Abstract: A microwave probe having a metal tip on the free end of a microcantilever. In one embodiment, a pyramidal pit is isotropically etched in a device wafer of monocrystalline silicon. Oxidation may sharpen the pit. Deposited metal forms the metal tip in the pit and a bottom shield. Other metal sandwiched between equally thick dielectric layers contact the tip and form a conduction path along the cantilever for the probe and detected signals. Further metal forms a top shield overlying the conduction path and the dielectrically isolated tip and having equal thickness to the bottom shield, thus producing together with the symmetric dielectric layers a balanced structure with reduced thermal bending. The device wafer is bonded to a handle wafer. The handle is formed and remaining silicon of the device wafer is removed to release the cantilever.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for varying the cross-sectional shape of an ion beam, as the ion beam is scanned over the surface of a workpiece, to generate a time-averaged ion beam having an improved ion beam current profile uniformity. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of an ion beam is varied as the ion beam moves across the surface of the workpiece. The different cross-sectional shapes of the ion beam respectively have different beam profiles (e.g., having peaks at different locations along the beam profile), so that rapidly changing the cross-sectional shape of the ion beam results in a smoothing of the beam current profile (e.g., reduction of peaks associated with individual beam profiles) that the workpiece is exposed to. The resulting smoothed beam current profile provides for improved uniformity of the beam current and improved workpiece dose uniformity.

Abstract: A flight-of-time mass spectrometer and method of flight-of-time mass spectrometry. The spectrometer includes a storage portion, a parameter adjusting portion, a parameter setting portion, and a flight time measuring portion. The parameter adjusting portion calculates values of an adjustment parameter correlated with any specified m/z value based on an adjustment table. The parameter setting portion sets the delayed extraction parameters of the ion source based on the values of the adjustment parameters calculated by the parameter adjusting portion.

Abstract: An analysis device for mass discrimination is disclosed. The analysis device comprises: a sample chamber for holding a gaseous sample; an analysis chamber arranged to receive sample gas from the sample chamber; a mass discriminator arranged to discriminate in the analysis chamber between ion species generated from the sample gas; and a wall separating the sample chamber from the analysis chamber, the wall comprising a rupture zone controllable to rupture and thereby release sample gas from the sample chamber into the analysis chamber. In one embodiment the rupture zone is adapted to rupture on application of an electric current or mechanical force. The wall may be micromachined. A method of mass discrimination is also disclosed.

Abstract: A technique for reconstructing an electron-beam (EB) image, which can be a scanning-electron-microscope (SEM) image or an EB-inspection image, is described. This reconstruction technique may involve an inverse electro-optical calculation that corrects for the influence of an electro-optical transfer function associated with an EB system on the EB image. In particular, in the inverse calculation a multi-valued representation of an initial EB image is at an image plane in the model of the electro-optical transfer function and a resulting EB image is at an object plane in the model of the electro-optical transfer function. Furthermore, the model of the electro-optical transfer function may have an analytical derivative and/or may be represented by a closed-form expression.

Abstract: In an ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer ions are excited into cyclotron orbits by an alternating current excitation signal having a nonlinear function of the excitation frequency vs. time in a “chirp.” Such an excitation signal produces transients which have no pronounced beats, even if mixtures of many ion species, all having the same mass differences, are present. The dynamic measuring range for the image currents can thus be better utilized. In particular, sum spectra of specified quality can be generated from a significantly smaller number of individual transients, and thus in a significantly shorter measuring time.

Abstract: A combined distance-of-flight mass spectrometry (DOFMS) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) instrument includes an ion source configured to produce ions having varying mass-to-charge ratios, a first detector configured to determine when each of the ions travels a predetermined distance, a second detector configured to determine how far each of the ions travels in a predetermined time, and a detector extraction region operable to direct portions of the ions either to the first detector or to the second detector.

Abstract: An interface for the analysis of liquid sample having carbon content by an accelerator mass spectrometer including a wire, defects on the wire, a system for moving the wire, a droplet maker for producing droplets of the liquid sample and placing the droplets of the liquid sample on the wire in the defects, a system that converts the carbon content of the droplets of the liquid sample to carbon dioxide gas in a helium stream, and a gas-accepting ion source connected to the accelerator mass spectrometer that receives the carbon dioxide gas of the sample in a helium stream and introduces the carbon dioxide gas of the sample into the accelerator mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A combination of electrodes that are cylindrical and an asymmetric arrangement of cylindrical and planar electrodes are used to create electric fields that compensate for toroidal curvature in a toroidal ion trap, the design lending itself to high precision manufacturing and miniaturization, converging ion paths that enhance detection, higher pressure operation, and optimization of the shape of the electric fields by careful arrangement of the electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for introducing ions into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer includes producing ions in an ionization chamber of an ion source. The ions are sampled into an intermediate pressure chamber via a first ion transfer tube. In particular, the pressure within the intermediate pressure chamber is maintained at a value that exceeds a maximum pressure for being sampled into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer. Some of the ions are sampled from the intermediate pressure chamber via at least a second ion transfer tube, the at least a second ion transfer tube having an outlet end that is in communication with a low-pressure chamber. In particular, the pressure within the low-pressure chamber is maintained at a value that is less than a maximum pressure for being sampled into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer. Some of the ions are sampled from the low-pressure chamber into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: An ultrafast electron diffraction device for irradiating a sample with a bunch of electrons in an ultrashort pulse in order to perform an ultrafast analysis of the sample. The ultrafast electron diffraction device includes: a) a laser emitter for delivering an ultrashort pulse laser having a pulse width of not more than 1 ps onto a target which is a material for generating electrons at an intensity of not less than 1017 W/cm2; and b) a pulse compressor for rotating, in a magnetostatic field, a bunch of electrons generated from the target onto which the ultrashort pulse laser has been delivered so as to suppress the spread of the bunch of electrons in their traveling direction. The pulse compressor is composed of an entrance-side parallel-plate static magnet, one end of which is placed on the course of the bunch of electrons, and an exit-side parallel-plate static magnet.

Abstract: An electronic control device for a local probe with a piezoelectric resonator and preamplification and processing of its signals, the probe being configured for local measurement of physical properties of a sample in an environment with a particle beam directed towards the probe, in which an excitation voltage generated by an excitation mechanism is applied to the piezoelectric resonator through a first galvanic isolation transformer, and a current for measurement of mechanical oscillations of the piezoelectric resonator is applied through a second galvanic isolation transformer to a preamplification device on the output side.

Abstract: An electro-optical inspection apparatus prevents adhesion of dust or particles to a sample surface, wherein a stage on which a sample is placed is disposed inside a vacuum chamber that can be evacuated, and a dust collecting electrode is disposed to surround a periphery of the sample. The dust collecting electrode is applied with a voltage having the same polarity as a voltage applied to the sample and an absolute value that is the same or larger than an absolute value of the voltage. Because dust or particles adhere to the dust collecting electrode, adhesion of the dust or particles to the sample surface can be reduced. Instead of using the dust collecting electrode, it is possible to form a recess on a wall of the vacuum chamber, or to dispose on the wall a metal plate having a mesh structure to which a predetermined voltage is applied.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer has a manifold and at least one ion optical assembly that is composed of a support and electrodes attached to the support. The support is aligned to at least one reference surface machined integrally with the manifold such that the number of interfaces between the reference surface of the manifold and the electrodes is minimized. With such a design the positional and/or alignment precision of ion optical assemblies in a mass spectrometer can be improved.

Abstract: A device including a housing having an interior space for containing fluid, an inlet for letting in fluid to the housing, an outlet for letting out fluid from the housing, an element which is arranged inside the housing, and fluid guiding components which are arranged in the housing as well and which serve for guiding the fluid from the inlet side of the housing to the outlet side of the housing, around the element. The fluid guiding components may be zigzag-shaped extending along at least a portion of the element and, as a combination, providing complete coverage of the element in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: Silver nanoparticles as a sample matrix for Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) along with a novel method for nanoparticle development is described herein. The silver nanoparticles were generated from silver ions on the surface of a MALDI plate utilizing a Soft Landing Ion Mobility (SLIM) instrument. Upon interaction with the surface the incident silver ions were labile and aggregated into the nanoparticle structures in a time dependent fashion. Post landing analysis were completed by Time of Flight mass spectrometry (TOF), and of particular interest in the spectra were the elimination of low mass interference peaks that generally plague organic based matrices. The approach of the present invention significantly decreases sample preparation time and may lead to a preparation free MALDI source by soft landing a matrix directly on the sample surface.

Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus according to an embodiment, includes a first dose calculating unit configured to calculate a first dose map for each set of a proximity effect correction coefficient map and a base dose map of a beam; a dimension map creation unit configured to create a dimension map of a pattern by using the first dose map calculated for each set; an adder configured to add dimensions of all sets for each position of the dimension map by using the dimension map of each set; a set map creation unit configured to create a set of a proximity effect correction coefficient map and a base dose map by using an added dimension map after addition; and a second dose calculating unit configured to calculate a second dose map by using a created set of the proximity effect correction coefficient map and the base dose map.

Abstract: A method is provided for reducing particle contamination in an ion implantation system, wherein an ion implantation system having source, mass analyzer, resolving aperture, decel suppression plate, and end station is provided. An ion beam is formed via the ion source, and a workpiece is transferred between an external environment and the end station for ion implantation thereto. A decel suppression voltage applied to the decel suppression plate is modulated concurrent with the workpiece transfer, therein causing the ion beam to expand and contract, wherein one or more surfaces of the resolving aperture and/or one or more components downstream of the resolving aperture are impacted by the ion beam, therein mitigating subsequent contamination of workpieces from previously deposited material residing on the one or more surfaces. The contamination can be mitigated by removing the previously deposited material or strongly adhering the previously deposited material to the one or more surfaces.

Abstract: A spectrometer is offered which can reduce ion loss compared with the prior art even when ions selected by the mass analyzer are modified. The spectrometer includes an ion source for ionizing a sample, an ion storage portion for repeatedly performing a storing operation for storing ions created by the ion source and an expelling operation for expelling the stored ions as pulsed ions, the mass analyzer for passing pulsed ions expelled from the ion storage portion and selecting desired ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio, a detector for detecting pulsed ions passed through the mass analyzer and outputting an analog signal responsive to the intensity of the detection, and a controller for maintaining constant the mass-to-charge ratio of the desired ions selected by the mass analyzer while pulsed ions including the desired ions are passing through the mass analyzer.

Abstract: A system for manipulating an ion beam having a principal axis includes an upper member having a first and a second coil generally disposed in different regions of the upper member and configured to conduct, independently of each other, a first and a second current, respectively. A lower member includes a third and a fourth coil that are generally disposed opposite to respective first and second coils and are configured to conduct, independently of each other, a third and a fourth current, respectively. A lens gap is defined between the upper and lower members, and configured to transmit the ion beam, wherein the first through fourth currents produce a 45 degree quadrupole field that exerts a rotational force on the ion beam about its principal axis.