronger Coulomb effect which disturbs the motions of the primary electrons of the three beamlets and consequently increases the sizes of the three probe spots. Hence it is better to cut off all or partial portion of the other part as early as possible. There are several ways to do so.

[0083] Taking the embodiment 300A in FIG. 3 as an example, one way is to place the beamlet-forming means 321 of the source-conversion unit 320 above the condenser lens 210 and close to the electron source 101. In this case, the main aperture plate 271 can be removed. Accordingly, FIG. 14 shows such an embodiment 700A of the new apparatus. In FIG. 14, the three beamlets 102_1, 102_2 and 102_3 respectively pass through the three beam-limit openings 721_1, 721_2 and 721_3 of the beamlet-forming means 721, and the left part of the primary-electron beam 102 is cut off. The condenser lens 210 collimates the three beamlets into the image-forming mean 222, and the three micro-deflectors 222_1d, 222_2d and 222_3d deflect the three beamlets in the way same as FIG. 3. In this case, each of the off-axis beam-limit openings (such as 721_2) can not be aligned with the corresponding micro-deflector (such as 222_2d) as shown in FIG. 3, and needs to be placed with respect to the influence of the condenser lens 210. The currents of the three beamlets can be changed by varying either the emission (angular intensity) of the electron source 101 or the sizes of the beam-limit openings 721_1, 721_2 and 721_3. The beamlet-forming means 721 can be an electric-conduction plate with multiple through-hole groups, each through-hole group comprises three through-holes, and the radial sizes of three through-holes in one through-hole group are different from those of three through-holes in another through-hole group. Three through-holes in one through-hole group function as the three beam-limit openings (721_1721_3), and therefore the sizes of the three beam-limit openings can be changed by using different through-hole groups.

[0084] Another way is to use one pre-beamlet-forming means above the source-conversion unit. Accordingly, FIG. 15A shows such one embodiment 800A of the new apparatus, wherein one pre-beamlet-forming means 872 with three beamlet-forming apertures 872_1, 872_2 and 872_3 is placed above the condenser Lens 210, below and close to the main aperture plate 271. At first the three beamlet-forming apertures cut the wide primary-electron beam 102 into three beamlets 102_1, 102_2 and 102_3, and then the beam-limit openings 321_1, 321_2 and 321_3 cut off the peripheral electrons of the beamlets 102_1, 102_2 and 102_3 and therefore limit the currents thereof. In this case, the currents of the beamlets 102_1, 102_2 and 102_3 can be changed by varying either the emission of the single electron source or the sizes of the beam-limit openings or using a movable condenser lens as shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 15B shows such another embodiment 900A of the new apparatus, wherein one pre-beamlet-forming means 972 with three beamlet-forming apertures 972_1, 972_2 and 972_3 is placed below the condenser Lens 210. From the reducing Coulomb effect point of view the pre-beamlet-forming means 972 in FIG. 15B is not better than the pre-beamlet-forming means 872 in FIG. 15A, but it is easier implemented for many obvious reasons and especially when a magnetic movable condenser lens is used to change the currents of the beamlets.

[0085] So far, all the foregoing methods for improving the performance of the new apparatus are individually described on the basis of the embodiment 300A in FIG. 3. Obviously, some or all of these methods can be used together. FIG. 16 shows such an embodiment 1000A of the new apparatus, which uses one pre-beamlet-forming means 872 shown in FIG. 15A to reduce the Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam 102, one movable condenser lens 610 shown in FIG. 10 to vary the currents of the probe spots 102_ 1 s102_3 s, one image-forming means 422 in FIG. 4 to compensate the off-axis aberrations of the probe spots. In another embodiment (not shown here) similar to the embodiment 1000A, the Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam 102 is reduced by employing the pre-beamlet-forming means 972 shown in FIG. 15B.

[0086] As well known, the landing energies of the plurality of beamlets can be varied by changing either or both of the potential of the emitter in the electron source 101 and the potential of the sample surface 7. However only varying the potential of the sample surface 7 is advantageous because the corresponding adjustment on the source-conversion unit is minor.

[0087] In summary, this invention proposes a new multi-beam apparatus which provides both high resolution and high throughput for observing a sample in flexibly varying observing conditions, and therefore can function as a yield management tool to inspect and/or review defects/particles on wafers/masks in semiconductor manufacturing industry. In the new apparatus, one condenser collimates or substantially collimates the primary-electron beam into one source-conversion unit, the source-conversion unit deflects a plurality of beamlets of the primary-electron beam towards the optical axis of one objective lens, and the objective lens focuses the plurality of deflected beamlets onto the sample surface and therefore a plurality of probe spots is formed thereon, wherein the deflection angles of the plurality of deflected beamlets are adjusted to reduce the sizes of the plurality of probe spots. The currents of the plurality of probe spots can be varied within a large range by changing both of the focusing power and the position of the first principal plane of the condenser lens. To further reduce the sizes of the plurality of probe spots, the off-axis aberrations thereof can be compensated by the source-conversion unit and the Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam can be weakened by placing the beamlet-forming means of the source conversion unit close to the single electron source or using one pre-beamlet-forming means.

[0088] Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that other modifications and variation can be made without departing the spirit and scope of the invention as hereafter claimed.