Abstract: It may be desirable to obtain three-dimensional information on a sample 2 to be studied in an electron microscope. Such information can be derived from a tilt series 2-i of the sample and a subsequent reconstruction of the three-dimensional structure by means of a computer algorithm. For a proper reconstruction of the structure in the volume of the sample it is important that the measurement geometry be known; therefore it is important that the images be properly aligned. Therefore markers 8-i (e.g. gold particles) are applied to the sample, which markers yield straight lines 10-i as the sample is rotated and projections of that rotated sample are made onto one image plane. According to the invention the straight lines are recognized, which gives the possibility to identify the individual markers in the images of the tilt series, and to align those images on the basis of the information thus obtained.

Abstract: A cycle indicator is provided for monitoring movement of a fluid control piston of a divider block for a fluid distribution system. The cycle indicator connects to the divider block in a manner that allows fluid communication between the divider block and the cycle indicator. The cycle indicator includes a spring-biased piston follower that extends into the divider block through a housing so that movement of the fluid control piston is translated to the piston follower. The piston follower extends into the divider block through an opening in the housing. The opening is not sealed allowing fluid within the divider block cylinder to flow past the piston follower and into the housing. Since there is no relative movement between the seal and any moving part such as the piston follower fluid leakage is eliminated or at least substantially reduced. An internal magnet is coupled to the piston follower and activates an external magnet that provides a visual indication of the movement of the fluid control piston.

Abstract: An overhead storage system includes support beams forming a frame to a deck around its perimeter and four corner vertical mounts for suspending the deck from a ceiling. The frame is preferably made of Z-shaped beams supported by vertical L-shaped corner supports to provide strong support for a deck. The Z-shaped beams provide strength and a horizontal surface on which a deck can be rested. A welded wire deck can be strengthened by bonding it to ribs. In some embodiments, center supports can preferably be positioned anywhere along the length of the support beams, and do not require holes in the beams for mounting. The beams are preferably connected to the vertical corner brackets without using threaded fasteners, thereby making the assembly easier for assembly by a homeowner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for orienting samples for charged particle beam operations. A sample is attached to a probe with a major surface of the sample at a non-normal angle to the probe shaft, and the probe shaft is rotated to reorient the sample. The invention is particularly useful for preparing planar view TEM samples. The invention allows for a sample to be mounted to a TEM grid and thinning by an ion beam without removing the grid from the vacuum chamber for reorienting. In one embodiment, a probe oriented at an angle, such as 45 degrees, to the sample stage has a probe tip with a flat area oriented parallel at 45 degrees to the probe axis, that is, the flat area is parallel to the sample stage. The flat area of the probe tip is attached to the sample, and when the probe is rotated 180 degrees, the orientation of the sample changes by 90 degrees, from horizontal to vertical. The sample can then be attached to a vertically oriented TEM grid on a sample stage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal switch for particle-optical apparatus. In, for example, a cryo-TEM (transmission electron microscope), a sample 34 that is placed at an extremity 20 of a sample holder 7 can be maintained at, for example, the temperature of liquid nitrogen. There is a need to be able to inspect a sample at, for example, room temperature in a simple manner, without heating the microscope as a whole from the cryogenic temperature to room temperature. By using the thermal switch 40, this becomes possible. To this end, the thermal switch changes the thermal path between a cold source 22 in the apparatus and the extremity 20 of the sample holder 7, whereby, in one position, position 46a, a connection is made from the extremity 20 to the cold source 22, and, in the other position, position 46b, a connection is made to a portion 44 of the apparatus that is maintained at room temperature.

Abstract: A method of forming a waveguide or an optical assembly includes molding a waveguide material, optionally in alignment with one or more optical components. The one or more optical components are aligned in a precision mold that is also used to form the waveguide. A cladding and encapsulation material can also be molded. The molded materials can be used to hold the components together in alignment in a single assembly. A connector structure can be molded as part of the assembly or can be prefabricated and incorporated into the molded assembly to facilitate connecting the assembly to other components without requiring active alignment or polishing of optical fiber ends.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the removal of a microscopic sample 1 from a substrate 2, comprising the steps of: performing a culling process whereby the substrate 2 is irradiated with a beam 4 such that the sample is cut out of the substrate, and performing an adhesion process whereby the sample 1 is adhered to a probe 3, characterized in that the cutting process and the adhesion process overlap each other temporally. By simultaneously carrying out the culling process and the adhesion process, a time-saving is realized as compared to a method in which these processes are performed sequentially.

Abstract: ESD damage caused by connecting devices that have separate grounds, is reduced by equalizing the charge on the first and second device grounds before connecting their signal lines together; but when the grounds are equalized, the transfer of charge between them is sufficiently slowed down so as to avoid harming components within the device receiving the extra charge. In one embodiment, a connector for connection with a complementary connector is provided with an inhibited shell. The inhibited shell is mounted to the connector body for connection with a shell on a complementary connector. The inhibited shell is configured (e.g., with a conductive polymer having a desired resistance) to sufficiently slow down the detrimental transfer of charge between the separate grounds on the connected devices while at the same time allowing them to equalize with one another.

Abstract: A method of navigating or endpointing a microscopic structure by subsurface imaging using a beam of electrons having sufficient energy to penetrate the surface and produce a subsurface image. For endpointing, when the subsurface image become relatively clear at a known electron energy, a user knows that he is approaching the buried feature. For navigating, a subsurface image can be formed of fiducials or other features to determine the position of the beam on the device.

Abstract: A focused particle beam system, according to one embodiment of the invention, precisely shapes a pole-tip assembly formed by a multi-layer device having a first layer with a first structural element, a second layer with a second structural element, and a shielding layer with a shielding element, the shielding element being located between the first layer and the second layer. The focused particle beam system mills the second structural element without irradiating a first structural element. The system images a selected portion of the multi-layer device to locate the shielding element and thereby avoids irradiating the first structural element. The shielding element separates the first structural element from the second structural element. Based on the location of the shielding element, the system images and mills the second structural element without irradiating the first structural element.

Abstract: Quadrupole-octupole aberration corrector for application in a TEM, STEM or SEM. A known corrector for correcting third-order and fifth-order aberrations of the objective is embodied with eight quadrupoles and three octupoles. The corrector according to the invention has at least the same aberration-correcting power, but, according to the invention, is embodied with six quadrupoles and three octupoles. By adding octupoles with a relatively weak excitation to a portion of the quadrupoles, correction of the anisotropic coma of the objective lens is also attained. By embodying all quadrupoles, or a portion thereof, to be electromagnetic, chromatic aberrations can also be corrected for.

Abstract: A fluid flow monitoring and evaluation system providing high accuracy for fluid flow systems having low volumes and high pressure includes fluid flow sensors mounted on positive displacement dispensing valves and a fluid flow monitor that received cycle signals from the fluid flow sensors and processes the cycle signals to determine fluid flow information. Information can be downloaded in from the monitor, even in an explosion rated environment, using infra-red link or data can be transmitted, for example via satellite, for posting on the Internet. The system can include dispensing valves having single inputs and single outputs for measuring fluid dispensed at a point of use, which measurement can be compared to measurements taken at a divider block earlier in the hydraulic path to verify that fluid sent into the path was actually dispensed. A novel fluid flow sensor prevents loss of internal components, yet allows internal components to be removed for repair.

Abstract: An improved method for rapidly and accurately modifying small structures, including structures on a micron or nanometer scale, suitable for the repair of defects in lithographic photo-masks and semiconductors on a nano-scopic level. Features or samples repaired may be conductive or non-conductive. A single instrument can be employed to both observe the surface of the mask or wafer, and to effectuate the repair of conductive and non-conductive features thereon. Using a Stylus-Nano-Profilometer probe, rapid lateral strokes across the sample surface in a definable pattern at known high applied pressure are used to effectuate defect repair. The tip of the probe can also be dithered rapidly in a pattern or used as to create a jackhammer effect to more effectively remove material from the sample surface.

Abstract: A forms engine allows data sharing between customizable on-line forms, such as college admissions applications. Before applying, an applicant opens an account with a third party application servicer. After the applicant completes an application for one institution, the data is saved in a data base and automatically populates fields in subsequent application forms. The form for each institution is created from a form description file. Each form is branded for its institution and forms for different institutions differ in appearance and content so that the presence of the third party servicer is transparent to the applicant. The system is extensible without programming, allowing new applicant attributes to be readily incorporated into the system and allowing the content and appearance of the application to be readily changed by changing the description file.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of positioning an image field of, for example, an electron microscope at a specific structure in a regular grid of nominally identical structures. Such structures can, for example, be memory cells on a chip. Such memory cells nowadays have an area of, for example, less than 1 ?m2, and are arranged in a grid of 1000*1000 cells. During displacement, an error can occur that is larger than a grid distance of the structures, as a result of which the image field is adjusted to a structure other than the intended one. The displacement can be sub-divided into a large number of component displacements, whereby the error per component displacement is smaller than half a grid distance. By now determining the displacement after each component displacement, the error per component displacement can be eliminated. This method lends itself to automation, whereby the image displacements are determined with the aid of correlation techniques.

Abstract: An improved method of measuring the three-dimensional surface roughness of a structure. A focused ion beam is used to mill a succession of cross-sections or “slices” of the feature of interest at pre-selected intervals over a pre-selected measurement distance. As each cross-section is exposed, a scanning electron microscope is used to measure the relevant dimensions of the feature. Data from these successive “slices” is then used to determine the three-dimensional surface roughness for the feature.

Abstract: Wet and dry film thickness can be measured non-invasively on structures, such as surfaces associated with vessels, aircraft and buildings, using calibrated microwave sensors. The film is measured by directing microwave energy toward the film. The microwave energy passes through the film and is reflected by a reflective or semi-reflective substrate surface below the film. Properties of the reflected wave are compared with properties of reflected waves that were passed through calibration samples of known thicknesses to determine the unknown thickness of the film. In some embodiments, one or more sensors are maintained at a fixed altitude above the conductive/semi-conductive substrate for measurement, and in other embodiments, one or more sensors are maintained at a fixed altitude above the film.

Abstract: Charitable donations are increased by automatically providing immediate on-line recognition of on-line donors. A list of donors is maintained on a Web page acknowledging the on-line contributions. Donor names on the list can be links to additional information about the donation or the donor. Information about donor and donation is entered by the donor, who can specify what information is to be published on the Web and what information is to remain unpublished. The donor list can be arranged in order of donation size, and donors can compete for position on the list. The donor information can indicate membership in a group, and donations can also be totaled by group to encourage donation competition between groups.

Abstract: A graphical programming system allows a user to place geometric shapes onto a scaled image, the shape having associated behavior that operates on the image or on the object of which the image is formed. In a preferred embodiment, the shapes are objects in the Visio program by Microsoft Corporation. The shapes are dragged from a stencil onto an image provided by ion beam or electron microscope image. The shape invokes software or hardware to locate and measure features on the image or to perform operations, such as ion beam milling, on the object that is imaged.