Particle beam system

A particle beam system, comprising:

• a) an illumination system configured to direct the first multiplicity of particle beams alongside one another onto an object plane so that the first multiplicity of particle beams illuminate a multiplicity of incidence locations of the object plane;
• b) an imaging optical unit having an optical axis, the imaging optical unit configured to:
• i) direct a second multiplicity of particle beams emanating from the incidence locations onto a detector array;
• and
• ii) image the object plane into an intermediate image plane in a beam path between the object plane and the detector array;
• and
• c) a field generating arrangement configured to generate electric and/or magnetic deflection fields of adjustable strength,
• wherein:
• during operation of the particle beam system, the particle beams are deflected by the deflection fields of the field generating arrangement by deflection angles dependent on the strength of the deflection fields;
• the field generating arrangement is configured so that, for one particle beam, two straight lines coincide with a trajectory of the particle beam before entering the field generating arrangement and after emerging from the field generating arrangement;
• the two straight lines are in a first plane;
• the two straight lines intersect at a vertex;
• the two straight lines define a deflection angle between each other;
• the vertex is in a second plane parallel to the intermediate image plane;
• the vertex is a first distance from the optical axis;
• a normal to the first plane through the vertex is a second distance from the optical axis;
• the second distance is less than 0.99 times the first distance;
• the second plane is a third distance from the intermediate image plane;
• the intermediate image plane is a fourth distance from the detector array;
• and
• the third distance is less than 0.1 times the fourth distance.

A particle beam system, comprising:

• an illumination system configured to direct a multiplicity of particle beams onto a sample plane so that the particle beams illuminate a field of incidence locations at the sample plane,
• wherein the illumination system comprises:
• a multi-aperture plate in a beam path of the particle beams, the multi-aperture plate comprising a multiplicity of openings configured so that, for each opening in the multi-aperture plate, a particle beam passes through the opening;
• a first single-aperture plate comprising an opening configured so that the multiplicity of particle beams passes through the opening of the first single-aperture plate;
• a second single-aperture plate comprising an opening configured so that the multiplicity of particle beams passes through the opening of the second single-aperture plate;
• and
• a voltage supply configured to apply to:
• i) to the first single-aperture plate an adjustable first electrical potential relative to the multi-aperture plate;
• and ii) to the second single-aperture plate an adjustable second electrical potential relative to the multi-aperture plate,
• wherein:
• the first single-aperture plate is a first distance from the multi-aperture plate;
• the second single-aperture is a second distance from the multi-aperture plate;
• and
• the first distance is less than half the second distance.

A particle beam system, comprising:

• an illumination system configured to direct a multiplicity of particle beams onto an object plane so that the particle beams illuminate a field of incidence locations at the object plane,
• wherein the illumination system comprises:
• a particle emitter configured to generate a particle beam;
• a condenser lens through which the particle beam passes;
• a first multi-aperture plate in a beam path of the particle beam downstream of the condenser lens, the first multi-aperture plate comprising a multiplicity of openings through which particles of the particle beam pass to generate a multiplicity of particle beams downstream of the first multi-aperture plate;
• a second multi-aperture plate arranged in the beam path downstream of the first multi-aperture plate, the second multi-aperture plate comprising a multiplicity of openings configured so that, for each opening in the second multi-aperture plate, one of the particle beams of the multiplicity of particle beams passes through the opening;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• excite the condenser lens so that the condenser lens provides an adjustable refractive power;
• receive a first signal representing a desired distance between the incidence locations of the particle beams in the object plane;
• and
• adjust the refractive power of the condenser lens when the first signal changes.