Abstract: An ion optical device includes one or more pairs of confinement electrode units arranged at two sides of a first direction; a power supply device for applying opposite radio-frequency voltages to the paired confinement electrode units respectively and forming thereon DC potentials distributed in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to form a potential barrier herein over a length portion of the first direction; one first area and one second area positioned at two sides of the potential barrier in the second direction; and a control device connected with the power supply device for controlling an output to change the potential barrier to manipulate the ions transported/stored in the first area being transferred to the second area through the potential barrier in ways based on the mass to charge ratio or mobility of the ions and continue being transported along the first direction.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometry apparatus and method are provided. The ion mobility spectrometry apparatus includes an ion source for providing ions; an ion guiding device having: at least three ends internally communicated: first, second and third guiding ends, wherein ions can enter or exit from the ion guiding device from any ends thereof, the first guiding end is used for entrance of ions provided by the ion source, and the third guiding end is communicated with a downstream device; at least one drift cell in correspondence to the second guiding end, for transmitting ions and/or performing ion mobility analysis, each drift cell having a first and second ends which are internally communicated, wherein the second end of drift cell is communicated with said second guiding end; an ion storage device communicated with said first end of the drift cell, for storing ions or ejecting ions.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a mass spectrometer and a method applied thereby for reducing ion loss and succeeding stage vacuum load. The mass spectrometer includes an ion source connected via vacuum interfaces, a vacuum chamber and a succeeding stage device; wherein a tubular lens is arranged above a Mach disc formed by a gas flow carrying ions at the vacuum interfaces, so that an ion transfer path is restrained and the ions scattering with the gas flow is reduced. In comparison to a sole reliance on a radio-frequency voltage for focusing ions, the efficiency of ion capture in a jet region is improved by using an aerodynamic lens; and the desolvation efficiency of electrically charged droplets is also improved, thereby further improving the sensitivity of the mass spectrometer. Meanwhile the tubular aerodynamic lens is simple in structure and small in size.

Abstract: Various aspects include a static random access memory (SRAM) bitcell array structure. In some cases, the SRAM bitcell array structure includes at least one fin in an array of fins in a substrate, where a width of a first portion of the at least one fin is less than a width of a second portion of the at least one fin in the array of fins.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer includes an ion source configured to generate reagent ions; a drift tube configured to cause sample molecules to react with the reagent ions to generate sample ions, the drift tube comprising two sets of electrodes which are identical in structure and symmetrically distributed in a direction perpendicular to a direction of ion drift, each set of electrodes comprising a plurality of curved cell electrodes which are distributed in a same plane and arranged in the direction of ion drift so that the sample ions are generated and drifted within a region between the two sets of electrodes and focused in the direction perpendicular to the direction of ion drift; a power supply device configured to apply, to each of the cell electrodes, a DC voltage changing in the direction of ion drift; and, a mass analyzer configured to perform mass analysis for the sample ions.

Abstract: A method of reducing fin width in an integrated circuit (IC) including oxidizing an exposed portion of at least one fin in an array of fins resulting in a reduction in the width of the exposed portion of the at least one fin. A first hard mask may be located over the array of fins except the exposed portion of the at least one fin during oxidation. A second hard mask may be optionally located over the array of fins, under the first hard mask, and covering a portion of the exposed portion of the at least one fin during the oxidizing of the exposed portion of the at least one fin. The oxidizing the exposed portion of the at least one fin may occur before forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) between pairs of fins in the array of fins, after forming the STI between the pairs of fins in the array of fins, and/or after removing a dummy gate during a replacement metal gate process.

Abstract: Interconnect structures and methods of fabricating an interconnect structure. A first mandrel line, a second mandrel line, and a non-mandrel line between the first mandrel line and the second mandrel line are provided. A first sidewall spacer is formed adjacent to a section of the first mandrel line and is arranged between the section of the first mandrel line and the non-mandrel line. A first cut is formed that extends partially across the non-mandrel line adjacent to the first spacer to narrow a section of the non-mandrel line. The section of the first mandrel line is removed selective to the first sidewall spacer to form a second cut. An interconnect is formed using the non-mandrel line. The interconnect includes a narrowed section coinciding with a location of the narrowed section of the non-mandrel line.

Abstract: A method of reducing fin width in an integrated circuit (IC) including oxidizing an exposed portion of at least one fin in an array of fins resulting in a reduction in the width of the exposed portion of the at least one fin. A first hard mask may be located over the array of fins except the exposed portion of the at least one fin during oxidation. A second hard mask may be optionally located over the array of fins, under the first hard mask, and covering a portion of the exposed portion of the at least one fin during the oxidizing of the exposed portion of the at least one fin. The oxidizing the exposed portion of the at least one fin may occur before forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) between pairs of fins in the array of fins, after forming the STI between the pairs of fins in the array of fins, and/or after removing a dummy gate during a replacement metal gate process.

Abstract: A method for parallel analysis in mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry includes enabling a sample to be subjected to a chromatography separation; ionizing the chromatography separated sample and then feeding the sample into a succeeding stage device for analysis, comprising: analyzing at least part of the ionized sample through an ion mobility spectrometer to obtain an ion mobility spectrum, and analyzing at least other parts of the sample through a mass spectrometer to obtain a mass spectrum, wherein the period for obtaining each ion mobility spectrum and each mass spectrum being not longer than 5 s; and performing data post-processing, comprising: correlating the peaks in said ion mobility spectrum and the peaks in said mass spectrum with a deconvolution algorithm according to the consistency in retention time or elution profile for the same analyte in said chromatography.

Abstract: An ion guiding device (3) and method, the ion guiding device (3) having: a group of electrode arrays distributed along an axis in space, and a power supply providing an asymmetric alternating current (AC) electric field substantially along the axis; the AC field asymmetrically alternates between positive and negative along the axis to drive the ions move in the direction corresponding to said AC electric field such that ions are guided into said ion guiding device (3) in a continuous or quasi-continuous flow manner while being guided out in a pulsed manner along the axis.

Abstract: An ion optical apparatus and a mass spectrometer are provided. The ion optical apparatus includes at least one planar insulating substrate which is covered with metal patterns to form an electrode array including a plurality of cell electrodes, wherein each of the cell electrodes is arrayed according to a first direction to form a geometric pattern distribution of the electrode array, wherein cell electrodes are applied with radio frequency (RF) voltages having different phases to confine ions, a direct current (DC) voltage gradient is applied along at least part of the cell electrodes in the electrode array to drive ions to move in the first direction along the electrode array, and a corresponding electric field distribution is formed by the geometric pattern distribution to drive ions to move in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, thereby realizing ion deflection, focusing or defocusing.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an ion guiding device, including which comprises two sets of electrodes extending along a certain space axis, a first power supply device and a second power supply device. The electrodes are expandably arranged along a direction perpendicular to the space axis, at least one surface of each electrode in each set of electrodes is substantially on the same space plane, and the space planes for each set of electrodes are not same and not parallel, thereby forming an ion transmission channel having the cross sectional area gradually reduced in a direction perpendicular to the space axis; the first power supply device is used for applying radio-frequency voltages on at least a part of electrodes in the two sets of electrodes; and the second power supply device is used for applying voltage signals on at least a part of electrodes in the two sets of electrodes.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a mass spectrometer and a method applied thereby for reducing ion loss and succeeding stage vacuum load. The mass spectrometer includes an ion source connected via vacuum interfaces, a vacuum chamber and a succeeding stage device; wherein a tubular lens is arranged above a Mach disc formed by a gas flow carrying ions at the vacuum interfaces, so that an ion transfer path is restrained and the ions scattering with the gas flow is reduced. In comparison to a sole reliance on a radio-frequency voltage for focusing ions, the efficiency of ion capture in a jet region is improved by using an aerodynamic lens; and the desolvation efficiency of electrically charged droplets is also improved, thereby further improving the sensitivity of the mass spectrometer. Meanwhile, the tubular aerodynamic lens is simple in structure and small in size.

Abstract: A method for parallel analysis in mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry includes enabling a sample to be subjected to a chromatography separation; ionizing the chromatography separated sample and then feeding the sample into a succeeding stage device for analysis, comprising: analyzing at least part of the ionized sample through an ion mobility spectrometer to obtain an ion mobility spectrum, and analyzing at least other parts of the sample through a mass spectrometer to obtain a mass spectrum, wherein the period for obtaining each ion mobility spectrum and each mass spectrum being not longer than 5 s; and performing data post-processing, comprising: correlating the peaks in said ion mobility spectrum and the peaks in said mass spectrum with a deconvolution algorithm according to the consistency in retention time or elution profile for the same analyte in said chromatography.

Abstract: A conversion circuit is disclosed. In one aspect, the conversion circuit includes a first input terminal for receiving a digital signal. The conversion circuit includes a second input terminal for receiving a bias voltage signal. The conversion circuit includes an output terminal for outputting a current. The conversion circuit includes a first and a second switch transistor connected to the first input terminal for receiving the digital signal. The conversion circuit includes a first and a second current source transistor connected to the second input terminal for receiving the bias voltage signal. The conversion circuit further includes a first branch, wherein the first switch transistor is connected to the output terminal via the first current source transistor. The conversion circuit further includes a second branch, wherein the second current source transistor is connected to the output terminal via the second switch transistor.

Abstract: An ion optical apparatus and a mass spectrometer are provided. The ion optical apparatus includes at least one planar insulating substrate which is covered with metal patterns to form an electrode array including a plurality of cell electrodes, wherein each of the cell electrodes is arrayed according to a first direction to form a geometric pattern distribution of the electrode array, wherein cell electrodes are applied with radio frequency (RF) voltages having different phases to confine ions, a direct current (DC) voltage gradient is applied along at least part of the cell electrodes in the electrode array to drive ions to move in the first direction along the electrode array, and a corresponding electric field distribution is formed by the geometric pattern distribution to drive ions to move in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, thereby realizing ion deflection, focusing or defocusing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ion guide device and an ion guiding method. The ion guide device comprises: a plurality of electrode sets distributed along a central axis longitudinally, wherein each electrode set has a ring shape and consists of at least 2 segmented electrodes (for example, 1, 2 and 3, 4 for 2 sets respectively); the power supply system which provides radio-frequency with different phases applied to the adjacent electrode sets (for example, between 1,3 and 2,4) along the central axis, and provides DC Voltages on each segmented electrode (1,2,3,4), wherein, distribution of DC potential drives ions to move in the radial direction while driving said ions to move along the central axis. The ion guide can be used to guide and focus ions under relatively high gas pressure; especially it can be used for off-axis transmission of ions with the purpose to reduce the neutral noise.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ion generation device and an ion generation method, and more particularly to a device and a method which generates ions at the low pressure and then said ions can be transferred into the next stage in an off-axis manner. In the invention, ions from electrospray or other types of ion source are generated in the pressure which is lower than atmosphere pressure. A followed ion guide device can then transfer most of said generated ions into next stage in an off-axis manner, while most of neutral noise can be eliminated in this process.

Abstract: A conversion circuit is disclosed. In one aspect, the conversion circuit includes a first input terminal for receiving a digital signal. The conversion circuit includes a second input terminal for receiving a bias voltage signal. The conversion circuit includes an output terminal for outputting a current. The conversion circuit includes a first and a second switch transistor connected to the first input terminal for receiving the digital signal. The conversion circuit includes a first and a second current source transistor connected to the second input terminal for receiving the bias voltage signal. The conversion circuit further includes a first branch, wherein the first switch transistor is connected to the output terminal via the first current source transistor. The conversion circuit further includes a second branch, wherein the second current source transistor is connected to the output terminal via the second switch transistor.

Abstract: Methods of testing TSVs using eFuse cells prior to and post bonding wafers in a 3D IC stack are provided. Embodiments include providing a wafer of a 3D IC stack, the wafer having thin and thick metal layers; forming first and second TSVs on the wafer, the first and second TSVs laterally separated; forming an eFuse cell between and separated from the first and second TSVs; forming a FF adjacent to the second TSV and on an opposite side of the second TSV from the eFuse cell; connecting the first TSV, the eFuse cell, the second TSV, and the FF in series in an electric circuit; and testing the first and second TSVs prior to bonding the wafer to a subsequent wafer in the 3D IC stack.