Abstract: An ion detection assembly is described that includes a drift chamber, an inlet assembly, and a collector assembly. The drift chamber is formed of substantially non-conductive material and/or semi-conductive material. A patterned resistive trace is deposited on one or more of an interior surface or an exterior surface of the drift chamber. The patterned resistive trace is configured to connect to a source of electrical energy. The inlet assembly and the collector assembly are in fluid communication with the drift chamber. The inlet assembly includes an inlet for receiving a sample, a reaction region for ionizing the sample, and a gate for controlling entrance of the ionized sample to the drift chamber. The collector assembly includes a collector plate for collecting the ionized sample after the ionized sample passes through the drift chamber.

Abstract: A scanning electron microscope according to the present invention includes: an electron source that produces an electron beam; a trajectory dispersion unit that disperses the trajectory of an electron beam of electrons with a different energy value; a selection slit plate having a selection slit that selects the energy range of the dispersed electron beam; and a transmittance monitoring unit that monitors the transmittance of an electron beam, which is being transmitted through the selection slit. Accordingly, there can be provided a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy filter that implements a stable reduction in energy distribution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a scanning probe microscope, having: (a) a scanning device for scanning a measurement tip over a surface; (b) a cantilever for the measurement tip, wherein the cantilever has a torsion region; (c) wherein the torsion region is configured such that it undergoes torsion when a control signal is applied and thereby pivots the measurement tip; and (d) a control device for outputting the control signal when the measurement tip scans a region of the surface that can be examined more closely with a pivoted measurement tip than without pivoting the measurement tip.

Abstract: A compact radiation generator for use in a downhole well-logging tool is disclosed. The compact radiation generator comprises a housing with a cavity, a linear acceleration tube in the cavity that generates radiation when supplied with a sufficiently high voltage, and a first voltage multiplier ladder in the cavity configured to supply the sufficiently high voltage to the acceleration tube. The first voltage multiplier ladder is folded into two linear parts that are collocated to each other.

Abstract: A method of imaging a secondary charged particle beam emanating from a sample by impingement of a primary charged particle beam is provided. The method includes setting a first operating parameter to a first value. The first operating parameter is selected from a group including: landing energy of the primary charged particle beam on the sample, extraction field strength for the secondary charged particle beam at the sample, magnetic field strength of an objective lens that focuses the primary charged particle beam onto the sample, and working distance of the objective lens from the sample. The method further includes controlling, while the first operating parameter is set to the first value, the excitation of a first lens and of a second lens to map the secondary charged particle beam onto a first region on an aperture plate. The first region overlaps with a first opening of the aperture plate and with a second opening of the aperture plate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an X-ray diagnostic apparatus comprises a first imaging system, a second imaging system, a first support member, a second support member, control circuitry, and a reconstruction circuitry. The first projection data corresponds to a first imaging angle range. The second projection data corresponds to a second imaging angle range. A deficiency angle as an angle at which no imaging is performed is provided between the first imaging angle range and the second imaging angle range to make an imaging angle range in the projection data group have discontinuity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are metal oxides, metal oxide surfaces, and methods of using metal oxides and metal oxide surfaces for matrix-free analysis, identification, and characterization of small molecular mass compounds. The disclosed compounds and methods may be used with laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry. The disclosed surfaces may aid in producing mass/charge spectra having low or no interference found with traditional matrices. In some aspects, the method may be used to produce molecular ions. The disclosed compounds, surfaces, and methods may be used to analyze complex mixtures including fuels, vegetable shortening, lipid extracts from a variety of organic sources such as animals, plants, bacteria, algae, viruses, etc.

Abstract: Micro magnetic trap comprising a holder and a sample cell on said holder (5); means for providing a controllable homogeneous magnetic field (3) surrounding the sample cell; a modified micro-cantilever comprising a cantilever (1) having dimensions in the micron range and at least three paramagnetic microbeads with a diameter from 1 to 3 microns (2) attached to a bendable tip of the micro-cantilever such that they form a triangular arrangement; means for measuring the deflection of the micro-cantilever when the latter is in use (4). The trap does not require a specific surface functionalization in order to ensure an appropriate and selective linkage to a particular molecule.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising mass selectively transmitting precursor ions from a mass analyzer into a fragmentation or reaction device, wherein the mass to charge ratios of the ions transmitted varies with time; fragmenting the precursor ions in the fragmentation or reaction device so as to produce fragment or product ions; mass analyzing the fragment or product ions; determining the start and end times at which a first fragment or product ion is detected; using said start and end times to determine the start and end times at which a precursor ion of said first fragment or product ion is transmitted by said mass analyzer; and using the start and end times at which the precursor ion is transmitted by said mass analyzer to determine a mass to charge ratio of said precursor ion. The present invention enables precursor ion peaks to be resolved from the fragment data even when a low resolution mass analyzer is used to analyze the precursor ions.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for generating charged particles. The apparatus comprises a light source that emits a laser, a target layer that receives the laser to generate charged particles, and a focusing structure that is between the light source and the target source and focuses the laser. The focusing structure comprises solid layers and pore sections alternately and repeatedly disposed along a first direction parallel to a top surface of the target layer. Each of the pore sections comprises a porous layer.

Abstract: A radiotherapy apparatus includes a rotatable drum on which is mounted a gantry arm carrying a radiation source. The arm extending from the drum to a location of the radiation source is offset from the axis of rotation of the drum and oriented towards the axis. The radiotherapy apparatus further includes a mechanism configured to apply a tilt to the arm at one or more rotational orientations of the drum. The rotatable drum is supported on wheels beneath the drum, and the mechanism is an eccentric mechanism within the wheels and is configured to apply the tilt to the arm via the wheels.

Abstract: A corona discharge ionizer device which emits ions generated by corona discharge to a gas flow to be ionized includes a discharge electrode having a pin configured tip portion. A second grid electrode positioned at a spaced distance from the discharge electrode is provided. The grid electrode is preferably formed from a sheet configured material which has at least one hole formed therein adapted and configured to permit the gas flow to pass therethrough. A power supply is coupled to the discharge electrode and grid electrode configured cause ion emission from the discharge electrode. The power supply is preferably an alternating current power supply configured to produce an alternating electric field region in close proximity to the tip portion of the discharge electrode sufficient to cause avalanche breakdown in the gas flowing in close proximity to the tip portion of the discharge electrode.

Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing method includes performing ON/OFF switching of a beam by an individual blanking system for the beam concerned, for each beam in multi-beams of charged particle beam, with respect to each time irradiation of irradiation of a plurality of times, by using a plurality of individual blanking systems that respectively perform beam ON/OFF control of a corresponding beam in the multi-beams, and performing blanking control, in addition to the performing ON/OFF switching of the beam for the each beam by the individual blanking system, with respect to the each time irradiation of the irradiation of the plurality of times, so that the beam is in an ON state during an irradiation time corresponding to irradiation concerned, by using a common blanking system that collectively performs beam ON/OFF control for a whole of the multi-beams.

Abstract: A microsample stage which fixes microsamples when the microsamples are analyzed by an analyzer includes a base, and middle supports which protrude from an upper surface of the base. A microsample-fixing portion protrudes from an upper surface of each middle support. An alignment mark associated with each microsample-fixing portion is configured to be recognized by a capturing image to determine a position of attachment of one or more microsamples to each microsample-fixing portion. The microsample stage is made by etching a silicon member, which can be automated to increase work efficiency.

Abstract: A radiation-shielding curtain (20) of the kind used at the conveyor entrance and exit openings of a radiographic inspection system or irradiation system is composed of a large number of straight, slender, vertically suspended rods (21) which have a convex outwardly rounded cross-sectional profile and a smooth low friction surface.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam microscope includes a charged-particle beam source to generate a charged-particle beam. A stage is provided to hold a sample in the path of the charged-particle beam. Beam optics are provided to illuminate the sample with the charged-particle beam. One or more detectors are provided to detect radiation emanating from the sample as a result of the illumination. A controller may control one or more of the beam optics, stage, and detectors to generate an image of the sample based on the detected radiation.

Abstract: An imaging system for directing a flux of charged particles transmitted through a specimen onto a spectroscopic apparatus, wherein the flux is dispersed by a dispersing device into an energy-resolved array of spectral sub-beams propagating substantially parallel to a propagation axis. An adjustable aperture device defines an aperture in a path of the array so as to select a subset of the array to be admitted to a detector, which aperture is delimited in a dispersion direction perpendicular to the propagation axis to allow independent adjustment of both of: a width of the aperture parallel to the dispersion direction; and a position of a center of the aperture relative to the propagation axis.

Abstract: A medical examination and/or treatment apparatus includes a robot with a multiaxially movable arm, a C-arm mounted on the multiaxially movable arm, a cable strand for supplying the C-arm, and a device for guiding the cable strand in a movement of the C-arm. The device for guiding the cable strand is arranged at or on the robot or a component of the robot.

Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for controlling a charged particle beam using a series of electrodes including a plurality of different shapes. In one approach, an electrostatic optical element includes a first set of electrodes having a first electrode shape for parallelizing and deflecting the charged particle beam using a first set of electrodes having a first electrode shape, such as a concave or convex profile. The electrostatic optical element further includes a second set of electrodes adjacent the first set of electrodes for accelerating or decelerating the charged particle beam along a beamline, wherein the second set of electrodes include a cylindrical shape. In one approach, a power supply is electrically connected to the first and second sets of electrodes, the power supply arranged to enable independent voltage/current control.

Abstract: A flying spot forming apparatus includes a radiation source and a shielding body. A side wall of the shielding body is provided with at least two pairs of helical grooves. Each helical groove is provided with a predetermined slope. A first incident groove is adjacent to a second incident groove. A head end of the first incident groove is higher than a head end of the second incident groove. A tail end of the first incident groove is higher than a tail end of the second incident groove. The tail end of the first incident groove is not higher than the head end of the second incident groove. A first axial cross section of the shielding body intersects with the tail end of the first incident groove. A second axial cross section intersects with the head end of the second incident groove.