Charged particle lithography system with a long shape illumination beam

A pattern generator (PG) comprising:

• a mirror array plate including a plurality of mirrors an electrode plate disposed over the mirror array plate, wherein the electrode plate includes a plurality of lens lets, wherein each lens let has an aperture having a first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension with the first dimension being larger than the second dimension, wherein the aperture is configured to shape a radiation beam let passing through the aperture to have an elongated cross-section corresponding to the shape of the aperture;
• and
• an insulator layer sandwiched between the mirror array plate and the electrode plate.

A pattern generator system, comprising:

• a mirror array plate configured to receive a radiation beam, wherein the mirror array plate includes a set of mirrors, wherein each mirror is configured to absorb the radiation beam or to reflect the radiation beam to generate a radiation beam let;
• and
• a lens let array disposed over the mirror array plate, wherein the lens let array includes a set of lens let channels, wherein each lens let channel extends from a top opening to a bottom opening, wherein the bottom opening aligns with a corresponding mirror, wherein the top opening has an elongated shape with a length and a width perpendicular to the length, wherein the length is greater than the width, and wherein the top opening is configured to shape the radiation beam let generated by the corresponding mirror to project an elongated illumination pixel.