Abstract: A charged beam exposing method comprises a step of applying a voltage to a sample to thereby form an acceleration electric field on the sample, a step of accelerating an electron beam emitted from an electron gun and scanning an alignment mark formed on the sample with the electron beam, a step of detecting back-scattered electrons and secondary electrons, generated from the alignment mark, by means of a detector, a step of acquiring the position of the alignment mark based on a signal waveform detected, a step of eliminating or reducing the acceleration electric field by changing the applied voltage to the sample, and a step of exposing a pattern with the electron beam emitted from the electron gun based on information of the position of the alignment mark.

Abstract: A proximity exposure method in which a mask pattern can be projected onto a predetermined area of a workpiece even if the light is allowed to be incident obliquely on the mask is achieved in a proximity exposure device in which a mask and a workpiece are arranged with a predetermined gap between them and the workpiece is irradiated obliquely with light via the mask, based on the gap size G between the mask and the workpiece, on the angle of incidence &dgr; of the irradiation light with respect to the mask and based on the angle of irradiation &PHgr; with which the irradiation light is incident with respect to the X-direction of the mask pattern, the displacement position of the mask pattern to be projected is computed, and according to the result of this computation, the workpiece is moved and the light is emitted. In this way, the mask pattern can be projected onto the predetermined position of the workpiece and the desired area can be irradiated with light.

Abstract: A double-focusing mass spectrometer apparatus includes a first cylindrical sector electrode defined at a first radial distance from a axis with the first cylindrical sector electrode having an upper and lower edge and a second cylindrical sector electrode surface defined at a second radial distance from the axis with the second cylindrical sector electrode having an upper and lower edge corresponding to the upper and lower edge of the first cylindrical sector electrode. An ion path is defined between the first and second cylindrical sector electrodes. A first magnet pole and a second magnet pole are positioned proximate the upper and lower edges of the first and second cylindrical sector electrodes, respectively, for providing a magnetic field in the ion path. A first and second array of electrodes, e.g.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for calculating cumulative exposure energy from a microlithography reticle, especially a reticle used for charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography. The methods provide an accuracy of results at least as high as conventional methods, but the subject methods can be performed using substantially less calculation time, even for complex patterns. The pattern features contained within a region and/or one or more size parameters of the region are evaluated according to specified rules. The region also is subdivided according to the specified rules. Subdivision produces subregions that also are evaluated according to the rules to determine whether to subdivide further or to cease further subdivision. The result is a branching structure for the region, containing multiple levels of subregions arranged in an hierarchical manner. As a result, e.g.

Abstract: The shipping container includes an outer container body, an inner containment vessel housing a pair of superposed product pails and a self-extinguishing fire-retardant foam insulation layer between the outer container and inner vessel. The inner vessel includes a gusseted upper flange and a lid bolted to the flange with a sealing gasket therebetween. Upper and lower dunnages are provided at the upper and lower ends of the outer container. The upper dunnage includes ceramic fiberboard panels and foam material straddled by steel sheets and additional ceramic fiberboard panel to separate the lid of the vessel and the top of the container. The top is secured to the outer container body by bolts passing through the top and internally into tapped bolt brackets along an interior wall of the outer container body. A retaining ring secures the arcuate overlying rolled edge of the top about the beaded rim of the outer container body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a is an improved flood source, and method of making the same, which emits an evenly distributed flow of energy from a gamma emitting radionuclide dispersed throughout the volume of the flood source. The flood source is formed by filling a bottom pan with a mix of epoxy resin with cobalt-57, preferably at 10 to 20 millicuries and then adding a hardener. The pan is secured to a flat, level surface to prevent the pan from warping and to act as a heat sink for removal of heat from the pan during the curing of the resin-hardener mixture.

Abstract: For delivery of ions from a higher pressure ion source to a mass analyzer operating at high vacuum, high pass ion filtration is effected within a dielectric capillary interface between the higher pressure ionization chamber and the lower pressure environment of a mass analyzer, by application of electrical potentials to end electrodes and to at least one electrode associated with the dielectric capillary between the ends, to create an end-to-end electric field generally opposing gas flow-assisted movement of ions from the upstream end to the downstream end, and to create a steeper voltage gradient along an upstream portion than along a downstream portion of the capillary. The voltage gradient along the steeper upstream portion of the capillary is sufficiently steep to cause ions having drift velocities below a lower limit to stall within the capillary. The respective potentials may be adjusted to increase the steepness of the upstream voltage gradient to increase the drift velocity lower limit.

Abstract: An electrical energy production system, which includes an electrical energy production section, a multi-stage turbine section, and a mass spectrometer section is presented. The system is designed to produce electrical energy through a multi-stage turbine which draws in large volumes of ambient air through a series of tubular sections made up of repeated combinations of parallel plate or “frigid plate” heating assemblies and variable positive voltage grids. The tube sections cause the atoms or molecules of high velocity air flowing therethrough to undergo the loss of electrons through mechanically induced atomic and molecular impacts and thermal excitation. Free electrons are then collected by the variable positive voltage grids.

Abstract: An arrangement and a method for irradiation of products by charged particles. The arrangement comprises a particle acceleration device and a radiation chamber, in which the products are irradiated from at least two sides, by that the particle beam is deflected with a scanning magnet and redeflected with redeflection magnets. The particle beam impinges on the products substantially parallel to the main normals of the surfaces of the products, which normals are positioned substantially perpendicular to the direction that the radiation axis has immediately before the deflection. An absorption means comprising a particle stopper is arranged in the space between the pole pieces of the redeflection magnets. A transport device for double-sided irradiation transports the products, which during transport are fixed to the transport device, through the irradiation arrangement.

Abstract: A control system is provided for a charged particle exposure apparatus. A plurality of dot control data are concatenated and compressed to generate compressed concatenated control data. A plurality of compressed concatenated control data are arranged to generate exposure control data. An electron beam exposure apparatus expands the exposure control data to reconstruct the plurality of dot control data, and performs exposure while controlling blankers on the basis of the reconstructed dot control data.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer has two opposing wall elements connected by at least one spacer with parallel, mutually assigned, planar, gas-guiding wall surfaces with opposing conductor structures to generate a drift field. The ratio of distance of the gas-guiding wall surfaces to the field-generating width of the conductor structure perpendicular to the drift direction is less than 1:2 and is advantageously 1:3 to 1:10.

Abstract: A near-field optical probe with a resolving power exceeding a diffraction limit of light is provided utilizing near-near-field light. A near-field optical probe is formed by a core and a shading film. The core has a tip surface spotted with inwardly depressed points with respect to the surface. This provides within the tip surface a light intensity distribution in a distributed form instead of a conventional rectangle function. Its Fourier expansion is increased in short-wavelength lattice constant component. Utilizing this component, a near-field optical probe is realized having a resolving power exceeding a diffraction limit of light.

Abstract: The invention relates to an extreme ultraviolet lithography system that utilizes thin film protective coatings to protect a plurality of hardware components, located near a laser-produced light source, from the erosive effects of energetic particles emitted by the laser-produced light source.

Abstract: The invention is a scanning electron microscope including a switching control unit for controlling to switch at least scanning unit to switch a digital image signal of a low magnification based on a wide image taking field of view to and from a digital image signal of a high magnification based on a narrow image taking field of view from an A/D conversion unit and a beam spot diameter control unit for controlling to switch a spot diameter of electron beam on a surface of an object substrate in controlling to switch the signals by the switching control unit and a defect portion analyzing method using the scanning electron microscope.

Abstract: The invention provides an analytical apparatus comprising: (i) supply means (14) for supplying a sample (30) to be analysed; (ii) analysing means (32, 36) for analysing at least one property of the sample (30) to be analysed; and (iii) conveying means (16) for conveying the sample (30) between the supply means (14) and the analysing means (32, 36) wherein the conveying means (16) comprises an oxidized surface (18) layer which receives the sample (30). Preferably the conveying means (16) is a wire or tape, such as titanium.

Abstract: An improved inlet tube is positioned within an aperture through the device to allow the passage of ions from the ion source, through the improved inlet tube, and into the interior of the device. The inlet tube is designed with a larger end and a smaller end wherein the larger end has a larger interior diameter than the interior diameter of the smaller end. The inlet tube is positioned within the aperture such that the larger end is pointed towards the ion source, to receive ions therefrom, and the smaller end is directed towards the interior of the device, to deliver the ions thereto. Preferably, the ion source utilized in the operation of the present invention is a standard electrospray ionization source. Similarly, the present invention finds particular utility in conjunction with analytical devices such as mass spectrometers.

Abstract: A radiation protection system around a patient on an x-ray table includes a radiation protection wall with an opening around the x-ray table, a radiation screen over the patient, and a flexible interface joining the cubicle and the x-ray table. The wall shields medical personnel in an operating region from most radiation output by an x-ray emitter. The radiation screen is attached to the x-ray table such that it can be retracted to the foot of the x-ray table and extended over the patient such that it is interposed between the patient and the medical personnel. The interface has flexible joints attached to the wall and a flexible radiation-resistant skirt that joins the wall to the screen and covers the opening in the wall. An access port may be formed in the screen, and a shielding cloak can cover the access port to surround medical instruments that are threaded through the port and inserted into the patient.

Abstract: A rotating table 2 that holds a flat neutron lens component 1 and rotates about an axis of rotation Z, a circular-disk type of metal-bonded grinding wheel 3 with tapering surface 3a on the outer periphery thereof, a grinding wheel driving device 4 drives and rotates the grinding wheel around the axis A thereof, an electrode 5 with a surface close to the single tapering surface or the plurality of tapering surfaces of the grinding wheel, a power source 6 that applies an electrolytic voltage between the grinding wheel and the electrode, and a grinding fluid feeder 8 that supplies a conducting grinding fluid between the grinding wheel and the electrode are provided.

Abstract: A tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer is described. The spectrometer includes a pulsed source of ions that focuses a packet of ions substantially within a predetermined mass-to-charge ratio range onto a focal plane in a flight path of the ions. An ion selector receives the focused packet of ions and selects ions substantially within the predetermined mass-to-charge ratio range and rejects substantially all other ions. An ion fragmentor that fragments a fraction of the selected ions is positioned in the flight path of the selected ions. A pulsed ion accelerator that accelerates the selected ions and fragments thereof is positioned in a flight path of the selected ions and fragments thereof after the ion fragmentor. An electrode is positioned in the flight path of the accelerated selected ions and fragments thereof after the pulsed ion accelerator. In operation, the electrode is biased with a time varying bias voltage that increases the energy of the fragments relative to the selected ions.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implanting ions in a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, include generating an ion beam, measuring parallelism of the ion beam, adjusting the ion beam for a desired parallelism based on the measured parallelism, measuring a beam direction of the adjusted ion beam, orienting a workpiece at an implant angle referenced to the measured beam direction and performing an implant with the workpiece oriented at the implant angle referenced to the measured beam direction. The implant may be performed with a high degree of beam parallelism.