Abstract: An ion beam generator includes an emission electrode, an extraction electrode, and an electricity generator. The emission electrode includes a substrate and a plurality of nanowires extending away from the substrate, substantially towards the extraction electrode, the nanowires having a length of 50 nm to 50 ?m. The emission electrode has a source of ions including a sheet of ionic liquid formed on the substrate and at least partially immersing the nanowires. The nanowires and the substrate are electrically insulating or semiconducting, and the electricity generator is connected to the sheet of ionic liquid. The emission electrode is thus capable of sending ion beams from the ionic liquid to the extraction electrode.

Abstract: An ion propulsion device including emission modules in an emission plane, each module having an insulating support, an emission electrode on the support, and a conductive liquid with a microfluidic channel depositing conductive liquid on the electrode; an extraction electrode common to the emission modules and facing the modules; and a control unit, in which each module is configured to emit an ion beam when an electric field is applied to the liquid; each control unit controls an ion emission current emitted by applying a potential difference between each emission electrode and the extraction electrode; the emission electrodes are spaced apart by a linear distance that is greater than a distance between two adjacent emission electrodes separated by an empty space; and a length of the insulating support between the electrodes is greater than a propagation distance of an electric leakage current by charge jumping along the support between the electrodes.

Abstract: A method for controlling an ion thruster including an emission electrode, an extraction electrode and a conductive liquid which is deposited on the emission electrode, the ion thruster configured for emitting an ion beam when an electric field is applied to the conductive liquid, the ion beam providing thrust to the thruster, the thrust depending on an emission current Iem and an ion emission speed, the method including the following steps: adjusting the emission current to a setpoint value Ic by applying a threshold emission potential Vthresh to the emission electrode by means of a current generator; and when the setpoint value Ic of the emission current is reached, adjusting the emission speed by applying an extraction potential Vext to the extraction electrode by means of a voltage generator in order to bring the emission potential Vem to a predetermined value Vempr=Vthresh+Vext.

Abstract: An ion beam generator includes an emission electrode, an extraction electrode, and an electricity generator. The emission electrode includes a substrate and a plurality of nanowires extending away from the substrate, substantially towards the extraction electrode, the nanowires having a length of 50 nm to 50 ?m. The emission electrode has a source of ions including a sheet of ionic liquid formed on the substrate and at least partially immersing the nanowires. The nanowires and the substrate are electrically insulating or semiconducting, and the electricity generator is connected to the sheet of ionic liquid. The emission electrode is thus capable of sending ion beams from the ionic liquid to the extraction electrode.

Abstract: The microfluidic device comprises a body and a covering sheet. The body comprises a base section that includes an exterior surface and a channel bottom which extends in a main longitudinal direction and which is formed in the base section in the exterior surface. The channel bottom is formed by a focused ion beam. The covering sheet is joined to the base section and covers the channel bottom.

Abstract: A ion source comprises: a chamber, an injection to inject matter into the chamber, wherein said matter comprises at least a first species, a tip with an apex located in the chamber, wherein the apex has a surface made of a metallic second species, a generator to generate ions of said species, and a regulation system adapted to set operative conditions of the chamber to alternatively generate ions from the gaseous first species, and ions from the non-gaseous metallic second species.

Abstract: A ion source comprises: a chamber (45), an injection to inject matter into the chamber, wherein said matter comprises at least a first species, a tip with an apex located in the chamber, wherein the apex has a surface made of a metallic second species, a generator to generate ions of said species, and a regulation system adapted to set operative conditions of the chamber to alternatively generate ions from the gaseous first species, and ions from the non-gaseous metallic second species.

Abstract: This device (2) for generating an ion beam (4) including a liquid metal ion source (18) is characterized in that the ion source is surrounded by a cryogenic trap (28) maintained at a low temperature, this cryogenic trap being able to trap volatile chemical species (G) by condensing them before they can reach the ion source.

Abstract: A device for generating an ion beam includes a support; a liquid metal ion source connected to the support at the lower end of the ion source and surrounded by a cryogenic trap which is capable of preventing volatile chemicals from reaching the ion source; an ion extraction means for extracting the ions emitted by the source through an opening disposed near the upper end of the ion source; and means for generating a magnetic field in the opening of the extraction means, the generated magnetic field capable of preventing charged particles from reaching the ion source.

Abstract: This device (2) for generating an ion beam (4) including a liquid metal ion source (18) is characterized in that the ion source is surrounded by a cryogenic trap (28) maintained at a low temperature, this cryogenic trap being able to trap volatile chemical species (G) by condensing them before they can reach the ion source.

Abstract: Nanofabrication installation comprising: a specimen holder, for holding a specimen; a mask, having a through-opening between the upper and lower faces of the mask, for letting charged particles through onto the specimen holder; a near-field detection device for detecting a relative position between the mask (8) and the specimen holder (3); and a displacement device for generating a relative movement between the mask (8) and the specimen holder (3) independently of the relative position between the source (1) and the mask (8), the mask including at least a first electrode in the through-opening (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (2) for generating an ion beam (4), comprising a support (6), an ion source (18), this ion source having a lower end (8) connected to the support (6) and an upper end (10) opposite the lower end (8), and extraction means (12) for extracting the ions emitted by the source, this extraction means (12) comprising a wall (14) having an opening (16), the opening (16) being arranged close to the upper end (10) of the ion source (18) so as to allow the extracted ions to pass through this opening. This device (2) further includes means (M1, M2) for the generation of a magnetic field (B) capable of generating a magnetic field in the opening (16) of the extraction means, the generated magnetic field (B) being capable of deflecting charged particles (20) attracted by the ion source so that these charged particles do not reach the ion source.

Abstract: The invention concerns a reading/writing tip configured in the shape of a needle consisting of a core of refractory material covered with a coating of electrically conductive material, and having an outer microscope needle geometry by tunnel effect, to obtain an information concerning a surface through tunnel-effect microscopy The needle emits a charged particle from the layer of electrically conductive material, to form the surface. The tip comprises a reservoir capable of being liquefied to flow along the tip.

Abstract: Nanofabrication installation comprising: a specimen holder, for holding a specimen; a mask, having a through-opening between the upper and lower faces of the mask, for letting charged particles through onto the specimen holder; a near-field detection device for detecting a relative position between the mask (8) and the specimen holder (3); and a displacement device for generating a relative movement between the mask (8) and the specimen holder (3) independently of the relative position between the source (1) and the mask (8), the mask including at least a first electrode in the through-opening (10).

Abstract: The invention concerns a reading/writing tip configured in the shape of a needle consisting of a core of refractory material covered with a coating of electrically conductive material, and having an outer microscope needle geometry by tunnel effect, to obtain an information concerning a surface through tunnel-effect microscopy The needle emits a charged particle from the layer of electrically conductive material, to form the surface. The tip comprises a reservoir capable of being liquefied to flow along the tip.

Abstract: An adjusting device of an apparatus for generating a beam of charged particles, wherein said beam is for interacting with a target and wherein said adjusting device comprises interface means for receiving, from a user of the apparatus, a set of desired values of characteristics of the beam of charged particles; means for determining a set of nominal values of adjusting parameters of the apparatus, corresponding to said characteristics and for passing them to the apparatus; means for measuring said adjusting parameters of the apparatus, and for computing corresponding values of said characteristics of the beam; and means for determining whether a correction of said values of adjusting parameters is necessary.

Abstract: An adjusting device of an apparatus for generating a beam of charged particles, wherein said beam is for interacting with a target and wherein said adjusting device comprises interface means for receiving, from a user of the apparatus, a set of desired values of characteristics of the beam of charged particles; means for determining a set of nominal values of adjusting parameters of the apparatus, corresponding to said characteristics and for passing them to the apparatus; means for measuring said adjusting parameters of the apparatus, and for computing corresponding values of said characteristics of the beam; and means for determining whether a correction of said values of adjusting parameters is necessary.

Abstract: A device for adjusting a beam of charged particles. The device includes an adjustment mechanism for storing desired characteristics for the beam, determining values of adjustment parameters of the apparatus according to its characteristics, storing these values, and giving these stored values to the adjustment parameters of the apparatus. The device can be applied in particular to the manufacturing of nanostructures.

Abstract: This device comprises adjustment means (40) for storing the desired characteristics for the beam (14), determining the values of the adjustment parameters of the apparatus (2) according to its characteristics, storing these values and giving these stored values to the adjustment parameters of the apparatus. The invention is applied in particular to the manufacturing of nanostructures.

Abstract: An ion beam generation device including an ion source, an extraction mechanism for ions emitted by the source, an accelerating mechanism of the ions thus extracted, a selector for the ions thus accelerated, and an electrostatic optical system for focusing the selected ions along a first axis. Further, a mechanism varies the distance between the ion source and the extraction means, this distance being counted along a second axis parallel to the first axis and constituting the axis of the ion beam emitted by the source. The device may be particularly applied to the manufacture of nanostructures.