Patent ID: 7084411

Claim:
A device ( 102 ) for defining a pattern, for use in a particle-beam exposure apparatus ( 100 ), said device adapted to be irradiated with a beam (lb) of electrically charged particles and allow the passage of the beam (pb) only through a plurality of apertures, comprising an aperture array means ( 203 ) having a plurality of apertures ( 21 , 230 ) defining the shape of beamlets (bm) permeating said apertures and at least one deflector array means ( 501 , 502 , 503 ) separate from the aperture array means ( 203 ), said deflector array means ( 501 , 502 , 503 ) having a plurality of openings ( 250 ) surrounding the beamlets (bm), wherein for each opening or group of openings are provided at least two deflecting electrodes (ea 1 , ea 2 ; eb 1 , eb 2 ) to which different electrostatic potentials are applicable, thus correcting the path of the beamlet(s) passing through the respective opening according to a desired path through the device ( 102 ), wherein, according to a partition of the plurality of apertures ( 21 , 230 ) into a set of subfields (Aij), the deflecting electrodes belonging to the same subfield (Aij) have common electric supplies.