Aberration correction systems and charged particle microscope systems including the same

An apparatus, comprising:

• a charged particle source configured to emit a charged particle beam;
• and
• an optical column configured to direct the charged particle beam toward a sample,
• wherein the optical column comprises a multipole objective comprising a plurality of objective multipole elements,
• wherein the plurality of objective multipole elements comprises:
• at least three quadrupole-generating elements;
• and
• at least three octupole-generating elements,
• wherein the optical column is configured such that the charged particle beam enters the multipole objective with a non-circular beam profile, and wherein the octupole-generating elements of the multipole objective are configured to at least partially correct a spherical aberration of the charged particle beam.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a charged particle source configured to emit a charged particle beam;
• and
• an optical column configured to direct the charged particle beam toward a sample,
• wherein the optical column comprises:
• a multipole condenser comprising one or more condenser quadrupole-generating elements;
• and
• a multipole objective comprising a plurality of objective multipole elements,
• wherein the plurality of objective multipole elements comprises at least three quadrupole-generating elements, wherein the optical column is configured such that the charged particle beam is characterized by a non-circular beam profile through at least a portion of the multipole objective, and wherein the optical column is configured to at least partially correct a spherical aberration of the charged particle beam.