Abstract: Provided is a free-standing silicon oxide film that is under tensile stress. Also, provided are methods of making a free-standing silicon oxide film that is under tensile stress. The methods use low-power PECVD deposition of silicon oxide. Methods of imaging one or more objects (e.g., cells) using a free-standing silicon oxide film that is under tensile stress is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for connecting an ionisation probe assembly to a mass and/or ion mobility spectrometer is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: an attachment member for releasably attaching a probe assembly to the apparatus; a cap for enclosing the attachment member; wherein the apparatus is operable to deliver a voltage to a probe assembly only when the cap is arranged to enclose the attachment member; and wherein the cap is configurable to enclose the attachment member when a probe assembly is attached to the apparatus.

Abstract: The system described herein relates to a particle beam apparatus for analyzing and/or for processing an object and to a method for operating a particle beam apparatus. The particle beam apparatus is designed for example as an electron beam apparatus and/or an ion beam apparatus. The particle beam apparatus comprises a beam deflection device, for example an objective lens, which is provided with a first coil and a second coil. The first coil is operated with a first coil current. The second coil is operated with a second coil current. The first coil current and/or the second coil current may always be controlled in such a way that the sum of the first coil current and the second coil current (the summation current) or the difference between the first coil current and the second coil current (the difference current) is controlled to a setpoint value.

Abstract: The present application is directed to a process for calibrating a detection apparatus, especially an ion mobility spectrometer, using isoflurane (CAS Reg. No. 26675-46-7) as a chemical standard whereby calibrating the detection apparatus for a known target chemical is based on an evaluation of the experimental data collected for the negative isoflurane monomer ion against the experimental data collected for the negative isoflurane dimer ion.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus which can perform optimized adjustment of a focusing condition of a charged particle beam focused on a sample and optimized adjustment of an orbit of a charged particle emitted from the sample. In order to achieve the above-described object, there is provided a charged particle beam apparatus including a passage restriction member that partially restricts passage of a charged particle emitted from a sample, a first lens that is arranged between the passage restriction member and the sample, and that controls an orbit of the charged particle emitted from the sample, and a second lens that is arranged between the passage restriction member and the charged particle source, and that changes a focusing condition of the charged particle beam in accordance with a control condition of the first lens.

Abstract: Described herein are examples of systems and methods for integrating IMS and MS systems. In certain examples, systems and methods for decoding double multiplexed data are described. The systems and methods can also perform multiple refining procedures in order to minimize the demultiplexing artifacts. The systems and methods can be used, for example, for the analysis of proteomic and petroleum samples, where the integration of IMS and high mass resolution are used for accurate assignment of molecular formulae.

Abstract: The invention comprises a beam adjustment method and apparatus used to perform energy adjustments on circulating charged particles in a synchrotron previously accelerated to a starting energy with a traditional accelerator of the synchrotron. The beam adjustment system uses a radio-frequency modulated potential difference applied along a longitudinal path of the circulating charged particles to accelerate or decelerate the circulating charged particles. Optionally, the beam adjustment system phase shifts the applied radio-frequency field to accelerate or decelerate the circulating charged particles while tightening spatial distribution of a grouped bunch of the circulating charged particles. Optionally, the beam adjustment system simultaneously radially focuses the circulating charged particles using two or more gaps with focusing and/or defocusing edges.

Abstract: An irradiation apparatus attached to a rotary gantry includes a middle housing unit and a lower housing unit. Touch sensor apparatuses are attached to a middle housing unit, and touch sensor apparatuses are attached to a lower housing unit. The touch sensor apparatus includes a cover, a pair of cover support apparatuses for attaching the cover to a support member of the middle housing unit, and a sensor unit attached to each cover support apparatus. When the cover comes into contact with a bed and moves toward the support member during rotation of the irradiation apparatus, a link such as a cover support apparatus activates the sensor unit, and a contact signal is output. The touch sensor apparatuses also function in the same manner.

Abstract: In a particle beam irradiation apparatus that controls a scanning apparatus so that each irradiation position is irradiated with a particle beam a rescan-count number of times by repeating for the rescan-count number of times the irradiation of all irradiation positions in the irradiation target, the irradiation apparatus includes a calculator that receives either one of a rescan count n or a beam intensity J that is a particle beam dose per unit time, to calculate a maximum value of the other satisfying the following conditional expression (P1) for all irradiation positions to present the maximum value to a user.

Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a charged-particle detector, etc. provided with a structure for effectively suppressing ion feedbacks under a low-vacuum environment. In order to capture the residual-gas ions, which are generated by collisions between the electrons output from a MCP unit 200 and residual-gas molecules, by a second electrode 400, which is electrically insulated from a first electrode 300, which is mainly for capturing electrons, the potential of the first electrode 300 is set to be higher than an output-side potential of the MCP unit 200, and, on the other hand, the potential of the second electrode 400 is set to be lower than the output-side potential of the MCP unit 200. As a result, the ion feedbacks to the MCP unit 200 are effectively suppressed.

Abstract: There is provided a control device for controlling a charged particle beam apparatus, wherein the beam apparatus comprises a workpiece stage having at least two turning axes which are not parallel to each other and an irradiation unit, and the control device comprises an angle calculation unit that based on a direction of a first processing in which a processed surface having a normal line not parallel to any of the turning axes is generated in the workpiece by the irradiation unit and a direction of a second processing to be processed by the irradiation unit from a direction different from the direction of the first processing with respect to the processed surface to be generated by the first processing, calculates turning angles about the turning axes that changes the direction of the stage from the direction of the first processing to the direction of the second processing.

Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a maximum irradiation time acquisition processing circuitry to acquire, for each shot of multi-beams, a maximum irradiation time of irradiation time of each of the multi-beams, a unit region writing time calculation processing circuitry to calculate, using the maximum irradiation time for each shot, a unit region writing time by totalizing the maximum irradiation time of each shot of a plurality of times of shots of the multi-beams which irradiate a unit region concerned during stage moving, for each unit region of a plurality of unit regions obtained by dividing a writing region of a target object, a stage speed calculation processing circuitry to calculate speed of the stage for each unit region so that the stage speed becomes variable, by using the unit region writing time and a stage control processing circuitry to variably control the stage speed.

Abstract: A system for determining an analyte by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) includes a sample introduction device having a heated cyclonic spray chamber. The system is configured to introduce sample that includes a metal and/or a metalloid having an organic interferent. The system also includes an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry device with a collision/reaction cell configured to receive a mixture of gases including both ammonia and hydrogen. A method includes introducing a sample to plasma to produce a characteristic spectrum associated with an elemental composition of the sample. The method also includes introducing both ammonia and hydrogen to a collision/reaction cell to remove carbon-based interferences to detection of the sample prior to determining the elemental composition of the sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides a field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer for selectively separating at least one kind of material from a mixture containing two or more kinds of materials. A filter included in the spectrometry comprises first—four plate-like electrodes each having a principal plane parallel to a direction from an ionizer toward a filter. The second plate-like electrode is located between the first plate-like electrode and the third plate-like electrode. The third plate-like electrode is located between the second plate-like electrode and the fourth plate-like electrode. The third and fourth plate-like electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second plate-like electrodes, respectively. An interspace is formed between two adjacent plate-like electrodes. The present invention provides a field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer having high separation ability.

Abstract: Packaging for transporting and/or storing radioactive material, comprising a packaging body which defines therein a cavity for housing radioactive material, and at least one shock absorber which is mounted on the outside of the packaging body, which has an outer surface provided with at least one first outer surface and one second outer surface which are separated by an edge that is covered by the shock absorber. The absorber comprises a metal damping structure comprising a first recess having an imaginary straight line extending therethrough, the line passing through both a center of gravity of the packaging and a point on the edge, a second recess arranged so as to face one of the outer surfaces, and a metal wall for absorbing shocks by plastic deformation. The wall is at least 5 mm thick and defines the first and second recesses on either side thereof.

Abstract: An ion source filter for use in the source region is disclosed. The ion source filter includes four rod electrodes having circular cross sections. The rod electrodes of the ion source filter are sized and positioned such that the ratio r/r0 of the rod radius to the inscribed circle radius is considerably reduced relative to conventional RF/DC mass filters. The reduced r/r0 geometry has been observed to lessen the diminishment of resolution with increasing pressure relative to prior art devices.

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods for Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), utilizes an iterative approach which adjusts a treatment plan based on inter- or intra-fraction images to improve the accuracy of the radiation delivered during the overall treatment. The prescribed dose of radiotherapeutic radiation is mapped onto the patient's anatomy using an image acquired of the region, which is to be the target for radiotherapeutic radiation. Following beam-angle-optimization, fluence optimization and segmentation, the efficiency of delivery of each segment is determined using an objective function, and the segments ranked according to their efficiency. The plan proceeds with the choice of the most efficient segment (or segments) to be delivered first.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for multiscale patterning of a sample. The method includes: placing the sample in an apparatus having both thermo-optical lithography capability and thermal scanning probe lithography capability; and patterning two patterns onto the sample, respectively by: thermo-optical lithography, wherein light is emitted from a light source onto the sample to heat the latter and thereby write a first pattern that is the largest of the two patterns; and thermal scanning probe lithography, wherein the sample and a heated probe tip are brought in contact for writing a second pattern that has substantially smaller critical dimensions than the first pattern. There is also provided an apparatus for multiscale patterning of a sample.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a mobile radiation system that comprises a mobile radiation device coupled to a control unit; a radiation blocker having an adaptor opening for receiving said mobile radiation device when said mobile radiation device is in a seated position on said radiation blocker; and a mobile carrier comprising a first compartment for housing said radiation blocker, a second compartment for housing said control unit, and one or more carrier motion devices. The adaptor opening can dimensionally fit the mobile radiation device to block radiations from the mobile radiation device when said mobile radiation device is in the seated position. The mobile radiation device can produce radiation having peak radiation wavelength in a range of from 250 nm to 450 nm and can have a peak irradiation power in a range of from 0.5 W/cm2 to 10 W/cm2.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for operating a sealed beam lamp containing an ionizable medium are disclosed. The lamp includes a sealed chamber, a pair of ignition electrodes, a substantially flat chamber ingress window, and a laser light source disposed outside the chamber producing laser light. Laser light is focused to a first focal region coinciding with an ignition region disposed between the ignition electrodes. The ionizable medium at the ignition region is ignited with the laser. The laser light is focused to a second focal region coinciding with a plasma sustaining region not co-located with the plasma ignition region.