In this paper, the coma of the fifth-order aberration at a large deflection
angle has been analyzed by using multipole field theory. The dilemma effec
t exists in the comas of fifth-order aberration. The dilemma effect, whose
value D-r is constant and independent of the TO-pole field, is the linear c
ombination of coma aberrations. The coma of the fifth-order aberration is c
orrected by adjusting the 10-pole field distribution when D-r is zero or sm
all. The factors that influence the dilemma effect have been calculated and
analyzed. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.