Abstract: A flexible radiation shielding system for reducing scatter radiation that may arise during the performance of certain medical imaging procedures. A multi-articulated shielding system comprising two or more shielding elements hingedly coupled to each other to thereby enable a user to bend the shielding system into a desired shape to provide radiation shielding protection to workers. A flexible radiation shielding system may comprise a plurality of shielding elements that are, for example, translucent, transparent, clear, etc., to enable workers to view objects through the shielding elements.

Abstract: An aberration corrector includes: a first multipole and a second multipole configured to form a hexapole field; and a transfer optics including a plurality of round lenses. The transfer optics is disposed between the first multipole and the second multipole, and acts on a charged particle beam such that an absolute value of a slope of the charged particle beam passing through the first multipole is different from an absolute value of a slope of the charged particle beam passing through the second multipole.

Abstract: A miniature electron beam column in combination with magnetostatic lenses to produce very high-performance miniature electron or ion beam columns. Silicon-based electron optical components provide high-accuracy formation and alignment of critical optical elements and the magnetic lenses provide low-aberration focusing or condensing elements. Accurate assembly of the silicon and magnetic components is achievable via the multilayered assembly techniques and allows for achieving high performance.

Abstract: Systems, components, and methods for generating differential phase contrast (DPC) data are described. Methods include operations for directing the beam of electrons through a material sample disposed in the microscope column, wherein interactions of the material sample and the beam of electrons produce a scattered portion of the beam of electrons. The methods include directing the scattered portion onto the energy filter, the energy filter being configured to disperse the scattered portion along a dispersal axis by energy and to direct a subset of the scattered portion toward a detector of the energy filter. The operations include generating detector data using the subset of the scattered portion incident on the detector, the detector data comprising EELS data. The operations also include generating differential phase contrast data using the detector data.

Abstract: A deflector for a charged particle beam apparatus is described. The deflector has an axis and is configured to deflect a charged particle beam in a direction perpendicular to the axis, the deflector including a plurality of flat coils including two pairs of flat coils, wherein the two pairs of flat coils are arranged on opposite sides about the axis of the deflector.

Abstract: Methods and systems for delivering a liquid sample to an ion source for the generation of ions and subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry are provided herein. In accordance with various aspects of the present teachings, MS-based systems and methods are provided in which a specimen may be received within an open port of a sampling probe and continuously delivered via a jet pump assembly to an ion source for subsequent mass spectrometric analysis.

Abstract: A device for decontaminating stoppers, including a decontamination zone in which the stoppers move, at least one source emitting decontaminating light radiation into the decontamination zone, and is for positioning the stoppers in the decontamination zone and includes at least two elements for guiding the stoppers, and a cooling circuit for cooling the decontamination zone, in which the cooling circuit is integrated into the positioning device. The device includes at least two elements for guiding the stoppers including two lateral rails each including a zone of contact with at least one stopper and at least one reflective zone which is contiguous with the contact zone and in which it is able to reflect the light radiation onto the at least one stopper.

Abstract: An E-beam exposure method may include receiving exposure information on a pattern subject to exposure, determining on beams and off beams of an E-beam exposure apparatus, determining an exposure time in an exposure process, performing the exposure process using the E-beam exposure apparatus, measuring a current of the off beams on an aperture plate of the E-beam exposure apparatus, and a first determination of determining whether the current is within a reference range. If the current is not within the reference range in the first determination, the determining the exposure time may be performed and the exposure time may be changed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a measure of a rate of decay of an ion sample. Specifically, the present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for determining decay constants and cross-section measurements in parallel to mass measurement and decay time correction. The disclosure particularly relates to methods and apparatus for performing Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS).

Abstract: The inventive concept provides a method of removing and collecting particles from a photomask including fabricating the photomask on a substrate, generating a first map indicating locations of particles on a surface of the photomask by inspecting the surface of the photomask using a probe tip, vertically moving the probe tip to a first vertical height that is lower than a height of the particle, horizontally moving the probe tip parallel to the surface of the photomask at the first vertical height, generating a second map indicating locations of particles on the surface of the photomask using the probe tip, vertically moving the probe tip to a second vertical height that is lower than the first vertical height, and horizontally moving the probe tip parallel to the surface of the photomask at the second vertical height.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a detection path in a charged particle beam system having a primary charged particle beam, comprising positioning a charged particle mirror having a curved equipotential surface on a sample stage of the charged particle beam system; varying a reflection angle of the primary charged particle beam at the curved equipotential surface by varying a relative mirror position of the charged particle mirror, the curved equipotential surface being at a distance to a surface of the charged particle mirror, recording a plurality of detector signals of at least one detector of the charged particle beam system for a plurality of relative mirror positions; wherein varying a relative mirror position of the charged particle mirror comprises varying at least one of a mirror position of the charged particle mirror and a primary charged particle beam position with respect to each other in at least one dimension.

Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus may include an ion beam emitter for emitting an ion beam, a focused ion beam chamber into which ion gas may be introduced, a sample stage in the focused ion beam chamber to support a wafer sample, and an air bag in the focused ion beam chamber. The airbag may be positioned to not interfere with the sample stage.

Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining ion energy distribution measurements in a plasma processing system comprising a substrate, a plurality of ion energy sensors each having associated control circuitry disposed in the substrate, and a conductive enclosure disposed in the substrate and surrounding each ion energy sensor and associated control circuitry such that the substrate at least partially surrounds the conductive enclosure.

Abstract: The present invention is ion detection method for mass spectrometer. An electron multiplier is coupled with a conversion dynode for the detection of positive and negative ions. The aperture of the present system is ungrounded. As the ions (positive or negative) approach and go through the aperture, they induce an image current into the aperture plate which can be amplified and measured by a processing circuit. The magnitude of the image current is directly proportional to the number density, speed, charge, and polarity of ions flowing through the aperture. The measured image current is used as a means to switch between various detection modes. The measured current is calibrated and used as a reference to automatically switch between analog/counting modes, positive/negative ion detection, or various types of detectors implemented in the ion detection system.

Abstract: A method of operating a multipole device comprises sorting a list of mass-to-charge ratios that are assigned to one of first and second polarity configurations to be applied between first and second pairs of opposing electrodes, the first polarity configuration being a first polarity DC offset and the second polarity configuration being a second, opposite polarity DC offset; and based on the sorting, operating the multipole device for a first time duration according to the first polarity configuration to select ions having mass-to-charge ratios from the list that are assigned to the first polarity configuration and operating the multipole device for a second, distinct time duration according to the second polarity configuration to select ions having mass-to-charge ratios from the list that are assigned to the second polarity configuration.

Abstract: A TOFMS includes flight space formation electrodes, an ion detection unit, voltage switching units to switch a voltage to be applied to the flight space formation electrode from a first voltage for flying ions of a first polarity to a second voltage for flying ions of a second polarity, ion information acquisition units to obtain a time of flight or a m/z of the ions based on a detection result of the ions of the second polarity after the voltage has been switched, a correction information storage unit to store correction information related to a deviation in time of flight or a m/z associated with an elapsed time from the switching timing, and a correction unit to correct the flight time or the m/z according to an elapsed time from the switching timing when the detection result of the ion is obtained using the correction information.

Abstract: Provided is a spin-polarized scanning electron microscope capable of improving an SNR of a detected signal. The spin-polarized scanning electron microscope includes: a spin-polarized electron source configured to irradiate a sample with a spin-polarized electron beam that is an electron beam whose spin is deflected in a specific direction; a scanning unit configured to scan the sample by deflecting the spin-polarized electron beam; a spin detector configured to detect a spin direction of an emitted electron that is an electron emitted from the sample scanned with the spin-polarized electron beam; and a control unit configured to control the spin direction to be detected by the spin detector based on the spin direction of the spin-polarized electron beam.

Abstract: An inverse-planning method (100), by which a treatment plan specifying a non-photon irradiation of a patient including a target volume is generated, comprises: obtaining (110, 112) first and second plan goals in terms of a respective first and second numerical condition on the treatment plan's photon-equivalent dose as computed using a first and second RBE factor; and generating (114) the treatment plan by an optimization process aiming to satisfy the first, second and any further plan goals, wherein (a) the first and second plan goals apply to volumes which either are included in the TV or are completely or partially separate from the TV and/or (b) the first and second RBE factors are variable. In a further aspect, a data carrier provides a treatment plan with these characteristics together with reporting quantities relating to fulfilment of the first and second plan goals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electron-optical assembly for an electron-optical column for projecting a charged particle beam along a beam path towards a target, the electron-optical assembly comprising: electromagnetic shielding surrounding the charged particle beam path and configured to shield the charged particle beam from an electromagnetic field external to the electromagnetic shielding; wherein the electromagnetic shielding comprises a plurality of sections extending along different positions along the beam path, each section surrounding the charged particle beam, wherein the sections are separable.

Abstract: An imaging device for reducing a processing load of signal processing using two images of different wavelengths, and a method of operating the imaging device. The phases of two incident light beams having different wavelengths are matched, the two incident light beams are polarized into the same polarization direction, a wavelength of one incident light beam of the two types of polarized incident light beams is matched with a wavelength of the other incident light beam, a phase difference is adjusted such that the phase difference between the one incident light beam and the other incident light beam is ?, the two types of incident light beams being matched with the wavelength of the one incident light beam, and an imaging element simultaneously receives the two types of incident light beams adjusted such that the phase difference is ?, thereby, optically acquiring the subtraction results of two types of power.