Multi-beam electron characterization tool with telecentric illumination

1. A multi-beam scanning electron microscopy apparatus comprising:

a sample stage configured to secure a sample;

a multi-beam electron source assembly configured to form a plurality of primary electron beams, wherein the multi-beam electron source assembly comprises an electron source, a grid lens assembly, and a multi-lens array assembly, wherein the multi-lens array assembly comprises a plurality of lenses disposed across a substrate, wherein the grid lens assembly comprises:

a first lens element and a second lens element, wherein the first lens element and the second lens element are separated by a gap of a selected distance; and

a curved grid element including a plurality of apertures, wherein the curved grid element is disposed within the gap between the first lens element and the second lens element,

wherein the first lens element, the second lens element, and the curved grid element cause an electron beam from the electron source to land on the multi-lens array assembly telecentrically with uniform angular illumination across the plurality of lenses of the multi-lens array assembly, wherein the curved grid element further masks electrons from the electron beam source attributable to beam degradation through at least one of Coulomb or electron-electron interactions,

wherein the plurality of lenses of the multi-lens array assembly generate a plurality of primary electron beams with a uniform distribution based on the uniform angular illumination from the grid lens assembly;

an electron-optical column assembly including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least a portion of the plurality of primary electron beams onto a portion of the sample; and

a detector assembly configured to detect electrons emanating from a surface of the sample in response to one or more primary electron beams of the plurality of primary electron beams.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first lens element is maintained at a first voltage and the second lens element is maintained at a second voltage different from the first voltage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first lens element or the second lens element comprises at least one of an electrostatic or an electromagnetic lens.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first lens element comprises a cylinder and the second lens element comprises a cylinder.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved grid element comprises a curved grid including an array of apertures.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the curved grid has a shape corresponding to a truncated Bessel function.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first lens element or the second lens element comprises a large bore cylindrical electron-optical lens.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multi-beam electron source assembly further comprises: an accelerating electron-optical element configured to receive and accelerate one or more primary electron beams of the uniform distribution of primary electric beams from the multi-lens array assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lenses of the multi-lens array assembly are separated by a selected pitch in one or more directions.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electron-optical column assembly comprises: an array of electron-optical columns.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detector assembly comprises at least one of a secondary electron detector or a backscattered electron detector.

12. A multi-beam electron source comprising:

an electron source;

a multi-lens array assembly, wherein the multi-lens array assembly comprises a plurality of lenses disposed across a substrate; and

a curved grid lens assembly, wherein the curved grid lens assembly comprises:

a first lens element and a second lens element, wherein the first lens element and the second lens element are separated by a gap of a selected distance; and

a grid element including a plurality of apertures, wherein the grid element is disposed within the gap between the first lens element and the second lens element,

wherein the first lens element, the second lens element, and the grid element cause an electron beam from the electron source to land on the multi-lens array assembly telecentrically with uniform angular illumination across the plurality of lenses of the multi-lens array assembly, wherein the grid element further masks electrons from the electron beam source attributable to beam degradation through at least one of Coulomb or electron-electron interactions,

wherein the plurality of lenses of the multi-lens array assembly generate a plurality of primary electron beams with a uniform distribution based on the uniform angular illumination from the grid lens assembly.

13. The multi-beam electron source of claim 12 , wherein the first lens element is maintained at a first voltage and the second lens element is maintained at a second voltage different from the first voltage.

14. The multi-beam electron source of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first lens element or the second lens element comprises at least one of an electrostatic or an electromagnetic lens.

15. The multi-beam electron source of claim 12 , wherein the first lens element comprises a cylinder and the second lens element comprises a cylinder.

16. The multi-beam electron source of claim 12 , wherein the curved grid element comprises a curved grid including an array of apertures.

17. The multi-beam electron source of claim 16 , wherein the curved grid has a shape corresponding to a truncated Bessel function.

18. The multi-beam electron source of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first lens element or the second lens element comprises a large bore cylindrical electron-optical lens.

19. The multi-beam electron source of claim 12 , further comprising: an accelerating electron-optical element configured to receive and accelerate one or more primary electron beams of the uniform distribution of primary electron beams from the multi-lens array assembly.

20. The multi-beam electron source of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of lenses of the multi-lens array assembly are separated by a selected pitch in one or more directions.

21. A method comprising:

generating a primary electron beam;

transmitting the primary electron beam through a first lens element; and

transmitting the primary electron beam through a curved grid element and second lens element, wherein the first lens element, the second lens element, and the curved grid element cause an electron beam from the electron source to land on a multi-lens array assembly telecentrically with uniform angular illumination across the plurality of lenses of the multi-lens array assembly, wherein the curved grid element further masks electrons from the electron beam source attributable to beam degradation through at least one of Coulomb or electron-electron interactions; such that the primary electron beam telecentrically lands on the multi-lens array assembly;

generating a plurality of primary electron beams with a uniform distribution based on the uniform angular illumination from a grid lens assembly with the multi-lens array assembly;

directing the plurality of primary electron beams emanating from the multi-lens array assembly onto a sample; and

detecting a plurality of signal beam lets from the sample in response to the plurality of primary electron beams.