Abstract: Crystallographic information of crystalline sample can be determined from one or more three-dimensional diffraction pattern datasets generated based on diffraction patterns collected from multiple crystals. The crystals for diffraction pattern acquisition may be selected based on a sample image. At a location of each selected crystal, multiple diffraction patterns of the crystal are acquired at different angles of incidence by tilting the electron beam, wherein the sample is not rotated while the electron beam is directed at the selected crystal.

Abstract: A currency disinfecting assembly for sterilizing paper currency includes a cabinet that is comprised of an opaque material to inhibit light from passing therethrough. A plurality of holders is each disposed in an interior of the cabinet to accommodate paper currency. A plurality of light emitters is each coupled to the cabinet to emit light outwardly therefrom. Each of the light emitters is positioned inside of the cabinet to direct the light onto the paper currency. Moreover, each of the light emitters emits light in the ultraviolet spectrum to sterilize the paper currency.

Abstract: A compensating device for use in ion-based radiotherapy may comprise a disk with a number of protrusions may be placed in a radiation beam to affect the ions in the beam in different ways to create an irradiation field from a broad beam. This is particularly useful in FLASH therapy because of the limited time available or modulating the beam. A method of designing such a compensating device is proposed, comprising the steps of obtaining characteristics of an actual treatment plan comprising at least one beam, determining at least one parameter characteristic of the desired energy modulation of the actual plan by performing a dose calculation of the initial plan and, based on the at least one parameter, computing a shape for each of the plurality of elongated elements to modulate the dose of the delivery beam to mimic the dose of the initial plan per beam.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope has dual probes composed of a hinge structure, two cantilever beams and needle tips arranged on free ends of the cantilever beams. The hinge structure is a U-shaped body having two ends respectively extended with a first cantilever beam and a second cantilever beam. The free end of the first cantilever beam and the free end of the second cantilever beam are respectively provided with a first needle tip and a second needle tip. The integrated dual probes is operated by the driving function of the probe clamp. Therefore, only a set of motion control and measurement system of the atomic force microscope is required to realize the rapid in-situ switching function of the dual probes.

Abstract: A target droplet source for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source includes a droplet generator configured to generate target droplets of a given material. The droplet generator includes a nozzle configured to supply the target droplets in a space enclosed by a chamber. The target droplet source further includes a sleeve disposed in the chamber distal to the nozzle. The sleeve is configured to provide a path for the target droplets in the chamber.

Abstract: A cathodoluminescence microscope and method are used to identify and classify dislocations within a semiconductor sample. At least two CL polarized images are concurrently obtained from the sample. The images are added together to obtain a total intensity image. A normalized difference of the images is taken to obtain a degree of polarization (DOP) image. The total intensity and DOP images are compared to differentiate between edge dislocations and screw dislocations within the sample. Edge dislocation density and screw dislocation density may then be calculated.

Abstract: An axial alignment assembly (100) comprising a first body and a second body. The first body has a substantially cylindrical outer jacket, and has a first alignment axis. The second body comprises a substantially cylindrical inner jacket, and has a second alignment axis. The second body is positioned with respect to said first body in so that said inner jacket faces said outer jacket and in between said inner jacket and said outer jacket a substantially annular recess is formed. The axial alignment assembly further comprises a plurality of resilient elements that are positioned within said annular recess, wherein each resilient element is in contact with said outer jacket of said first body and with said inner jacket of said second body. Each resilient element exerts a force onto said outer jacket and onto said inner jacket for aligning said first alignment axis and said second alignment axis.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media related to defective pixel management in charged particle microscopy. For example, in some embodiments, a charged particle microscope support apparatus may include: first logic to identify a defective pixel region of a charged particle camera, wherein the charged particle camera cannot detect charged particle events in the defective pixel region; second logic to generate a first charged particle event indicator that identifies a first time and a first location of a first charged particle event outside the defective pixel region, wherein the first charged particle event is detected by the charged particle camera; third logic to generate a second charged particle event indicator that identifies a second time and a second location in the defective pixel region; and fourth logic to output data representative of the charged particle event indicators.

Abstract: To enhance the measurement sensitivity of a scanning probe microscope. In a cross sectional view, a cantilever includes a vertex portion that is a portion close to a sample and is covered by a metallic film, a ridge that is connected to the vertex portion and is covered by the metallic film, and an upper corner portion that is connected to the ridge. Here, the upper corner portion and a part of the ridge are portions to be irradiated with excitation light emitted from a light source of the scanning probe microscope.

Abstract: A charged-particle source for generating a charged-particle comprises a sequence of electrodes, including an emitter electrode with an emitter surface, a counter electrode held at an electrostatic voltage with respect to the emitter electrode at a sign opposite to that of the electrically charged particles, and one or more adjustment electrodes surrounding the source space between the emitter electrode and the counter electrode. These electrodes have a basic overall rotational symmetry along a central axis, with the exception of one or more steering electrodes which is an electrode which interrupts the radial axial-symmetry of the electric potential of the source, for instance tilted or shifted to an eccentric position or orientation, configured to force unintended, secondary charged particles away from the emission surface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for the identification and/or characterization of properties of a sample using mass spectrometry. The method involves using a measured spectrum of data from a sample taken with a mass spectrometer, deconvoluting the measured spectrum of data by applying parsimony weighting to minimize the number of charge states based on one or more of: the number of intense peaks in the mass spectrum; the number of harmonic relationships (e.g., masses in small integer ratios); and the number of off-by-one relationships (e.g., m/z bins with high probability for two adjacent charges). Thus, the underlying m/z spectrum may be inferred from the family of plausible deconvoluted spectra determined by applying parsimony and the inferred m/z spectrum may be used to identify and/or characterize the sample.

Abstract: An example computer-implemented method for tuning a beam spot in a radiation therapy system has been disclosed. The example method includes configuring an electron beam to generate a first beam spot on an electron-beam target of the radiation therapy system, generating, using an imager of the radiation therapy system, a first plurality of projection images of the first beam spot, wherein each of the projection images of the first beam spot is generated with a line of sight blocked between the imager and a different respective portion of the beam spot, based on the first plurality of projection images, determining a value for one or more beam spot quality metrics associated with the first beam spot, and based on the value, determining whether the first beam spot is outside a specified quality range.

Abstract: A method of determining a distortion of a field of view of a scanning electron microscope is described. The method may include: providing a sample including substantially parallel lines extending in a first direction; performing scans across the field of view of the sample along respective scan-trajectories extending in a scan direction; the scan direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction; detecting a response signal of the sample caused by the scanning of the sample; determining a distance between a first line segment of a line and a second line segment of the line, whereby each of the first line segment and the second line segment are crossed by scan trajectories, based on the response signal; performing the previous step for multiple locations within the field of view; and determining the distortion across the field of view, based on the determined distances at the multiple locations.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a region of interest of a sample including: positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column; acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column; generating an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired; identifying distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and creating an updated three-dimensional data cube that includes corrections for the identified distortions.

Abstract: Sterilizing devices, preferably foot mats, comprise: a support member having an arrangement structure and a plurality of UV light emitting members, where the support member is configured for total internal reflection of UV light from the UV light emitting members; a power source providing power to the plurality of UV light emitting members; and a translucent substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface; wherein the translucent substrate is disposed above the support member such that the lower surface of the translucent substrate can be brought into contact with an upper region of the support member when a downward force is applied to the upper surface of the translucent substrate; and wherein the contact between the lower surface of the translucent substrate and the support member breaks the total internal reflection in the area of contact such that UV light is emitted through the translucent substrate.

Abstract: A method of batch-fabricating an array of probe devices for a surface analysis instrument, such as an atomic force microscope (AFM), includes providing a wafer, and photolithographically forming a base and a cantilever for each probe. The cantilever includes a built-in angle, ?, relative to the base, and the base is substantially parallel to a sample holder when the probe device is mounted in a probe holder of the surface analysis instrument.

Abstract: A material recovery system for an optical component includes a reservoir containing gas and configured to supply a gas flow containing the gas. The material recovery system also includes an ion beam generator disposed on the reservoir and configured to receive the gas flow and to ionize the gas in the gas flow to generate an ion beam. The ion beam is configured to be directed to the optical component to remove at least a portion of a F-containing optical material degraded by exposure to VUV radiation, DUV radiation, and/or photo-contamination.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope (AFM) and method of operating the same includes a separate Z height sensor to measure, simultaneously with AFM system control, probe sample distance, pixel-by-pixel during AFM data acquisition. By mapping the AFM data to low resolution data of the Z height data, a high resolution final data image corrected for creep is generated in real time.

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.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns probe cassette 1 for holding a probe 60 in storage to provide automated transfer of the probe to a probe mount of a scanning probe microscope. The probe cassette comprising a first vacuum chamber C1 with a volume V1, and a second vacuum chamber C2 with a volume V2, and a first and second vacuum channel 10, respectively fluidly connecting the first and second vacuum chamber to an outlet 30 fluidly connectable to an external vacuum, such that upon application of the external vacuum a mounting position of the probe relative to the cassette and a mounting position of the cassette relative to the sample stage is maintained. The probe cassette arranged to allow breaking a vacuum condition in the second chamber maintaining the mounting position of the probe before breaking a vacuum condition in the first chamber maintaining a mounting position of the probe cassette.