Particle-optical systems and arrangements and particle-optical components for such systems and arrangements

US8097847B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Carl Ziess SMT AG · DE
• Applied Materials Israel Ltd. · IL

Inventors

• Rainer Knippelmeyer · Utting am Ammersee, DE
• Oliver Kienzle · Aalen, DE
• Thomas Kemen · Meppen, DE
• Heiko Mueller · Heidelberg, DE
• Stephan Uhlemann · Heidelberg, DE
• Maximilian Haider · Gaiberg, DE
• Antonio Casares · Aalen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 25, 2009
• Grant date: Jan 17, 2012
• Expiry date: Jan 26, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J2237/31774
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

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.