Apertured plate support mechanism and charged-particle beam instrument equipped therewith

摘要

An apertured plate support mechanism used in an electron beam lithography machine. The apertured plate is held to a plate holder. The plate support mechanism has the plate holder for holding the apertured plate and a holder support for supporting the plate holder. The apertured plate is provided with an aperture through which a beam of charged particles passes. Grooves extending radially in plural directions about the center axis of the aperture are formed in the supported surface of the plate holder or the supporting surface of the holder support. Convex portions engaged in the grooves are formed on the other of the supported or supporting surfaces.