Carl Zeiss Microscopy Gmbh

Carl Zeiss Nts Gmbh

Carl Zeiss Nis Gmbh

Carl Zeiss Multisem Gmbh

Dirk Preikszas

Christian Hendrich

Momme Mommsen

Michael Steigerwald

Michael Schnell

Edgar Fichter

Volker Drexel

Joerg Fober

Michael D G Steigerwald

Michel Aliman

Bernd Hafner

Kai Schubert

Gerd Ludwig Benner

Michael William Phaneuf

Michael Albiez

Ulrike Zeile

Lorenz Lechner

Stefan Meyer

Armin Heinz Hayn

Alexander Laue

Gero Walter

Simon Diemer

Hubert Mantz

Heiko Stegmann

Peter Hoffrogge

Peter Gnauck

Giuseppe Pavia

Tobias Volkenandt

Hans Fritz

Klaus Hegele

Albrecht Glasmachers

Holger Dömer

Dietmar Doenitz

Joerg Ackermann

Daniel Tobias

Andreas Eisele

Daniela Donhauser

David Ralph Hubbard

András G Major

Christian Mueller

Barry Chamley

Steffen Niederberger

Peter Dipl-Phys Hoffrogge

Jörg Ackermann

The invention relates to a particle beam device () for imaging, analyzing and/or processing an object (). The particle beam device () comprises a first particle beam generator () for generating a first particle beam, wherein the first particle beam generator () has a first generator beam axis (), wherein an optical axis (OA) of the particle beam device () and the first generator beam axis () are identical; a second particle beam generator () for generating a second particle beam, wherein the second particle beam generator () has a second generator beam axis (), wherein the optical axis (OA) and the second generator beam axis () are arranged at an angle being different from 0° and 180°; a deflection unit () for deflecting the second particle beam from the second generator beam axis () to the optical axis (OA) and along the optical axis (OA), wherein the deflection unit () has a first opening () and a second opening () being different from the first opening (), wherein the optical axis (OA) runs through the first opening (), wherein the second generator beam axis () runs through the second opening (); an objective lens () for focusing the first particle beam or the second particle beam onto the object (), wherein the optical axis (OA) runs through the objective lens (); and at least one detector () for detecting interaction particles and/or interaction radiation.

Particle beam device having a deflection unit

A method for operating a particle beam microscopy system includes recording a first particle-microscopic image at a given first focus and varying the excitations of the first deflection device within a given first range. The method also includes changing the focus to a second focus, and determining a second range of excitations of the first deflection device on the basis of the first range, the first excitation, the second excitation and a machine parameter determined in advance. The method further includes recording a second particle-microscopic image at the second focus and varying the excitations of the first deflection device within the determined second range. The second range of excitations is determined so that a region of the object represented in the second particle-microscopic image was also represented in the first particle-microscopic image.

Method for operating a particle beam microscope

A particle beam generator for a particle beam device may be operated. A liquid metal may be provided from a container of a particle source to an emission device of the particle source and a first heating cycle for cleaning the particle source performed, which may comprise supplying a heating current to a heating device arranged at the emission device using a current supply unit, heating the emission device during a heating time period, measuring a value of a voltage drop at the heating device and/or at the current supply unit and adjusting at least one of: the heating current and the heating time period using the current supply unit, depending on the measured value of the voltage drop. A second heating cycle for cleaning the particle source may include using at least one of: the adjusted heating current and the adjusted heating time period, for heating the emission device.

Operating a particle beam generator for a particle beam device

A particle beam apparatus includes a first aperture unit having an adjustable aperture opening. The particle beam apparatus may include a first condenser lens having a first pole shoe and a second pole shoe. Both the first pole shoe and the second pole shoe may be adjustable relative to a second aperture unit independently of each other. The second aperture unit may be designed as a pressure stage aperture separating a first area having a vacuum at a first pressure, and a second area having a vacuum at a second pressure. Additionally, a method for adjusting a beam current in a particle beam apparatus is provided.

Particle beam apparatus having an aperture unit and method for setting a beam current in a particle beam apparatus

A beam deflector includes a magnetic-flux-guiding structure which has an opening through which a beam axis extends, and at least two coils arranged at the magnetic-flux-guiding structure so that they produce a magnetic field Bhaving lines passing through the two coils in succession, leave the magnetic-flux-guiding structure at a first location on a first side in relation to the beam axis, cross the beam axis at a second location which is arranged at a distance along the beam axis from the magnetic-flux-guiding structure, re-enter into the magnetic flux-guiding structure at a third location on a second side lying opposite the first side, and extend around the opening from the third location to the first location within the magnetic-flux-guiding structure.

Particle-optical apparatus and particle beam system

A charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source, an extraction electrode, a suppressor electrode, a first variable voltage supply for biasing the extraction electrode with an extraction voltage and a second variable voltage supply for biasing the suppressor electrode with a suppressor voltage.

Charged particle beam system and method

A method for operating a particle beam apparatus. An objective lens current may be swept, and a property of a deflection unit and/or of an aperture unit may be set while the objective lens current is swept. Setting the property may implemented in such a way that either an image of the object displayed on a display device does not move or any such movement of the displayed image has a minimal deflection. Moreover, the operating voltage of a beam generator may be swept and the object may be aligned by means of a specimen stage. While the operating voltage is swept, the specimen stage may be moved into an aligned position in such a way that either the image of the object displayed on the display device does not move or any such movement of the displayed image has a minimal deflection.

Operating a particle beam apparatus

An analysis device, possibly having an electrostatic and/or magnetic lens, analyzes the energy of charged particles and has an opposing field grid device to which a voltage is applied in such a way that a portion of the charged particles is reflected by the opposing field grid device. Another portion of the charged particles passes through the opposing field grid device and is detected by a detector. The opposing field grid device has a curvature. A center of curvature is an intersection point of an optical axis with the opposing field grid device. The curvature has a radius of curvature which is given by the section between the center of curvature and a starting point on the optical axis. The opposing field grid device is curved in the direction of the starting point as viewed from the center of curvature and/or is arranged to be displaceable along the optical axis.

Analyzing energy of charged particles

A method of adjusting a particle beam microscope includes measures A, B, C and D.

Method for adjusting a particle beam microscope

The system described herein relates to a high-voltage supply unit for providing an output voltage for a particle beam apparatus, wherein the particle beam apparatus is embodied as, for example, an electron beam apparatus and/or an ion beam apparatus. The system described herein is based on the fact that it was recognized that a bipolar voltage supply unit can be formed by means of a unipolar first current source and a unipolar second current source, said bipolar voltage supply unit enabling a load current in two directions. The high-voltage supply unit according to the system described herein can be operated in the 4-quadrant operation. In the 4-quadrant operation, a first voltage source for supplying the first current source and a second voltage source for supplying the second current source are embodied as different voltage sources.

High-voltage supply unit and circuit arrangement for generating a high voltage for a particle beam apparatus

A method for operating a particle beam microscope includes: setting potentials of a particle source and an object; directing a particle beam onto the object; setting an excitation of a particle-optical lens; generating a dependence between a manipulated variable and the excitation so that the excitation is representable as a monotonic function dependent on the manipulated variable; changing the manipulated variable via an actuating element to focus the particle beam at the object; and determining a target value of the manipulated variable in a manner dependent on the set potentials. The target value virtually corresponds to an ideal excitation of the lens. The particle beam in the case of the ideal excitation is focused at the object. The absolute value of the first derivative of the function in a value range containing the target value is less than in the case of values lying outside of this value range.

Particle beam microscope and method for operating a particle beam microscope

The system described herein relates to a particle beam apparatus for analyzing and/or for processing an object and to a method for operating a particle beam apparatus. The particle beam apparatus is designed for example as an electron beam apparatus and/or an ion beam apparatus. The particle beam apparatus comprises a beam deflection device, for example an objective lens, which is provided with a first coil and a second coil. The first coil is operated with a first coil current. The second coil is operated with a second coil current. The first coil current and/or the second coil current may always be controlled in such a way that the sum of the first coil current and the second coil current (the summation current) or the difference between the first coil current and the second coil current (the difference current) is controlled to a setpoint value.

Particle beam apparatus and method for operating a particle beam apparatus

A method for operating a particle beam microscope includes: setting a potential of a particle source; setting a potential of an object; directing a particle beam onto the object; focusing the particle beam using a particle-optical lens; providing a dependence between a value of an excitation of the particle-optical lens and a value of the potential of the object; changing a manipulated variable with the aid of an actuating element actuatable by a user; and setting the excitation of the particle-optical lens in a manner dependent on the manipulated variable. In a first mode of operation, the potential of the object is set on the basis of the excitation of the particle-optical lens in accordance with the dependence between the value of the excitation of the particle-optical lens and the value of the potential of the object.

Growing community of inventors

Oberkochen, Germany

Dirk Preikszas