1. An apparatus for use in a charged particle multi-beam lithography system comprising:
a stage for securing a substrate and supporting relative movement between the substrate and an output from a radiation source;
the radiation source for producing a beamlet; and
a plurality of charged particle doublets each having a first aperture and each configured to demagnify the beamlet incident upon the first aperture, thereby producing a demagnified beamlet to be directed at the stage.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of charged particle lenses each having a second aperture, each associated with one of the charged particle doublets, and each configured to receive the demagnified beamlet from the associated charged particle doublet and to realize one of two states: a switched-on state, wherein the demagnified beamlet is allowed to travel along a desired path toward the stage, and a switched-off state, wherein the demagnified beamlet is prevented from traveling along the desired path.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first aperture of each of the charged particle doublets is greater than the second aperture of the associated charged particle lens.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the charged particle doublets includes two positive charged particle lenses.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charged particle doublets are arranged in a square grid configuration.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charged particle doublets are arranged in a checker board configuration.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charged particle doublets include a plurality of plates, and wherein
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first aperture of each of the charged particle doublets is a hole through the plurality of plates.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of plates are made of a conductive material.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of plates are stacked one over another with an insulating material in between adjacent plates.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the insulating material is ceramic.
12. An apparatus for use in a charged particle multi-beam lithography system comprising:
a charged particle doublet having a first aperture and configured to pass and demagnify a beamlet incident thereupon; and
a charged particle lens having a second aperture that is axially aligned with the first aperture, wherein the charged particle lens is configured to realize a switched-on state, wherein the demagnified beamlet is allowed to travel along a desired path, and a switched-off state, wherein the demagnified beamlet is prevented from traveling along the desired path.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first aperture is bigger than the second aperture.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first and second apertures are of the same shape.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the charged particle doublet includes two converging charged particle lenses.
16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the charged particle doublet includes six conductive plates spaced away by a first distance, and wherein the first aperture is a hole through the six conductive plates.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the six conductive plates each have a thickness ranging from about 10 to about 100 microns and the first distance ranges from about 100 microns to about 1,000 microns.
18. A charged particle multi-beam lithography system comprising:
an illumination system that is configured to generate a first charged particle beam that is substantially telecentric; and
an electro-optical column that includes a plurality of doublets, wherein each of the doublets includes a first aperture, and is configured to demagnify a portion of the first charged particle beam passing through the first aperture, thereby producing a demagnified beamlet that is also substantially telecentric.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the electro-optical column further includes a plurality of blankers each associated with one of the doublets, wherein each of the blankers includes a second aperture, is configured to receive the demagnified beamlet from the associated doublet, and is configured to realize one of two states: a switched-on state, wherein the demagnified beamlet is allowed to travel along a desired path, and a switched-off state, wherein the demagnified beamlet is prevented from traveling along the desired path.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first aperture is bigger than the second aperture.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A side panel assembly line having a setting station, a welding station, and a next working station which are successively arranged in a series in the order named, characterized by comprising:
a setting carriage supporting a setting jig for laterally holding a side panel in an erected attitude, said setting carriage being reciprocally movable between the setting station and the welding station; and
a frame carriage having a lower frame and an upper frame for holding therebetween a side panel in an erected attitude with clamp members mounted thereon, said frame carriage being reciprocally movable between the welding station and the next working station for transferring a side panel to and from said setting frame.
2. A side panel assembly line according to claim 1, characterized in that said welding station has a welding robot disposed at least on one side of the side panel assembly line in the direction of the flow thereon, said setting carriage being positioned on a side of said welding robot opposite to said frame carriage and supporting said setting jig for movement in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the flow on said assembly line between a transfer position for transferring said side panel to and from said frame carriage and a withdrawn position for holding the side panel.
3. A side panel assembly line according to claim 1 or 2, including a pair of left and right symmetrical assembly lines for assembling left and right side panels.
4. A side panel assembly line according to claim 3, characterized in that said frame carriage has a lower frame and an upper frame which are separate from each other, said lower frame and said upper frame being movable synchronously under synchronous control of respective drive sources independent of each other.
5. A side panel assembly line according to claim 4, characterized by a first endless movable member disposed along the path of movement of one of said frames for movement in unison with said one of the frames, a second endless movable member disposed along the path of movement of the other of said frames for movement in unison with said other of the frames, and belt-and-pulley transmitting means for connecting the endless movable members for synchronous movement thereof.
6. A side panel assembly line according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said frame carriage comprises left and right lower frames, a portal-shaped frame disposed astride the lower frames, and an upper frame coupled to said portal-shaped frame, said setting carriage being disposed for being introduced between the lower frames of said frame carriage in the direction of the flow on said assembly line.
7. A side panel assembly line according to any one of claims 1 through 6, characterized in that in said welding station, the side panel is temporarily welded by the welding robot before the side panel is transferred from said setting carriage to said frame carriage, and the side panel additionally welded after the side panel is transferred from said setting carriage to said frame carriage.