Abstract: A device for generating soft x-rays includes an electron source configured to generate an electron beam comprising electron micro-bunches; an electron accelerator configured to accelerate the electron micro-bunches from the electron source; and a laser configured to generate a laser beam (536) colliding with the accelerated electron micro-bunches (534) in a counterpropagating direction to generate the soft x-rays by inverse Compton scattering. The electron source has a magneto-optical trap configured to produce an ultracold atomic gas; two counterpropagating excitation laser beams configured to produce a standing wave for inducing a periodic spatial modulation of the ultracold atomic gas along a beam propagation direction; and an ionization laser configured to induce photo-ionization of the ultracold atomic gas.

Abstract: A device for generating soft x-rays includes an electron source configured to generate an electron beam comprising electron micro-bunches; an electron accelerator configured to accelerate the electron micro-bunches from the electron source; and a laser configured to generate a laser beam (536) colliding with the accelerated electron micro-bunches (534) in a counterpropagating direction to generate the soft x-rays by inverse Compton scattering. The electron source has a magneto-optical trap configured to produce an ultracold atomic gas; two counterpropagating excitation laser beams configured to produce a standing wave for inducing a periodic spatial modulation of the ultracold atomic gas along a beam propagation direction; and an ionization laser configured to induce photo-ionization of the ultracold atomic gas.

Abstract: A radiation sensor apparatus for determining a position and/or power of a radiation beam, the radiation sensor apparatus including a chamber to contain a gas, one or more sensors, and a processor. The chamber has a first opening and a second opening such that a radiation beam can enter the chamber through the first opening, propagate through the chamber generally along an axis, and exit the chamber through the second opening. Each of the one or more sensors is arranged to receive and detect radiation emitted from a region of the chamber around the axis. The processor is operable to use the radiation detected by the one or more sensors to determine a position and/or power of the radiation beam.

Abstract: A method of patterning lithographic substrates, the method including using a free electron laser to generate EUV radiation and delivering the EUV radiation to a lithographic apparatus which projects the EUV radiation onto lithographic substrates, wherein the method further includes reducing fluctuations in the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic substrates by using a feedback-based control loop to monitor the free electron laser and adjust operation of the free electron laser accordingly.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of generating an electron beam in a transmission electron microscopy device. The method includes: generating an electron pulse [306] by a pulsed electron source [300], accelerating the electron pulse in a first resonant microwave cavity [302], passing the accelerated electron pulse through a drift space [314], and correcting the energy spread of the accelerated electron pulse in a second resonant microwave cavity [304] by operating it out of phase by 90 degrees from the first resonant cavity [302].

Abstract: A radiation sensor apparatus for determining a position and/or power of a radiation beam, the radiation sensor apparatus including a chamber to contain a gas, one or more sensors, and a processor. The chamber has a first opening and a second opening such that a radiation beam can enter the chamber through the first opening, propagate through the chamber generally along an axis, and exit the chamber through the second opening. Each of the one or more sensors is arranged to receive and detect radiation emitted from a region of the chamber around the axis. The processor is operable to use the radiation detected by the one or more sensors to determine a position and/or power of the radiation beam.

Abstract: A method of patterning lithographic substrates, the method including using a free electron laser to generate EUV radiation and delivering the EUV radiation to a lithographic apparatus which projects the EUV radiation onto lithographic substrates, wherein the method further includes reducing fluctuations in the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic substrates by using a feedback-based control loop to monitor the free electron laser and adjust operation of the free electron laser accordingly.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of generating an electron beam in a transmission electron microscopy device. The method includes: generating an electron pulse [306] by a pulsed electron source [300], accelerating the electron pulse in a first resonant microwave cavity [302], passing the accelerated electron pulse through a drift space [314], and correcting the energy spread of the accelerated electron pulse in a second resonant microwave cavity [304] by operating it out of phase by 90 degrees from the first resonant cavity [302].

Abstract: An apparatus for performing charged particle spectroscopy, comprising: A source, for producing a pulsed beam of charged particles that propagate along a beam path; A specimen holder, for holding a specimen at an irradiation position in said beam path; A detector arrangement, for performing energy-differentiated detection of charged particles that traverse said specimen, wherein, between said source and said detector arrangement, said beam path successively traverses: An energizing cavity, for applying a time-dependent accelerating field to said beam; A primary drift space; Said irradiation position; A temporal focusing cavity, for converting an energy differential in said beam into a time-of-flight differential; A secondary drift space.

Abstract: A method of patterning lithographic substrates, the method comprising using a free electron laser to generate EUV radiation and delivering the EUV radiation to a lithographic apparatus which projects the EUV radiation onto lithographic substrates, wherein the method further comprises reducing fluctuations in the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic substrates by using a feedback-based control loop to monitor the free electron laser and adjust operation of the free electron laser accordingly.

Abstract: A radiation sensor apparatus for determining a position and/or power of a radiation beam, the radiation sensor apparatus including a chamber to contain a gas, one or more sensors, and a processor. The chamber has a first opening and a second opening such that a radiation beam can enter the chamber through the first opening, propagate through the chamber generally along an axis, and exit the chamber through the second opening. Each of the one or more sensors is arranged to receive and detect radiation emitted from a region of the chamber around the axis. The processor is operable to use the radiation detected by the one or more sensors to determine a position and/or power of the radiation beam.

Abstract: A method of patterning lithographic substrates that includes using a free electron laser to generate EUV radiation and delivering the EUV radiation to a lithographic apparatus which projects the EUV radiation onto lithographic substrates. The method further includes reducing fluctuations in the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic substrates by using a feedback-based control loop to monitor the free electron laser and adjust operation of the free electron laser accordingly, and applying variable attenuation to EUV radiation that has been output by the free electron laser in order to further control the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: A method of patterning lithographic substrates that includes using a free electron laser to generate EUV radiation and delivering the EUV radiation to a lithographic apparatus which projects the EUV radiation onto lithographic substrates. The method further includes reducing fluctuations in the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic substrates by using a feedback-based control loop to monitor the free electron laser and adjust operation of the free electron laser accordingly, and applying variable attenuation to EUV radiation that has been output by the free electron laser in order to further control the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged-particle microscope comprising a charged-particle source; a sample holder; a charged-particle lens system; a detector; and a beam pulsing device, for causing the beam to repeatedly switch on and off so as to produce a pulsed beam. The beam pulsing device comprises a unitary resonant cavity disposed about a particle-optical axis and has an entrance aperture and an exit aperture for the beam. The resonant cavity is configured to simultaneously produce a first oscillatory deflection of the beam at a first frequency in a first direction and a second oscillatory deflection of the beam at a second, different frequency in a second, different direction. The resonant cavity may have an elongated (e.g. rectangular or elliptical) cross-section, with a long axis parallel to said first direction and a short axis parallel to said second direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged-particle microscope comprising a charged-particle source; a sample holder; a charged-particle lens system; a detector; and a beam pulsing device, for causing the beam to repeatedly switch on and off so as to produce a pulsed beam. The beam pulsing device comprises a unitary resonant cavity disposed about a particle-optical axis and has an entrance aperture and an exit aperture for the beam. The resonant cavity is configured to simultaneously produce a first oscillatory deflection of the beam at a first frequency in a first direction and a second oscillatory deflection of the beam at a second, different frequency in a second, different direction. The resonant cavity may have an elongated (e.g. rectangular or elliptical) cross-section, with a long axis parallel to said first direction and a short axis parallel to said second direction.