Charged particle beam column and method of operating same
A charged particle beam system includes a charged particle beam source to generate a charged particle beam; an objective lens to focus the charged particle beam in an object plane; a first condenser lens disposed in a beam path of the charged particle beam between the charged particle beam source and the objective lens; a deflector disposed in the beam path between the first condenser lens and the objective lens and configured to change an angle of incidence of the charged particle beam in an object plane; and an aberration corrector disposed in the beam path between the deflector and the objective lens and configured to compensate aberrations introduced by the objective lens. The aberration corrector is also configured to not compensate aberrations introduced by the first condenser lens.
1. A system, comprising:
an objective lens configured to focus a charged particle beam in an object plane;
a first condenser lens disposed in a beam path of the charged particle beam upstream of the objective lens;
a deflector disposed in the beam path between the first condenser lens and the objective lens, the deflector configured to change an angle of incidence of the charged particle beam in an object plane; and
an aberration corrector disposed in the beam path between the deflector and the objective lens, the aberration corrector configured to compensate aberrations introduced by the objective lens,
wherein the aberration corrector is configured to not compensate aberrations introduced by the first condenser lens, and the system is a charged particle beam system.
2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a beam scanner disposed in the beam path between the aberration corrector and the object plane, wherein the beam scanner is configured to scan a location of incidence of the charged particle beam across the object plane.
3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the aberration corrector comprises a plurality of multipole lens elements.
4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the aberration corrector comprises a mirror configured to reflect the charged particle beam.
5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the aberration corrector comprises a plurality of multipole lens elements.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the aberration corrector comprises a mirror configured to reflect the charged particle beam.
7. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a charged particle beam source, wherein the first condenser lens is disposed in the beam path between the objective lens and the charged particle beam source.
8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the aberration corrector comprises a plurality of multipole lens elements.
9. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the aberration corrector comprises a mirror configured to reflect the charged particle beam.
10. A method, comprising:
condensing a charged particle beam while introducing first aberrations into the charged particle beam to provide a first condensed charged particle beam;
deflecting the condensed charged particle beam to provide a deflected charged particle beam;
focusing the deflected charged particle beam on a specimen while introducing second aberrations into the deflected charged particle beam; and
compensating the second aberrations while leaving the first aberrations uncompensated to provide a compensated charged particle beam.
11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising scanning a location of incidence of the compensated charged particle beam across the specimen.
12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising using a charged particle source to provide the charged particle beam.
13. The method according to claim 10 , comprising using an aberration corrector to compensate the second aberrations, wherein the aberration corrector comprises a plurality of multipole lens elements.
14. The method according to claim 10 , comprising using an aberration corrector to compensate the second aberrations, wherein the aberration corrector comprises a mirror configured to reflect the charged particle beam.
15. A system, comprising:
an objective lens configured to focus a charged particle beam in an object plane;
a deflector disposed in a beam path of the charged particle beam upstream of the objective lens; and
an aberration corrector disposed in the beam path between the deflector and the objective lens,
wherein the aberration corrector is configured to compensate aberrations introduced by components located in the beam path downstream of the deflector without compensating aberrations introduced by components located in the beam path upstream of the deflector, and the system is a charged particle beam system.
16. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising a first condenser lens disposed in the beam path upstream of the deflector.
17. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising a charged particle beam source, wherein the deflector is disposed in the beam path between the objective lens and the charged particle beam source.
18. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the aberration corrector comprises a plurality of multipole lens elements.
19. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the aberration corrector comprises a mirror configured to reflect the charged particle beam.
20. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising a charged particle beam source upstream, wherein the first condenser lens is disposed in the beam path between the objective lens and the charged particle beam source.