A beam blanking device (100, 200, 300, 400) for a multi-beamlet charged particle beam apparatus, comprising: a first blanking unit (110, 210, 310, 500) including a first blanking electrode (452, 522) and a first aperture (454, 524); a second blanking unit (120, 220, 320) including a second blanking electrode and a second aperture; a third blanking unit (130, 230, 330) including a third blanking electrode and a third aperture; and a common electrode (108, 208, 408, 520) forming a first counter electrode for the first blanking electrode, a second counter electrode for the second blanking electrode and a third counter electrode for the third blanking electrode, wherein the first blanking unit, the second blanking unit and the third blanking unit are arranged in a planar array (105, 205, 305, 405) and define a plane of the planar array, wherein the first blanking electrode is arranged for generating a first electric field between the first blanking electrode and the common electrode in the first aperture for deflecting a first beamlet (B1, B) of the multi-beamlet charged particle beam apparatus into a first deflection direction (D110, D500), the second blanking electrode is arranged for generating a second electric field between the second blanking electrode and the common electrode in the second aperture for deflecting a second beamlet of the multi-beamlet charged particle beam apparatus into a second deflection direction, and the third blanking electrode is arranged for generating a third electric field between the third blanking electrode and the common electrode in the third aperture for deflecting a third beamlet of the multi-beamlet charged particle beam apparatus into a third deflection direction, and wherein a dividing plane intersecting the planar array separates the first blanking unit from the second blanking unit and the third blanking unit, wherein the first deflection direction, the second deflection direction and the third deflection direction point away from the dividing plane, and wherein the planar array is a regular lattice of blanking units that is separated by the dividing plane into two half-lattices, wherein the blanking units within each half-lattice form groups, wherein blanking units within each group can only be jointly operated and are configured for jointly deflecting beamlets passing therethrough, and blanking units of any of the different groups are configured for deflecting the beamlets passing therethrough independently of the other groups. a first blanking unit (110, 210, 310, 500) including a first blanking electrode (452, 522) and a first aperture (454, 524); a second blanking unit (120, 220, 320) including a second blanking electrode and a second aperture; a third blanking unit (130, 230, 330) including a third blanking electrode and a third aperture; and a common electrode (108, 208, 408, 520) forming a first counter electrode for the first blanking electrode, a second counter electrode for the second blanking electrode and a third counter electrode for the third blanking electrode, wherein the first blanking unit, the second blanking unit and the third blanking unit are arranged in a planar array (105, 205, 305, 405) and define a plane of the planar array, wherein the first blanking electrode is arranged for generating a first electric field between the first blanking electrode and the common electrode in the first aperture for deflecting a first beamlet (B1, B) of the multi-beamlet charged particle beam apparatus into a first deflection direction (D110, D500), the second blanking electrode is arranged for generating a second electric field between the second blanking electrode and the common electrode in the second aperture for deflecting a second beamlet of the multi-beamlet charged particle beam apparatus into a second deflection direction, and the third blanking electrode is arranged for generating a third electric field between the third blanking electrode and the common electrode in the third aperture for deflecting a third beamlet of the multi-beamlet charged particle beam apparatus into a third deflection direction, and wherein a dividing plane intersecting the planar array separates the first blanking unit from the second blanking unit and the third blanking unit, wherein the first deflection direction, the second deflection direction and the third deflection direction point away from the dividing plane, and wherein the planar array is a regular lattice of blanking units that is separated by the dividing plane into two half-lattices, wherein the blanking units within each half-lattice form groups, wherein blanking units within each group can only be jointly operated and are configured for jointly deflecting beamlets passing therethrough, and blanking units of any of the different groups are configured for deflecting the beamlets passing therethrough independently of the other groups.