An apparatus for generating and transporting a charged particle beam. The apparatus has a source which generates the charged particle beam at two current levels, and a magnet system for bending the beam. Particles of different energies are bent along different paths, whereby at a specific height within the magnet system the radial displacement from the beam axis is a monotone function of the difference between the energy and the nominal energy. At this height there is provided an energy selection filter having at least one bimetallic element. This element projects into the beam and, thus, intercepts beam particles; it is designed such that its interception distance decreases with increasing beam current. As a result, the energy range of particles passing the filter is broader at the higher current level broader than at the lower current level.