Abstract: A beam current measuring device (BMD) capable of measuring beam current while radiating the beam on a target, such as a semiconductor wafer. The BMD at least includes: (a) a detecting part operable to detect or collect a magnetic field corresponding to the beam current; and (b) a measuring part including (i) a SQUID sensitive to magnetic flux, and (ii) a feedback coil operable to carry feedback current wherein the feedback current is operable to cancel out a change in the magnetic flux penetrating through the SQUID. Wherein the operating point of the SQUID is set according to a finite beam current value, other than zero, which penetrates through the detecting part. A BMD of the present invention can be incorporated and used in an ion-implantation apparatus, an electron beam exposure apparatus, an accelerator, and the like.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating ions in a gaseous medium, the apparatus including two electrodes separated by a dielectric material and a means for generating radio frequency pulses. The electrodes are of dissimilar size and are attached to opposite sides of the dielectric material. The smaller electrode shape and circumference is configured to control the quantity of plasma that is produced. Method of generating ions in a gaseous medium having the step of applying a radio frequency voltage between two electrodes separated by a dielectric material so as to generate a plasma ion source. Locating the plasma ion source in a confined area to yield NO3-ions. Locating the plasma ion source in an open configuration to yield predominantly CO3-ions with minor amounts of O2- and O3-ions.

Abstract: Scanning probe apparatus, comprising: a) a tip-electrode which is coupled to be maintained at a first potential; b) a counter-electrode which is positioned in proximity with the tip electrode and which is coupled to be maintained at a second potential differing from the first potential by a value greater than approximately 150 volts; and c) positioning instrumentation, which is adapted to maintain the tip-electrode at a distance from a surface while scanning the tip-electrode parallel to the surface, and controls the position of the tip-electrode in a scanning direction parallel to the surface to within a resolution sufficient so that the apparatus can be used as a scanning probe microscope.

Abstract: An aerosol TOF MS of the present invention is based on the use of quadrupole lenses with angular gradient of the electrostatic field. On the entrance side, the TOF MS contains an ion-optic system that is used for focusing, aligning, and time-modulating the ionized flow of particles and a deflector modulator that provides alternating deflections of the flow of particles between two positions for aligning the flow with two inlet openings into the TOF MS. As a result, two independently analyzed discrete flows of particles pass through the ion mass separation chamber of the TOF MS without interference with each other. The charged particles fly in direct and return paths along helical trajectories which extend the length of the flight time. The time of the collision and the magnitude of the collision pulse will contain information about the M/Z ratio for the particles being registered.

Abstract: An electron energy analyzer including a curved electrostatic low-pass reflector and a high-pass electrostatic transmissive filter. The reflector comprises a curved grid, preferably ellipsoidal, and an absorber electrode placed in back of the curved grid with respect to the electron source and biased negatively to the curved grid to act as a reflective low-pass filter and a collimating optics for the reflected beam. The transmissive filter includes first and second flat grids extending across the collimated reflected beam. The second grid on the side of the first grid opposite the curved grid is biased negatively to the first grid and the absorber electrode. A field free region is created by applying the same bias to the curved grid, the first grid, and chamber sidewall sleeve. An electron detector detects all electrons passed by the second grid in an energy band in the overlap of the high-pass and low-pass bands.

Abstract: An electron microscopy system comprises an objective lens (19) which images a field displaceable in x-direction on a fixed beam axis (17). The objective lens has an astigmatic effect which is compensated for by a beam shaper (63) on the fixed axis. Furthermore, lens configurations can selectively act on the primary electron beam or the secondary electron beam.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam exposure apparatus includes a charged-particle beam source for emitting a charged-particle beam, an electrooptic system array which has a plurality of electron lenses and forms a plurality of intermediate images of the charged-particle beam source by the plurality of electron lenses, and a projection electrooptic system for projecting on a substrate the plurality of intermediate images formed by the electrooptic system array. The electrooptic system array includes at least two electrodes arranged along paths of a plurality of charged-particle beams, each of the at least two electrodes having a plurality of apertures on the paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams, and a shield electrode which is interposed between the at least two electrodes and has a plurality of shields corresponding to the respective paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams.

Abstract: The method comprises the ion implantation of controlled quantities of elements such as CO, C or O in endo-osseous implants or prostheses manufactured in metals, metallic alloys or biocompatible compound materials. This surface treatment originates some modifications in the characteristics of the surface of the endo-osseous implants or prostheses which increases significantly their degree of osseointegration.

Abstract: A charged beam writing apparatus is disclosed, which comprises a shaped beam forming unit which shapes a charged beam radiated from a charged beam source into a beam of a desired shape by using at least two shaping masks each having a shaping aperture to form a shaped beam, a figure dividing unit which divides a contour portion of a pattern to be formed on an object layer into a plurality of figure portions having a predetermined area, a writing unit which writes the figure portions of the contour portion by using a shaped beam of the predetermined area, and a focus control unit which performs focusing of the beam radiated from the charged beam source, by using a shaped beam having the same area as that of the shaped beam which has the predetermined area and is used in writing of the figure portions of the contour portion.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring a profile of an ion beam. The apparatus includes an array of beam current sensors, each producing a sensor signal in response to incident ions of the ion beam, a translation mechanism configured to translate the array of beam current sensors along a translation path with respect to the ion beam, and a controller configured to acquire the sensor signals produced by the beam current sensors at a plurality of positions along the translation path, wherein the acquired sensor signals are representative of a two-dimensional profile of the ion beam.

Abstract: A method and system for generating flashes on a substrate. The method includes receiving one or more figures of a pattern to be printed on the substrate and decomposing each figure into at least four substantially rectangular shapes. The four substantially rectangular shapes are separated by at least one horizontal boundary and at least one vertical boundary. The method further includes generating a flash for each substantially rectangular shape such that each edge of each figure is an image of the same aperture.

Abstract: A liquid treatment system includes a housing and a lamp system formed from at least one wall, the lamp system in the housing together defining a flow path for liquid that passes between a housing wall and the wall with the lamp, and then between another side wall of the lamp housing and another wall of the housing.

Abstract: In an analysis using a mass spectrometer having a loop orbit along which ions are made to fly a plurality of times, the present invention provides a method of determining the mass-to-charge ratio of an ion without limiting the range of the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions to be brought into the loop orbit while allowing the lapping of the orbiting ions. The measurement is carried out two or more times under different conditions (Tg=500[?s], 400[?s]) under which the number of turns of the ion concerned is different. Flight times are determined from the flight time spectrums obtained by at least two measurements. Though the numbers of turns themselves are unknown, it is possible to calculate possible mass-to-charge ratios for each flight time by incrementally setting the number of turns at plural values.

Abstract: A lattice strain measuring method including the steps of: using a scanning transmission electron microscope 12 to apply convergent electron beams 34 to a sample 32 and obtain a convergent-beam electron diffraction image 36 of the sample 32; computing a lattice strain magnitude of the sample 32, based on the obtained convergent-beam electron diffraction image; and displaying the computed lattice strain magnitude, associated with an electron microscope image of the sample 32. A scanning transmission electron microscope 12 is used, whereby electron beams 34 are caused to scan to thereby suitably set an incidence position. Accordingly, the incidence position of the electron beams can be displaced at a nanometer-order pitch accurately in a short period of time. The use of a scanning transmission electron microscope 12 requires no image forming lens below the sample 32, and the convergent-beam electron diffraction image is free from the distortion due to the influence of an image forming lens.

Abstract: A method for fabricating scanning probe microscopy (SPM) probes is disclosed. The probes are fabricated by forming a structural layer on a substrate, wherein the substrate forms a cavity. A sacrificial layer is located between the substrate and the structural layer. Upon forming the structural layer, the sacrificial layer is selectively removed, and the probe is then released from the substrate. The substrate may then later be reused to form additional probes. Additionally, a contact printing method using a scanning probe microscopy probe is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus that produces analyte ions for detection by a detector. The apparatus includes a matrix based ion source having a nanowire target substrate for producing analyte ions, an ion transport system adjacent to the matrix based ion source for transporting analyte ions from the matrix based ion source; and an ion detector downstream from the ion transport system for detecting the analyte ions. The invention also provides a method for producing and detecting the analyte ions.

Abstract: An ion separation instrument includes an ion source coupled to at least a first ion mobility spectrometer having an ion outlet coupled to a mass spectrometer. Instrumentation is further included to provide for passage to the mass spectrometer only ions defining a preselected ion mobility range. In one embodiment, the ion mobility spectrometer is provided with electronically controllable inlet and outlet gates, wherein a control circuit is operable to control actuation of the inlet and outlet gates as a function of ion drift time to thereby allow passage therethrough only of ions defining a mobility within the preselected ion mobility range. In another embodiment, an ion trap is disposed between the ion mobility spectrometer and mass spectrometer and is controlled in such a manner so as to collect a plurality of ions defining a mobility within the preselected ion mobility range prior to injection of such ions into the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a standard reference for metrology having finer reference sizes and high-precision electron-beam metrology including the same. By using a standard reference member in which a grating unit pattern of a pitch size proven by an optical diffraction angle by using a laser beam whose wavelength is absolutely guaranteed and a plurality of patterns having a finer size than that (100 nm or less) over the same substrate, fineness and correctness of calibration are made verifiable on a regular basis, and by using an electron-beam collective exposure method for pattern fabrication, fabrication of this standard reference is made possible.

Abstract: A maskless, direct write electron lithography apparatus for accurately and simultaneously writing plural sub-micron patterns on a silicon substrate employs plural parallel electron beams with precise X-Y mechanical translation of the substrate to provide low cost, high throughput integrated circuit (IC) fabrication. Plural compact micro electron gun assemblies arranged in an I×J rectangular grid each simultaneously expose one IC pattern on the substrate, with each electron gun assembly including a K×L array of individually controlled electron guns emitting K×L electron beams. The regular, small spacing between electron beams in each array, i.e., approximately 1 mm or less, requires a correspondingly small X-Y translation of the substrate to write the entire wafer. Each electron gun array includes plural AC blanked cathodes and DC biased plates having plural aligned beam passing apertures.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for EUV-wavelengths. The illumination system includes a plurality of EUV-light sources and an optical unit combining the plurality of EUV-light sources.