Multi-charged particle beam irradiation device and method

Abstract

A multi-charged particle beam irradiation apparatus and method are provided to suppress the influence of secondary electrons emitted from a stop aperture substrate on a beam. According to one aspect of the invention, the multi-charged particle beam irradiation apparatus comprises: a plurality of shielding devices that individually shield and deflect each of the multiple beams; a stop aperture substrate that shields the beams that have been shielded and deflected by the plurality of shielding devices to a beam OFF state, and has an opening for the beams in a beam ON state to pass through; a front electrode disposed upstream of the optical path above the stop aperture substrate; and a potential control circuit that generates an electric field in the direction from the front electrode toward the stop aperture substrate. The inner diameter d of the front electrode is calculated based on the distance r1 from the center of the opening to the position where the shielded and deflected beams irradiate the stop aperture substrate, and the diffusion radius r2 of the multiple beams at the height position of the upper end of the front electrode.

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