Particle-optical systems and arrangements and particle-optical components for such systems and arrangements
First Claim
1. A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:
- at least one charged-particle source for generating at least one beam of charged particles;
at least one multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures formed in the plate, wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged in a first pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the at least one beam of charged particles downstream of the aperture plate;
a first voltage supply for supplying predetermined first voltages to the plurality of apertures;
a first single-aperture plate arranged at a distance upstream or downstream of the multi-aperture plate, the first single-aperture plate having a single aperture for allowing the beam of charged particles or the plurality of charged-particle beamlets to pass therethrough; and
a second voltage supply for supplying a predetermined second voltage to the first single-aperture plate;
wherein at least one of the following conditions is fulfilled;
(1) the distance between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate is less than five times a diameter of the single aperture of the first single-aperture plate;
(2) the distance between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate is less than 75 mm;
(3) the distance between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate is selected such that it is less than one half of an average focal length of the apertures of the multi aperture plate; and
(4) the distance between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate is selected such that an average electrical field on a surface of the multi aperture plate at a center thereof is higher than at least one of 100 V/mm, 200 V/mm, 300 V/mm, 500 V/mm, and 1 kV/mm.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A particle-optical arrangement comprises a charged-particle source for generating a beam of charged particles; a multi-aperture plate arranged in a beam path of the beam of charged particles, wherein the multi-aperture plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein in a predetermined first array pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the beam of charged particles downstream of the multi-aperture plate, and wherein a plurality of beam spots is formed in an image plane of the apparatus by the plurality of beamlets, the plurality of beam spots being arranged in a second array pattern; and a particle-optical element for manipulating the beam of charged particles and/or the plurality of beamlets; wherein the first array pattern has a first pattern regularity in a first direction, and the second array pattern has a second pattern regularity in a second direction electron-optically corresponding to the first direction, and wherein the second regularity is higher than the first regularity.
53 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:
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at least one charged-particle source for generating at least one beam of charged particles; at least one multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures formed in the plate, wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged in a first pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the at least one beam of charged particles downstream of the aperture plate; a first voltage supply for supplying predetermined first voltages to the plurality of apertures; a first single-aperture plate arranged at a distance upstream or downstream of the multi-aperture plate, the first single-aperture plate having a single aperture for allowing the beam of charged particles or the plurality of charged-particle beamlets to pass therethrough; and a second voltage supply for supplying a predetermined second voltage to the first single-aperture plate; wherein at least one of the following conditions is fulfilled; (1) the distance between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate is less than five times a diameter of the single aperture of the first single-aperture plate; (2) the distance between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate is less than 75 mm; (3) the distance between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate is selected such that it is less than one half of an average focal length of the apertures of the multi aperture plate; and (4) the distance between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate is selected such that an average electrical field on a surface of the multi aperture plate at a center thereof is higher than at least one of 100 V/mm, 200 V/mm, 300 V/mm, 500 V/mm, and 1 kV/mm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:
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at least one charged-particle source for generating a beam of charged particles; to at least one multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures formed in the plate, wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged in a first pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the beam of charged particles downstream of the aperture plate; a first voltage supply for supplying predetermined first voltages to the plurality of apertures; a first single-aperture plate arranged at a distance upstream or downstream of the multi-aperture plate, the first single-aperture plate having a single aperture for allowing the beam of charged particles or the plurality of charged-particle beamlets to pass therethrough; a second voltage supply for supplying a predetermined second voltage to the first single-aperture plate; a second single-aperture plate arranged in between the multi-aperture plate and the first single-aperture plate; and a third voltage supply for supplying a predetermined third voltage different from the predetermined second voltage to the second single-aperture plate; wherein an arrangement of the multi aperture plate and the first and second single-aperture plates and a setting of the first, second and third voltages is configured to generate an electrical field at a surface of the multi-aperture plate, wherein a change in the voltage supplied to the first single-aperture plate such that the third voltage is supplied to the first single-aperture plate will result in a change of a field strength of the electrical field of more than at least one of 1%, 5%, and 10%. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification