Abstract: A specimen fabricating apparatus comprises: a specimen stage, on which a specimen is placed; a charged particle beam optical system to irradiate a charged particle beam on the specimen; an etchant material supplying source to supply an etchant material, which contains fluorine and carbon in molecules thereof, does not contain oxygen in molecules thereof, and is solid or liquid in a standard state; and a vacuum chamber to house therein the specimen stage. A specimen fabricating method comprises the steps of: processing a hole in the vicinity of a requested region of a specimen by means of irradiation of a charged particle beam; exposing the requested region by means of irradiation of the charged particle beam; supplying an etchant material, which contains fluorine and carbon in molecules thereof, does not contain oxygen in molecules thereof, and is solid or liquid in a standard state, to the requested region as exposed; and irradiating the charged particle beam on the requested region as exposed.

Abstract: A method of analyzing data from a mass spectrometer provides data-dependent acquisition. An extracted ion chromatogram (XIC) is created for each m/z data point of mass spectral scans and the XIC for each m/z data point are correlated to a model function to obtain a XIC correlation value. A weighting function is applied to the XIC correlation value to obtain a current weighted intensity for each m/z point, which is used to reconstruct a weighted mass spectrum. The value or range of intensities of interest of the weighted intensity data or raw data is transformed from the time domain into the frequency domain, and the transformed data is used to make a real-time decision for the data-dependent acquisition. The data-dependent acquisition can be the performance of tandem mass spectrometry. A sample processing apparatus receives the sample and a computer readable medium provides instructions to the apparatus.

Abstract: In a beam processing apparatus including a beam scanner having a two electrodes type deflection scanning electrode, the beam scanner further includes shielding suppression electrode assemblies respectively at vicinities of upstream side and downstream side of the two electrodes type deflection scanning electrode and having openings in a rectangular shape for passing a charged particle beam. Each of the shielding suppression electrode assemblies is an assembly electrode comprising one sheet of a suppression electrode and two sheets of shielding ground electrodes interposing the suppression electrode. A total of front side portions and rear side portions of the two electrodes type deflection scanning electrode is shielded by the two sheets of shielding ground electrodes.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma ion source mass spectrometer with an ion deflector lens having an improved removal ratio of photons and neutral particles as compared with the conventional art while an ion transmittance is maintained. The ion deflector includes an input side plate-like electrode, an output side plate-like electrode, and a tubular electrode disposed between the input side plate-like electrode and the output side plate-like electrode. The tubular electrode is of a point asymmetrical configuration. The tubular electrode is arranged so that a center axis of the tubular electrode is closer to an axis of travel of ions upstream of the input side plate-like electrode than an axis of travel of ions downstream of the output side plate-like electrode.

Abstract: According to the invention, the image contrast in electron optics can be improved without causing aberrations that are no longer tolerable by using, for production and correction of the at least one anamorphic image, quadrupole fields before and after this image whose extent in the direction of the optical axis is equal to at least twice their focal length, and wherein at least one of the axial rays, by an appropriate choice of the magnification M of the intermediate image, enters the quadrupole field before the at least one anamorphic image at a slope 1/M such that a length of the anamorphic image is achieved at which any aberrations caused are still within a tolerable range. The invention also relates to devices for implementing this method.

Abstract: An improved electrospray ion source for increasing the current generated from the electrospray process and of the type having a needle (10), a counter-electrode (20), a saddle or outer electrode (30), and concurrent flow of gas (92). A method and device is disclosed that utilizes a controlled electrospray nebulizer where an aerosol comprised of charged droplets and gas-phase ions is sprayed into a field-free or near field-free desolvation or reaction region (120).

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for determining an analyte substance or analyte substance mixture of ammonia and/or N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as a component of a gas in the presence of a dopant mixture by means of an ion mobility spectrometer and to a corresponding ion mobility spectrometer.

Abstract: An ion beam system includes a sample stage which holds a sample, an ion source which generates an ion beam so that the ion beam is extracted from the ion source along an extraction axis, an irradiation optical system having an irradiation axis along which the ion beam is irradiated toward the sample held on the sample stage, and a charged particle beam observation system for observing a surface of the sample which is machined by the irradiated ion beam. The extraction axis along which the ion beam is extracted from the ion source and the irradiation axis along which the sample is irradiated are inclined with respect to one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an orbit correction method for a charged particle beam, and aims to solve problems inherent in conventional aberration correction systems and to provide a low-cost, high-precision, high-resolution optical converging system for a charged particle beam. To this end, employed is a configuration in which a beam orbit is limited in ring zone form to form a distribution of electromagnetic field converging toward the center of a beam orbit axis. Consequently, a nonlinear action outwardly augmented, typified by spherical aberration of an electron lens, can be cancelled out. Specifically, this effect can be achieved by an electron disposed on the axis and subjected to a voltage to facilitate the occurrence of electrostatic focusing. For a magnetic field, this effect can be achieved by forming a coil radially distributed-wound on a surface equiangularly divided in the direction of rotation to control convergence of a magnetic flux density.

Abstract: A stacked conformation radiotherapy system capable of homogenizing a radiation dose distribution, including an irradiation head and irradiation control means. The irradiation head projects a particle beam accelerated by an accelerator, toward an object to-be-irradiated, and it includes wobbler electromagnets for deflecting and scanning the particle beam. In carrying out stacked conformation radiotherapy by deflecting and scanning the particle beam, the irradiation control means subjects the wobbler electromagnets to magnetization controls so that the particle beam may depict a one-stroke revolving orbit which begins with a start point and returns to the start point, and it performs a control so that the irradiation period of the particle beam to be outputted from the irradiation head may become integral times a wobbler cycle which is required for the particle beam to make one revolution of the revolving orbit.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer includes at least one ion selector, at least one collision cell, and an ion path switching device arranged to define a looped ion path around which ions derived from a sample may be sent multiple times (without reversal of ion travel) in order to effect a desired number of isolation/fragmentation cycles for MSn analysis. When the desired number of isolation/fragmentation cycles have been completed, the ion path switching device directs the ions to a detector or a separate mass analyzer for acquisition of a mass spectrum.

Abstract: An apparatus for secondary ion mass spectrometry is provided having a target surface for supporting a sample on the target surface and an ion source configured to direct a beam of primary ions toward the sample to sputter secondary ions and neutral particles from the sample, A first chamber having an inlet provides gas to maintain high pressure at the sample for cooling the secondary ions and neutral particles, the high pressure being in the range of about 10?3 to about 1000 Torr. A method of secondary ion mass spectrometry is provided having a target surface for supporting a sample, directing a beam of primary ions toward the sample to sputter secondary ions and neutral particles from the sample, and providing a high pressure at the sample for cooling the secondary ions and neutral particles, the high pressure being in the range of about 10?3 to about 1000 Torr.

Abstract: A light-emitting body of rapid speed of response and high light emission intensity, and an electron beam detector, scanning electron microscope and mass spectroscope using this are provided. In the light-emitting body 10 according to the present invention, when fluorescence is emitted by a nitride semiconductor layer 14 formed on one face 12a of a substrate 12 in response to incidence of electrons, at least some of this fluorescence is transmitted through this substrate 12, whereby that fluorescence is emitted from the other face 12b of the substrate. The response speed of this fluorescence is not more than ?sec order. Also, the intensity of emission of this fluorescence is almost identical to that of a conventional P47 phosphor. Specifically, with this light-emitting body 10, a response speed and light emission intensity are obtained that are fully satisfactory for application to a scanning electron microscope or mass spectroscope.

Abstract: S-band, C-band or X-band microwave powered linear accelerators capable of delivering therapeutic photon and electron beams are mounted to a gantry with extensions to hold multiple accelerators and are combined with a kV CT for 3-D conformal—IMRT and IGRT to treat a patient by SSD or SAD methods and in a full circle. The invention's tertiary collimator system consists of semi-automated reusable custom field shaping with tungsten powder or melted Cerrobend blocks. The beam's intensity modulation is by means of simultaneous but independently operating multiple accelerators. This system's multiple accelerators enable to avoid interrupted subfractionated radiation therapy to each treatment fields. Hence its effective dose rate at the tumor site is high. The improved radiobiology reduces the total radiation dose to treat a tumor, reducing the incidence of developing second primary tumors is also minimized.

Abstract: An electron source can selectively provide a first stream of electrons that travels in a direction along an imaginary line to a location remote from the electron source, or a second stream of electrons that travels in the direction along the line to the location. The electron source includes a first electron emitter for selectively emitting electrons for the first stream, and a second electron emitter for selectively emitting electrons for the second stream. A different aspect relates to a method for operating an apparatus having an electron source that includes first and second electron emitters. The method includes selectively producing a first stream of electrons that travels from the first electron emitter in a direction along an imaginary line to a location remote from the electron source, or a second stream of electrons that travels from the second electron emitter in the direction along the line to the location.

Abstract: A sample fabricating method of irradiating a sample with a focused ion beam at an incident angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the sample, eliminating the peripheral area of a micro sample as a target, turning a specimen stage around a line segment perpendicular to the sample surface as a turn axis, irradiating the sample with the focused ion beam while the incident angle on the sample surface is fixed, and separating the micro sample or preparing the micro sample to be separated. A sample fabricating apparatus for forming a sample section in a sample held on a specimen stage by scanning and deflecting an ion beam, wherein an angle between an optical axis of the ion beam and the surface of the specimen stage is fixed and formation of a sample section is controlled by turning the specimen stage.

Abstract: A tandem linear ion trap and time-of-flight mass spectrometer, where the ion trap has a straight central axis orthogonal to the flight path of the mass spectrometer. The ion trap comprises a set of electrodes, (401, 403, 402, 404) at least one of the electrodes has a slit for ejecting ions towards the mass spectrometer; a set of DC voltage supplies (+V, ?V, V1, V2) to provide discrete DC levels and a number of fast electronic switches (409) for connecting/disconnecting the DC supplies to at least two of the electrodes; a neutral gas filling the ion trap and a digital controller to provide a switching procedure of ion trapping, manipulation with ions, cooling and including a state at which all ions are ejected from the ion trap towards the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A method of aligning sets of cylindrical electrodes in the geometry of a miniature quadrupole electrostatic lens, which can act as a mass filter in a quadrupole mass spectrometer is provided. The electrodes are mounted in pairs on microfabricated supports, which are formed from conducting parts on an insulating substrate. Complete segmentation of the conducting parts provides low capacitative coupling between co-planar cylindrical electrodes, and allows incorporation of a Brubaker prefilter to improve sensitivity at a given mass resolution. A complete quadrupole is constructed from two such supports, which are spaced apart by further conducting spacers. The spacers are continued around the electrodes to provide a conducting screen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transfer mechanism for transferring a specimen (2) from a first position in a first holder (40) to a second position in a second holder (10) and/or vice versa, each holder (10, 40) equipped to detachably hold the specimen, the transfer of the specimen between the holders taking place in a transfer position different from the second position, characterized in that when the specimen is transferred between the holders (10, 40) a mechanical guidance mechanism positions the holders with a mutual accuracy higher than the mutual accuracy in the second position, and said mechanical guidance mechanism not positioning at least one of the holders (10, 40) when the specimen is in the second position. The mechanical guidance mechanism may comprise extra parts (50). At least one of the holders (40) may be equipped to hold a multitude of specimens.

Abstract: The invention relates to mass spectrometers in which ion clouds are stored in two spatial directions by radial forces while oscillating largely harmonically at a mass-specific frequency in a third spatial direction perpendicular to the other two, in a potential minimum, the shape of which is as close to a parabola as possible. Analysis of the oscillation frequencies of these ion clouds, preferably by a Fourier analysis, leads via a frequency spectrum to a mass spectrum. The frequency spectrum is analyzed to identify false signals in the frequency spectrum as harmonics and eliminating them where necessary.