Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A charged particle multi-beam system comprising:a charged particle source configured to generate at least one beam of charged particles;a stage configured to hold a flat substrate to be inspected; anda particle-optical component disposed in a beam path of the at least one beam of charged particles downstream of the charged particle source, the particle-optical component comprising:a first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures and a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures, wherein the second multi-aperture plate is spaced apart from the first multi-aperture plate such that a gap is formed therebetween;wherein the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate; andwherein a first width of the gap at a location of a first aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is by at least 5% greater than a second width of the gap at a location of a second aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate;wherein the system further comprises:a voltage supply system configured to apply different electric potentials to the first and second multi-aperture plates of the particle-optical component; andat least one focusing particle-optical lens disposed in the beam path of the at least one charged particle beam downstream of the particle-optical component and configured to focus charged particle beamlets having traversed the particle-optical component onto the flat substrate. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first multi-aperture plate has a first surface facing towards the second multi-aperture plate, and the second multi-aperture plate has a first surface facing towards the first multi-aperture plate, wherein each first surface has an area comprising plural apertures of the respective plurality of apertures, and wherein at least one of the first surfaces is a planar surface within the area. 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first surface is a curved surface within the area. 4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first surface is a convex surface within the area. 5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first surface is a concave surface within the area. 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first multi-aperture plate has a first surface facing towards the second multi-aperture plate, and the second multi-aperture plate has a first surface facing towards the first multi-aperture plate, and wherein shapes of the first surfaces are symmetric with respect to each other relative to a plane extending between the first and second multi-aperture plates. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first multi-aperture plate has a first surface facing towards the second multi-aperture plate, and the second multi-aperture plate has a first surface facing towards the first multi-aperture plate, and wherein a shape of at least one of the first surfaces is symmetric relative to an axis extending transversely to the first and second multi-aperture plates. 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second width is in a range of from about 100% to about 1000% of a diameter of the second aperture. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first width is in a range of from about 150% to about 1500% of a diameter of the first aperture. 10. The system according to claim 1, wherein, for substantially each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate, a diameter of the aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is substantially equal to a diameter of a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate aligned with the aperture of the first multi-aperture plate. 11. The system according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the apertures of the pluralities of apertures is in a range of from about 0.5 μm to about 180 μm. 12. The system according to claim 1, wherein a distance between centers of adjacent apertures of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is in a range from about 5 μm to about 200 μm. 13. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second multi-aperture plates is made of silicon. 14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting structure mounting the first multi-aperture plate relative to the second multi-aperture plate. 15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the mounting structure comprises at least one actuator for adjusting a position of the first multi-aperture plate relative to the second multi-aperture plate. 16. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a third multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures and arranged such that the first multi-aperture plate is disposed between the third multi-aperture plate and the second multi-aperture plate, and wherein the plurality of apertures of the third multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the third multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate. 17. The system according to claim 16, wherein a diameter of an aperture of the third multi-aperture plate is smaller than a diameter of a corresponding aperture of the first multi-aperture plate aligned with the aperture of the third multi-aperture plate. 18. The system according to claim 16, wherein a diameter of an aperture of the third multi-aperture plate is 99% or less of a diameter of a corresponding aperture of the first multi-aperture plate aligned with the aperture of the third multi-aperture plate. 19. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a mounting structure mounting the third multi-aperture plate relative to the first multi-aperture plate. 20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the mounting structure comprises at least one actuator for adjusting a position of the third multi-aperture plate relative to the first multi-aperture plate. 21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the charged particle source is an electron source and the at least one beam of charged particles is at least on beam of electrons. 22. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electric potentials are in a range from 0 to 5000V. 23. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a detector arrangement for detecting at least one of secondary particles and radiation emitted by the specimen as a result of being exposed to the charged particles. 24. The system according to claim 1, wherein the voltage supply system configured to apply the different electric potentials in order to compensate at least one particle-optical aberration of the at least one focusing particle-optical lens. 25. A particle-optical component for manipulating a plurality of beamlets of charged particles, the particle-optical component comprising:a first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures and a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures, wherein the second multi-aperture plate is spaced apart from the first multi-aperture plate such that a gap is formed therebetween;wherein the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate; andwherein a first width of the gap at a location of a first aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is by at least 5 greater than a second width of the gap at a location of a second aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate;the particle-optical component further comprising a fourth aperture plate having at least one aperture, the first multi-aperture plate being disposed between the fourth aperture plate and the second multi-aperture plate, and further comprising a mounting structure comprising at least one actuator for displacing the fourth aperture plate relative to the first multi-aperture plate such that in a first position one aperture of the at least one aperture of the fourth aperture plate is in alignment with a first aperture of the first multi-aperture plate and in a second position different from the first position the one aperture is in alignment with a second aperture of the first multi-aperture plate. 26. A method of operating a particle-optical system, comprising:positioning a testing aperture plate having at least one aperture in a first position relative to a multi-aperture component comprising a plurality of apertures such that in the first position, a first set of apertures of the testing aperture plate is in alignment with a first set of apertures of the multi-aperture component, with the respective sets of apertures comprising at least one aperture each;transmitting a set of beamlets of charged particles through the first set of apertures of the testing aperture plate and the first set of apertures of the multi-aperture component aligned therewith;determining at least one of positions, shapes and dimensions of the transmitted beamlets in a predetermined plane and a total intensity or individual intensities of the transmitted beamlets;positioning the testing aperture plate in a second position relative to the multi-aperture component such that the first set of apertures of the testing aperture plate is in alignment with a second set of apertures of the multi-aperture component;transmitting a set of beamlets of charged particles through the first set of apertures of the testing aperture plate and the second set of apertures of the multi-aperture component aligned therewith; anddetermining at least one of positions, shapes and dimensions of the transmitted beamlets in the predetermined plane and a total intensity or individual intensities of the transmitted beamlets. 27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising at least one of adjusting at least one of an optical property and a position of the multi-aperture component and adjusting an optical property of the particle-optical system, based an the at least one of positions, shapes and dimensions of the transmitted beamlets in the predetermined plane and the total intensity or individual intensities of the transmitted beamlets. 28. A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:a charged particle source for generating at least one beam of charged particles; andat least one particle-optical component comprising:a first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures and a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures, wherein the second multi-aperture plate is spaced apart from the first multi-aperture plate such that a gap is formed therebetween;wherein the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate;wherein a first width of the gap at a location of a first aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is by at least 5 greater than a second width of the gap at a location of a second aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate;wherein the at least one particle-optical component is arranged such that the second multi-aperture plate is traversed by a beam path of the charged particles downstream of the first multi-aperture plate; andwherein the particle-optical arrangement further comprises a first electrode traversed by the beam path of the charged particles upstream of the first multi-aperture plate;a second electrode traversed by the beam path of the charged particles downstream of the second multi-aperture plate; anda voltage supply system configured to apply different electric potentials to the first and second multi-aperture plates and the first and second electrodes. 29. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, further comprising a voltage supply system configured to apply different electric potentials to the first and second multi-aperture plates. 30. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 29, further comprising a controller having a first control portion configured to control the voltage supply system based upon a total beam current of a plurality of charged particle beamlets downstream of the particle-optical component. 31. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 30, further comprising a current detector for detecting the total beam current of the plurality of charged particle beamlets. 32. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 30, wherein the controller has a second control portion for adjusting beam currents of the plurality of charged particle beamlets, and wherein the first control portion is responsive to a setting of the second control portion. 33. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, wherein the voltage supply system is configured to apply voltages to the first electrode and the first multi-aperture plate such that an electrical field generated upstream of the first multi-aperture plate in a vicinity thereof is a decelerating field for the charged particles of the beam of charged particles. 34. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, wherein the voltage supply system is configured to apply voltages to the first electrode and the first multi-aperture plate such that an electrical field generated upstream of the first multi-aperture plate in a vicinity thereof is an accelerating field for the charged particles of the beam of charged particles. 35. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, wherein the voltage supply system is configured to apply voltages to the second electrode and the second multi-aperture plate such that an electrical field generated downstream of the second multi-aperture plate in a vicinity thereof is an accelerating field for the charged particles of the beam of charged particles. 36. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, wherein the voltage supply system is configured to apply voltages to the second electrode and the second multi-aperture plate such that an electrical field generated downstream of the second multi-aperture plate in a vicinity thereof is a decelerating field for the charged particles of the beam of charged particles. 37. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, further comprising a third electrode traversed by the beam path of the charged particles between the first electrode and the first multi-aperture plate, wherein the voltage supply system is further configured to apply an electric potential to the third electrode. 38. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, further comprising a fourth electrode traversed by the beam path of the charged particles between the second multi-aperture plate and the second electrode, wherein the voltage supply system is further configured to apply an electric potential to the fourth electrode. 39. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, further comprising at least one focusing particle-optical lens disposed in the beam path of the charged particle beam. 40. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 39, further comprising a voltage supply system configured to apply different electric potentials to the first and second multi-aperture plates, for compensating at least one particle-optical aberration of the at least one focusing particle-optical lens. 41. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 40, wherein the at least one particle-optical aberration is at least one of a field curvature and a spherical aberration. 42. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 28, wherein the voltage supply system is configured to apply electric potentials to the first and second electrodes such that a first electrical field is generated upstream of the first multi-aperture plate and a second electrical field different from the first electrical field is generated downstream of the second multi-aperture plate;further comprising at least one focusing particle-optical lens disposed downstream of the second multi-aperture plate in the beam path of the charged particles;wherein the voltage supply system is further configured to apply different electric potentials to the first and second multi-aperture plates, for compensating at least one particle-optical aberration of the at least one focusing particle-optical lens. 43. A method of manipulating charged particle beamlets, the method comprising:applying a predetermined first electric potential to a first multi-aperture plate and a predetermined second electric potential different from the predetermined first potential to a second multi-aperture plate;transmitting a plurality of charged particle beamlets through apertures of a first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures and, subsequently, through a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures,and transmitting the plurality of charged-particle beamlets through at least one focusing particle-optical lens;wherein the second multi-aperture plate is spaced apart from the first multi-aperture plate such that a gap is formed therebetween;wherein the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate;wherein a first width of the gap at a location of a first aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is by at least 5% greater than a second width of the gap at a location of a second aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate; andwherein the applied predetermined electric potentials are chosen such that at least one particle-optical aberration of the at least one focusing particle-optical lens is compensated. 44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the predetermined electric potentials are in a range of from 0 to about 5000 V. 45. A particle-optical arrangement, comprising:a charged particle source for generating at least one beam of charged particles; at least one magnetic lens configured to generate a first magnetic field in a path of the at least one beam;at least a first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures, wherein the at least first multi-aperture plate is disposed to be traversed by a beam path of the at least one beam of charged particles;at least one coil arrangement configured to generate a second magnetic field such that a magnetic flux density at the at least first multi-aperture plate is substantially zero. 46. A particle-optical arrangement according to claim 45, further comprising a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures, wherein the second multi-aperture plate is spaced apart from the first multi-aperture plate such that a gap is formed therebetween;wherein the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of the apertures of the second multi-aperture plate;wherein a first width of the gap at a location of a first aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is by at least 5% greater than a second width of the gap at a location of a second aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate. 47. The particle-optical arrangement according to claim 46, wherein the first multi-aperture plate has a first surface facing towards the second multi-aperture plate, and the second multi-aperture plate has a first surface facing towards the first multi-aperture plate, wherein each first surface has an area comprising plural apertures of the respective plurality of apertures, and wherein at least one of the first surfaces is a curved surface within the area. 48. A method of manipulating charged particle beamlets, the method comprising:generating at least one of a charged-particle beam and a plurality of charged-particle beamlets;transmitting the at least one of the charged-particle beam and the plurality of charged-particle beamlets through at least one magnetic lens generating a first magnetic field;transmitting the at least one of the charged-particle beam and the plurality of charged-particle beamlets through at least one multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures; andgenerating a second magnetic field by applying a predetermined electric current to a coil arrangement traversed by the plurality of charged particle beamlets such that the second magnetic field at least partially compensates the first magnetic field and a magnetic flux density at the at least one multi-aperture plate is substantially zero. 49. A method of focusing a plurality of charged particle beamlets, the method comprising:transmitting at least one of a charged particle beam and a plurality of charged-particle beamlets through a first multi-aperture plate and a second multi-aperture plate, each having a plurality of apertures, with centers of the first and second multi-aperture plates being spaced a distance w0 apart,applying a first electric potential U1 to the first multi-aperture plate,applying a second electric potential U2 to the second multi-aperture plate, the second electric potential being different from the first electric potential;at least one of generating an electrical field traversed by the beam path upstream of the first multi-aperture plate and an electrical field traversed by the beam path downstream of the second multi-aperture plate, such that a first field strength E1 of an electrical field upstream and in the vicinity of the first multi-aperture plate differs from a second field strength E2 of an electrical field downstream and in the vicinity of the second multi-aperture plate by at least about 200 V/mm,wherein for charged particles having a charge q and having and a kinetic energy Ekin upon traversing the first multi-aperture plate, the following relationship is fulfilled:  0.0001  ≤                    3        4            ·              q                              w            0                    ·                      E            kin                                ⁢                            (                                    U              1                        -                          U              2                                )                2                              E          1                -                  E          2                      ≤      0.2    .   50. The method according to claim 49, wherein a distance between the first and second multi-aperture plates increases with increasing distance from the center thereof such that a field strength of an electrical field generated by applying the first and second electrical potentials U1 and U2 in between the first and second multi-aperture plates decreases with increasing distance from the center. 51. A particle-optical arrangement, comprisinga first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures and a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures, wherein the second multi-aperture plate is spaced apart from the first multi-aperture plate such that a gap is formed therebetween; anda magnetic lens arrangement comprising a first pole piece and a second pole piece and a coil for inducing magnetic flux in the first and second pole pieces;wherein the first multi-aperture plate is magnetically coupled to or integrally formed with the first pole piece of the magnetic lens arrangement and the second multi-aperture plate is magnetically coupled to or integrally formed with the second pole piece of the magnetic lens arrangement;wherein the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate; andwherein a first width of the gap at a location of a first aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is by at least 5 greater than a second width of the gap at a location of a second aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate. 52. A method of focusing a plurality of charged particle beamlets, the method comprising:generating an electrical field of at most 5000 V/mm between a first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures and a first electrode such that the first multi-aperture plate has a first focusing power F1, wherein the first electrode is spaced a distance of at least 1 mm apart from the first multi-aperture plate;transmitting at least one of a charged particle beam and a plurality of charged-particle beamlets through the electrical field, the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate and the first electrode;transmitting the at least one of the charged particle beam and the plurality of charged-particle beamlets through apertures of a particle-optical component comprising at least a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures, the particle-optical component being configured and operated so as to provide a second focusing power F2, wherein the second focusing power F2 of the particle-optical component is at least five times smaller than the first focusing power F1. 53. A particle-optical component, comprising a first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures,a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures,a fourth aperture plate having at least one aperture,a mounting structure comprising at least one actuator for displacing the fourth aperture plate relative to the first multi-aperture plate to a first position and to a second position, which is different from the first position,wherein the second multi-aperture plate is spaced apart from the first multi-aperture plate such that a gap is formed therebetween;wherein the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate; andwherein the first multi-aperture plate is disposed between the fourth aperture plate and the second multi-aperture plate. 54. The particle-optical component according to claim 53, wherein one aperture of the at least one aperture of the fourth aperture plate is in alignment with a first aperture of the first multi-aperture plate in the first position and the one aperture is in alignment with a second aperture of the first multi-aperture plate in the second position. 55. A particle-optical component, comprisinga first multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures;a third multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures,wherein the plurality of apertures of the third multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the third multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate, and wherein a diameter of an aperture of the third multi-aperture plate is smaller than a diameter of a corresponding aperture of the first multi-aperture plate aligned with the aperture of the third multi-aperture plate; anda voltage supply system configured to apply different electric potentials to the first and third multi-aperture plates of the particle-optical component. 56. The particle-optical component according to claim 55, further comprising a second multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures, wherein the second multi-aperture plate is spaced apart from the first multi-aperture plate such that a gap is formed therebetween; wherein the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate; and wherein the third multi aperture plate is arranged such that the first multi-aperture plate is disposed between the third multi-aperture plate and the second multi-aperture plate. 57. The particle-optical component according to claim 55, wherein a diameter of an aperture of the third multi-aperture plate is less than 99% of a diameter of a corresponding aperture of the first multi-aperture plate aligned with the aperture of the third multi-aperture plate.