Abstract: There is provided a collector system. The collector system includes a first collector mirror and a second collector mirror. The first collector mirror receives EUV light from a light source at a first aperture angle via a first beam path, and reflects the EUV light at a second aperture angle along a second beam path. The first aperture angle is larger than or substantially equal to the second aperture angle. The second mirror receives the EUV light from the first mirror at the second aperture angle. The collector is an oblique mirror type normal incidence mirror collector system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of qualitatively analyzing high-molecular additives in a metal plating solution, including: removing sulfate ions and metal ions from a metal plating solution; and qualitatively analyzing the metal plating solution, from which sulfate ions and metal ions are removed, using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS). The method is advantageous in that the structure and molecular weight of high-molecular additives present in very small amounts in a plating solution can be accurately measured while maintaining the specific structure and molecular weight thereof without degrading the high-molecular additives.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneous parallel processing of a sample using light energy for optical viewing or surface processing in parallel with a charged particle beam. A charged particle beam transmits a focused ion beam or an electron beam along a path to a sample. An optical microscope transmits light along a first path to the sample, and a prism aligned along the first light path reflects light into a second light path toward the sample. A portion of the prism and reflective surface is removed for passage of the charged particle beam. A lens is aligned along the second light path and has a portion removed for passage of the charged particle beam. The removed portions of the prism and lens are aligned along the charged particle beam path to permit parallel delivery of the charged particle beam and the light to substantially the same portion of the sample.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for sterilizing a food product. The apparatus comprises an ionization unit for holding the food product, a housing enclosing the ionization unit, a bipolar ionization assembly and a pulse power energization assembly. The bipolar ionization assembly comprises a generator unit and at least one ionization tube for generating bipolar ionization within the ionization unit for sterilizing the food product. The pulse power energization assembly comprises at least one ultraviolet light energy source for generating pulsed energy and at least one ultraviolet light emitting unit for generating pulsed ultraviolet light within the ionization unit upon receiving the pulsed energy. The pulsed ultraviolet light is capable of irradiating the food product for sterilizing purposes.

Abstract: Transport and storage of nuclear fuel assemblies may require double confinement depending on the circumstances. A device and a method are described to perform this double conditioning without the need of a hot containment, and in which the loading and pre-positioning steps can take place in a pool. The device (10) includes a metallic inner leak tight conditioning receptacle (20) and a metallic outer leak tight receptacle (30). When the inner receptacle (20) is located in the outer receptacle (30), a passage (15, 25) remains free between the two receptacles, from the open end to the bottom of the outer receptacle. The outer receptacle (30) can be drained through this passage, particularly by a dip tube (33).

Abstract: The present invention is a device to restrict the sampling of analyte ions and neutral molecules from surfaces with mass spectrometry and thereby sample from a defined area or volume. In various embodiments of the present invention, a tube is used to sample ions formed with a defined spatial resolution from desorption ionization at or near atmospheric pressures. In an embodiment of the present invention, electrostatic fields are used to direct ions to either individual tubes or a plurality of tubes positioned in close proximity to the surface of the sample being analyzed. In an embodiment of the present invention, wide diameter sampling tubes can be used in combination with a vacuum inlet to draw ions and neutrals into the spectrometer for analysis. In an embodiment of the present invention, wide diameter sampling tubes in combination with electrostatic fields improve the efficiency of ion collection.

Abstract: A charged particle beam instrument (10) is provided, the instrument comprising a charged particle optical column (12), a voltage source, a detector (14) and a sample holder (18), the column (12) being operable to direct a beam of primary charged particles at a sample (20) on the sample holder (18) to cause secondary charged particles to be released from the sample, the voltage source being operable to establish in the vicinity of the sample an electric field that has a component that draws the secondary charged particles towards the detector (14), and the detector being operable to detect secondary charged particles, wherein the instrument further comprises a further voltage source (16) variable between a first voltage that establishes a component of the electric field that draws the secondary charged particles away from the sample, so as to prevent at least some of them from colliding with the sample (20) or sample holder (18), and a second voltage that establishes a component of the electric field that draw

Abstract: A confocal scanning transmission electron microscope which includes an electron illumination device providing an incident electron beam propagating in a direction defining a propagation axis, and a precision specimen scanning stage positioned along the propagation axis and movable in at least one direction transverse to the propagation axis. The precision specimen scanning stage is configured for positioning a specimen relative to the incident electron beam. A projector lens receives a transmitted electron beam transmitted through at least part of the specimen and focuses this transmitted beam onto an image plane, where the transmitted beam results from the specimen being illuminated by the incident electron beam. A detection system is placed approximately in the image plane.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus includes: an electron gun for generating an electron beam; a deflector for deflecting the electron beam; a wafer stage; a stage position detector for detecting a position of the wafer stage; and a stage position computing unit for calculating a movement velocity of the wafer stage. On a basis of the movement velocity, the stage position computing unit calculates an amount of positional change of the wafer stage with respect to an interpolation time, and subsequently calculates an amount of positional movement of the wafer stage by sequentially adding the amount of positional change to the position of the wafer stage in synchronism with the interpolation time. Thus, the stage position computing unit calculates an amount of deflection of the electron beam corresponding to the amount of the positional movement of the wafer stage.

Abstract: A system and method for improved electron beam writing that is capable of taking design intent, equipment capability and design requirements into consideration. The system and method determines an optimal writing pattern based, at least in part, on the received information.

Abstract: A method for photoresist characterization includes forming a photoresist on a supportive structure; and characterizing the photoresist using a metrology tool selected from the group consisting of a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an atomic force microscope (AFM), a small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and a laser diffraction particle analyzer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to an ultraviolet (UV) cure chamber for curing a dielectric material disposed on a substrate and to methods of curing dielectric materials using UV radiation. A substrate processing tool according to one embodiment comprises a body defining a substrate processing region; a substrate support adapted to support a substrate within the substrate processing region; an ultraviolet radiation lamp spaced apart from the substrate support, the lamp configured to transmit ultraviolet radiation to a substrate positioned on the substrate support; and a motor operatively coupled to rotate at least one of the ultraviolet radiation lamp or substrate support at least 180 degrees relative to each other.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an mixed signal RF drive electronics board that offers small, low power, reliable, and customizable method for driving and generating mass spectra from a mass spectrometer, and for control of other functions such as electron ionizer, ion focusing, single-ion detection, multi-channel data accumulation and, if desired, front-end interfaces such as pumps, valves, heaters, and columns.

Abstract: A method and system for particle beam lithography, such as electron beam (EB) lithography, is disclosed. The method and system include selecting one of a plurality of cell patterns from a stencil mask and partially exposing the cell pattern to a particle beam, such as an electron beam, so as to selectively project a portion of the cell pattern on a substrate.

Abstract: There are provided an electron beam application method and an electron beam application device capable of uniformly applying electron beams to an object even if the electron beams have a low energy. For this, electron beams (EB) are applied to a beverage container (30) (object) within a magnetic barrier (MF) formed by combining a plurality of magnetic fields generated in an electron beam application region.

Abstract: A method, tool, and machine for hardening a photoresist image while the photoresist image is immersed in a liquid.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope system capable of identifying an element with atomic scale spatial resolution comprises: an X-ray irradiation means for irradiating a measurement object with high-brilliance monochromatic X-rays having a beam diameter smaller than 1 mm; a probe arranged to oppose to the measurement object; a processing means for detecting and processing a tunneling current through the probe; and a scanning probe microscope having an alignment means for relatively moving the measurement object, the probe, and the incident position of the high-brilliance monochromatic X-rays to the measurement object.

Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicle for use with a lithographic mask comprises a carbon nanotube film. The carbon nanotube EUV pellicle can be mounted on the lithographic mask. The carbon nanotube EUV pellicle protects the lithographic mask from contamination by undesirable particles and also prevents the undesirable particles from forming a focused image on the surface of a semiconductor wafer during fabrication; while advantageously, the carbon nanotube pellicle has a high level of EUV light transmittance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for analyzing mass analysis data for easily deducing the structure of an unknown substance, based on data obtained by an MSn analysis. First, the structural formula of a precursor ion of the unknown substance is deduced based on the mass-to-charge ratio of the precursor ion (Step S12), and candidate structures which have the same compositional formula as the compositional formula deduced in Step S12, by combining the structure of the known substance and known structural change patterns (Step S14). Next, fragment ion peaks expected to appear from the candidate structures are deduced (Step S15), and based on the expected fragment ion peaks, the candidate structures are ranked in the order of probability (Step S16). Then, by comparing a mass spectrum of the known substance and that of the unknown substance, a common fragment ion peak is searched. (Step S19).

Abstract: A corona generating device for charging a surface including, a housing; the housing including spaced generally parallel side panels; members for holding a corona generating electrode in an operable position within the housing; and system for adjusting the height spacing of the corona generating electrode relative to the surface the adjusting system includes a first bridge member adjacent to the inboard wire mount and a second bridge member adjacent to the outboard wire mount, the first bridge member and second bridge member contacts the wire to change the distance of the wire relative to the surface.