Illumination system for electron beam lithography tool

An electron source for an electron beam lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a cathode;
• an anode disposed proximate said cathode;
• and
• a charged-particle beam emittance controller disposed in a path of electrons emitted from said cathode and accelerated toward said anode,
• said charged-particle beam emittance controller comprising a plurality of electrostatic quadrupole lenslets.

A charged-particle beam emittance controller, comprising:

• a first outer wire mesh having a substantially planar form;
• a second outer wire mesh having a substantially planar form and being arranged substantially parallel to said first outer wire mesh;
• an inner wire mesh having a substantially planar form and being arranged between and substantially parallel to said first and second outer wire meshes;
• and
• a voltage source connected to at least one of said inner wire mesh, said first outer wire mesh and said second outer wire mesh, such that a first voltage difference between said inner wire mesh and said first outer wire mesh is substantially equal to a second voltage difference between said inner wire mesh and said second outer wire mesh,
• said first and second wire meshes and said inner wire mesh defining a plurality of electrostatic lenslets that generate substantially quadrupole electric field patterns at localized regions proximate each respective lenslet.

A method of producing a semiconductor device, comprising:

• generating a beam of charged particles;
• passing said beam of charged particles through an array of quadrupole electrostatic field patterns;
• illuminating a mask with said beam of charged particles, said mask having a pattern defined by regions which scatter charged particles more strongly than other regions of said mask;
• and
• exposing a semiconductor workpiece with charged particles from said beam of charged particles.

A charged particle beam source and controller, comprising:

• a cathode;
• an anode disposed proximate said cathode;
• and
• a beam controller disposed between said anode and said cathode,
• said beam controller comprising:
• a first outer wire mesh having a substantially planar form,
• a second outer wire mesh having a substantially planar form and being
• arranged substantially parallel to said first outer wire mesh, and
• an inner wire mesh having a substantially planar form and being arranged between and substantially parallel to said first and second outer wire meshes,
• each of said wire meshes comprising a plurality of parallel wires spaced apart, wherein said parallel wires of said first outer wire mesh and said parallel wires of second outer wire mesh extend in a first axial direction, and said parallel wires of said inner wire mesh extend in a second axial direction generally perpendicular to said first direction,
• said first and second outer wire meshes being at a first electric potential and said inner wire mesh being at a second electric potential different from said first electric potential.