Patents Examined by David E Smith
  • Space-time buffer for ion processing pipelines
    Patent number: 11749519
    Abstract: A space-time buffer includes a plurality of discrete trapping regions and a controller. The plurality of discrete trapping regions is configured to trap ions as individual trapping regions or as combinations of trapping regions. The controller is configured to combine at least a portion of the plurality of trapping regions into a larger trap region; fill the larger trap region with a plurality of ions; split the larger trap region into individual trapping regions each containing a portion of the plurality of ions; and eject ions from the trapping regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Philip M. Remes, Michael W. Senko
  • Variable beam size via homogenizer movement
    Patent number: 11747586
    Abstract: An ablation system for ablating a material can include a laser source, a set of homogenizing optics, and a homogenizing optics adjustment device. The laser source is for generating a laser beam. The set of homogenizing optics receives the laser beam and includes a first homogenizer and a second homogenizer. The homogenizing optics adjustment device carries the homogenizing optics, the homogenizing optics adjustment device configured to selectably adjust the position of at least one of the first homogenizer and the second homogenizer in order change a size of the laser beam, with a change in size of the beam changing the fluence thereof. The ablation system can be incorporated within a laser-ablation based analytical system, where the laser-ablation based analytical system includes a spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Elemental Scientific Lasers, LLC
    Inventor: Jay N. Wilkins
  • Proximity effect correcting method, master plate manufacturing method, and drawing apparatus
    Patent number: 11742179
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a proximity effect correcting method includes acquiring drawing information for drawing a pattern on a substrate with irradiation of an electron beam. The method further includes acquiring surface profile information related to a surface profile of the substrate. The method further includes calculating an energy distribution of a backscattered beam to be produced by backscattering of the electron beam in the substrate on a basis of the acquired drawing information and surface profile information. The method further includes calculating a required energy amount of the electron beam on a basis of the calculated energy distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kagawa, Shunko Magoshi
  • Electrostatic trap mass spectrometer with improved ion injection
    Patent number: 11742192
    Abstract: A method of mass spectral analysis in an analytical electrostatic trap (14) is disclosed. The electrostatic trap (14) defines an electrostatic field volume and includes trap electrodes having static and non-ramped potentials. The method comprises injecting a continuous ion beam into the electrostatic field volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: LECO Corporation
    Inventor: Anatoly N. Verenchikov
  • Minimally invasive collection probe and methods for the use thereof
    Patent number: 11737671
    Abstract: Method and devices are provided for assessing tissue samples from a plurality of tissue sites in a subject using molecular analysis. In certain aspects, devices of the embodiments allow for minimally invasive collection of liquid tissue samples and delivery of the samples for mass spectrometry analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Livia Schiavinato Eberlin, Thomas Milner, Jialing Zhang, Noah Giese, Nitesh Katta
  • Sample support
    Patent number: 11735406
    Abstract: A sample support body is a sample support body for ionizing a sample, including: a substrate having an irregular porous structure formed to communicate a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; and a conductive layer provided at least on the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kotani, Takayuki Ohmura, Takamasa Ikeda
  • Charged particle blocking element, exposure apparatus comprising such an element, and method for using such an exposure apparatus
    Patent number: 11728123
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exposure apparatus and a method for projecting a charged particle beam onto a target. The exposure apparatus comprises a charged particle optical arrangement comprising a charged particle source for generating a charged particle beam and a charged particle blocking element and/or a current limiting element for blocking at least a part of a charged particle beam from a charged particle source. The charged particle blocking element and the current limiting element comprise a substantially flat substrate provided with an absorbing layer comprising Boron, Carbon or Beryllium. The substrate further preferably comprises one or more apertures for transmitting charged particles. The absorbing layer is arranged spaced apart from the at least one aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Hendrik Vincent Van Veen, Derk Ferdinand Walvoort
  • Hydraulic feed system for an ion source
    Patent number: 11728140
    Abstract: An ion source has an arc chamber defining an arc chamber volume. A reservoir is coupled to the arc chamber, defining a reservoir volume. The reservoir receives a source species to define a liquid within the reservoir volume. A conduit fluidly couples the reservoir volume to the arc chamber volume. First and second openings of the conduit are open to the respective reservoir and arc chamber volume. A heat source selectively heats the reservoir to melt the source species at a predetermined temperature. A liquid control apparatus controls a first volume of the liquid within the reservoir volume to define a predetermined supply of the liquid to the arc chamber volume. The liquid control apparatus is a pressurized gas source fluidly coupled to the reservoir to supply a gas to the reservoir and provide a predetermined amount of liquid to the arc chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil J. Bassom, Joshua Abeshaus, David Sporleder, Neil Colvin, Joseph Valinski, Michael Cristoforo, Vladimir Romanov, Pradeepa Kowrikan Subrahmnya
  • Ion guide with reduced noding effect
    Patent number: 11728155
    Abstract: An ion optical arrangement (1) for use in a mass spectrometer comprises electrodes (11, 12, 14) comprising a multipole arrangement defining an ion optical axis, and a voltage source for providing voltages to the electrodes to produce electric fields. The ion optical arrangement is configured for producing a radio frequency electric focusing field for focusing ions on the ion optical axis. The radio frequency electric focusing field has a varying frequency so as to reduce any mass dependence of ion trajectories through the ion optical arrangement. The ion optical arrangement may further be configured for producing a static electric field in response to a DC bias voltage applied to the multipole arrangement. A superimposed varying electric field may be produced by superimposing an AC voltage upon the DC bias voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH
    Inventors: Henning Wehrs, Johannes Schwieters, Gerhard Jung
  • Quantification of previously undetectable quantities
    Patent number: 11728147
    Abstract: The present invention centers upon a novel “molecular amplification spike,” which is an admixture of two components, namely, an aliquot of a quantity of a molecule, composition, compound or element of interest (an “analyte”) in its natural isotopic state and an aliquot of an isotopically enriched form of the same molecule, composition, compound or element. The molecular amplification spike contains 20% natural-abundance isotope, balance enriched isotope. The molecular amplification spike may optionally contain more than 20% natural-abundance isotope, with concomitantly reduced balance of enriched isotope. Such an admixed spike, when added to a sample prior to mass spectrometric analysis of that sample, creates new and significantly improved percentage of errors and quantification or confirmation of the absence of the molecule, composition, compound or element of interest in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Definitek, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehmet Pamukcu, Howard M. Kingston
  • Mass spectrometer
    Patent number: 11721536
    Abstract: A single type quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an ion source by the ESI method, which is a small device including a vacuum pump having a relatively small evacuation speed. The internal diameter of a desolvation tube for introducing ions from an ionization chamber into a first intermediate vacuum chamber is set to 0.4 mm ?, which is large for a small mass spectrometer. The evacuation speed of a rotary pump is determined so that the product of the cross-sectional opening area of the desolvation tube and the pressure in the first intermediate vacuum chamber falls within a range of 15 to 40 mm2·Pa. This can ensure high detection sensitivity and reduce clogging of the desolvation tube due to droplets. Since the pressure in the first intermediate vacuum chamber does not need to be increased more than necessary, a small rotary pump having a small evacuation speed can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manabu Ueda, Tomohito Nakano, Yuki Tanaka
  • Emitter, electron gun using same, and electronic device
    Patent number: 11721516
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an emitter capable of easily and highly efficiently emitting electrons, an electron gun using same, and an electronic device. This emitter is provided with a cathode holder, and an acicular substance secured to the cathode holder. An end, to which the acicular substance is secured, of the cathode holder is bent at ? (?(°) satisfies 5<??70) that is an angle formed with respect to a cathode axis being the longitudinal direction of the cathode holder, the acicular substance is a single crystal nanowire or nanotube, and a relation L/T between the thickness T (?m) of the end of the cathode holder and a length L (?m) by which the acicular substance protrudes from the end satisfies 0.3?L/T?2.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: National Institute for Materials Science
    Inventors: Han Zhang, Jie Tang, Daisuke Fujita, Yasushi Yamauchi, Luchang Qin
  • Feeding real time search results of chimeric MS2 spectra into the dynamic exclusion list
    Patent number: 11721538
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining a first mass spectrum; selecting a first peak of the first mass spectrum; isolating precursor ions in an isolation window including the first peak; fragmenting and analyzing the isolated ions to obtain a second mass spectrum; performing a real-time search of the second mass spectrum for both the target precursor and near isobaric precursors ions that are co-isolated with the target precursor in an isolation window; adding the precursor ions that produced an identification during the real-time search to the exclusion list; selecting a second peak present in the first mass spectrum and not on the exclusion list; and fragmenting and analyzing ions of the second peak to obtain a third mass spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventor: Graeme C. McAlister
  • Tray disinfection device
    Patent number: 11717589
    Abstract: A tray disinfection devices for a security inspection system can include a frame, a disinfection channel on the frame, and a conveyor on the frame. An ultraviolet disinfection lamp is arranged in the disinfection channel. The conveyor on the frame is configured to convey a tray to pass through the disinfection channel so as to disinfect the tray through an irradiation of the ultraviolet disinfection lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignees: Nuctech Company Limited, Tsinghua University
    Inventors: Li Zhang, Zhiqiang Chen, Qingping Huang, Mingzhi Hong, Yue Li, Bo Li, Minghua Qiu, Yanhua Lu
  • Multiplexed inductive ionization systems and methods
    Patent number: 11715633
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems including nanoelectrospray ionization emitters in a movable array format in which the emitters can be loaded, singly or simultaneously, through their narrow ends using a novel dip and go method based on capillary action, taking up sample from an array. The sample solutions in each emitter can be electrophoretically cleaned, singly or simultaneously, by creating an inductive electric field that moves interfering ions away from the narrow end of the capillary. Subsequent to cleaning, the emitters are supplied with an inductive electric field that causes electrospray into a mass spectrometer allowing mass analysis of the contents of the emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Robert Graham Cooks, Zhenwei Wei, David G. McLaren
  • Cold trap enhanced input into low-cost analyzer
    Patent number: 11709149
    Abstract: Examples are directed toward systems and methods relating to collecting and analyzing samples. For example, a system includes a cold trap that directly collects a sample. The cold trap operates to serve as a collection filter while the system draws in a flow across the cold trap. A thermal heater, coupled to the cold trap, flash heats the cold trap to produce a released sample from the cold trap at a release concentration. An analyzer entrains the released sample at the release concentration into a sampling flow of the analyzer for analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Homeland Security
    Inventors: Barry T. Smith, John Brady, Jeffrey Barber
  • Ion implanter and electrostatic quadrupole lens device
    Patent number: 11710618
    Abstract: An ion implanter includes a high energy multistage linear acceleration unit for accelerating an ion beam. The high energy multistage linear acceleration unit includes high frequency accelerators in a plurality of stages provided along a beamline through which the ion beam travels, and electrostatic quadrupole lens devices in a plurality of stages provided along the beamline. The electrostatic quadrupole lens device in each of the stages includes a plurality of lens electrodes facing each other in a radial direction perpendicular to an axial direction, and disposed at an interval in a circumferential direction, an upstream side cover electrode covering a beamline upstream side of the plurality of lens electrodes and including a beam incident port, and a downstream side cover electrode covering a beamline downstream side of the plurality of lens electrodes and including a beam exiting port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES ION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruka Sasaki, Kouji Inada, Hayao Kawai
  • Multi-pass mass spectrometer
    Patent number: 11705320
    Abstract: Improved multi-pass time-of-flight mass spectrometers MPTOF, either multi-reflecting (MR) or multi-turn (MT) TOF are proposed with elongated pulsed converters—either orthogonal accelerator or radially ejecting ion trap. The converter 35 is displaced from the MPTOF s-surface of isochronous ion motion in the orthogonal Y-direction. Long ion packets 38 are pulsed deflected in the transverse Y-direction and brought onto said isochronous trajectory s-surface, this way bypassing said converter. Ion packets are isochronously focused in the drift Z-direction within or immediately after the accelerator, either by isochronous trans-axial lens/wedge 68 or Fresnel lens. The accelerator is improved by the ion beam confinement within an RF quadrupolar field or within spatially alternated DC quadrupolar field. The accelerator improves the duty cycle and/or space charge capacity of MPTOF by an order of magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventor: Anatoly Verenchikov
  • Apparatus of plural charged-particle beams
    Patent number: 11705304
    Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput and in flexibly varying observing conditions is proposed. The apparatus uses a movable collimating lens to flexibly vary the currents of the plural probe spots without influencing the intervals thereof, a new source-conversion unit to form the plural images of the single electron source and compensate off-axis aberrations of the plural probe spots with respect to observing conditions, and a pre-beamlet-forming means to reduce the strong Coulomb effect due to the primary-electron beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Shuai Li, Weiming Ren, Xuedong Liu, Juying Dou, Xuerang Hu, Zhongwei Chen
  • Vacuum chamber arrangement for charged particle beam generator
    Patent number: 11705252
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electron-optical module of an electron-optical apparatus. The electron-optical module comprises a vacuum chamber, a high voltage shielding arrangement located within the vacuum chamber, and an aperture array configured to form a plurality of beamlets from an electron beam and located within the high voltage shielding arrangement. Wherein the electron-optical module can be configured to be removable from the electron-optical apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Hendrik Vincent Van Veen, Willem Henk Urbanus, Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland