Patent ID: 6455863
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: B82Y,H01J

Abstract:
A charged particle beam column for generating a shaped charged particle beam, the charged particle beam column comprising:a source of a charged particle beam; a first aperture defining a first opening having a first perimeter positioned coaxial to the beam and spaced apart from the source; a second aperture defining a second opening having a second perimeter positioned coaxial to the beam and spaced apart from the first aperture; a third aperture defining a third opening having a third perimeter positioned coaxial to the beam and spaced apart from the second aperture; an imaging device coaxial to the beam wherein the imaging device controls focusing of the beam; and at least two deflection devices coaxial to the beam and which control a path of the beam through the openings such that the beam passing through each opening intersects only a portion less than the entire perimeter corresponding to at least one of the apertures thereby shaping the beam according to the portion of the corresponding perimeter that the beam intersects.