Abstract: A plasma ion source includes: a gas introduction chamber, into which raw gas is introduced; an insulation member provided in the gas introduction chamber; a plasma generation chamber connected to the gas introduction chamber; a coil that is wound along an outer circumference of the plasma generation chamber and to which high-frequency power is applied; and an electrode arranged at a boundary between the gas introduction chamber and the plasma generation chamber and having a plurality of through-holes formed therein, wherein a size of the through-holes is smaller than a length of a plasma sheath.

Abstract: A plasma ion source includes: a gas introduction chamber, into which raw gas is introduced; a plasma generation chamber connected to the gas introduction chamber and made of a dielectric material; a coil wound along an outer circumference of the plasma generation chamber and to which high-frequency power is applied; an envelope surrounding the gas introduction chamber, the plasma generation chamber and the coil; and insulating liquid filled inside the gas introduction chamber, the plasma generation chamber and the envelope to immerse the coil and having an dielectric strength voltage relatively greater than that of the envelope and the same dielectric dissipation factor as the plasma generation chamber.

Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus has an emitter for emitting an ion beam, an ion source chamber accommodating the emitter, a cooling unit and a heating unit for cooling and heating, respectively, the emitter, and an ion source gas supply section for supplying to the ion source chamber an ion source gas that is exchangeable with another ion source gas. A control section controls an operation of the cooling unit such that a temperature of a wall surface contacting the ion source gas in the ion source chamber is maintained at a temperature higher than a temperature at which the ion source gas before and after the exchange freezes. The control section controls an operation of the heater so that the emitter is temporarily heated to release the ion source gas from a surface of the emitter before the ion source gas is exchanged with the other ion source gas.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a focused ion beam apparatus equipped with a gas field ion source that can produce a focused ion beam for a long period of time by stably and continuously emitting ions from the gas field ion source having high luminance, along an optical axis of an ion-optical system for a long period of time. In the focused ion beam apparatus equipped with a gas field ion source having an emitter for emitting ions, the emitter has a shape in which sharpened iridium is fixed to dissimilar wire.

Abstract: There is provided a repair apparatus including a gas field ion source which includes an ion generation section including a sharpened tip, a cooling unit which cools the tip, an ion beam column which forms a focused ion beam by focusing ions of a gas generated in the gas field ion source, a sample stage which moves while a sample to be irradiated with the focused ion beam is placed thereon, a sample chamber which accommodates at least the sample stage therein, and a control unit which repairs a mask or a mold for nano-imprint lithography, which is the sample, with the focused ion beam formed by the ion beam column. The gas field ion source generates nitrogen ions as the ions, and the tip is constituted by an iridium single crystal capable of generating the ions.

Abstract: A focused ion beam system includes a gas ion source and an emitter structure. The emitter structure includes a pair of conductive pins fixed to a base member, a filament connected between the pair of conductive pins, and an emitter which has a tip end with one atom or three atoms and which is connected to the filament. A supporting member is fixed to the base material, and the emitter is connected to the supporting member.

Abstract: There is provided an emitter structure, a gas ion source including the emitter structure, and a focused ion beam system including the gas ion source. The emitter structure includes a pair of conductive pins which are fixed to a base member, a filament which is connected between the pair of conductive pins, and an emitter which is connected to the filament and has a sharp tip. A supporting member is fixed to the base material, and the emitter is connected to the supporting member.

Abstract: An ion beam apparatus includes an ion source configured to emit an ion beam, a condenser lens electrode that condenses the ion beam, and a condenser lens power source configured to apply a voltage to the condenser lens electrode. A storage portion stores a first voltage value, a second voltage value, a third voltage value, and a fourth voltage value. A control portion retrieves the third voltage value from the storage portion and sets the retrieved third voltage value to the condenser lens power source when an observation mode is switched to a wide-range observation mode, and retrieves the fourth voltage value from the storage portion and sets the retrieved fourth voltage value to the condenser lens power source when a processing mode is switched to the wide-range observation mode.

Abstract: There is provided a repair apparatus including a gas field ion source which includes an ion generation section including a sharpened tip, a cooling unit which cools the tip, an ion beam column which forms a focused ion beam by focusing ions of a gas generated in the gas field ion source, a sample stage which moves while a sample to be irradiated with the focused ion beam is placed thereon, a sample chamber which accommodates at least the sample stage therein, and a control unit which repairs a mask or a mold for nano-imprint lithography, which is the sample, with the focused ion beam formed by the ion beam column. The gas field ion source generates nitrogen ions as the ions, and the tip is constituted by an iridium single crystal capable of generating the ions.

Abstract: There is provided an iridium tip including a pyramid structure having one {100} crystal plane as one of a plurality of pyramid surfaces in a sharpened apex portion of a single crystal with <210> orientation. The iridium tip is applied to a gas field ion source or an electron source. The gas field ion source and/or the electron source is applied to a focused ion beam apparatus, an electron microscope, an electron beam applied analysis apparatus, an ion-electron multi-beam apparatus, a scanning probe microscope or a mask repair apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided an emitter structure, a gas ion source including the emitter structure, and a focused ion beam system including the gas ion source. The emitter structure includes a pair of conductive pins which are fixed to a base member, a filament which is connected between the pair of conductive pins, and an emitter which is connected to the filament and has a sharp tip. A supporting member is fixed to the base material, and the emitter is connected to the supporting member.

Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus is configured to perform at least one of a process of controlling an operation of a cooling unit so that a temperature of a wall surface contacting a source gas in an ion source chamber is maintained at a temperature higher than a temperature at which the source gas freezes and a process of controlling an operation of a heater so that an emitter is temporarily heated when the source gas is exchanged.

Abstract: Provided is a focused ion beam apparatus including a control portion configured to: store in advance, in a condenser voltage table, a calculation value of a condenser voltage for obtaining a reference beam current for all each of a plurality of apertures; obtain an experimental value of the condenser voltage for obtaining the reference beam current for a reference aperture; obtain a correction value of the condenser voltage by subtracting the calculation value stored for the reference aperture from the experimental value for the reference aperture; obtain setting values of the condenser voltage by adding the correction value to the calculation values stored for each of the plurality of the apertures; and store the obtained setting value in the condenser voltage table.

Abstract: An ion beam apparatus including: an ion source configured to emit an ion beam; a condenser lens electrode configured to condense the ion beam; a condenser lens power source configured to apply a voltage to the condenser lens electrode; a storage portion configured to store, a first voltage value, a second voltage value, a third voltage value, and a fourth voltage value; and a control portion configured to retrieve the third voltage value from the storage portion and set the retrieved third voltage value to the condenser lens power source when an observation mode is switched to a wide-range observation mode, and retrieve the fourth voltage value from the storage portion and set the retrieved fourth voltage value to the condenser lens power source when a processing mode is switched to the wide-range observation mode.

Abstract: Provided is a focused ion beam apparatus including a control portion configured to: store in advance, in a condenser voltage table, a calculation value of a condenser voltage for obtaining a reference beam current for all each of a plurality of apertures; obtain an experimental value of the condenser voltage for obtaining the reference beam current for a reference aperture; obtain a correction value of the condenser voltage by subtracting the calculation value stored for the reference aperture from the experimental value for the reference aperture; obtain setting values of the condenser voltage by adding the correction value to the calculation values stored for each of the plurality of the apertures; and store the obtained setting value in the condenser voltage table.

Abstract: A defect repair apparatus for an EUV mask has an ion beam column that scans and irradiates the EUV mask with a focused hydrogen ion beam such that no region of the EUV mask receives an amount of beam irradiation exceeding 4×1016 ions/cm2. The ion beam column comprises a gas field ion source having an emitter with a pointed tip end that emits hydrogen ions that form the hydrogen ion beam, and an ion optical system that focuses and scans the hydrogen ion beam onto the EUV mask. A detector detects secondary charged particles generated from the EUV mask when irradiated with the hydrogen ion beam, and an image forming section forms and displays an observation image of the EUV mask on the basis of an output signal from the detector so that a defect in the EUV mask and the progress of the defect repair can be observed.

Abstract: A defect repair apparatus for an EUV mask includes: a gas field ion source that generates a hydrogen ion beam; an ion optical system that scans and irradiates the hydrogen ion beam by focusing the hydrogen ion beam onto the EUV mask; a sample stage on which to place the EUV mask; a detector that detects secondary charged-particles generated from the EUV mask; and an image forming unit that forms an observation image of the EUV mask on the basis of an output signal from the detector.

Abstract: This invention provides high-carbon steel wire rod and wire excellent in drawability and methods of producing the same.The high-carbon steel wire rod or wire is characterized in that it contains, in weight percent, C: 0.90-1.10%, Si: not more than 0.40% and Mn: not more than 0.50%, is limited to P: not more than 0.02%, S: not more than 0.01% and Al: not more than 0.003%, the remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities, and has a microstructure of, in terms of area ratio, not less than 80% upper bainite texture obtained by two-stepped transformation and an Hv of not more than 450. The high-carbon steel wire rod or wire may additionally contain Cr: 0.10-0.30% as an alloying component.

Abstract: This invention provides bainite wire rod and wire excellent in drawability and methods of producing the same.The bainite wire rod or wire is characterized in that it contains, in weight percent, C : 0.90-1.10%, Si : not more than 0.40% and Mn : not more than 0.50%, if required contains Cr : 0.10-0.30%., and is limited to Al : not more than 0.003%, P : not more than 0.02% and S : not more than 0.01%, the remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities, and has tensile strength and reduction of area determined by the following equations (1) and (2),TS.ltoreq.85.times.(C)+60 (1)RA.gtoreq.-0.875.times.(TS)+158 (2)whereC : carbon content (wt %),TS : tensile strength (kgf/mm.sup.2), andRA : reduction of area (%).

Abstract: This invention provides bainite wire rod and wire excellent in drawability and methods of producing the same.The bainite wire rod or wire is characterized in that it contains, in weight percent, C: 0.80-0.90%, Si: 0.10-1.50% and Mn: 0.10-1.00%, if required contains Cr: 0.10-1.00%, and is limited to P: not more than 0.02%, S: not more than 0.01% and A1: not more than 0.003%, the remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities, and has tensile strength and reduction of area determined by the following equations (1) and (2),TS.ltoreq.85.times.(C)+60 (1)RA.gtoreq.-0.875.times.(TS)+158 (2)whereC: carbon content (wt%),TS: tensile strength (kgf/mm.sup.2), andRA: reduction of area (%).