Abstract: Provided herein is a field emission device. The field emission device includes a cathode which is connected to a negative power supply and emits electrons, an anode which is connected to a positive power supply and includes a target material receiving the electrons emitted from the cathode, and a ground electrode which is formed to face the anode and has an opening through which the electrons emitted from the cathode pass. The ground electrode is grounded so that when an arc discharge occurs due to high voltage operation of the anode, electric charge produced by the arc discharge is emitted to a ground.

Abstract: Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention include an illumination-based liquid disinfection device. The disinfection device may include, for example, a light transparent conduit to carry a flowing liquid to be disinfected, the conduit having an inlet to receive the liquid and an outlet to discharge the liquid, a substantially light transparent sleeve having external dimensions smaller than the internal dimensions of the conduit, the sleeve positioned within the conduit substantially perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the conduit and a light source positioned within the sleeve.

Abstract: A method of encoding a parent or precursor ion beam to aid product ion assignment is disclosed. According to an embodiment the energy of parent ions entering a collision cell is progressively increased. Different species of parent ions fragment at different collision energies. Fragment ion intensity profiles are matched with parent ion intensity profiles to correlate fragment ions with corresponding parent ions.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool includes a first column of openings along a first direction and having a pitch. Each opening of the first column of openings has a dimension in the first direction. The BAA also includes a second column of openings along the first direction and staggered from the first column of openings. The second column of openings has the pitch. Each opening of the second column of openings has the dimension in the first direction. A scan direction of the BAA is along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The openings of the first column of openings overlap with the openings of the second column of openings by at least 5% but less than 50% of the dimension in the first direction when scanned along the second direction.

Abstract: A portable ion mobility spectrometry apparatus (1) for detecting an aerosol and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises an ion mobility spectrometer (3); a portable power source (5) carried by the apparatus for providing power to the apparatus (1); an inlet (7) for collecting a flow of air to be tested by the spectrometer (3); a heater (4) configured to heat the air to be tested to vaporize an aerosol carried by the air and a controller (2) configured to control the spectrometer (3) to obtain samples from the heated air, wherein the controller is configured to increase a heat output from the heater (4) for a selected time period before obtaining samples from the heated air.

Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an enlarged pattern forming circuitry to form an enlarged pattern by enlarging a figure pattern to be written, depending on a shift number which is defined by the number of writing positions shifted in the x or y direction in plural writing positions where multiple writing is performed while shifting the position, a reduced pattern forming circuitry to form a reduced pattern by reducing the figure pattern, depending on the shift number, and an irradiation coefficient calculation circuitry to calculate an irradiation coefficient for modulating a dose of a charged particle beam irradiating each of small regions, using the enlarged and reduced patterns.

Abstract: A method for dealing with the effects of inertia in a radiotherapy apparatus is disclosed. The method may include catering for inertia in advance by incorporating inertia factors into an output from a delivery control system which adapts the treatment plan by incorporating the inertia factors, or by including the inertia factors as a constraint in the treatment planning process. The instructions delivered to the geometry items may reflect their inertia behavior and can therefore be followed very closely. This may indicate that a departure from that plan will be correspondingly more likely to indicate an error by the geometry item. When a geometry item needs to accelerate or decelerate, less error may arise and thus the error-checking regime may not necessarily make allowances for such departures from the intended path, thereby tightening the error tolerances. Error-checking may be safely carried out locally for each component.

Abstract: An ion mobility separation device includes: an ion source that generates an ion; a pair of flat-plate electrodes having an introduction opening and a discharge opening for the ion generated by the ion source; a pump for causing the ion introduced via the introduction opening of the pair of flat-plate electrodes to travel toward the discharge opening; a voltage control unit that applies an asymmetric time-varying voltage and a direct-current voltage to the pair of flat-plate electrodes; a plurality of detectors disposed in a direction orthogonal to both an ion travel direction due to the pump and an applied direction of the asymmetric time-varying voltage; and a signal processing unit that processes a signal detected by the plurality of detectors.

Abstract: Provided herein is an ultraviolet sterilization and disinfection apparatus. One or multiple low-pressure ultraviolet lamps are arranged within the ultraviolet sterilization and disinfection apparatus. A configuration method therefor is such that the inner diameters of the low-pressure ultraviolet lamps are ?30-36 mm and the tube current density is: 0.250-0.800 A/cm2; alternatively the inner diameters are ?26-30 mm and the tube current density is: 0.280-0.850 A/cm2; alternatively, the inner diameters are ?20-26 mm and the tube current density is: 0.300-1.100 A/cm2; alternatively, the inner diameters are ?15-20 mm and the tube current density is: 0.340-1.350 A/cm2. The method allows the ultraviolet dosage of the ultraviolet sterilization and disinfection apparatus to be increased, thus increasing efficiency in sterilization and disinfection.

Abstract: A method of performing a measurement routine on a probe, the probe comprising a cantilever extending from a support. An interferometer is operated to reflect a sensing beam with the cantilever thereby generating a reflected sensing beam and combine the reflected sensing beam with a reference beam to generate an interferogram. The interferometer generates a first interference measurement value at a first measurement time by measuring the interferogram and a second interference measurement value at a second measurement time by measuring the interferogram, The cantilever deforms to form a different shape between the measurement times. A change in height of the probe between the measurement times is estimated in accordance with a difference between the first and second interference measurement values, and corrected in accordance with the difference in shape of the cantilever between the measurement times.

Abstract: There is no small ion detecting apparatus that quickly and easily performs mass spectrometry under atmospheric pressure. Therefore, in order to solve the problem, an electrode arrangement and an electrode holding form for enabling water clusters in outside air to be detected with high sensitivity are provided. By using such solving means, it is possible to detect ions in a place having spatial constraints.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for hardening nail varnish by ultraviolet radiation. The device comprises: a bearing surface (26) intended to support the hands or the feet of the user, radiation sources (38) able to emit a radiation to harden nail varnish in the form of a light beam to illuminate the nails of the user. The beams define on the bearing surface (26) at least six illuminated portions (42) separated from each other by a non-illuminated portion, with the number of illuminated portions (42) being less than nine.

Abstract: Vacuum processing, such as a backside metallization (BSM) deposition, is performed on a taped wafer after a gas escape path is formed between a base film of the tape and the wafer frontside surface following backgrind. Venting provided by the gas escape path reduces formation of bubbles under the tape. The gas escape path may be provided, for example, by a selective pre-curing of tape adhesive, to breach an edge seal and place the wafer frontside surface internal to the edge seal in fluid communication with an environment external to the edge seal. With the thinned wafer supported by the pre-cured tape, BSM is then deposited while the wafer and tape are cooled, for example, via a cooled electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of handling a container includes performing a first scan of the container. The container includes objects therein. The scan includes irradiating the container with polychromatic x-rays with a first x-ray scanning system at a first geographic location and generating a first scan record using a processing device. The method also includes moving the container from the first geographic location to a second geographic location. The method further includes performing a second scan of the container including irradiating the container with polychromatic x-rays with a second x-ray scanning system at the second geographic location and generating a second scan record using a processing device. The method also includes comparing the first scan record and the second scan record. The method further includes determining the second scan record is substantially indistinguishable or distinguishable from the first scan record.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, systems and algorithms for identifying high-resolution mass spectra. In some embodiments, an analyte is ionized and analyzed using high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) at high mass accuracy (such as ?75 ppm or ?30 ppm) and the obtained mass spectra are matched with one or more prospective candidate molecules or chemical formulas. The invention provide, for example, methods and systems wherein the possible fragments that can be generated from the candidate molecules or chemical formulas are determined as well as the masses of each of these fragments. The invention provide, for example, methods and systems wherein the high-resolution mass spectra are then compared with the calculated fragment masses for each of the candidate molecules or chemical formula, and the portion of the high-resolution mass spectra that corresponds or can be explained by the calculated fragment masses is determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a specimen with two or more particle beams, wherein the specimen has a milled side that is processed by a first particle beam and observed by a second particle beam. The specimen is milled during a first milling operation by the first particle beam with the specimen in a first position. Thereafter, the specimen tilts in a second position around an axis of tilt of the specimen. Thereafter, the specimen is milled during a second milling operation. Milling can be performed during continuous tilting of the specimen around the axis of tilt. The axis of tilt of the specimen intersects the milled side. In all the aforementioned positions of the specimen, the second particle beam impinges on the milled side, which enables monitoring of the milling in real time.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer comprises: an evacuated chamber having an interior receiving a gaseous sample effluent stream; a source of light pulses of pulse width 150 femtoseconds or less; a window of the evacuated chamber through which the light pulses pass into the evacuated chamber interior; one or more mirrors within the evacuated chamber disposed such that the light pulses are reflected from each of the one or mirrors such that the reflected pulses are caused to focus at one or more focal regions within the effluent stream within the evacuated chamber interior; and a pair of electrodes disposed at opposite sides of the one or more focal regions.

Abstract: An imaging system (300) includes a radiation source (308) that emits radiation that traverses in a direction of an examination region (306) during a scan and a detector array (316) located opposite the radiation source, across the examination region, which detects radiation traversing the examination region during the scan and produces a signal indicative thereof. A beamshaper (318), located between the radiation source and the examination region, defines a flux intensity profile of the radiation beam traversing the examination region. The beamshaper includes a plurality of x-ray attenuating elements(326), which attenuate x-rays incident thereon, interleaved with a plurality of material free regions, which pass x-ray unattenuated. A transmittance of the x-rays is greater nearer a center region of the beamshaper relative to ends regions of the beamshaper. A beamshaper mover (328) translates the beamshaper during at least one acquisition interval of the scan.

Abstract: An ultra-high vacuum (UHV) compatible feedthrough structure and a detector assembly using such feedthrough structure, the feedthrough structure comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) for carrying one or more detectors, wherein said PCB comprises a top surface covered with a first UHV sealing layer and one or more first electrical electrodes and at least a first thermally conductive layer extending at least partly over said top surface; and, a back surface comprising one or more second electrodes and at least a second thermally conductive layer extending at least partly over said back surface, wherein one or more conductive wires are embedded in said PCB for electrically connecting said one or more first electrodes with said one or more second electrodes respectively; and, wherein one or more thermally conductive vias are embedded in said PCB for thermally connecting said at least first thermally conductive layer with said second thermally conductive layer.

Abstract: An x-ray apparatus (1), has an electron beam source (2), a target (4), onto which the electron beam (3) is directed to form a focal spot (5; 5a, 5b) on the target (4), x-ray optics (6) for collecting x-rays emitted from the focal spot (5; 5a, 5b) to form an x-ray beam (8) and a sample position (9) at which the x-ray beam (8) is directed. The x-ray apparatus (1) further includes an electrostatic or electromagnetic electron beam deflection device (10) suitable for moving the focal spot (5; 5a, 5b) on the target (4). The extension of the focal spot (5; 5a, 5b) in any direction (x, y, z) is at least a factor of 1.5 smaller than the extension of the target (4). An x-ray apparatus is thereby provided with simplified alignment of the x-ray optics with respect to a microfocus x-ray source.