Abstract: Negative ion atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometers and selected ion mass spectrometers with a 63Ni ion source and a drift tube for reaction of a sample with electrons from the 63Ni ion source prior to analysis of a sample by mass spectrometry are provided. Also provided are methods for chemically analyzing a sample by negative ion atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry by exposing the sample to electrons from a 63Ni ion source in a drift tube and allowing the sample and electrons to react in the drift tube prior to analysis via mass spectrometry.

Abstract: An optical routing mechanism is provided that may be used in a wavelength router configured to receive light having multiple spectral bands from an input fiber and to direct subsets of the spectral bands to respective output fibers. A free-space optical train provides optical paths for routing the spectral bands between the input fiber and the output fibers. The optical routing mechanism has multiple configurable routing elements to determine how each spectral band is directed. A common surface integrally mates the optical routing mechanism with end portions of the input and output fibers, permitting effective planarization of some optical elements.

Abstract: A conductive transparent probe used in a probe control apparatus for adjusting a distance between the apex of the probe and a sample by vibrating the probe with an vibrator in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the probe is provided. The conductive transparent probe includes: an optical fiber having a taper part at one end; a conductive transparent film formed on the surface of the taper part; a first metal film formed on the surface of the optical fiber other than the taper part; wherein the conductive transparent film and the first metal film are electrically connected, and length and thickness of the first metal film are determined such that the conductive transparent probe vibrates while contacting with the vibrator.

Abstract: A deflector which deflects a charged particle beam includes a substrate having an opening through which the charged particle beam should pass, and a deflection electrode which is arranged in the opening to deflect the charged particle beam and has a first conductive member and second conductive member, which are formed by plating. The second conductive member is formed on the surface of the first conductive member and is made of a material that is more difficult to oxidize than the first conductive member. The first conductive member is made of a material having smaller residual stress than the second conductive member.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer having a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) source which operates at ambient pressure is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus which detects a position of a target mark included in an object. The apparatus includes a unit which senses an image of the object, a unit which extracts a first mark and a feature of a region outside of the first mark in the image, and a unit which detects a position of the target mark based on a position of the first mark and the feature.

Abstract: An optical wave guide has a lower cladding layer formed on a substrate, and a Y-branched optical wave guide arranged on the lower cladding layer. The optical wave guide is covered with an upper cladding layer. Curved portions of the optical wave guide are tapered at the external circumferential sides and formed into a trapezoidal cross sectional shape, and effective refractive index of the optical wave guide is made small at the tapered external circumferential sides. Meanwhile, end surfaces of the optical wave guide are formed into a rectangular shape, thereby joint efficiency with optical fibers is increased.

Abstract: A high resolution scanning electron microscope collects secondary Auger electrons through its objective lens to sensitively determine the chemical make-up with extremely fine positional resolution. The system uses a magnetic high resolution objective lens, such as a snorkel lens or a dual pole magnetic lens which provides an outstanding primary electron beam performance. The Auger electrons are deflected from the path of the primary beam by a transfer spherical capacitor. The primary beam is shielded, by a tube or plates, as it traverses the spherical capacitor to prevent aberration of the primary beam and the external wall of the shield maintains a potential gradient related to that of the spherical capacitor to reduce aberration of the primary electron beam. The coaxial configuration of the primary electron beam and the collected secondary electron beam allows the Auger image to coincide with the SEM view.

Abstract: An infrared radiation source has a radiation-transparent, gas-tight tube made of electrically insulating material, in which a heat conductor made of carbon strip is arranged. The heat conductor has two ends, which are respectively electrically and mechanically connected to bushings made of molybdenum and/or tungsten and/or tantalum, and the bushings are respectively connected via current feed-through leads with electrical connections projecting from the tube. The two ends of the heat conductor are respectively connected to one of the bushings by a metallic solder, which contains at least one of the metals titanium, zirconium or hafnium.

Abstract: An article has irregular characteristics such as an irregular geometrical configuration. Radiation from a radiation source is directed in a particular direction toward the article. The radiation energy passing from the source to the article at different positions in the article is absorbed in accordance with the irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions to maintain the radiant energy at the different positions in the article within particular limits. For irregularities of a geometrical configuration in the article, the absorption may be provided by a fixture having a geometrical configuration which constitutes the difference at every position between a substantially constant value and the geometrical configuration of the article at this position. The absorption may be provided by conveying the article and the fixture past the radiation source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the particular direction.

Abstract: A borehole logging system for determining bulk density, porosity and formation gas/liquid fluid saturation of formation penetrated by a borehole. Measures of fast neutron radiation and inelastic scatter gamma radiation, induced by a pulsed neutron source, are combined with an iterative numerical solution of a two-group diffusion model to obtain the formation parameters of interest. Double-valued ambiguities in prior art measurements are removed by using the iterative solution of the inverted two-group diffusion model. The system requires two gamma ray detectors at different axial spacings from the source, and a single neutron detector axially spaced between the two gamma ray detectors. The system can be embodied as a wireline system or as a logging-while-drilling system.

Abstract: An all-optical switch includes a microsphere optical resonator coated with a conjugated polymer. A signal light beam propagating along a first SPARROW waveguide defining a throughput channel is evanescently coupled into the resonant whispering gallery modes (WGM) of the microsphere, and out of the microsphere onto a second SPARROW waveguide defining a drop channel. A secondary switching light beam is used to heat the microsphere resonator, thereby shifting its resonant frequency so that it no longer overlaps with the signal beam frequency. Light coupling into the microsphere and onto the drop channel is thus eliminated, and the signal beam is switched from the drop channel to the throughput channel. The time constant for the WGM resonant frequency shifting was about 165 ms, indicating thermo-optic switching capabilities at speeds on the order of 100 microseconds for high-Q modes. Multiple frequencies or channels can be routed using a switch configuration with multiple microspheres and drop channels.

Abstract: An EUV radiation source (40) that includes a nozzle (42) positioned a far enough distance away from a target region (50) so that EUV radiation (56) generated at the target region (50) by a laser beam (54) impinging a target stream (46) emitted from the nozzle (42) is not significantly absorbed by target vapor proximate the nozzle (42). Also, the EUV radiation (56) does not significantly erode the nozzle (42) and contaminate source optics (34). In one embodiment, the nozzle (42) is more than 10 cm away from the target region (50).

Abstract: The assembly of a packaged opto-electronic module of a type that comprises an optical subassembly coupled to an LC housing integrally formed within the housing of the module typically results in the optical subassembly being disposed in a location having a gap between a heat sink region of the module and the optical subassembly.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for separating element isotopes in a microgravity or low-gravity environment using electromagnetic radiation, e.g., sunlight, to heat and ionize a stream of raw materials, followed by electromagnetic separation, and collection of the desired isotopes in or on one or more collection surfaces or receptacles, such as a rotating surface. A cylindrical mirror can serve to collect and concentrate the electromagnetic radiation, permitting the stream of material to be heated and ionized while the path of the stream of material is oriented other than parallel to the direction of the radiation.

Abstract: Ion injection in a drift tube apparatus for mobility spectrometry was accomplished without conventional ion shutters such as the Bradbury-Nielson or similar designs common to such drift tubes. Instead ions were passed between the ion source and drift region by using time-dependent electric field gradients that act as ion barriers between ordinary drift rings. Benefits of this design are simplicity and mechanical robustness. This ion injection technique dynamically accumulates the ions prior to their release into the drift region of the apparatus instead of destroying the ions created between shutter grid pulses, as does the Bradbury-Nielson method. The invention provides not only structural improvements to the well known drift tube apparatus, but also provides inventive methods for operating a drift tube apparatus to achieve maximum analyte injection efficiency and improving ion detection sensitivity. Improving ion detection sensitivity of drift tubes has practical experimental application.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam instrument with an aberration corrector which comprises four stages of electrostatic quadrupole elements, two stages of magnetic quadrupole elements for superimposing a magnetic potential distribution analogous to the electric potential distribution created by the two central quadrupole elements of the four stages of electrostatic quadrupole elements on this electric potential distribution, and four stages of electrostatic octopole elements for superimposing an electric octopole potential on the electric potential distribution created by the four stages of electrostatic quadrupole elements.

Abstract: An optical filter apparatus for processing an optical signal comprising a spectrum broadening device for spectrally dividing one or more channels of the optical signal into a discrete set of spectral components for each channel, a collector for collecting the spectral components on a discrete number of corresponding light channels, one or more processors for individually processing one or more of the spectral components on the light channels, and a combiner for recombining the spectral components on the light channels.

Abstract: A rotating field mass spectrometer includes an ionizing structure having a pair of conductive electrodes located closer to one another than the mean free path of the gas being ionized, and a rotating field mass spectrometer part for analyzing ions produced by the ionizing structure. The membrane may include a supporting portion, and a relatively thin non-supporting portion where the ions are formed.

Abstract: A low-loss integrated optical coupler includes at least three substantially similar optical couplers, adjacent ones of the optical couplers interconnected via at least one set of waveguides, each of the sets of waveguides comprising a path-length difference between the waveguides therein. In one embodiment of the present invention, the multi-section optical coupler comprises at least two arms and the path-length differences are adjustable such that signals traversing the at least two arms undergo a relative phase shift, such that a desired output power splitting ratio for the multi-section optical coupler is achieved. Alternatively, the optical coupler is implemented in an inventive optical device that functions at least, as an optical switch or an optical splitter.