Aberration-corrected multibeam source, charged particle beam device and method of imaging or illuminating a specimen with an array of primary charged particle beamlets

A charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with an array of primary charged particle beamlets, comprising:

• a charged particle beam source to generate a primary charged particle beam;
• a multi-aperture plate having at least two openings to generate an array of primary charged particle beamlets having at least a first beamlet having a first resolution on the specimen and a second beamlet having a second resolution on the specimen;
• an aberration correction element to correct at least one of spherical aberrations and chromatic aberrations of rotationally symmetric charged particle lenses, the aberration correction element being arranged such that the primary charged particle beamlets enter the aberration correction element at a first end and exit at an opposite end;
• and
• an objective lens assembly for focusing each primary charged particle beamlet of the array of primary charged particle beamlets onto a separate location on the specimen.

A charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with an array of primary charged particle beamlets, comprising:

• a charged particle beam source to generate a primary charged particle beam;
• a multi-aperture plate having at least two openings to generate an array of primary charged particle beamlets having at least a first beamlet having a first resolution on the specimen and a second beamlet having a second resolution on the specimen;
• an aberration correction element to correct at least one of spherical aberrations and chromatic aberrations of rotationally symmetric charged particle lenses;
• and
• an objective lens assembly for focusing each primary charged particle beamlet of the array of primary charged particle beamlets onto a separate location on the specimen;
• wherein
• the aberration correction element is along an optical axis extending from the charged particle beam source to an objective lens assembly.

A charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with an array of primary charged particle beamlets, comprising:

• a charged particle beam source to generate a primary charged particle beam;
• a multi-aperture plate having at least two openings to generate an array of primary charged particle beamlets having at least a first beamlet having a first resolution on the specimen and a second beamlet having a second resolution on the specimen;
• an aberration correction element to correct at least one of spherical aberrations and chromatic aberrations of rotationally symmetric charged particle lenses;
• and
• an objective lens assembly for focusing each primary charged particle beamlet of the array of primary charged particle beamlets onto a separate location on the specimen;
• wherein
• the aberration correction element is arranged such that the primary charged particle beamlets pass through the aberration correction element once.