fig1 shows a direct write or mask - leas lithography system 1 . the system comprises converter plate 2 , for instance a field emission array , in an embodiment for instance a semiconductor field emission array . such a field emission array comprises a two - dimensional array of cathodes 3 . in case the field emission array is a semiconductor field emission array , the cathodes are tips or needles of semiconductor material , like silicon tips . an example of a usable field emission array is described in pct / nl00 / 00657 and pct / nl00 / 00658 . each tip is capable of emitting an electron beamlet 6 . each tip has an activation area 4 on the side of the field emission array opposite to the cathodes 3 . this activation area 4 is much wider than the electron beamlet 6 : usually , the activation area 4 is about 2 microns wide , and the cross section of an electron beamlet is less than 100 nm , and can even be as small as 10 nm . each electron beamlet 6 is projected onto a substrate 7 , usually a semiconductor wafer . this kind of electron sources converts light into an electron beam . the cathodes 3 of the converter plate 2 are activated by light , falling onto the activation area 4 . in order to avoid cross talk ( activation of a neighbour cathode ), the cross section of a light beam activating a cathode has to be smaller than the activation area 4 . furthermore , for further reducing cross talk , each light beam should be well aligned with an activation area . in one embodiment , each activation area 4 is illuminated by an optical fiber 5 . thus , when using for instance a converter plate with about 10 4 cathodes , about 10 4 optical fibers are needed to activate all the cathodes . light for activating a cathode is thus transported to the activation area using optical fibers . this light is generated by a plurality of individually switchable light sources , for instance semiconductor lasers . in this embodiment , each optical fiber is connected to a semiconductor laser , and electronical or optical means for coupling light , generated by the light sources , into each optical fiber . the light on the activation area 4 can be switched on for instance by switching each light source on and off . another way of generating light on the activation area is using an optical switch to couple light from led &# 39 ; s of semiconductor lasers into and out of the optical fibers . the light sources ( or optical switches controlling the light sources ) are controlled using one or more computer systems 8 . in these ways , a very high data rate can be obtained : light can be modulated at ghz rates , making it possible to attain 10 13 pixels per second . in this way , a 25 mm × 25 mm square can be written each 0 . 3 seconds . the electron beamlets 6 are accelerated towards the object 7 . a coil 31 provides the magnetic field for focussing the electron beamlets . alternatively , each beamlet is focussed by a miniature electrostatic lens , the beamlets 6 are collectively scanned by the magnetic field produced by coils 32 and 32 ′. the scanning magnetic field is typically much weaker than the focussing field , i . e . in the order of 10 − 4 tesla compared to in the order of about 1 tesla for the focussing magnetic field . in a further embodiment , the scanning coils 32 , 32 ′ consist of current carrying plates , positioned very closely above and below the beamlets 6 . one of the current carrying plates can even be combined with the aperture plate described in pct / nl02 / 00541 . in this embodiment , current flows through the aperture plate and the converter plate , parallel with regard to the substrate 7 . this results in a magnetic field only between the converter plate and the aperture plate . the aperture plate is depicted in fig3 , but can also be applied in the other embodiments . the optical system of optical fibers , computer systems , light sources and , if needed , optical switches , and other optical components , all comprise components known from the field of optical telecommunication . in order to reduce the amount of fibers running from the computer system to the converter plate , known methods of multiplexing and demultiplexing , known from the field of telecommunication , can be used . specifically , the light used to activate the electron sources can be in the visual light range , for instance red ( about 700 - 600 nm ). fig2 a - 2c show several ways a pattern can be transferred . a substrate or the converter plate is moved in scan direction s s using for instance a wafer stage . at the same time , using for instance a magnetic field , each electron beamlet having a footprint 9 is scanned at a direction s m , substantially perpendicular to scan direction s s . in this way , the footprints 9 follow the trajectory p 1 and p 2 . the pattern 11 in fig2 b can be obtained by activating the cathodes at the fight instances . specifically , to realise trajectories p 1 and p 2 , the scan direction s m is at an angle with s s as indicated in fig2 a . fig2 c shows and alternative way of scanning , which can avoid the effect of stitching . in this embodiment , three beams follow trajectories p 1 , p 2 and p 3 . fig3 shows an alternative embodiment of the direct write lithography system of the current invention . here , the optical fibers end in one plane . in a specific embodiment , each fiber is provided with a micro lens 43 at its tip . the micro lenses 43 focus a light beam from an optical fiber in a small spot of typically 200 - 2000 nm in the plane 15 . this plane 15 is subsequently projected , using demagnifier 14 , onto the converter plate 2 . the demagnifier can be a 1 : 1 projector , or may be capable of projecting at a reduced size , for instance 1 : 4 . in fig3 , furthermore , an aperture plate 40 and electrostatic deflection strips 41 are shown . the electrostatic deflection strips 41 are connected to a power source 42 . in this embodiment , the scanning of beamlets 6 is performed by electrostatic means . the electrons are first accelerated towards aperture plate 40 , in the second part of their trajectory , after passing the aperture plate 40 , the electron beamlets are deflected by strips 41 which carry voltages , alternatively positive and negative . the combination of the focussing magnetic field and the electrostatic field deflects the electrons in a direction perpendicular to both the magnetic ( vide fig1 ) and electrostatic field . another embodiment of the current invention , shown in fig4 , uses an array of light sources close to or directly on top of the converter plate 2 . this array of light sources can for instance be an array of light emitting diodes ( led &# 39 ; s ) 23 . the light sources are switched on and off using computer system ( s ) 8 . the light sources are connected to the computer systems 8 by ( electronical ) data cables 20 . in order to reduce cross talk , an optical fiber plate can be placed between the array of light sources and the converter plate 2 . in another embodiment , the array of light sources is projected onto the converter plate 2 using a demagnifier , in the way already described in fig3 . this allows the array to be bigger in size , which gives for instance more room for electrical systems . in the embodiment of fig4 , the aperture plate and electrostatic lenses of fig3 can also be used . it is to be understood that the above description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention . the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims . from the above discussion , many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the present invention .