Voltage Supply for Electrical Focusing of Electron Beams

A system for rapidly regulating a high-voltage signal, the system comprising:

• a first high-voltage final stage comprising:
• a first high-voltage connection;
• a plurality of first amplification elements that have an interconnection in a series configuration with the first high-voltage connection;
• and
• a potential dividing chain comprising a series of potential dividing elements, the potential dividing chain being interconnected with the first high-voltage connection, and when the series of first amplification elements and potential dividing elements is numbered starting from the first high-voltage connection, in each case a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n having a first signal interconnection with a potential dividing element of the series of potential dividing elements numbered n, so that when a voltage is applied across the potential dividing chain, a difference in voltages at a signal input to a first amplification element numbered n and at a signal input to the first amplification element numbered n+1 in every case has the same sign;
• a high-voltage output;
• and
• a regulator configured for producing at a first control signal output a first regulating signal from a set-point signal and an actual value signal, wherein the actual value signal is derived from a signal from the high-voltage output,
• wherein an actuation element for the first high-voltage final stage has a second signal interconnection with the first control signal output.

A rapidly regulable high-voltage supply for electrical focusing of an electron beam, the rapidly regulable high-voltage supply comprising:

• a system for rapid regulation of a high-voltage signal, the system comprising:
• a first high-voltage final stage comprising:
• a first high-voltage connection;
• a plurality of first amplification elements that have an interconnection in a series configuration with the first high-voltage connection;
• and
• a potential dividing chain comprising a series of potential dividing elements, the potential dividing chain being interconnected with the first high-voltage connection, and when the series of first amplification elements and potential dividing elements is numbered starting from the first high-voltage connection, in each case a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n having a first signal interconnection with a potential dividing element of the series of potential dividing elements numbered n, so that when a voltage is applied across the potential dividing chain, a difference in voltages at a signal input to a first amplification element numbered n and at a signal input to the first amplification element numbered n+1 in every case has the same sign;
• a high-voltage output;
• and
• a regulator configured for producing at a first control signal output a first regulating signal from a set-point signal and an actual value signal, wherein the actual value signal is derived from a signal from the high-voltage output, wherein the actuation element for the first high-voltage final stage has a second signal interconnection with the first control signal output;
• and
• a high-voltage source.

A method for operating a system for rapidly regulating a high-voltage signal, the system comprising a first high-voltage final stage comprising a first high-voltage connection, a plurality of first amplification elements that have an interconnection in a series configuration with the first high-voltage connection, and a potential dividing chain comprising a series of potential dividing elements, the potential dividing chain being interconnected with the first high-voltage connection, and when the series of first amplification elements and potential dividing elements is numbered starting from the first high-voltage connection, in each case a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n having a first signal interconnection with a potential dividing element of the series of potential dividing elements numbered n, so that when a voltage is applied across the potential dividing chain, a difference in voltages at a signal input to a first amplification element numbered n and at a signal input to the first amplification element numbered n+1 in every case has the same sign, the system further comprising a second high-voltage final stage comprising an actuation element, a high-voltage output, and a regulator configured for producing at a first control signal output a first regulating signal from a set-point signal and an actual value signal, wherein the actual value signal is derived from a signal from the high-voltage output, wherein the actuation element for the first high-voltage final stage has a second signal interconnection with the first control signal output, wherein the method comprises:

• controlling, with the regulator, the actuation elements such that at any time, only one of the first high-voltage final stage and the second high-voltage final stage conducts a current through the amplification elements to the high-voltage output.