A modulation device for use in a charged particle lithography system for patterning a plurality of charged particle beamlets in accordance with a pattern, the beamlets defining a column, the modulation device serving to modulate the beamlets to prevent one or more of the beamlets from reaching the target surface or allow one or more of the beamlets to reach the target surface, by deflecting or not deflecting the beamlets, the modulation device comprising: a plurality of apertures arranged in arrays for letting the beamlets pass through the modulation device; a plurality of modulators arranged in two-dimensional arrays, each modulator provided with electrodes (32, 34) extending on opposing sides of an aperture of the plurality of apertures for generating a voltage difference across the aperture; a plurality of photodiodes arranged in arrays, for receiving modulated light signals and converting the light signals into electric signals for actuating the modulators, wherein the photodiodes are located within the column; demultiplexers: wherein the modulation device is subdivided into a plurality of alternating beam areas and non-beam areas the arrays of modulators are located in the beam areas and the arrays of photodiodes and said demultiplexers are located in the non-beam areas and are in communication with the modulators in an adjacent beam area: characterized in that each of the photodiodes is configured to provide one of said electric signals to control a second plurality of the modulators; wherein the modulated light signals received by the photodiodes are multiplexed to provide information to control more than one modulator, and wherein each photodiode is configured to communicate with one of said demultiplexers arranged to demultiplex the received electric signal to control the second plurality of modulators. a plurality of apertures arranged in arrays for letting the beamlets pass through the modulation device; a plurality of modulators arranged in two-dimensional arrays, each modulator provided with electrodes (32, 34) extending on opposing sides of an aperture of the plurality of apertures for generating a voltage difference across the aperture; a plurality of photodiodes arranged in arrays, for receiving modulated light signals and converting the light signals into electric signals for actuating the modulators, wherein the photodiodes are located within the column; demultiplexers: wherein the modulation device is subdivided into a plurality of alternating beam areas and non-beam areas the arrays of modulators are located in the beam areas and the arrays of photodiodes and said demultiplexers are located in the non-beam areas and are in communication with the modulators in an adjacent beam area: characterized in that each of the photodiodes is configured to provide one of said electric signals to control a second plurality of the modulators; wherein the modulated light signals received by the photodiodes are multiplexed to provide information to control more than one modulator, and wherein each photodiode is configured to communicate with one of said demultiplexers arranged to demultiplex the received electric signal to control the second plurality of modulators. wherein the modulation device is subdivided into a plurality of alternating beam areas and non-beam areas the arrays of modulators are located in the beam areas and the arrays of photodiodes and said demultiplexers are located in the non-beam areas and are in communication with the modulators in an adjacent beam area: characterized in that each of the photodiodes is configured to provide one of said electric signals to control a second plurality of the modulators; wherein the modulated light signals received by the photodiodes are multiplexed to provide information to control more than one modulator, and wherein each photodiode is configured to communicate with one of said demultiplexers arranged to demultiplex the received electric signal to control the second plurality of modulators.