Patent ID: 8890092

Claim:
A multi-particle beam column, having two or more particle beam columns, each particle beam column comprising a particle beam emission source, a deflector, and two or more electrode layers, wherein the multi-particle beam column comprises at least one electrode layer having two or more apertures that are eccentric from respective beam optical axes of each particle beam column (hereinafter referred to as the “eccentric electrode layer”), wherein the respective apertures of the eccentric electrode layer are positioned in an eccentric direction offset from the respective beam optical axes of the multi-particle beam column to avoid overlapping the respective particle beam optical axes of each particle beam column, wherein the eccentric electrode layer is positioned below the deflector, and wherein the respective deflectors of the multi- particle beam column are configured to scan all the respective particle beams to the same direction simultaneously, whereby the respective particle beams of the multi-particle beam column are not simultaneously irradiated onto a sample.