Patent ID: 6909103

Claim:
A particle-beam exposure apparatus ( 1 , 4 , 7 , 8 ) for irradiating a target ( 41 ) by means of a beam ( 2 ) of energetic electrically charged particles, comprising an illumination system ( 101 ) for generating and forming said energetic particles into a directed beam ( 21 ), a pattern definition means ( 102 ) located after the illumination system as seen along the direction of the beam, said pattern definition means being adapted to position a pattern composed of apertures transparent to the energetic particles in the path of the directed beam, thus forming a patterned beam ( 22 ) emerging from the pattern definition means through the apertures, and a projection system ( 103 ) positioned after the pattern definition means ( 102 ) and adapted to project the patterned beam ( 22 ) onto a target ( 41 ) positioned after the projection system, the apparatus further comprising at least one acceleration/deceleration means ( 32 , 14 , 17 , 18 ) containing an electric potential gradient oriented substantially parallel to the path of the beam, wherein the electric potential gradient is constant over at least a cross-section of the beam permeating the acceleration/deceleration means.