Abstract: There is provided an atomic force microscope (AFM) with increase the speed and sensitivity of detection of the resonant frequency shift in a cantilever. An AFM (1) extracts a reference signal and a phase shift signal from a detection signal from a displacement sensor of the cantilever. The reference signal is restrained from a phase change in accordance with the resonant frequency shift. The phase shift signal has a phase shifted in accordance with the resonant frequency shift. The AFM (1) determines the phase difference of the phase shift signal from the reference signal, as the resonant frequency shift. The AFM (1) may detect the phase difference between a plus-minus inversion point on the reference signal and a corresponding plus-minus inversion point on the phase shift signal. The AFM (1) may adjust phase before phase detection. The phase adjustment may move the detection point for the resonant frequency shift defined on the oscillation waveforms to the plus-minus inversion point.

Abstract: A device for emitting a first and a second electromagnetic radiation (13, 23, 53) via a radiation coupling-out surface (5) along a device beam path. A first radiation-emitting arrangement (1) has at least one first radiation-emitting component (10) which emits the first electromagnetic radiation (13). A second radiation-emitting arrangement (2) has at least one second radiation-emitting component (20) which emits the second electromagnetic radiation (23). Furthermore, the device has a radiation-directing element (3), wherein the radiation coupling-out surface (5) is arranged in the beam path of the second radiation-emitting arrangement (2) and the radiation-directing element (3) directs the first electromagnetic radiation (13) to the radiation coupling-out surface (5).

Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described. The focused ion beam device includes an ion beam column including an enclosure for housing a gas field ion source emitter with an emitter area for generating ions, an electrode for extracting ions from the gas field ion source emitter, one or more gas inlets adapted to introduce a first gas and a second gas to the emitter area, an objective lens for focusing the ion beam generated from the first gas or the second gas, a voltage supply for providing a voltage between the electrode and the gas field ion source emitter, and a controller for switching between a first voltage and a second voltage of the voltage supply for generating an ion beam of ions of the first gas or an ion beam of ions of the second gas.

Abstract: An improved method of loading tips and other surfaces with patterning compositions or inks for use in deposition. A method of patterning is described, the method comprising: (i) providing at least one array of tips; (ii) providing a plurality of patterning compositions; (iii) ink jet printing at least some of the patterning compositions onto some of the tips; and (iv) depositing at least some of the patterning compositions onto a substrate surface; wherein the ink jet printing is adapted to prevent substantial cross-contamination of the patterning composition on the tips. Good printing reproducibility and control of printing rate can be achieved. The surfaces subjected to ink jet printing can be treated to encourage localization of the ink at the tip. The method is particularly important for high density arrays.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems, and apparatus suitable for performing a survey scan of one or more analytes or labeled fragments of analytes to obtain a convoluted spectrum and to de-convolute the convoluted spectrum using, for example, a mass spectrometer and associated processing system.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope is provided, which can be stably used for a long time even if excitation efficiency varies during scan. A cantilever (5) is excited, and the cantilever (5) and a sample are subjected to relative scanning. A second-harmonic component detection circuit (31) detects second-harmonic component amplitude of oscillation of the cantilever (5) as integral-multiple component amplitude. The second-harmonic component amplitude is amplitude of a second-harmonic component having a frequency twice as high as excitation frequency. An excitation intensity adjustment circuit (33) controls excitation intensity based on the detected second-harmonic component amplitude such that the second-harmonic component amplitude is kept constant.

Abstract: An electron beam observation device includes a mechanism which disposes a specimen at an upstream side in an electron beam traveling direction outside an objective lens, from which an image is transferred under a magnification of ? to 1/30, in addition to an inside of the objective lens in which a specimen is disposed at a time of ordinary observation.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer has a pair of electrodes (13A) and (13B) midway along the drift chamber (7). A high field is applied between the electrodes (13A) and (13B) sufficient to modify (e.g. fragment) ions in the region of the electrodes such that they move at a different rate towards the collector plate (8) . This is used to modify the time of flight of selected ions or ion clusters and enable identification of ambiguous peaks on the IMS spectrum.

Abstract: Sample inspection apparatus, sample inspection method, and sample inspection system are offered which can give a stimulus to a sample held on a film when the sample is inspected by irradiating it with a primary beam (e.g., an electron beam or other charged-particle beam) via the film. The apparatus has the film, a vacuum chamber, primary beam irradiation column, signal detector, and a controller for controlling the operations of the beam irradiation column and signal detector. The sample is held on a first surface of the film opened to permit access to the film. The vacuum chamber reduces the pressure of the ambient in contact with a second surface of the film. The irradiation column irradiates the sample with the primary beam via the film from the second surface side. The detector detects a secondary signal produced from the sample in response to the irradiation.

Abstract: A method and device for generating terahertz radiation comprising a polar crystal material layer operative to emit terahertz radiation; the polar crystal material layer comprising a plurality of stacking faults; the stacking faults lying substantially perpendicular to the polar axis and forming boundaries at which the internal electric polarization terminates leading to charges accumulating at the boundaries, and creation of internal electric fields oriented along the polar axis; a pulsed radiation source for creating photogenerated carriers in the polar crystal material; whereby the photogenerated carriers accelerate in the internal electric fields associated with the termination of the internal electric polarization by the stacking faults to thereby generate terahertz radiation.

Abstract: An ultrafast system (and methods) for characterizing one or more samples. The system includes a stage assembly, which has a sample to be characterized. The system has a laser source that is capable of emitting an optical pulse of less than 1 ps in duration. The system has a cathode coupled to the laser source. In a specific embodiment, the cathode is capable of emitting an electron pulse less than 1 ps in duration. The system has an electron lens assembly adapted to focus the electron pulse onto the sample disposed on the stage. The system has a detector adapted to capture one or more electrons passing through the sample. The one or more electrons passing through the sample is representative of the structure of the sample. The detector provides a signal (e.g., data signal) associated with the one or more electrons passing through the sample that represents the structure of the sample. The system has a processor coupled to the detector.

Abstract: A device for improved transportation and focusing of ions in a low vacuum or atmospheric-pressure region of a mass spectrometer is constructed from one or more electro-dynamic or electrostatic focusing lenses that is/are coupled to the first electrode of a stacked ring ion guide (SRIG) to which oscillatory (e.g., radio-frequency) voltages are applied. Such configurations as disclosed herein, minimizes deleterious field effects and/or repositioning problems of desired ion transfer instruments that utilize such stacked ring ion guides by generally configuring the outlet end of the ion transfer device to a desired position within the electro-dynamic or electro-static focusing lens(es).

Abstract: A method for mass-spectrometric detection of compounds in a gas flow includes: alternatingly forming first and a second beams by switching between electron pulses/pulse trains and photon pulses/pulse trains, the photon pulses/pulse trains being generated by an excimer lamp, and the switching between the electron pulses/pulse trains and the photon pulses/pulse trains occurring at a switching frequency above 50 Hz; disposing the gas flow in an ionization region crossed by the first and second beams so as to ionize volume units in the gas flow so as to form ions of the compounds; deflecting the ions in an effective region of an electric field to a mass-spectrometric device; and sensing the ions with a mass-spectrometric process of the mass-spectrometric device.

Abstract: A flat UV light source has a tight packing of UV light-emitting diodes (56) that are arranged in a matrix. These light-emitting diodes are cooled by cooling air flows (66) or by cooling water flows.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particle accelerator for radiotherapy by means of ion beams (150). The particle accelerator comprises a sixfold synchrotron ring (100) having six rectilinear beam sections (1 to 6) and six curved beam sections (7 to 12). Injection means (43) for introducing a linearly accelerated ion beam into the synchrotron ring (100) are arranged on a first rectilinear beam section (1) of the six rectilinear beam sections (1-6). Along the course of a second rectilinear beam section (5) there is at least one acceleration means (44) for the ion beam. Extraction means (45) for extracting the internal beam highly accelerated after several circulations are provided on a third rectilinear beam section (4). Each curved beam section (7 to 12) comprises a pair of dipole magnets (13/14, 15/16, 17/18, 19/20, 21/22, 23/24).

Abstract: The present invention provides charged particle energy deflectors, analyzers, devices, device components and methods for terminating charged particle systems and electrically isolating device components. One embodiment of the present invention provides a transparent field termination system for a cylindrical charged particle deflector that is capable of providing an electric field that closely approximates the substantially logarithmically varying electric field of the deflector. The present invention also provides multichannel charged particle analyzers and multichannel EEL spectrometers capable of measuring charged particle energy distributions, including electron energy distributions, with enhanced resolution and sensitivity compared to conventional analyzers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving focusing in an electron column that generates an electron beam. The method for controlling the focusing of an electron beam in according to the present invention reduces the spot size of the electron beam when the electron beam reaches a specimen, so that resolution can be increased and the line width of a pattern in a semiconductor lithography process can be reduced, with the result that the performance of the electron can be improved.

Abstract: There is provided a scanning probe microscope apparatus which has a high sensitivity for the interaction between the cantilever and the sample and comprises a cantilever that can oscillate stably in dynamic mode even when a mechanical Q value is low. A driving signal having a frequency close to the resonant frequency of the cantilever (4) is supplied from the signal generator (9) to the oscillation exciting means (10) to separately (forcibly) oscillate the cantilever (4). And the frequency of the driving signal or the resonant frequency of the cantilever is controlled (by adjusting the distance between the cantilever (4) and the sample (1)), such that the phase difference between the oscillation of the cantilever (4) detected by the oscillation detecting means (5) and the driving signal becomes zero, i.e. the frequency of the driving signal and the resonant frequency of the cantilever (4) match.

Abstract: A method of particle beam lithography includes selecting at least two cell patterns from a stencil, correcting proximity effect by dose control and by pattern modification for the at least two cell patterns, and writing the at least cell two patterns by one shot of the particle beam after proximity effect correction (PEC).

Abstract: A system and method for improving FIB milling endpointing operations. The methods involve generating real-time images of the area being milled and real-time graphical plots of pixel intensities with an increased sensitivity over native FIB system generated images and plots. The images and plots are generated with raw signal data obtained from the native FIB system. More specifically, the raw signal data is processed according to specific algorithms for generating images and corresponding intensity graphs which can be reliably used for accurate endpointing. In particular, the displayed images will display more visual information regarding changes in milled material, while the intensity graphs will plot aggregate pixel intensity data on a dynamically adjusting scale to dramatically highlight relative changes in milled material.