Abstract: Apparatus for supporting a substrate (11) in respect of a vacuum system comprising a vacuum chamber, a cooling system (12), and a cradle (6) for supporting a substrate holder and configured such that, in use, the substrate holder is thermally coupled with said cooling system, the apparatus comprising a substrate holder (20, 20?) comprising a thermally conductive diaphragm spring (9, 9?) mounted within a support ring and defining a slot (11a) therebetween for receiving a substrate (11), in use.

Abstract: A work piece transfer mechanism for use in a chamber has at least one port through which a work piece may be passed along a linear work piece transfer path between a retracted location inside the chamber and an extended location outside the chamber. The chamber has a predetermined internal dimension of given axial extent in the direction of the transfer path, and the transfer mechanism includes a work piece support movable with a linear stroke. The work piece support is driven along the linear stroke by a drive lever pivotally attached to the work piece support by a pivot, and the drive lever is drivable such that the pivot is driven along a linear path to move the work piece support along the linear work piece transfer path. The linear work piece transfer path includes a portion beyond the port of axial extent greater than predetermined internal dimension.

Abstract: A work piece transfer mechanism for use in a chamber has at least one port through which a work piece may be passed along a linear work piece transfer path between a retracted location inside the chamber and an extended location outside the chamber. The chamber has a predetermined internal dimension of given axial extent in the direction of the transfer path, and the transfer mechanism includes a work piece support movable with a linear stroke. The work piece support is driven along the linear stroke by a drive lever pivotally attached to the work piece support by a pivot, and the drive lever is drivable such that the pivot is driven along a linear path to move the work piece support along the linear work piece transfer path. The linear work piece transfer path includes a portion beyond the port of axial extent greater than predetermined internal dimension.

Abstract: A spectrometer and method of spectroscopy are provided for surface analysis. The spectrometer comprises an energy analyser for analysing the energies of charged particles liberated from a sample, a lens arranged to project a diffraction image of the analysis area at the image plane of the lens and a detector for detecting the charged particles. The analyser and lens are arranged to generate an image at the detector in which the charged particles are distributed along a first direction according to their emission angles and are distributed along another direction according to their energies. The detector is arranged to detect the distribution of charged particles in the image along the first direction to provide angle resolved energy spectra.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the analysis of the surface of a specimen by the techniques of electron energy spectroscopy and secondary ion time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The apparatus provides a substantially conventional electron energy analyzer, typically having hemispherical electrodes. The energy analyzer is used as an ion deflector and in conjunction with a linear drift region and a pulsed primary ion beam gun provides a time-of-flight mass spectrometer having at least first-order time focusing properties. By using the energy analyzer in both techniques a combined instrument is provided at much lower cost than prior combined instruments which comprise different analyzers for the two techniques.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for investigating a small selected area of the surface of a specimen. The specimen is irradiated by a primary beam of X-rays or electrons to cause it to emit electrons. These are collected by a novel electron-optical arrangement and are used to create an image of the selected area of the surface using only those electrons emitted with energies lying in a specified range. Apparatus according to the invention has greater sensitivity and spatial resolution than previously known apparatus.

Abstract: A charged particle analyzer which irradiates a specimen and analyzes charged particles emitted therefrom, for example a photo electron spectrometer, having a flood-source which emits charged particles to neutralize the charge which develops on a specimen. The analyzer is provided with electrostatic and magnetic lenses which may be used separately or in combination. The flood source is provided within the lens column of the analyzer and is arranged such that when the electrostatic lens is in use, the charged particles emitted by the flood source pass around the outside of the objective electrostatic lens element, whereas when the magnetic lens is in use, or when both lenses are in use, they pass through that element.

Abstract: There is provided an electron spectrometer operable to produce an image of an electron emitting surface, said spectrometer comprising in sequence:(a) means for causing electrons to be emitted from said surface;(b) a first electrostatic lens system arranged to project at least some of said electrons onto a first diffraction plane as a Fourier transform of an electron image of at least a part of said surface;(c) a torroidal capacitor type electrostatic energy analyzer having an object plane and conjugate thereto a first image plane, said analyzer being disposed with said object plane coincident with said first diffraction plane and being arranged to project electrons of said Fourier transform as an energy dispersed Fourier transform in said first image plane;(d) energy selection means for transmitting electrons of said energy dispersed Fourier transform having energies only within a selected range; and(e) a second electrostatic lens system arranged to receive electrons transmitted by said energy selection means

Abstract: There is provided an electron spectrometer operable to produce an image of an electron emitting surface, said spectrometer comprising in sequence:(a) means for causing electrons to be emitted from said surface;(b) a first electrostatic lens system arranged to project at least some of said electrons onto a first diffraction plane as a Fourier transform of an electron image of at least a part of said surface;(c) a torroidal capacitor type electrostatic energy analyzer having an object plane and conjugate thereto a first image plane, said analyzer being disposed with said object plane coincident with said first diffraction plane and being arranged to project electrons of said Fourier transform as an energy dispersed Fourier transform in said first image plane;(d) energy selection means for transmitting electrons of said energy dispersed Fourier transform having energies only within a selected range; and(e) a second electrostatic lens system arranged to receive electrons transmitted by said energy selection means