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US 7,022,987 B2Granted
Particle-optical arrangements and particle-optical systems
AssigneeCarl Zeiss NIS GmbH
InventorsDirk Preikszas, Michael Steigerwald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There are disclosed particle-optical beam splitters providing at least three beam-manipulating regions having magnetic fields of different field strengths provided therein for at least one particle beam passing the beam splitter. The beam splitter is, in first order, free of dispersion, astigmatism and distortion.
Claims43
A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:
- a beam splitter having a main plane and three terminals;
- and
- a beam-guiding system for guiding a first beam and a second beam of charged particles to and away from the beam splitter, such that one of the first and second beams enters the beam splitter through a first terminal thereof, and such that another of the first and second beams leaves the beam splitter through the first terminal;
- wherein the beam splitter provides at least two field regions, wherein a magnetic field of a substantially constant strength is provided in each of the at least two field regions, wherein at least one of the at least two field regions is enclosed by a current conductor for generating the magnetic field therein;
- wherein the beam splitter provides for the first beam at least three beam-manipulating regions which are passed by the first beam, wherein each of the at least three beam-manipulating regions is a portion of one respective field region of the at least two field regions, and wherein different magnetic fields are provided in beam-manipulating regions directly adjacent to each other along a beam path of the first beam;
- wherein the beam path of the first beam intersects, when seen upon projection onto the main plane of the beam splitter, plural current conductors enclosing respective field regions at respective intersecting positions;
- and
- wherein the beam splitter and the beam-guiding system are configured such that curvatures of each current conductor on both sides of each respective intersecting position is of a same direction.
5 more elements
A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:
- a beam splitter having a main plane and three terminals;
- and
- a beam-guiding system for guiding a first beam and a second beam of charged particles to and away from the beam splitter, such that one of the first and second beams enters the beam splitter through a first terminal thereof, and such that another of the first and second beams leaves the beam splitter through the first terminal;
- wherein the beam splitter provides at least three field regions, wherein a magnetic field of a substantially constant strength is provided in each of the at least three field regions;
- wherein the beam splitter provides for the first beam exactly three beam-manipulating regions which are passed by the first beam, wherein each of the exactly three beam-manipulating regions is a portion of one respective field region of the at least three field regions, and wherein different magnetic fields are provided in beam-manipulating regions directly adjacent to each other along a beam path of the first beam;
- and
- wherein each of the at least three field regions is respectively completely enclosed by a different current conductor for generating the magnetic field of a field strength different from zero in each field region.
4 more elements
A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:
- a beam splitter having a main plane and three terminals;
- and
- a beam-guiding system for guiding a first beam and a second beam of charged particles to and away from the beam splitter, such that one of the first and second beams enters the beam splitter through a first terminal thereof, and such that another of the first and second beams leaves the beam splitter through the first terminal;
- wherein the beam splitter provides at least two field regions, wherein a magnetic field of a substantially constant strength is provided in each of the at least two field regions, wherein at least one of the at least two field regions is enclosed by a current conductor for generating the magnetic field therein;
- and
- wherein the beam splitter provides for the first beam at least three beam-manipulating regions which are passed by the first beam, wherein each of the at least three beam-manipulating regions is a portion of one respective field region of the at least two field regions, and wherein different magnetic fields are provided in beam-manipulating regions directly adjacent to each other along a beam path of the first beam;
- wherein exactly one of the beam-manipulating regions is a portion of a field-free field region in which the magnetic field has a strength of substantially zero;
- wherein the beam splitter and the beam-guiding system are configured such that, when seen upon projection onto the main plane, the first beam, when entering the field-free field region, intersects a current conductor under a first angle and, when leaving from the field-free field region, intersects one of the same current conductor and a different current conductor at a second angle which is different from the first angle;
- and
- wherein the beam path of the first beam upstream and downstream of the beam splitter is free of deflecting magnetic field regions providing deflection angles of more than 10°.
7 more elements
A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:
- a beam splitter having a main plane and three terminals;
- and
- a beam-guiding system for guiding a first beam and a second beam of charged particles to and away from the beam splitter, such that one of the first and second beams enters the beam splitter through a first terminal thereof, and such that another of the first and second beams leaves the beam splitter through the first terminal;
- wherein the beam splitter provides at least two field regions, wherein a magnetic field of a substantially constant strength is provided in each of the at least two field regions, wherein at least one of the at least two field regions is enclosed by a current conductor for generating the magnetic field therein;
- wherein the beam splitter provides for the first beam at least three beam-manipulating regions which are passed by the first beam, wherein each of the at least three beam-manipulating regions is a portion of one respective field region of the at least two field regions, and wherein different magnetic fields are provided in beam-manipulating regions directly adjacent to each other along a beam path of the first beam;
- wherein the beam splitter and the beam-guiding system are configured such that the beam path of the first beam through the at least three beam-manipulating regions is substantially symmetrical with respect to an axis oriented orthogonal with respect to the main plane.
3 more elements
A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:
- a beam splitter having a main plane and three terminals;
- and
- a beam-guiding system for guiding a first beam and a second beam of charged particles to and away from the beam splitter, such that one of the first and second beams enters the beam splitter through a first terminal thereof, and such that another of the first and second beams leaves the beam splitter through the first terminal;
- wherein the beam splitter provides at least three field regions, wherein a magnetic field of a substantially constant strength is provided in each of the at least three field regions, wherein at least one of the at least three field regions is enclosed by a current conductor for generating the magnetic field therein;
- wherein the beam splitter provides for the first beam at least three beam-manipulating regions which are passed by the first beam, wherein each of the at least three beam-manipulating regions is a portion of one respective field region of the at least three field regions, and wherein different magnetic fields are provided in beam-manipulating regions directly adjacent to each other along a beam path of the first beam;
- and
- wherein each of the at least three field regions is respectively completely enclosed by a different current conductor, the different current conductors being arranged spaced apart from one another and without surrounding one another, for generating the magnetic field of a field strength different from zero in each field region.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.