Abstract: A gas ion gun includes an anode electrode to remove electrons from a gas in order to create gas ions. The anode electrode includes a wire made of an electrical conductive material or of a semiconductor material, the wire extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a flattened distal end. The anode electrode further includes a crystal particle directly deposited on the flattened distal end, the electrical conductivity of the crystal particle being ten times smaller than the electrical conductivity of the wire.

Abstract: A device for determining the electrical resistance of a system includes a field effect electron emitter capable of emitting electrons when the electrical emission potential Ve of the electron emitter is higher than a threshold value VL, with the emitting end of the emitter being at least partially conductive; an item of equipment capable of determining the electrical emission potential Ve of the electron emitter; a voltage source adapted to apply a potential difference E to the device and to generate an electric field at the emitter, an electron detector capable of detecting all or some of the electrons emitted by the electron emitter so as to measure the intensity of the current Imes flowing between the emitter and the detector; electrical connection means adapted to electrically connect the system and the device in such a way that the current intensity flowing between the emitter and the detector can also pass through the system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electron source comprising a conductive substrate, a conductor disposed facing the substrate, the electron source emitting an electron beam when the conductor is positively biased with respect to the substrate, and an electrically insulating crystal arranged on the substrate, facing the conductor, the substrate defining with the crystal a void including at least one peak located at a distance from the crystal, the crystal having, in a plane parallel to the substrate, dimensions of less than 100 nm and a thickness of less than 50 nm.

Abstract: Flowable-material transfer apparatus and device for transferring flowable material from one containment vessel or system to another. The apparatus comprises a connector device, a closed conduit system, and applicable force systems and controls for effecting efficient flow of the flowable material. The connector device has a source-transfer-apparatus container connector and transfer-apparatus connector that together provide a flowpath from the source container to a destination container. The source-container connector contains a normally-closed flow valve situated in the flowpath and a flow-valve actuation assembly. The connector device includes a device locking mechanism that prevents the connector device from being disconnected when the flow valve is open.

Abstract: This source for charged particles comprises a sharply pointed tip (1) and an aperture (2) in a thin sheet of material. If the point of the tip (1) is made sharp enough, i.e., if it ends in a single atom or a trimer of atoms, the electric field existing between the tip (1) and the aperture (2) will cause a stream of electrons to be emitted from the tip (1), pass the aperture (2) and to continue as a beam (4) of free electrons beyond said aperture (2). The sheet (3) carrying the aperture (2) may, for example, be a carbon foil or a metallic foil, including gold. The distance of the tip (1) from the aperture (2) is in the submicron range, and so is the diameter of said aperture (2). The distance is being held essentially constant by means of a feedback loop system. The divergence of the beam (4) is <2.degree..

Abstract: A method for fabricating exactly aligned apertures for use in electron and ion microscopy involves the placing of a very sharply pointed tip (1) in front of a set of extremely thin, precisely spaced metal foils (3,5) in an atmosphere of heavy gas atoms. The application of an elevated voltage at the tip (1) will result in a sputtering operation to commence and erode the metal foils (3,5) at a location underneath the facing tip (1). The sputtering operation is continued until the first ions are detected to emerge on the far side of the lens structure (2).