Raster frame beam system for electron beam lithography

Apparatus for writing a master image on a substrate, comprising:

• a controller, which is adapted to divide the master image into a matrix of frames, each frame comprising an array of pixels defining a respective frame image in a respective frame position within the master image;
• a translation device, which is adapted to cause an electron beam to scan over the substrate in a primary scan direction;
• electron optics, which are adapted to scan the electron beam in a secondary scan direction, transverse to the primary scan direction, so that the electron beam is scanned in a raster pattern over the substrate;
• and
• an electron beam generator, which is adapted to generate and shape the electron beam responsively to the respective frame image of each of the frames as the electron beam is scanned over the respective frame position on the substrate, so that in each frame, the electron beam simultaneously writes a multiplicity of the pixels onto the substrate.