Processing system

Abstract

A processing system for processing an object ( 3 ) is provided, wherein the processing system is adapted, to focus a first energy beam, in particular an electron beam ( 11 ), and a second energy beam, in particular an ion beam ( 21 ), on a focusing region ( 29 ) in which a object ( 3 ) to be processed is arrangeable. A processing chamber wall ( 35 ) having two openings ( 38, 39 ) for traversal of both energy beams and a connector ( 37 ) for supplying process gas delimits a processing chamber ( 45 ) from a vacuum chamber ( 2 ) of the processing system. Processing the object by activating the process gas through one of the energy beams and inspecting the object via one of the energy beams is enabled for different orientations of the object relative to a propagation direction of one of the energy beams.

1 . A processing system for processing an object, the processing system comprising:
 a first energy beam guiding system having first optics configured for generating a first energy beam and focusing the first energy beam in a focusing region located in a vacuum chamber;   a second energy beam guiding system having second optics configured for generating a second energy beam and focusing the second energy beam in the focusing region;   at least one processing chamber wall which is arrangeable within the vacuum chamber such that the processing chamber wall at least partially encompasses the focusing region, wherein the processing chamber wall comprises a ring-shaped front face substantially disposed in a plane, wherein the front face surrounds a beam path of the first energy beam and a beam path of the second energy beam; wherein the processing chamber wall has at least one connector for supplying a process gas to the focusing region; wherein a first opening traversed by the beam path of the first energy beam is formed in the processing chamber wall; wherein a second opening traversed by the beam path of the second energy beam is formed in the processing chamber wall, and wherein the second opening is spaced apart from the first opening.   
   
   
       2 . The processing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an object holder for holding the object, wherein the object holder is adapted to change an orientation of the object relative to the beam path of the first energy beam from a first orientation to a second orientation different from the first orientation,
 wherein the processing chamber wall is configured such that the front face of the processing chamber wall is located proximate to one of the object and the object holder in both the first orientation and the second orientation.   
   
   
       3 . The processing system according to  claim 2 , wherein a gap is formed between the front face of the processing chamber wall and the at least one of the object and the object holder in both the first orientation and the second orientation. 
   
   
       4 . The processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein the gap has a width of less than 200 μm. 
   
   
       5 . The processing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the front face of the processing chamber wall abuts the at least one of the object and the object holder in both the first orientation and the second orientation. 
   
   
       6 . The processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first energy beam and the second energy beam is one of an electron beam and an ion beam. 
   
   
       7 . The processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first energy beam guiding system comprises an electron beam column, and wherein the second energy beam guiding system comprises an ion beam column. 
   
   
       8 . The processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber wall has a portion extending in a direction transverse to the plane. 
   
   
       9 . The processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber wall further comprises a connector for discharging the process gas from the focusing region. 
   
   
       10 . The processing system according to  claim 7 , comprising a first processing chamber wall and a second processing chamber wall which are alternatively arrangeable within the vacuum chamber, wherein the first processing chamber wall is adapted such that the front face of the first processing chamber wall is proximate to the one of the object and the object holder in the first orientation, and wherein the second processing chamber wall is adapted such that the front face of the second processing chamber wall is proximate to the one of the object and the object holder in the second orientation. 
   
   
       11 . The processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber wall comprises a first wall portion and a second wall portion being displaceable relative to each other, wherein the first wall portion provides the first opening and the second opening, and wherein the second wall portion comprises at least a portion of the front face. 
   
   
       12 . The processing system according to  claim 11 , wherein the first wall portion and the second wall portion are pivotable relative to each other about an axis. 
   
   
       13 . The processing system according to  claim 11 , wherein the first wall portion and the second wall portion are arranged side by side such that portions of surfaces of the first and second wall portions overlap. 
   
   
       14 . The processing system according to  claim 11 , wherein the first wall portion and the second wall portion are elastically connected to each other by a third wall portion.