Patent ID: 8779392

Claim:
A charged particle beam lithography system comprising: a charged particle optical column ( 4 ) arranged in a vacuum chamber for projecting a charged particle beam onto a target wafer, wherein the column comprises deflecting means for deflecting the charged particle beam in a deflection direction, a target positioning device comprising a carrier for carrying the wafer ( 3 ), and a stage ( 52 ; 84 ) supported by linear bearings for carrying and moving the carrier along a first direction (X), wherein the first direction is different from the deflection direction, wherein the target positioning device comprises a first actuator ( 53 ) for moving the stage in the first direction (X) relative to the charged panicle optical column over a length that extends over the whole length of the wafer, a second actuator ( 59 ; 91 , 91 ′) for moving the carrier relative to the stage in a second direction (Y) which is different from said first direction, wherein said second actuator is a short-stroke actuator, and an optical column shielding means ( 6 ) for at least partially shielding the charged particle optical column ( 4 ) from ambient magnetic and/or electric fields, wherein the carrier is displaceably arranged on the stage and wherein the target positioning device comprises releasable locking means ( 541 ; 91 , 91 ′) for locking the position of the carrier with respect to the stage during driving of the stage ( 52 ; 84 ) in the first direction (X) by said first actuator ( 53 ), and for allowing a displacement of the carrier with respect to the stage ( 52 ; 84 ) when the locking means ( 541 ; 91 , 91 ′) are released, wherein the first actuator is arranged outside the optical column shielding means and wherein the locking means and the second actuator are arranged inside the optical column shielding means.