# US 12,119,204 B2 · Particle beam system and the use thereof for flexibly setting the current intensity of individual particle beams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,204 B2 - Document ID: US12119204B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/573,222 - Filed: 2022-01-11 - Published: 2022-05-05 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-31 - Assignees: Carl Zeiss MultiSEM GmbH - Applicants: Carl Zeiss MultiSEM GmbH - Inventors: Stefan Schubert; Dirk Zeidler; Georgo Metalidis; Hans Fritz; Ralf Lenke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119204B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/09: Diaphragms; Shields associated with electron or ion-optical arrangements; Compensation of disturbing fields - H01J 37/3177: {Multi-beam, e.g. fly's eye, comb probe} - H01J 37/10: Lenses - H01J 37/12: electrostatic - H01J 37/145: Combinations of electrostatic and magnetic lenses - H01J 37/147: Arrangements for directing or deflecting the discharge along a desired path ({H01J37/045 take precedence;} lenses H01J37/10) - H01J 37/263: {Contrast, resolution or power of penetration} - H01J 37/265: {Controlling the tube; circuit arrangements adapted to a particular application not otherwise provided, e.g. bright-field-dark-field illumination} - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H01J 37/3023: {Program control} - H01J 2237/0453: multiple apertures - H01J 2237/0455: with variable aperture - H01J 2237/04924: electrostatic - H01J 2237/04926: combined - H01J 2237/04928: Telecentric systems - H01J 2237/1205: Microlenses - H01J 2237/1215: Annular electrodes - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A particle beam system and, such as a multi-beam particle microscope, can have a current intensity of individual particle beams that is flexibly set over large value ranges without structural modifications. The particle beam system can include a condenser lens system, a pre-multi-lens array with a specific pre-counter electrode and a pre-multi-aperture plate, and a multi-lens array. The system can includes a controller to supply adjustable excitations to the condenser lens system and the pre-counter electrode so that the charged particles are incident on the pre-multi-aperture plate in telecentric manner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A particle beam system, comprising: a particle source configured to generate a divergent beam of charged particles having a beam path through the particle beam system; a condenser lens system configured so that the beam of charged particles passes through the condenser lens during use of the particle beam system; a pre-multi-lens array comprising a pre-counter electrode and a pre-multi-aperture plate, the pre-counter electrode comprising a central opening through which the beam of charged particles passes during use of the particle beam system, the pre-multi-aperture plate being arranged in the beam path downstream of the pre-counter electrode, the pre-multi-aperture plate being arranged so that the charged particles pass therethrough in the form of a multiplicity of charged individual particle beams during use of the particle beam system; a multi-lens array in the beam path downstream of the pre-multi-lens array, the multi-lens array comprising a multi-aperture plate and a counter electrode, the multi-aperture plate comprising a multiplicity of openings through which at least a portion of the charged individual particle beams pass during use of the particle beam system, and the counter electrode comprising a central opening disposed in the beam path downstream of the multi-aperture plate, the counter electrode being substantially passed through by the multiplicity of individual particle beams during use of the particle beam system; and a controller configured to supply adjustable excitations to the condenser lens system and the pre-counter electrode to control a current intensity of the individual particle beams so that, during use of the particle beam system, the beam of charged particles enters a global lens field of the pre-counter electrode in a convergent fashion or a divergent fashion and the beam of charged particles is incident on the pre-multi-aperture plate in telecentric fashion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The particle beam system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set a current intensity of the individual particle beams. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The particle beam system of claim 1, comprising a micro-optical unit comprising the multi-lens array. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The particle beam system of claim 3, wherein the micro-optical unit comprises a frame at ground potential. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The particle beam system of claim 3, wherein the micro-optical unit comprises the pre-multi-aperture plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The particle beam system of claim 1, further comprising a pre-auxiliary electrode comprising a central opening in the beam path downstream of the pre-counter electrode and just upstream of the pre-multi-aperture plate, wherein the controller is configured to supply an adjustable voltage to the central opening of the pre-auxiliary electrode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The particle beam system of claim 1, further comprising a post-auxiliary electrode comprising a central opening in the beam path just downstream of the multi-aperture plate and upstream of the counter electrode, wherein the controller is configured to supply an adjustable voltage to the central opening of the post-auxiliary electrode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The particle beam system of claim 1, wherein the condenser lens system comprises two condenser lenses. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The particle beam system of claim 8, wherein both condenser lenses are magnetic condenser lenses. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The particle beam system of claim 1, wherein: the condenser lens system comprises a magnetic condenser lens and an electrostatic condenser lens; the electrostatic condenser lens is in the beam path downstream of the magnetic condenser lens; the particle beam system comprises a booster electrode between the magnetic condenser lens and the electrostatic condenser lens; the controller is configured to drive the booster electrode; and the booster electrode is configured to excite the electrostatic condenser lens. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The particle beam system of claim 1, further comprising a beam current-restricting multi-aperture plate system comprising a beam current-restricting multi-aperture plate which comprises a multiplicity of openings, wherein the beam current-restricting multi-aperture plate system is insertable into the beam path downstream of the pre-multi-lens array and upstream of the multi-lens array. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The particle beam system of claim 11, wherein the beam current-restricting multi-aperture plate system comprises two or more beam current-restricting multi-aperture plates which are displaceable in substantially parallel fashion relative to one another, each with a multiplicity of openings, so that an effective multi-aperture plate opening size is adjustable for the individual particle beams passing through the beam current-restricting multi-aperture plate system during use of the particle beam system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The particle beam system of claim 12, wherein the openings of the beam current-restricting multi-aperture plates are circular or square. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The particle beam system of claim 11, wherein: the beam current-restricting multi-aperture plate system comprises two beam current-restricting multi-aperture plates disposed sequentially in the beam path, each with a multiplicity of openings; and the particle beam system comprises two deflectors between the two beam current-restricting multi-aperture plates; the two deflectors are drivable to parallelly displace individual particle beams with respect to an optical axis when the individual particle beams pass through the multi-aperture plate system during use of the particle beam system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The particle beam system of claim 11, wherein the openings of the beam current-restricting multi-aperture plate have substantially the same size and geometric form. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The particle beam system of claim 11, wherein the openings of the beam current-restricting multi-aperture plate are circular and/or annular. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The particle beam system of claim 1, wherein: the particle beam system has an intermediate image plane downstream of the multi-lens array in a direction of the beam path; real foci of the individual particle beams are formed in the intermediate image plane during use of the particle beam system; the foci are spaced apart by a pitch in the intermediate image plane; the particle beam system comprises a field lens system downstream of the multi-lens array in the direction of the beam path; the particle beam system comprises an objective lens downstream of the field lens system in the direction of the beam path; the particle beam system has an object plane in which the individual particle beams are imaged particle-optically during use of the particle beam system; and the individual particle beams are spaced apart by a pitch in the object plane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The particle beam system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to control the particle beam system to set the pitch in the object plane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The particle beam system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to control the particle beam system to set a numerical aperture in the object plane to optimize a resolution in the object plane for a beam current of the individual particle beams. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A method, comprising: using the particle beam system of claim 1 to: a) set a current intensity of individual particle beams; or b) set a resolution in an object plane of the particle beam system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A microscope, comprising: the particle beam system according to claim 1, wherein the microscope is a multi-beam particle microscope.