Abstract: An apparatus and method for ion generation are adapted such that an ionization process is controlled temporally, to first initiate, then to halt the breakdown of the gas before a destructive plasma or glow is formed. This method controls the release of energy to the gas in such a manner as to create ions but prevent the heating of the gas. The primary advantages of this ion generation mechanism are its simplicity, efficiency and its ability to create ions at ambient temperature and pressure.

Abstract: A method for preparing a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample for electron holography includes forming a sacrificial material over an area of interest on the sample, and polishing the sample to a desired thickness, wherein the area of interest is protected from rounding during the polishing. The sacrificial material is removed from the sample following the polishing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection technique using a charged particle beam by which a method of setting a condition for optimally charging an object to be inspected without relying on an operator's experience is established and a voltage contrast image with higher efficiency of defect detection than ever before can be obtained. The inspection method comprises the steps of scanning an area on a surface of a substrate having a specific pattern formed thereon with a primary charged particle beam, detecting signals of secondary electrons emitted from the area, forming an image of the area from detected signals, and generating a histogram from the image. All these steps are performed each time a condition of irradiation with the charged particle beam is changed. When two or more separate peaks appear in the histogram, the histogram is determined as an optimal condition for inspection, and inspection is performed based on the image obtained under that condition.

Abstract: An entangled photon pair generating apparatus has a first definite polarization photon pair generating apparatus for generating a first definite polarization photon pair beam according to an incident pump beam, a wave plate for rotating by 90 degrees a plane of polarization of the first definite polarization photon pair beam emitted from the first definite polarization photon pair generating apparatus, and a second definite polarization photon pair generating apparatus for generating a second definite polarization photon pair beam according to the incident pump beam. They are adjacently placed in order along an optical axis of the incident pump beam.

Abstract: A mass filter apparatus for filtering a beam of ions is described. The apparatus comprises an ion beam source and first and second mass filter stages in series to receive the ion beam. A vacuum system maintains the first and second filter stages at substantially the same operating pressure, below 10?3 torr. The first mass filter stage transmits only ions having a sub-range of mass-to-charge ratios including a selected mass-to-charge ratio. The second filter transmits only ions of the selected mass-to-charge ratio. The second mass filter can achieve high accuracy detection without being subjected to problems such as build-up of material on quadrupole rods, resulting in a distorted electric field close to the rods. The first mass filter acts as a coarse filter, typically transmitting 1% of ions received from the ion source. Thus, the detection accuracy and lifetime of mass spectrometers embodying this invention are greatly improved.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ion guide consisting of RF multipole segments to transfer ions from an ion source into a mass analyzer. The invention consists in having movable RF multipole segments in the ion guide which extend or electrically connect other RF multipole segments along the axis of the ion guide, in which spaces have arisen as a result of a change in configuration of the mass spectrometer, comprising ion source, ion guide and mass analyzer. The moved RF multipole segments bridge the spaces which have arisen between the components of the mass spectrometer and facilitate the transfer of the ions from the ion source to the mass analyzer.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a scanning electron beam apparatus having curved electron-optical axes. An electron gun and illumination electron optics are configured to generate a primary electron beam along a first axis. Objective electron optics is configured about a second axis to receive the primary electron beam, to focus the incident electron beam onto the substrate, and to retrieve an emitted beam of scattered electrons from the substrate. Detection electron optics is configured about a third axis to receive the emitted beam and to focus the emitted beam onto a detector. A beam separator is coupled to and interconnecting the illumination electron optics, the objective electron optics, and the detection electron optics in such a way that there is a same angle between the first and second axes as between the second and third axes. A beam deflector is configured to controllably scan the primary electron beam across the substrate and to de-scan the emitted electron beam. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are an electron beam irradiation apparatus and an electron beam irradiation method that are capable of easily curing a material that is hard to be cured by irradiation of ultraviolet rays and of reducing the number of electron beam irradiation tubes. The electron beam irradiation apparatus has a motor for rotationally driving an irradiation target object, a shield container for rotatably accommodating the irradiation target object, and an electron beam irradiation unit provided in the shield container so that the surface of the irradiation target object is irradiated with electron beams, wherein the electron beam irradiation unit and the irradiation target object are relatively moved when the electron beam irradiation unit irradiates the surface of the irradiation target object with the electron beams during a rotation of the irradiation target object.

Abstract: An angle measurement system for an ion beam includes a flag defining first and second features, wherein the second feature has a variable spacing from the first feature, a mechanism to translate the flag along a translation path so that the flag intercepts at least a portion of the ion beam, and a sensing device to detect the ion beam for different flag positions along the translation path and produce a sensor signal having a first signal component representative of the first feature and a second signal component representative of the second feature. The first and second signal components and corresponding positions of the flag are representative of an angle of the ion beam in a direction orthogonal to the translation path. The sensing device may be a two-dimensional array of beam current sensors. The system may provide measurements of horizontal and vertical beam angles while translating the flag in only one direction.

Abstract: A patient alignment system for a radiation therapy system. The alignment system includes multiple external measurement devices which obtain position measurements of components of the radiation therapy system which are movable and/or are subject to flex or other positional variations. The alignment system employs the external measurements to provide corrective positioning feedback to more precisely register the patient and align them with a radiation beam. The alignment system can be provided as an integral part of a radiation therapy system or can be added as an upgrade to existing radiation therapy systems.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there is a method of fabricating a material for transmission electron microscopy comprising removing a first portion from a material having a thickness of (d1) to form a thinned material having a thickness of (d2), contacting the thinned material to a sacrificial layer having a thickness of (s1), and removing a second portion from the thinned material so the thinned material has a thickness of (d3), wherein (d3)<(d2).

Abstract: Ion separation in a FAIMS analyzer is affected by the presence of neutral species and solvent vapor. A diffuser element, which is fabricated from a porous material, is disposed within a curtain gas chamber adjacent to the FAIMS ion inlet, such that a flow of a curtain gas is blocked from flowing directly out through a curtain gas orifice. The porous material creates a pressure drop across the diffuser and results in the flow of curtain gas being provided out of the curtain gas orifice, along a direction that is approximately perpendicular to a plane containing the curtain gas orifice. The perpendicular gas flow opposes ions traveling toward the curtain gas orifice from an ionization source, thereby desolvating the ions. Providing a perpendicular curtain gas flow for desolvating ions reduces the ion losses that are normally associated with the curtain gas flow deflecting some of the ions away from the curtain gas orifice and toward a curtain plate electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to ion storage devices for a molecular detector which determines the presence and quantity of a predetermined ion species out of a large number of stored ions. The invention consists in installing two or more ion storage devices in such a way that filling of one ion storage device and detection of predetermined ion species from an other ion storage device can be carried synchronously. In particular, ion filling and ion sampling can occur through the same opening.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques are provided for modifying and measuring surfaces of diamond workpieces and other workpieces with nanoscale precision. The apparatus and techniques exploit scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) at a wide range of operating temperatures. In some embodiments, the SPM/AFM apparatus also includes an interferometric microscope and/or acoustic-wave microscope for making high-precision measurements of workpiece surfaces.

Abstract: A photoionization detector includes a housing, electrical contacts within the housing and an easily removable and replaceable photoionization chamber within the housing. The photoionization chamber includes a cathodic electrode and an anodic electrode which may be coated with a thin layer of material. The photoionization chamber and the associated cathodic electrode and anodic electrode are removable from within the housing as a unit. The photoionization chamber makes electrical connection with the contacts when seated within the housing regardless of the orientation of the photoionization chamber about an axis.

Abstract: An ion detector having a planar electrically conducting entrance plate, a converter assembly including a planar electrically conducting converter plate and a converter member for providing free electrons upon impact of ions, a planar electrically conducting exit plate having an exit window, a magnet assembly, and an electron detection assembly. The planes of the converter plate and the entrance plate are parallel and electrically biasable in order to provide a homogeneous electric field. The magnet assembly provides a homogenous magnetic field between the converter plate and the exit plate, the magnetic field extending parallel to the plane of the converter plate. The ratio between the electric and the magnetic field is such that the electrons emitted from the converter plate travel to the exit window and are detected by the electron detection assembly.

Abstract: A technique for high-efficiency ion implantation is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as an apparatus for high-efficiency ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise one or more measurement devices to determine a shape of an ion beam spot in a first dimension and a second dimension. The apparatus may also comprise a control module to control movement of the ion beam across a substrate according to a two-dimensional velocity profile, wherein the two-dimensional velocity profile is determined based at least in part on the shape of the ion beam spot, and wherein the two-dimensional velocity profile is tunable to maintain a uniform ion dose and to keep the ion beam spot from going fully off the substrate surface.

Abstract: Provided are ion sources, methods of forming ions and mass analyzer systems. In various embodiments, the present teachings provide ion sources, methods for focusing ions from an ion source, and methods for operating a time-of-flight mass analyzer. In various embodiments, the present teachings relate to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) ion sources and methods of MALDI ion source operation, for use with mass analyzers. In various aspects, provided are ion sources and methods of operation thereof that facilitate increasing one or more of sensitivity and resolution of a TOF mass analyzer configured for multiple modes of operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a combined electrostatically suppressed Faraday and energy contamination monitor and related methods for its use. The apparatus of the present invention is capable of selectively measuring two properties of an ion beam, including, for example, a current and a level of energy contamination in a decelerated ion beam. A first aspect of the invention provides an ion beam measurement apparatus comprising an aperture for receiving the ion beam, a negatively biased electrode disposed adjacent to the aperture, a positively biased electrode disposed adjacent to the negatively biased electrode, a selectively biased electrode disposed adjacent to the positively biased electrode, and a collector, wherein the selectively biased electrode may selectively be negatively biased or positively biased.

Abstract: A system, method and program product for enhancing dose uniformity during ion implantation are disclosed. The present invention is directed to allowing the use of an at least partially untuned ion beam to obtain a uniform implant by scanning the beam in multiple rotationally-fixed orientations (scan directions) of the target at variable or non-uniform scan velocities. The non-uniform scan velocities are dictated by a scan velocity profile that is generated based on the ion beam profile and/or the scan direction. The beam can be of any size, shape or tuning. A platen holding a wafer is rotated to a new desired rotationally-fixed orientation after a scan, and a subsequent scan occurs at the same scan velocity profile or a different scan velocity profile. Also included is a method, system and program product for conducting a uniform dose ion implantation in which the target is rotated and tilted about greater than one axes relative to the ion beam.