A particle-optical arrangement, comprising: at least one charged-particle source for generating at least one beam of charged particles, at least one multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures formed in the plate, wherein the multi-aperture plate is configured to form a plurality of charged-particle beamlets from the at least one beam of charged particles downstream of the multi-aperture plate; a first focusing lens configured to provide a focusing field in a first region adjacent to the multi-aperture plate in a direction of the at least one beam; and an energy changing electrode, which is configured to provide an electrical field for changing a kinetic energy of charged particles of the at least one beam in a second region adjacent to the multi-aperture plate in the direction of the at least one beam, and wherein the first region, where the focusing field is provided, and the second region, where the energy changing field, is provided are overlapping regions; characterized in that the first focusing lens and the energy changing electrode are configured to provide the focusing field and the electrical field so that an overlap between the energy changing field and the focusing field is greater than 1 %, wherein the overlap is defined as an overlapping area under a first curve representing a field strength of the focusing field along a beam axis and a second curve representing a field strength of the energy changing field along the beam axis, wherein both curves are in arbitrary units and normalized such that peak values of both field strengths are at a same level, divided by a total area below the first curve or the second curve; the overlapping regions are located substantially upstream of the multi-aperture plate and the second region is located immediately upstream of the multi-aperture plate; and/or the overlapping regions are located substantially downstream of the multi-aperture plate. at least one charged-particle source for generating at least one beam of charged particles, at least one multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures formed in the plate, wherein the multi-aperture plate is configured to form a plurality of charged-particle beamlets from the at least one beam of charged particles downstream of the multi-aperture plate; a first focusing lens configured to provide a focusing field in a first region adjacent to the multi-aperture plate in a direction of the at least one beam; and an energy changing electrode, which is configured to provide an electrical field for changing a kinetic energy of charged particles of the at least one beam in a second region adjacent to the multi-aperture plate in the direction of the at least one beam, and wherein the first region, where the focusing field is provided, and the second region, where the energy changing field, is provided are overlapping regions; characterized in that the first focusing lens and the energy changing electrode are configured to provide the focusing field and the electrical field so that an overlap between the energy changing field and the focusing field is greater than 1 %, wherein the overlap is defined as an overlapping area under a first curve representing a field strength of the focusing field along a beam axis and a second curve representing a field strength of the energy changing field along the beam axis, wherein both curves are in arbitrary units and normalized such that peak values of both field strengths are at a same level, divided by a total area below the first curve or the second curve; the overlapping regions are located substantially upstream of the multi-aperture plate and the second region is located immediately upstream of the multi-aperture plate; and/or the overlapping regions are located substantially downstream of the multi-aperture plate.