Abstract: A method for observing the arrangement of atoms in a thin layer on a surface and an apparatus for employing the method are disclosed. According to the method, a finely converged electron beam is directed to a surface of a sample and the X-ray emitted from the surface is detected at a take-off angle equivalent to, or in the vicinity of, the total reflection angle, thereby avoiding interference from X-rays emitted beneath the surface. The apparatus includes an electron gun, a sample holding means, one or more detectors and devices for storing, processing and displaying the output signal from the detectors. The apparatus also provides for two-dimensional scanning of a surface and for adjustment of the position of the sample and of the detectors.

Abstract: An ion beam treatment system for treating silicon wafers placed in the ion beam path. A rotatably mounted wafer pedestal has a plurality of wafer supporting substrates spaced about the pedestal. The substrates are constructed from an elastomer that is chosen for its ability to transfer heat generated by ion collision with the wafers away from the wafers. Each wafer substrate defines a series of elongated depressions across its surface. Certain of these depressions are connected to a pressure source at a wafer loading/unloading station to help acquire the wafers during loading and to facilitate removal of the wafers during unloading. Other depressions vent the interface between the wafers and the substrate to atmosphere to avoid undue pressure build-up on the wafers as they lift off the substrate.

Abstract: A method for measuring electrical signals according to a sampling principle with the assistance of an electron probe, whereby the signal is respectively repeatedly sampled in succession at different phase points, enables a fast registration of an electrical signal at a circuit node of an integrated circuit and simultaneously permits registration when at least one noise signal appears between two clock edges of a basic pulse rate of the integrated circuit. Between two successive phase points at which the signal is repeatedly sampled in succession for potential measurement, only a check is executed at phase points by sampling as to whether a noise signal exists in this intermediate region.

Abstract: An ion source of a type used on ion implanters which includes a crucible having a hollow interior and a hole for providing fluid communication between the interior of and exterior to the crucible. A heater assembly is used for adjustably heating the crucible. The crucible hole is if fluid communication with a passageway down the crucible and with a vapor nozzle aperture. An arc chamber has an inlet positioned at the output of the vapor nozzle aperture. The material to be vaporized does not bond to the crucible interior when solidified from a liquid state.

Abstract: A spherical grid for use in instrumentation comprising a rigid non-magnetic frame having a pattern of holes. Into each hole a flat wafer is placed, each wafer having etched therein holes defining the grid mesh. The frame maintains the geometric conformal shape allowing large units to be constructed.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a power supply for the lens for fine adjustment among the beam-focusing lenses in an ion microbeam apparatus, and is concerned with the control thereof. In this ion microbeam apparatus, the power supply is provided for the lens for fine adjustment in addition to the power supply for the lens for rough adjustment. The power supply is served with a potential that so controls the beam as to have an optimum diameter, responsive to the signals from the ion beam detector and from the beam deflector means.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a first object to a radiation energy passed through a second object, having a pattern, thereby to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, the exposure apparatus including a radiation energy source, at least one spare radiation energy source and an arrangement for substituting the first-mentioned radiation energy source by the second-mentioned, spare, radiation energy source when the service life of the first-mentioned radiation energy source becomes over or nearly over, wherein the spare radiation energy source is energized or actuated when the intensity of irradiation of the first-mentioned radiation energy source is decreased to a predetermined value and, at the same time or after elapse of a predetermined time, the first-mentioned radiation energy source is sustituted by the spare radiation energy source.

Abstract: A feed screw is provided in a specimen-exchanging chamber connecting with a specimen chamber valve and a removable element is removed in the axial direction of the feed screw by rotation of the feed screw. The removal of the removable element makes it possible to remove a specimen holder between the specimen chamber and the specimen-exchanging chamber. It is possible to load and unload the specimen holder with the removable element. Thus, while leaving the specimen holder in the specimen chamber, only the removable element can be removed to the specimen-exchanging chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved specimen cell for maintaining a scanning electron microscope specimen under nearly physiological conditions during observation when said specimen includes liquids having a relatively high vapor pressure. A cavity in the specimen cell mounts an open or closed specimen module which is scanned by the electron beam through a small aperture. During preparation of the electron microscope for observation, the aperture is closed by a door so as to prevent evaporation of liquids from the specimen. The door is mechanically or electronically opened to facilitate observation thus minimizing the exposure of the specimen to the desiccation and/or destructive vacuum effects. Furthermore, the aperture is sized so as to provide a resistance to vapor flow through the aperture while permitting bidirectional electron flow facilitating the electron microscopic observation of the specimen.

Abstract: A process for computer-controlled cleaning of particulates from surfaces, in particular those of semiconductor wafers, which are in the volume of an ion-implantation chamber prior to the implantation of electrically active ions into the wafers. The process utilizes the wafer-holding disk, which carries the semiconductor wafers during implantation, to create a strong turbulence of gas within the end station volume of the ion implanter. This loosens particulates from interior surfaces of the end chamber. The airborne particulates are then evacuated from the chamber volume by a vacuum pump. A single sequence, consisting of air agitation followed by flushing and then filling, reduces the particulate count by an incremental amount; a series of such sequences results in the desired asymptotic reduction in particulate contamination.

Abstract: A scanning ion beam implanter having a wafer support to control the angle of incidence between an ion beam and the wafer. The wafer support preferably bends the wafer into a segment of a cylinder. As the ion beam scans across the curved wafer surface the angle of incidence remains relatively uniform. The support also includes structure for pivoting the bent wafer about a pivot axis. The pivoting of the wafer is synchronized with the scanning of the ion beam to compensate for scanning of the ion beam in a direction transverse to the direction compensated for by the cylindrical curvature of the wafer.

Abstract: A thermography apparatus includes a wire mesh conveyor belt for conveying sheets through a heating zone in which a resin is heated and melted. A plurality of inserts is mounted on the belt for supporting the sheets. Each of the inserts comprises an elongate strip, the strip including an edge integrally formed with a plurality of pointed projections. A widest cross-section of the insert is sized to permit the insert to be inserted laterally into a lateral opening in the belt with the projections thereof lying in the plane of the belt and then rotated 90.degree. to a position wherein the projections extend beyond the plane of the belt to support the sheets. Provided at each end of the strip is a pair of bendable tabs which can be crimped around a wire portion of the belt to anchor the strip to the belt. Since the sheets are supported only by pointed projections, thermography printing can be performed on both sides of the sheets with little risk of the ink being smeared.

Abstract: A pattern generator for supplying beam deflection and blanking signals in an electron beam lithography system which writes polygon pattern features by sweeping a beam of rectangular cross-section over each polygon and simultaneously varying the length of the rectangular cross-section. The pattern generator converts polygon size and shape data to an upper shape signal and a lower shape signal. The shaping signals are subtracted to provide a beam length signal. The lower shape signal controls the beam position during writing of the polygon. The pattern generator further includes a ramp generator for sweeping the beam over the polygon. The ramp signal and shaping signals are synchronized by detecting the points in the sweep at which polygon turn points occur. The shape signal generators utilize interleaved operation for high speed. A blanking circuit provides uniform exposure of pattern features by controlling the width of the rectangular beam.

Abstract: An improved method of operating a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This method, which involves double pulsing, achieves an increase in the resolution of TOF mass spectrometers by compensating for the energy spread of the species extracted from the source and thus the time spread of ions of a specific mass arriving at a detector. According to this improved method, atoms (or molecules) for analysis are rapidly removed from a surface at a first well defined time. These atoms or molecules are then rapidly ionized at a location or region a distance, R, from the surface at a second well defined time after a selected time delay, T.sub.o. The resultant ions first move through a region of uniform electric field of a distance, S.sub.1, and then into a field-free region having a length, S.sub.2, Lastly, ions leaving the field-free region enter a short high energy accelerating region so as to impinge upon an ion detector.

Abstract: A sample (EC) is mounted on a sample carrier (PO). Vertically thereabove a common optical portion (5) receives a beam of primary ions derived from an ion source (S10) together with a beam of primary electrons derived from an electron source (S30). The secondary electrons and ions due to the sample (EC) being bombarded by said primary ions and electrons are retrieved by said common optical portion (5). The electrons are detected by electron detection means (D40). The secondary optical system (2) transmits the secondary ions to a mass spectrometer (SP20). This instrument is capable of providing ion and electron images of a single sample simultaneously.

Abstract: An ion beam generator includes: an ion generating section for generating ions and where the material to be ionized is introduced; a gas discharge device for exciting the material to be ionized to a low excited state; a light source for introducing a light into the ion generating section, which light has a wavelength such that it excites the material to be ionized to an intermediate state from the low excited state of the material by a resonance excitation; and the specific material to be taken out as an ion beam being selectively ionized through the intermediate state.

Abstract: A Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) mass spectrometer, with a vacuum housing comprising three differentially pumped regions allows spatial separation of the processes for generation, translocation, and detection of the ionic species. The ion source provides inlets for solid, liquid, and gaseous samples from direct injection or chromatographic interfaces. Provision is made for ionization by electron impact, chemical ionization, fast atom bombardment, and laser ionization. A system of electrostatic lenses accelerates, focusses, and decelerates the ions for transmission to the ion detector. The mass analyzer includes an ion cyclotron resonance cell in which the ionic motions are detected by amplification of a small "image" current induced in the walls of the cell and made to flow through external detection circuitry.

Abstract: Focusing device for a transmission type electron microscope displaying an enlarged image on a television monitor, in which the incident angle of the electron beam on the sample is varied with a constant frequency and the focal length of the objective electron lens is so controlled that there is no change between the image observed before change of the incident angle of the electron beam and that observed thereafter, wherein timing for changing the incident angle is set during the blanking intervals of the vertical synchronizing signal of the television so that fluctuations of the image can be clearly detected.

Abstract: A detector for charged particles, i.e. secondary electons ir ions emitted from a bombardment area of a specimen in an instrument such as a scanning electron microscope or analytical instrument, consists of a collector, e.g. a scintillation surface highly charged with a voltage of the opposite polarity from that of the particles, for receiving the particles and providing an output proportional to the number thereof. A grid, charged with a voltage of the same sign as the scintillation surface, but to a lower value, is located between the scintillation surface and the bombardment area, and a probe in the form of a wire electrically connected to the grid projects into the vicinity of the bombardment area which is in a confined space between the specimen and the instrument. The result is to set up an electrostatic field around the wire, causing a significant number of the charged particles to orbit the wire and travel to the scintillation surface.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure system for producing a desired pattern on a workpiece. The pattern is specified by predetermined pattern data. The pattern data is modified with correction data. The correction data is obtained from information indicating variations on the level of the surface of the workpiece due to an elastic deformation thereof during the exposure process. With the use of the correction data, the desired pattern is correctly reproduced as intended when the workpiece is fully supported and the surface thereof recovers its flatness.