Patents Examined by Eliza Osenbaugh-Stewart
  • Patent number: 10242860
    Abstract: An electrostatic trap such as an orbitrap is disclosed, with an electrode structure. An electrostatic trapping field of the form U?(r, ?, z) is generated to trap ions within the trap so that they undergo isochronous oscillations. The trapping field U?(r, ?, z) is the result of a perturbation W to an ideal field U(r, ?, z) which, for example, is hyperlogarithmic in the case of an orbitrap. The perturbation W may be introduced in various ways, such as by distorting the geometry of the trap so that it no longer follows an equipotential of the ideal field U(r, ?, z), or by adding a distortion field (either electric or magnetic). The magnitude of the perturbation is such that at least some of the trapped ions have an absolute phase spread of more than zero but less than 2 ? radians over an ion detection period Tm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientifc (Bremen) GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander A. Makarov, Eduard V. Denisov, Gerhard Jung, Wilko Balschun, Stevan R. Horning
  • Patent number: 10234282
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for determining a position of a divergent radiation source (1), comprising Irradiating a pixel detector (2) with a predetermined intensity distribution of radiation with wavelength ? originated from the radiation source (1), wherein the pixel detector (2) comprises a plurality of pixels with pixel coordinates (xi, yi, zi); Detecting, for each of the plurality of pixels, an intensity of the incident radiation (10); Determining, for each of the plurality of pixels, an incidence direction of the incident radiation using information on an orientation of an internal periodic structure at the pixel and the predetermined intensity distribution, wavelength ? and the detected intensity; and Determining the position (xp, yp, zp) of the radiation source (1) using the pixel coordinates (xi, yi, zi) and the incidence direction for each of the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignees: Brunker Nano GmbH, University of Strathclyde
    Inventors: Aimo Winkelmann, Stefano Vespucci
  • Patent number: 10236091
    Abstract: A DR detector having a layer of imaging pixels and one or more shield layers behind the layer of imaging pixels. A first shield layer may have a thickness selected to be between about 1 mil and about 5 mils of a material selected from lead, tungsten, tin, copper, aluminum, and magnesium, selected according to an energy magnitude of radiographic energy received by the detector. A second shield layer may be positioned behind the first shield layer. The second shield layer may have a similar or different thickness selected according to an energy magnitude of radiographic energy received by the detector. The first shield layer may be positioned directly behind the layer of imaging pixels and the second shield layer may be positioned at an interior surface of the back of the detector housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Carestream Health, Inc.
    Inventor: Pavlo Baturin
  • Patent number: 10228388
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for obtaining extremely high sensitivity chemical composition maps with spatial resolution down to a few nanometers. In some embodiments these chemical composition maps are created using a combination of three techniques: (1) Illuminating the sample with IR radiation than is tuned to an absorption band in the sample; and (2) Optimizing a mechanical coupling efficiency that is tuned to a specific target material; (3) Optimizing a resonant detection that is tuned to a specific target material. With the combination of these steps it is possible to obtain (1) Chemical composition maps based on unique IR absorption; (2) spatial resolution that is enhanced by extremely short-range tip-sample interactions; and (3) resonant amplification tuned to a specific target material. In other embodiments it is possible to take advantage of any two of these steps and still achieve a substantial improvement in spatial resolution and/or sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Bruker Nano, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Prater, Kevin Kjoller
  • Patent number: 10217605
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method of automated inspection of scattered hot spot areas on a manufactured substrate using an electron beam apparatus. A stage holding the substrate is moved along a swath path so as to move a field of view of the electron beam apparatus such that the moving field of view covers a target area on the substrate. Off-axis imaging of the hot spot areas within the moving field of view is performed. A number of hot spot areas within the moving field of view may be determined, and the speed of the stage movement may be adjusted based on the number of hot spot areas within the moving field of view. Another embodiment relates to an electron beam apparatus for inspecting scattered areas on a manufactured substrate. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Sean X. Wu, Kini Vivekanand
  • Patent number: 10204775
    Abstract: Mass spectrometers and methods for measuring information about samples using mass spectrometry are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: 908 Devices Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Brown, Glenn A. Harris, Evgeny Krylov, Scott Miller
  • Patent number: 10204758
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a positive and negative ion source based on radio-frequency inductively coupled discharge, comprising a tube, a middle portion of which is communicated with an intake pipe; discharge coils electrically connected to a matched network and a radio-frequency power supply successively are wound on the tube; one end of the tube is connected to a first cover plate in a sealed manner, and the first cover plate is connected with a positive ion extraction gate via an insulating medium; the positive ion extraction gate is electrically connected to a negative pole of a DC power supply; the other end of the tube is connected to a second cover plate in a sealed manner, the second cover plate is connected to a third cover plate in a sealed manner via a sidewall, and the third cover plate is connected with a negative ion extraction gate via an insulating medium; and the negative ion extraction gate is electrically connected to a positive pole of the DC power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Fei Gao, Younian Wang
  • Patent number: 10197393
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for determining a position of a divergent radiation source (1), comprising Irradiating a pixel detector (2) with a predetermined intensity distribution of radiation with wavelength ? originated from the radiation source (1), wherein the pixel detector (2) comprises a plurality of pixels with pixel coordinates (xi, yi, zi); Detecting, for each of the plurality of pixels, an intensity of the incident radiation (10); Determining, for each of the plurality of pixels, an incidence direction of the incident radiation using information on an orientation of an internal periodic structure at the pixel and the predetermined intensity distribution, wavelength ? and the detected intensity; and Determining the position (xp, yp, zp) of the radiation source (1) using the pixel coordinates (xi, yi, zi) and the incidence direction for each of the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignees: Brunker Nano GmbH, University of Strathclyde
    Inventors: Aimo Winkelmann, Stefano Vespucci
  • Patent number: 10192727
    Abstract: An electrodynamic mass analysis system which has the capability of filtering unwanted species from an extracted ion beam without the use of a mass analyzer magnet is disclosed. The electrodynamic mass analysis system includes an ion source and an electrode disposed outside the ion source. The ion source and the electrode are biased relative to one another so as to emit pulses of ions. Each of these pulses enters a tube where each ion travels at a speed related to its mass. Thus, ions of the same mass travel in clusters through the tube. Ions reach the distal end of the tube separated temporally and spatially from one another based on their mass. The ions then enter a deflector, which is energized so as to allow the cluster of ions having the desired mass to pass through a resolving aperture disposed at the exit of the deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Joseph C. Olson, Costel Biloiu, Alexandre Likhanskii, Peter F. Kurunczi
  • Patent number: 10180404
    Abstract: Collimator unit between X-ray tube and sample includes a plurality of collimator plates and displacement mechanisms, which move the collimator plates in interlocked fashion so as to locate the centers of through-holes on a line connecting X-ray focal point to an arbitrary point on the sample W, thereby suppressing the shading of X-rays due to the axis of the through-holes of the collimator unit becoming diagonal to the line connecting the X-ray focal point and the point on the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keijiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10176965
    Abstract: A charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with an array of primary charged particle beamlets is described. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam source to generate a primary charged particle beam; a multi-aperture plate having at least two openings to generate an array of charged particle beamlets having at least a first beamlet having a first resolution on the specimen and a second beamlet having a second resolution on the specimen; an aberration correction element to correct at least one of spherical aberrations and chromatic aberrations of rotational symmetric charged particle lenses; and an objective lens assembly for focusing each primary charged particle beamlet of the array of primary charged particle beamlets onto a separate location on the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbH
    Inventor: John Breuer
  • Patent number: 10176963
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for the alignment of a charged-particle beam with an optical beam within a charged-particle beam microscope, and to the focusing of the optical beam are disclosed. An embodiment includes a charged-particle beam microscope having one or more charged-particle beams, such as an electron beam, and one or more optical beams provided by an optical-beam accessory that is mounted in or on the charged-particle beam microscope. This accessory is integrated into a nanomanipulator system, allowing its focus location to be moved within the microscope. The apparatus includes a two-dimensional pixelated beam locator such as a CCD or CMOS imaging array sensor. The image formed by this sensor can then be used to manually, or automatically in an open or closed loop configuration, adjust the positioning of one or more charged-particle beams or optical beams to achieve coincidence of such beams or focus of one or more such beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Waviks, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Moore, Gregory A. Magel
  • Patent number: 10172225
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber including a plasma generation region to which a target is supplied, the target being turned into plasma so that extreme ultraviolet light is generated in the chamber; a target supply part configured to supply the target to the plasma generation region by outputting the target as a droplet into the chamber; a droplet detector configured to detect the droplet traveling from the target supply part to the plasma generation region; an imaging part configured to capture an image of an imaging region containing the plasma generation region in the chamber; and a controller configured to control an imaging timing at which the imaging part captures the image of the imaging region, based on a detection timing at which the droplet detector detects the droplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Suzuki, Tamotsu Abe, Osamu Wakabayashi, Tatsuya Yanagida
  • Patent number: 10168614
    Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes a charged particle source configured to generate charged particles, an electrode configured to accelerate the charged particles to form a charged particle beam, a bender unit configured to adjust a path of the charged particle beam, and an objective lens configured to focus the charged particle beam onto a spot on a sample. The charged particle beam passes through a bore of the objective lens as the charged particle beam propagates from the charged particle source to the sample. The apparatus also includes a light source configured to generate a light beam, and a mirror disposed within the bender unit and arranged to direct the light beam to the spot on the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignees: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD., ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbH
    Inventors: Alex Goldenshtein, Stefan Lanio
  • Patent number: 10163614
    Abstract: The tandem differential mobility spectrometer (DMS)-ion modulator instrument provides improved resolution relative to traditional DMS for molecules with larger masses. The instrument includes an ion-bunching electrode with an AC field synchronized to the transit time of the ion flow which is positioned downstream of a DMS. The ion bunching electrode produces a mobility-dependent modulation of the ion current. The ratio of AC to DC current provides a measure of the mobility of a large ion, even if it has little differential mobility, thereby extending the useful range of mobility characterization of a DMS system. The instrument is more compact than a larger traditional ion mobility spectrometer and does not require high voltages or high frequencies. Modulation before DMS separation or between tandem DMS separations produces a variable range of analyte and reactant ion densities as well as spatially separating negative and positive ions to reduce ion recombination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Hall Labs, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Joe Fox
  • Patent number: 10162029
    Abstract: In beta emission imaging, magnetic lensing allows a lower resolution detector to detect the spatial distribution of emissions at a higher resolution. The sample is placed in a magnetic field with field lines at a given density, and the detector is placed away from the sample where the magnet field lines diverge, resulting in a lesser density. Since the beta emissions travel along the field lines, the divergence of the field lines from the sample to the detector result in lensing or magnification. Using positron attenuation tomography to detect annihilation in the detector allows for correction due to self-absorption by the sample. The correction and lensing are used together or may be used independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles C. Watson
  • Patent number: 10163615
    Abstract: Achieving high conversion of large multiply charged biological ions into low charge states involves requirements difficult to reconcile when high transmission and good spray quality (resulting in narrow mobility distributions) are sought. These multiple goals are achieved in this invention by partially isolating different regions from each other with electrostatic barriers relatively transparent to ions, such as metallic grids. One such region requires high electric fields for ion generation. The other region, used for ion recombination, is approximately field-free. In an alternative arrangement intended for charge reduction in sub-millisecond times, two sources of ions with opposite polarities are placed contiguously, with a grid in between. In all cases, ion crossing through grids into field free regions is effectively driven by space charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventor: Juan Fernandez de la Mora
  • Patent number: 10161904
    Abstract: A method for tracing a distribution of moving ions in an ion mobility spectrometer is provided, including steps: first selecting a sample having light-emitting characteristics as a tracing sample; subsequently, ionizing the tracing sample by using an ionization source, and feeding ions of the tracing sample to a drift tube of the ion mobility spectrometer; using a plate to collect the ions at a cross section to be detected; and finally processing the ions collected on the plate by using an appropriate means, thereby enabling the ions to emit light, and displaying a distribution view of movement positions of the ions on the cross section. By combining a light-emitting tracing means and movements of charged ions in an ion mobility spectrometer, it is able to master a position distribution of the charged ions in the ion mobility spectrometer more intuitively and practically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: GRADUATE SCHOOL AT SHENZHEN, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kai Ni, Kaitai Guo, Quan Yu, Binchao Tang, Zhou Yu, Xiang Qian, Xiaohao Wang
  • Patent number: 10153127
    Abstract: A low profile extraction electrode assembly including an insulator having a main body, a plurality of spaced apart mounting legs extending from a first face of the main body, a plurality of spaced apart mounting legs extending from a second face of the main body opposite the first face, the plurality of spaced apart mounting legs extending from the second face offset from the plurality of spaced apart mounting legs extending from the first face in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the main body, the low profile extraction electrode assembly further comprising a ground electrode fastened to the mounting legs extending from the first face, and a suppression electrode fastened to the mounting legs extending from the second face, wherein a tracking distance between the ground electrode and the suppression electrode is greater than a focal distance between the ground electrode and the suppression electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Burgess
  • Patent number: 10141157
    Abstract: In a device for performing observation with a charged particle microscope at an atmospheric pressure using a diaphragm, while there was a demand that a distance between the diaphragm and a sample be reduced as much as possible, there was a problem that a limit for how close the diaphragm and the sample can be brought to each other was unknown in the past. In the present invention, a height adjustment member is used, and the position of a diaphragm in a charged particle beam device with respect to the height adjustment member is defined as the specific point of an optical device, so that the positional relationship between the height adjustment member and the diaphragm in the optical device is reproduced, and the height of a sample table with a Z-axis driving mechanism is adjusted so as to locate the surface of the sample at the position of the specific point of the optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Nakabayashi, Yuusuke Oominami, Shinsuke Kawanishi