Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to obtain a containment concrete cask which has heat removal capacity maintained at the conventional level or beyond it and which prevents radiation from leaking to the outside. In a concrete cask, a shielding body composed of concrete and heat transfer fins made from metal are provided between an inner shell and an outer shell made from metal, and an accommodation portion for accommodating a radioactive substance is provided inside the inner shell. The accommodation portion has a containment structure to be insulated from the outside of the cask. In the heat transfer fins, the portions thereof at the outer shellside are provided in contact with the outer shell and the portions thereof at the inner shell side are cut so as to form a separation portion with respect to the inner shell.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an illumination system for conditioning a beam of radiation, and a support for supporting a patterning device. The patterning device serves to impart the beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section. The apparatus also includes a substrate table for holding a substrate, a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a high voltage conductor in a part of the apparatus that is evacuated or at a low pressure during normal use of the apparatus. The conductor is coated by an isolation layer having a conductivity that is high enough to prevent charge build-up on the outside thereof during use of the apparatus, and low enough to limit peak current flow during a breakdown.

Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor fabrication apparatus capable of preventing increase of carriage time of samples, deterioration of sample output, increase of footprint and increase of investment costs. The vacuum processing apparatus comprises a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for subjecting a sample to vacuum processing; a vacuum carriage for carrying the sample into and out of the vacuum processing chamber; a switchable chamber capable of being switched between atmosphere and vacuum for carrying the sample into and out of the vacuum processing chamber; a cassette support for supporting a plurality of cassettes and a controller for controlling carrying of the sample from a cassette through the switchable chambers, the vacuum carriage means into and out of the vacuum processing chamber. The vacuum processing chamber is equipped with an etching chamber and a critical dimension measurement chamber for critical dimension inspection of the sample.

Abstract: A radiation applicator system is structured to be mounted to a radiation source for providing a predefined dose of radiation for treating a localized area or volume, such as the tissue surrounding the site of an excised tumor. The applicator system includes an applicator and an adapter. The adapter is formed for fixedly securing the applicator to a radiation source, such as a radiosurgery system which produces a predefined radiation dose profile with respect to a predefined location along the radiation producing probe. The applicator includes a shank and an applicator head, wherein the head is located at a distal end of the applicator shank. A proximate end of the applicator shank couples to the adapter. A distal end of the shank includes the applicator head, which is adapted for engaging and/or supporting the area or volume to be treated with a predefined does of radiation.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to protect a photomask that is used for semiconductor photolithography at wavelengths outside the visible spectrum include a pellicle that is readily retracted during exposure or to provide access to the photomask. The pellicle can be transparent at an inspection wavelength and opaque at an exposure wavelength. In various embodiments, the pellicle is slid, retracted, or pivoted relative to a base aligned with the photomask, thus uncovering the photomask. When overlying the photomask, the pellicle can be secured with magnetic elements, such as magnets or electromagnets. In another embodiment, the pellicle includes a diaphragm having a plurality of shutter leaves that can be opened or closed. Methods of using a pellicle are also described.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope is described having a cantilever comprising a base and a probe tip on an end opposite the base; a cantilever drive device connected to the base; a magnetic material coupled to the probe tip, such that when an incrementally increasing magnetic field is applied to the magnetic material an incrementally increasing force will be applied to the probe tip; a moveable specimen base; and a controller constructed to obtain a profile height of a specimen at a point based upon a contact between the probe tip and a specimen, and measure an adhesion force between the probe tip and the specimen by, under control of a program, incrementally increasing an amount of a magnetic field until a release force, sufficient to break the contact, is applied. An imaging method for atomic force microscopy involving measuring a specimen profile height and adhesion force at multiple points within an area and concurrently displaying the profile and adhesion force for each of the points is also described.

Abstract: An electron beam lithography apparatus for providing one-to-one or x-to-one projection of a pattern includes a pyroelectric emitter, which is disposed a predetermined distance apart from a substrate holder, the pyroelectric emitter including a pyroelectric plate having a dielectric plate on a surface thereof and a patterned semiconductor thin film on the dielectric plate facing the substrate holder, a heating source for heating the pyroelectric emitter, and either a pair of magnets disposed beyond the pyroelectric emitter and the substrate holder, respectively, or a deflection unit disposed between the pyroelectric emitter and the substrate holder, to control paths of electrons emitted by the pyroelectric emitter. In operation, when the pyroelectric emitter is heated in a vacuum, electrons are emitted from portions of the pyroelectric plate that are not covered by the patterned semiconductor thin film.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein ions having a particular desired charge state are selected by operating an ion mobility spectrometer in combination with a quadrupole mass filter. Precursor ions are fragmented or reacted to form product ions in a collision cell ion trap and sent back upstream to an upstream ion trap. The fragment or product ions are then passed through the ion mobility spectrometer wherein they become temporally separated according to their ion mobility. Fragment or product ions are then re-trapped in the collision cell ion trap before being released therefrom in packets. A pusher electrode of a time of flight mass analyser is energised a predetermined period of time after a packet of ions is released from the collision cell ion trap. Accordingly, it is possible to select multiply charged precursor ions from a background of singly charged ions, fragment them, and mass analyse the fragment ions with a near 100% duty cycle across the whole mass range.

Abstract: The invention provides a particle-optical device for irradiating an object with a beam of particles. The device comprises a housing in which are located positioning means 1 for positioning the object within the housing.

Abstract: One embodiment disclosed relates to an electron beam imaging apparatus. An electron source is configured to generate an electron beam, and a beam-limiting aperture is configured to block a portion of the electron beam and to allow transmission of another portion of the electron beam through the aperture. A first detector is configured to detect scattered electrons emitted by the aperture due to the blocked portion of the electron beam. The imaging apparatus may also include a second detector configured to detect scattered electrons emitted by the sample due to impingement of the transmitted portion of the electron beam. A gain control device may also be included to adjust a gain of a detected signal derived from the second detector using a control signal derived from the first detector. Another embodiment disclosed relates to an electron beam lithography apparatus. The lithography apparatus may adjust a pixel dwell time based on a control signal derived from the scattered electrons emitted by the aperture.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to apparatus and methods of attenuating vibration, particularly for modern stepper machines and other types of vibration sensitive equipment. The attenuation system exhibits good vibration attenuation in the axial or support direction, and exhibits low or substantially zero lateral stiffness to prevent transmission of any vibrations between any of various portions of the machine. In one embodiment, an apparatus for attenuating transmission of lateral vibration between a first mass and a second mass comprises a vibration attenuation device including at least one bellows oriented along a support axis. The at least one bellows is connected between the first mass and the second mass and has an interior volume pressurized with a fluid to an internal fluid pressure which is greater than a zero-stiffness pressure such that the vibration attenuation device exhibits a negative lateral stiffness.

Abstract: An ion beam irradiation apparatus is equipped with a plasma generator which generates a plasma and supplies it to a region in the vicinity of the upstream side of a substrate, thereby suppressing a charging up of a surface of the substrate, which results from an irradiation of the ion beam. The radio frequency electric source for supplying the plasma for generating the plasma to a plasma generator is a radio frequency electric source for producing a radio frequency electric power formed by amplitude modulating an original radio frequency signal.

Abstract: An ion implantation simulator that computes an ion density distribution at high speed and with high accuracy based on a beam dispersion phenomenon in an ion implantation process. The ion implantation simulator is provided with the beam dispersion approximate function storage section 121, which stores a beam dispersion approximate function that is obtained through approximation of ion beam dispersion by using a predetermined function; a beam intensity computing section 131, which computes an area surface beam intensity that indicates an intensity of the ion beam on a surface of an implanted area by using the beam dispersion approximate function; and an ion density distribution computing section 132, which computes the density distribution of the ion, which is implanted by the ion beam into the device through the surface of the implanted area, by using the area surface beam intensity.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and a method for analyzing and identifying an unknown sample using ion mobility spectrometry. The method pulses an ion gate using a temporally spaced pattern of ion admitting periods and ion repelling periods to achieve an admission duty cycle of about 50% of the total scan time. Ions passing through the drift tube strike an ion detector, generating a time dependent mobility spectrum. A combination of wavelet decomposition and statistical evaluators are used on the mobility spectrum to produce a distinct signature associated with the sample. Signatures are also generated for a number of known agents, and the known agent signatures are used to program a neural network. The sample signature is then compared to the signatures for the known agents using a fuzzy decision maker.

Abstract: A device and methods are provided, the device comprising a conductive union disposed in a conductive holder, a first fitting capable of coupling with the holder and fluidly communicating with the conductive union, and a spray tip disposed in the fitting and communicating with the conductive union along an axis. The device also comprises a ferrule and fitting capable of coupling with a second holder and communicating with a second conductive union, a tube disposed in the ferrule and fluidly communicating with the first conductive union and the spray tip along the axis. The assembly also includes an insulating member removably secured to the first and second conductive unions to electrically insulate them when they are electrically connected to first and second voltage levels, respectively.

Abstract: By connecting the Bradbury-Nielson gate (BNG) directly to a driver without a transmission line, distortion of the voltage waveform experienced a the BNG are much reduced. Because the magnitude of the modulation defects grows as the applied modulation voltage is increased, Bradbury-Nielson gates with finer wire spacing such as 100 microns, and operating at 10 to 15 V, significantly better signal-to-noise ratios are achieved. HT-TOFMS data were also post processed using an exact knowledge of the modulation defects.

Abstract: A reticle stage reference mark 3 of material having high reflectivity to alignment illumination light is provided on a reticle 5, and a chuck mark 8 of material having high reflectivity to the alignment illumination light is provided on a wafer chuck 11. A relative position of the reticle stage reference mark 3 to the chuck mark 8 is detected by using a first position detection optical system 1 and a first illumination optical system 2, and relative alignment is performed between the reticle 5 and a wafer 10.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a probe for the analysis of one or more analytes, particularly proteins or compounds capable of binding or otherwise interacting therewith, by laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, more particularly MALDI MS. It also relates to a protein microarray, a method of producing a protein microarray and a method of analyzing a protein microarray. The probe comprises a support having an electroconductive target surface thereon characterized in that the target surface comprises a micro array having a plurality of discrete target areas presenting one or more analyte capture moieties. Each discrete target area has an area of less than 1000 ?m2, more preferably still less than 500 ?m2, and more preferably still less than 100 ?m2.

Abstract: A pattern drawing method of drawing a desired pattern on a base material by irradiating an electronic beam and scanning the base material with the electronic beam with a predetermined dose amount, comprising: a first step of drawing a first region on the base material by scanning with the electronic beam with a first dose amount; a second step of drawing a second region on the base material by scanning with the electronic beam with a second dose amount; and a inclining step of inclining a boundary between the first region and the second region to form an inclined surface by conducting a first scanning to scan with the electronic beam with the first dose amount and a second scanning to scan with the electronic beam with the second does amount in a mixed arrangement.

Abstract: An input parameter monitoring apparatus is disclosed wherein input parameters for ion implantation can be stored in a database during an ion implantation process, thereby allowing a user to monitor the operational history from a remote location. A method of monitoring input parameters created during an ion implantation process in a semiconductor fabricating device includes collecting log data generated by a plurality of ion implantation devices, listing the collected log data in a database in chronological order and updating the database substantially contemporaneously during said process. The log data can be processed to enable textual or graphical display. A LAN connects a local computer connected via input ports to plural ion-imp devices and a remote computer, thereby enabling remote computer monitoring of the operational process and possibly interaction.