Voltage supply for electrical focusing of electron beams

1. A high-voltage final stage comprising:

a first high-voltage connection;

a plurality of first amplification elements that have an interconnection in a series configuration with the first high-voltage connection;

a potential dividing chain comprising a series of potential dividing elements, the potential dividing chain being interconnected with the first high-voltage connection, and when the series of first amplification elements and potential dividing elements is numbered starting from the first high-voltage connection, in each case a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n having a first signal interconnection with a potential dividing element of the series of potential dividing elements numbered n, so that when a voltage is applied across the potential dividing chain, a difference in voltages at a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n and at a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n+1 in every case has the same sign;

one or more components, each of the one or more components being arranged in series with a signal output from a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements, such that the first amplification element counteracts any change in a signal level at a signal output of the first amplification element; and

a second high-voltage connection and a non-linear element that is connected in series with the potential dividing chain between the first high-voltage connection and the second high-voltage connection, when the non-linear element has an applied voltage that is above a predefined threshold, the non-linear element conducts current; and

an actuation element, a resistance of the actuation element being adjustable between a high-ohmic state and a low-ohmic state, the actuation element being connected in series with the plurality of the first amplification elements between the first high-voltage connection and the second high-voltage connection,

wherein a second signal interconnection between the non-linear element and the actuation element is configured such that when the actuation element is in the high-ohmic state, a first current flows from the potential dividing chain through the non-linear element to the second high-voltage connection, and when the actuation element is in the low-ohmic state, a second current flows from the potential dividing chain through the actuation element to the second high-voltage connection.

2. The high-voltage final stage of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first amplification elements are metal oxide field effect transistors.

3. The high-voltage final stage of claim 1 , wherein the non-linear element is a Zener diode.

4. The high-voltage final stage of claim 1 , wherein the actuation element is an opto-coupler.

5. A system for rapidly regulating a high-voltage signal, the system comprising:

a first high-voltage final stage comprising:

a first high-voltage connection; a plurality of first amplification elements that have an interconnection in a series configuration with the first high-voltage connection; and

a potential dividing chain comprising a series of potential dividing elements, the potential dividing chain being interconnected with the first high-voltage connection, and when the series of first amplification elements and potential dividing elements is numbered starting from the first high-voltage connection, in each case a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n having a first signal interconnection with a potential dividing element of the series of potential dividing elements numbered n, so that when a voltage is applied across the potential dividing chain, a difference in voltages at a signal input to a first amplification element numbered n and at a signal input to the first amplification element numbered n+1 in every case has the same sign;

a high-voltage output; and

a regulator configured for producing at a first control signal output a first regulating signal from a set-point signal and an actual value signal,

wherein the actual value signal is derived from a signal from the high-voltage output,

wherein an actuation element for the first high-voltage final stage has a second signal interconnection with the first control signal output.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein a high-voltage output from a second high-voltage connection is the first high-voltage final stage.

7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a second high-voltage final stage, the second high-voltage final stage comprising a first high-voltage connection, a plurality of first amplification elements that have an interconnection in a series configuration with the first high-voltage connection, and a potential dividing chain comprising a series of potential dividing elements, the potential dividing chain being interconnected with the first high-voltage connection, and when the series of first amplification elements and potential dividing elements is numbered starting from the first high-voltage connection, in each case a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n having a first signal interconnection with a potential dividing element of the series of potential dividing elements numbered n, so that when a voltage is applied across the potential dividing chain, a difference in voltages at a signal input to a first amplification element numbered n and at a signal input to the first amplification element numbered n+1 in every case has the same sign,

wherein a second high-voltage connection of the first high-voltage final stage is electrically interconnected with a third high-voltage connection of the second high-voltage final stage and with the high-voltage output, and

wherein the regulator is configured to provide a second regulating signal at a second control signal output, and an actuation element of the second high-voltage final stage includes a third signal interconnection with the second control signal output.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first high-voltage final stage further comprises one or more components, each of the one or more components being arranged in series with a signal output from a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements, such that the first amplification element counteracts any change in a signal level at a signal output of the first amplification element.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first high-voltage final stage further comprises:

a second high-voltage connection and a non-linear element that is connected in series with the potential dividing chain between the first high-voltage connection and the second high-voltage connection, wherein when the non-linear element has an applied voltage that is above a predefined threshold, the non-linear element conducts current; and

an actuation element, a resistance of the actuation element being adjustable between a high-ohmic state and a low-ohmic state, the actuation element being connected in series with the plurality of the first amplification elements between the first high-voltage connection and the second high-voltage connection,

wherein a second signal interconnection between the non-linear element and the actuation element is configured such that when the actuation element is in the high-ohmic state, a first current flows from the potential dividing chain through the non-linear element to the second high-voltage connection, and when the actuation element is in the low-ohmic state, a second current flows from the potential dividing chain through the actuation element to the second high-voltage connection.

10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of first amplification elements are metal oxide field effect transistors.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the non-linear element is a Zener diode.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the actuation element is an opto-coupler.

13. A rapidly regulable high-voltage supply for electrical focusing of an electron beam, the rapidly regulable high-voltage supply comprising:

a system for rapid regulation of a high-voltage signal, the system comprising:

a first high-voltage final stage comprising:

a first high-voltage connection;

a plurality of first amplification elements that have an interconnection in a series configuration with the first high-voltage connection; and

a potential dividing chain comprising a series of potential dividing elements, the potential dividing chain being interconnected with the first high-voltage connection, and when the series of first amplification elements and potential dividing elements is numbered starting from the first high-voltage connection, in each case a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n having a first signal interconnection with a potential dividing element of the series of potential dividing elements numbered n, so that when a voltage is applied across the potential dividing chain, a difference in voltages at a signal input to a first amplification element numbered n and at a signal input to the first amplification element numbered n+1 in every case has the same sign;

a high-voltage output; and

a regulator configured for producing at a first control signal output a first regulating signal from a set-point signal and an actual value signal,

wherein the actual value signal is derived from a signal from the high-voltage output,

wherein the actuation element for the first high-voltage final stage has a second signal interconnection with the first control signal output; and a high-voltage source.

14. The rapidly regulable high-voltage supply of claim 13 , wherein the first high-voltage final stage further comprises one or more components, each of the one or more components being arranged in series with a signal output from a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements, such that the first amplification element counteracts any change in a signal level at a signal output of the first amplification element.

15. The rapidly regulable high-voltage supply of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of first amplification elements are metal oxide field effect transistors.

16. A method for operating a system for rapidly regulating a high-voltage signal, the system comprising a first high-voltage final stage comprising a first high-voltage connection, a plurality of first amplification elements that have an interconnection in a series configuration with the first high-voltage connection, and a potential dividing chain comprising a series of potential dividing elements, the potential dividing chain being interconnected with the first high-voltage connection, and when the series of first amplification elements and potential dividing elements is numbered starting from the first high-voltage connection, in each case a signal input to a first amplification element of the plurality of first amplification elements numbered n having a first signal interconnection with a potential dividing element of the series of potential dividing elements numbered n, so that when a voltage is applied across the potential dividing chain, a difference in voltages at a signal input to a first amplification element numbered n and at a signal input to the first amplification element numbered n+1 in every case has the same sign, the system further comprising a second high-voltage final stage comprising an actuation element, a high-voltage output, and a regulator configured for producing at a first control signal output a first regulating signal from a set-point signal and an actual value signal, wherein the actual value signal is derived from a signal from the high-voltage output, wherein the actuation element for the first high-voltage final stage has a second signal interconnection with the first control signal output, wherein the method comprises:

controlling, with the regulator, the actuation elements such that at any time, only one of the first high-voltage final stage and the second high-voltage final stage conducts a current through the amplification elements to the high-voltage output.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein a level of the first regulating signal, a second regulating signal, or the first regulating signal and the second regulating signal is dependent on a difference between the set-point signal and the actual value signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the level of the first regulating signal, the second regulating signal, or the first regulating signal and the second regulating signal changes between a first predefined value and a second predefined value, and a ratio between a first time duration, during which the level assumes a first value, and a second time duration, during which the level assumes a second value, is dependent on the difference between the set-point signal and the actual value signal.