Method of operating a multi-particle beam system upon changing the numerical aperture, associated computer program product and multi-particle beam system

By combining a multi-beam generator and a downstream electron beam optics unit, and by independently adjusting the numerical aperture and beam pitch using additional particle optics components, the problem of limited imaging resolution in multi-particle beam systems is solved, and higher imaging quality is achieved.

CN114600221BActive Publication Date: 2026-07-21CARL ZEISS MULTISEM GMBH
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
CARL ZEISS MULTISEM GMBH
Filing Date
2020-07-29
Publication Date
2026-07-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing multi-beam systems have difficulty flexibly adjusting the numerical aperture without changing the beam pitch between the beams, resulting in limited imaging resolution.

Method used

By combining a multi-beam generator and a downstream electron beam optics unit, additional particle optics components such as electrostatic or magnetic field lenses can be used to independently adjust the numerical aperture and beam pitch in the intermediate image plane and object plane, avoiding the need to replace the multi-aperture plate.

Benefits of technology

It enables precise adjustment of numerical aperture without changing the beam pitch, thereby improving imaging resolution, optimizing aberrations of the imaging optics, and enhancing imaging performance.

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Abstract

A method of operating a multi-particle beam system at different operating points is disclosed. For each working point, a numerical aperture can be set to optimize the resolution of the multi-particle beam system. In this process, the boundary condition of the beam spacing between adjacent individual particle beams on the sample to be scanned remains constant. For the purpose of changing the numerical aperture, no mechanical transformation of the system is made.
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