Charged particle optics components and their fabrication

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an electrode component with at least two electrodes or a multipole component as generally known in the art. Each of the electrodes can be provided with a beam neighboring section or end section forming the free electrodes. This section is the section exposed to high voltages, i.e. more than 10 KV, and is intended to nevertheless work very reliable and precise with respect to the guidance and/or controlling of a beam of a charged particle beam in a microscope or lithographic apparatus. This neighboring section are positioned in the vicinity or close to a charged particle beam or even facing it. This bears the preferred advantage that high voltages can be generated by the electrodes or to the electrode component and they can withstand those high voltages. This assists in a better guidance and/or controlling of the charged beam, such as for compensating aberration etc. The beam neighboring section can have a surface configured to face the beam. This neighboring section or surface are fabricated with absolute dimensional tolerances less than a desired maximum absolute dimensional tolerance wherein the desired maximum absolute dimensional tolerance is based at least on a maximum voltage to be applied to the electrode. With such a precisely fabricated surface, a more precise and/or efficient field can be generated being able to control the charged particle beam more precisely and efficiently.