Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A charged-particle beam apparatus, the apparatus comprising:at least one source for generating a charged-particle beam;a first deflector configured to scan the charged-particle beam in a first dimension; anda second deflector configured to deflect the scanned beam such that the scanned beam impinges telecentrically upon a surface of a target substrate,wherein the second deflector comprises a Wien filter elongated and oriented lengthwise along the first dimension, andwherein the elongated Wien filter comprises an electric comb deflector applying an electric field along the first dimension and a static magnetic deflector applying a magnetic field perpendicular to the first dimension. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a beam separator configured to deflect secondary electrons emitted from the target substrate towards a detector system. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the beam separator comprises pairs of electrodes oriented lengthwise along the first dimension. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a de-scanner to further deflect the secondary electrons such that the secondary electrons converge upon a detector. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a Wehnelt electrode configured to control charge at the surface of the target substrate, the Wehnelt electrode including a slot oriented lengthwise along the first dimension. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an additional electrode positioned further away from the surface of the target substrate than the Wehnelt electrode, the electrode having a positive potential with respect to the target substrate. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongated Wien filter is configured to deflect secondary electrons emitted from the target substrate so as the secondary electrons converge at a position of a detection system. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detection system comprises an energy analyzer. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an array of multiple sources for generating charged-particle beams. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the charged-particle beams from the multiple sources are deflected simultaneously such that each beam impinges telecentrically upon the surface of the target substrate. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising circuitry to detect a substrate current. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the detected substrate current is used to provide a signal for forming an image of the target substrate. 13. A method of electron beam inspection, the method comprising:generating a primary electron beam;scanning the primary electron beam in a first dimension; anddeflecting the scanned beam such that the scanned beam impinges telecentrically upon a surface of a target substrate,wherein said deflecting is performed using a Wien filter elongated and oriented lengthwise along the first dimension, andwherein the elongated Wien filter comprises an electric comb deflector applying an electric field along the first dimension and a static magnetic deflector applying a magnetic field perpendicular to the first dimension. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising separating secondary electrons emitted from the target substrate from the primary electron beam by deflecting the secondary electrons towards a detector system. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said separating is performed using pairs of electrodes oriented lengthwise along the first dimension. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling charge at the surface of the target substrate using a Wehnelt electrode, said Wehnelt electrode including a slot oriented lengthwise along the first dimension. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the elongated Wien filter deflects secondary electrons emitted from the target substrate so that the secondary electrons converge at a position of a detection system. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating an energy spectrum of the secondary electrons. 19. The method of claim 13, wherein the target substrate is translated in a direction perpendicular to the first dimension. 20. A method of electron beam lithography, the method comprising:generating a primary electron beam;scanning the primary electron beam in a first dimension;controllably blocking the primary electron beam so as to generate a programmed pattern; anddeflecting the scanned beam such that the scanned beam impinges telecentrically upon a surface of a target substrate,wherein said deflecting is performed using a Wien filter elongated and oriented lengthwise along the first dimension, andwherein the elongated Wien filter comprises an electric comb deflector applying an electric field along the first dimension and a static magnetic deflector applying a magnetic field perpendicular to the first dimension.