Abstract: A sheet-like workpiece delivering apparatus including a workpiece transfer device disposed in front of a work table of a machine tool and a workpiece storing device provided adjacent to and on the side of the workpiece transfer device. The workpiece storing device supports a sheet-like workpiece in a standing condition and supplies the workpiece to the workpiece transfer device or receives the workpiece for the workpiece transfer device. The workpiece transfer device further supports the sheet-like workpiece in a standing condition and receives the workpiece from the workpiece storing device or supplies the workpiece to the workpiece storing device and the workpiece in the workpiece transfer device is swingably moved from a standing condition to a horizontally extending condition or reversely about a longitudinal axis of the transfer device.

Abstract: An ion-producing apparatus comprises an electron-producing vessel having an electron-producing chamber, an ion-producing vessel having an ion-producing chamber communicating with the electron-producing chamber, a cathode provided at one end of the electron-producing vessel, an accelerating electrode provided within the ion-producing chamber, for allowing passage of electrons, an anode provided between the cathode and the accelerating electrode, and a power supply circuit for providing a potential difference between the cathode and the anode, thereby to produce electrons in the gap between the cathode and the anode. A vacuum pump is provided for evacuating gas from the ion-producing chamber. A partition is provided within the electron-producing vessel, between the cathode and the anode to divide the electron-producing vessel into a cathode-side chamber and an anode-side chamber, and hinders a gas flow from the cathode-side chamber to the anode-side chamber to apply a pressure difference between both chambers.

Abstract: An electron beam-excited ion beam source having a plasma region, an accelerating cathode, an electron beam accelerating region, an accelerating anode, an ion producing region and a target cathode in this order, and further comprising means for applying a negative electric potential to the target cathode as against the accelerating cathode and an ion extracting electrode for extracting positive ions or negative ions produced in the ion producing region whereby a high current ion beam can be obtained in a low input power.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing echelette gratings using a beam of electrically charged particles to bomber a masked substrate. The shape and blazed angle ".delta." of the echelette grating is controlled by putting the substrate at a selected slant angle ".theta." with regard to the beam of electrically charged particles.