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

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 arranged in a beam path of the at least one beam of charged particles, wherein the at least one 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 at least one beam of charged particles downstream of the multiaperture plate, and wherein a plurality of beam spots is formed in an image plane of the particle-optical arrangement by the plurality of charged-particle beamlets; and

wherein a shape of at least one group of the apertures is an elliptical shape.

2. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one particle-optical element for manipulating at least one of the at least one beam of charged particles, and the plurality of charged-particle beamlets; wherein the shape of the at least one group of the apertures is of the elliptical shape for compensating an astigmatism of the at least one focusing lens.

3. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein an ellipticity of the elliptical shape of the apertures increases in dependence of a distance of the aperture from a center of the first pattern.

4. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein a long axis of the elliptical shapes of the apertures is radially oriented with respect to a center of the first pattern.

5. The particle-optical arrangement according to 2 , wherein a long axis of the elliptical shapes of the apertures is oriented under an angle of more than 10° with respect to a radial direction from a center of the first pattern.

6. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the angle increases in dependence of a distance of the respective aperture from the center of the first pattern.

7. A multi-electron-beamlet inspection system, comprising:

a stage for mounting an object to be inspected;

at least one electron source for generating at least one electron beam;

a multi-aperture plate comprising a pattern of multiple apertures substantially in a plane perpendicular to the at least one electron beam, the multi-aperture plate dividing the at least one electron beam into an array of electron beamlets;

an objective lens for focusing the array of electron beamlets on the object to be inspected; and

a detector arrangement for detecting secondary electrons from the object generated by the array of electron beamlets, to produce an array of signals corresponding to the secondary electrons generated by substantially a single electron beamlet in the array of electron beamlets;

wherein a shape of at least one group apertures of the multiple apertures is an elliptical shape.

8. A method of multi-electron-beamlet inspection of a substrate, the method comprising:

generating at least one electron beam;

illuminating at least one multi-aperture plate with the at least one electron beam using at least one first electron optical component;

dividing the at least one electron beam into an array of beamlets with the multi-aperture plate comprising a pattern of multiple apertures substantially in a plane perpendicular to the at least one electron beam; and

forming an array of electron beam spots with the array of beamlets on the substrate using at least one second charged-particle optical component;

wherein a shape of at least one group apertures of the multiple apertures is an elliptical shape.

9. A charged-particle multi-beamlet lithography system for writing a pattern on a resist coated object, the system comprising:

a stage for mounting the object;

at least one charged-particle source for generating at least one charged-particle beam;

a multi-aperture plate comprising a pattern of multiple apertures substantially in a plane perpendicular to the at least one charged-particle beam, the multi-aperture plate dividing the at least one charged-particle beam into an array of charged-particle beamlets; and

an objective lens for focusing the array of charged-particle beamlets on the object; and

wherein a shape of at least one group apertures of the multiple apertures is an elliptical shape.

10. A method of writing a pattern on a resist coated object, the method comprising:

generating at least one electron beam;

illuminating at least one multi-aperture plate with the at least one electron beam using at least one first electron optical component;

dividing the at least one electron beam into an array of beamlets with the multi-aperture plate comprising a pattern of multiple apertures substantially in a plane perpendicular to the at least one electron beam; and

forming an array of electron beam spots on the resist coated object with the array of beamlets using at least one second charged-particle optical component;

wherein a shape of at least one group apertures of the multiple apertures is an elliptical shape.