Abstract: An ion beam apparatus and a method for providing an energy-filtered primary ion beam are described. Therein, a primary ion beam having an asymmetric first energy distribution is generated by means of an ion source. The primary ion beam is energy filtered using, for example, a retarding lens.

Abstract: A method and installation are disclosed which can, for example, provide for reliable, low-Nox-emission operation of a gas turbine installation with hydrogen-rich fuel gas. An exemplary gas turbine installation includes an arrangement for flue gas recirculation into a compressor inlet and for fuel gas dilution. Oxygen content in combustion air can be reduced by recirculation of recooled flue gas, and the fuel gas can be diluted with compressed flue gas. The oxygen reduction in the combustion air can lead to minimum residual oxygen in the flue gas which can be used for fuel gas dilution. As a result of the flue gas recirculation, water content in the combustion air can be increased by feedback of the water which results as a combustion product. The oxygen reduction, increased water content, and fuel dilution can reduce the flame velocity of hydrogen-rich fuel gases and enable a robust, reliable and low-emission combustion.

Abstract: A focused ion beam device is provided, including: an ion beam column adapted to house a gas field ion source emitter with an emitter tip and an emitter area for generating ions, a heating means adapted to heat the emitter tip, one or more gas inlets adapted to introduce a first gas and at least one second gas to the emitter area, an objective lens adapted to focus the ion beam generated from the first gas or the second gas, and a controller adapted to switch between a first emitter tip temperature and a second emitter tip temperature for generating an ion beam of ions of the first gas or an ion beam of ions of the at least one second gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam device for irradiating a specimen with ions. The charged particle beam device comprises a gas field ion source unit for generating a beam of ions, the gas field ion source having an emitter unit having an emitter unit tip; and a gas supply system for directing gas to the emitter unit tip. The gas supply system comprises an array of capillary tubes. Further, the present invention provides a method for irradiating a specimen with ions by operating a charged particle beam device having a gas field ion source, wherein the method comprises the step of directing a gas flow to an emitter unit tip, wherein the gas flow has a gas beam aperture angle of 3° or less.

Abstract: A method of preparing an ultra sharp tip, in particular a single atom tip, is provided, comprising providing a tip having a shank, an apex, and a coating covering the shank and the apex; locally removing the coating from the apex by field evaporation; and partially or fully restoring the coating at the apex.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam device. The device comprises an emitter array for emitting a plurality of charged particle beams. The plurality of charged particle beams are imaged with a lens. An electrode unit is provided for accelerating the plurality of charged particle beams. The potential differences between a first potential of the emitter array, a second potential of the electrode unit, and a third potential of a specimen, are controlled by a first control unit and a second control unit. Thereby, the second potential is capable of accelerating the plurality of charged particle beams with respect to the first potential, and the third potential is capable of decelerating the plurality of charged particle beams with respect to the second potential.

Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described comprising a gas field ion source with an analyzer for analyzing and classifying the structure of a specimen, a controller for controlling and/or modifying the structure of the specimen according to the analysis of the analyzer, an emitter tip, the emitter tip has a base tip comprising a first material and a supertip comprising a material different from the first material, wherein the supertip is a single atom tip and the base tip is a single crystal base tip. Furthermore, the focused ion beam device has a probe current control and a sample charge control. A method of operating a focused ion beam device is provided comprising applying a voltage between a single emission centre of the supertip and an electrode, supplying gas to the emitter tip, analyzing and classifying the structure of a specimen, and controlling the structure of the specimen.

Abstract: A method and a device for producing an ignitable fuel/air mixture includes a fuel fraction which is hydrogen or a gas mixture containing hydrogen and which is burnt in a burner arrangement for driving a thermal engine, in particular a gas turbine plant. An exemplary method includes combining a fuel flow and of an air flow, so as to form a fuel/air mixture flow, and providing a further air flow, catalyzing part of the fuel/air mixture flow, so as to form a partly catalyzed fuel/air mixture, during an exothermal catalytically assisted reaction of the fuel, the released heat of which is utilized at least partially for heating the further air flow, admixing the heated further air flow to the partly catalyzed fuel/air mixture, so as to form an ignitable fuel/air mixture, and igniting and combusting the ignitable fuel/air mixture.

Abstract: A method of operating a focused ion beam device for emitting during operation a focused ion beam including ions of a gas generated at a first partial pressure, comprising cleaning an emitter tip positioned in an emitter tip region of the focused ion beam device, the cleaning comprises introducing the gas into the emitter tip region such that the gas has a second partial pressure of at least two times the first pressure. Further, a focused ion beam device is provided, comprising a gas field emitter tip (13) in an emitter tip region emitting an ion beam including ions of a gas, a gas inlet for supplying a gas with different pressures (110), a gas outlet (120), a pressure measurement device for measuring the pressure in the emitter tip region and a control unit (130) for controlling switching between an operation mode and a cleaning mode, further controlling the pressures in the emitter tip region and being connected to the pressure measurement device.

Abstract: A focused ion beam device is described. The device includes an ion beam column including an enclosure for housing an emitter with an emitter area for generating ions, a first gas inlet adapted to introduce a first gas to the emitter area, a second gas inlet adapted to introduce a second gas different from the first gas to the emitter area, and a switching unit adapted to switch between introducing the first gas and introducing the second gas.

Abstract: A method of operating a focused ion beam device having a gas field ion source is described. According to some embodiments, the method includes emitting an ion beam from a gas field ion source, providing an ion beam column ion beam energy in the ion beam column which is higher than the final beam energy, decelerating the ion beam for providing a final beam energy on impingement of the ion beam on the specimen of 1 keV to 4 keV, and imaging the specimen.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device is described. The device includes an emitter unit including an emitter tip; a voltage supply unit adapted for providing a stable voltage to generate a stable extraction field at the emitter tip; a pulsed voltage supply member adapted for providing a pulsed voltage to generate a pulsed extraction field on top of the stable extraction field; a measuring unit for measuring an emitter characteristic; and a control unit adapted for receiving a signal from the measuring unit and for control of the pulsed voltage supply member.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to facilitate the measurement of the amount of scattered electrons collected by an anti-fogging baffle arrangement are provided. For some embodiments, by affixing a lead to an electrically isolated (floating) portion of the baffle arrangement, the amount of scattered electrons collected thereby may be read out, for example, as a current signal. Thus, for such embodiments, the baffle arrangement may double as a detector, allowing an image of surface (e.g., a mask or substrate surface) to be generated.

Abstract: A thermal power plant with sequential combustion and reduced CO2 emissions is disclosed, which includes the following components, which are connected in series via in each case at least one flow passage (S): a combustion feed air compressor unit, a first combustion chamber, a high-pressure turbine stage, a second combustion chamber and a low-pressure turbine stage. The second combustion chamber and/or the low-pressure turbine stage can be supplied with a cooling gas stream for cooling purposes. A method for operating a thermal power plant of this type is also disclosed.

Abstract: A gas field ion source is described for a charged particle beam device having a charged particle beam column. The gas field ion source includes an emitter unit, a cooling unit, and a thermal conductivity unit for thermal conductivity from the cooling unit to the emitter unit, wherein the thermal conductivity unit is adapted for reduction of vibration transfer from the cooling unit to the emitter unit.

Abstract: Apparatus for combustion of a fuel-oxidizer mixture in a combustion chamber of a turbogroup, in particular of a power plant wherein total oxidizer flow is divided into a main oxidizer flow and a secondary oxidizer flow. The main oxidizer flow is lean mixed with a main fuel flow in a premix burner, and the mixture is fully oxidized in the combustion chamber. The secondary oxidizer flow is divided into a pilot oxidizer flow and a heat-exchanging oxidizer flow. The pilot oxidizer flow is rich mixed with a pilot fuel flow, and the mixture is partially oxidized in a catalyst, with hydrogen being formed. Downstream of the catalyst, the partially oxidized pilot fuel-oxidizer mixture and the heat-exchanging oxidizer flow are together introduced into at least one zone which is suitable for stabilizing the combustion of the main fuel-oxidizer mixture.

Abstract: A gas field ion source is described. The gas field ion source includes an emitter module. The emitter module includes an emitter holder, an emitter structure, a detachably connectable electrical connection assembly of the emitter module, and a detachably connectable gas supply connection assembly of the emitter module. The gas field ion source further includes a supply module, wherein the supply module includes an electrical conductor for providing voltage and/or current, a gas supply conduit, a thermal conductor, a detachably connectable electrical connection assembly of the supply module, and a detachably connectable gas supply connection assembly of the supply module. The emitter module and the supply module are detachably connectable by the detachably connectable connection assemblies of the emitter module and the detachably connectable connection assemblies of the supply module.

Abstract: A multifunction module for an electron beam column comprises upper and lower electrodes, and a central ring electrode. The upper and lower electrodes have multipoles and are capable of deflecting, or correcting an aberration of, an electron beam passing through the electrodes. A voltage can be applied to the central ring electrode independently of the voltages applied to the upper and lower electrodes to focus the electron beam on a substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a turbogroup, especially of a power generating plant, in which combustion air is fed to a compressor, compressed therein, and fed to a burner, in which a fuel, which has a higher reactivity than natural gas, is fed to the burner, in which water is injected into the combustion air upstream of the burner and evaporated therein, in which the fuel in the burner is mixed with the combustion air-water vapor mixture and combusted, in which a burner exhaust gas which is produced in the burner is fed to a turbine and expanded therein.

Abstract: An electron beam column comprises a thermal field emission electron source to generate an electron beam, an electron beam blanker, a beam shaping module, and electron beam optics comprising a plurality of electron beam lenses. In one version, the optical parameters of the electron beam blanker, beam shaping module, and electron beam optics are set to achieve an acceptance semi-angle ? of from about ¼ to about 3 mrads, where the acceptance semi-angle ? is half the angle subtended by the electron beam at the writing plane. The beam-shaping module can also operate as a single lens using upper and lower projection lenses. A multifunction module for an electron beam column is also described.