Abstract: A bioNEMS device comprises a piezoresistive cantilever having flexing legs of which attach the cantilever to a support and a biofunctionalized portion at the tip. A bias current applied to the legs is limited by a maximal acceptable temperature increase at the biofunctionalized tip. The length of the cantilever has a magnitude chosen to minimize background Johnson noise. A catalyzed receptor on the device binds to a ligand whose binding rate coefficient is enhanced. The catalyst lowers the receptor-ligand binding activation energy and is designed by forced evolution to preferentially bind with the ligand. A carrier signal is injected by a magnetic film disposed on the cantilever which is electromagnetically coupled to a source of the carrier signal. A plurality of NEMS fluidicly coupled transducers generate a plurality of output signals from which a collective output signal is derived, either by averaging or thresholding.

Abstract: A probe for a probe microscope, a manufacturing method of the probe, and a probe microscope device are provided, the probe having an optically transparent substrate with high accuracy and a cantilever provided on a front surface thereof, the substrate being small in size and having an observation window function. In the probe microscope device, there are provided a probe having at least one cantilever 1202 or 1204 which is supported on the front surface of a transparent substrate 1201 or 1203 with a predetermined space therefrom, the transparent substrate 1201 or 1203 being formed of a material transparent to visible light or near-infrared light, and having an observation window function which enables optical observation and measurement while partitioning environments of the inside and the outside of a container. Accordingly, through the rear surface of the transparent substrate, the cantilever 1202 or 1204 may be optically observed or measured or is optically driven.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: In a scanning probe apparatus capable of always effectively canceling an inertial force to suppress vibration even in repetitive use while replacing a sample holding table or a probe, a stage for a sample or the probe includes a drive element for moving the sample holding table and movable portions movable in a direction in which an inertial force generated during movement of the sample holding table. The stage is configured so that the drive element, the movable portions, and the sample holding table or the probe are integrally detachably mountable to a main assembly of the scanning probe apparatus.

Abstract: Provided is a technique for accurately taking out a defect detected by an electron beam, and for analyzing the defect. In this technique, a defective portion in a wafer is detected by the irradiation of the electron beam. A mark made of a deposition layer is formed by irradiating the electron beam onto the defective portion while supplying a deposition gas thereto. On the basis of this mark, the defective portion is machined into a sample piece by using a projection ion beam generated from a gas ion source, and thereby the defective portion is taken out.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam device. The device comprises a first lens (101; 510) generating a crossover a second lens (102; 512) positioned after the crossover and a element acting in a focusing and dispersive manner in an x-z-plane with a center of the element having essentially same z-position as the crossover. Further, a multipole element, which acts in the x-z-plane and a y-z-plane is provided. A first charged particle selection element and a second charged particle selection element are used for selecting a portion of the charged particles. Thereby, e.g. the energy width of the charged particle beam can be reduced.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for imaging a structure and a related processor-readable medium are disclosed. A surface of a substrate (or a portion thereof) is exposed to a gas composition. The gas composition includes one or more components that etch the substrate upon activation by interaction with a beam of electrons. A beam of electrons is directed to one or more portions of the surface of the substrate that are exposed to the gas composition to etch the one or more portions. A plurality of images is obtained of the one or more portions at different instances of time as the one or more portions are etched. A three-dimensional model of one or more structures embedded within the one or more portions of the substrate is generated from the plurality of images.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam instrument is offered which can cancel out deflection aberrations arising from a first deflector or oblique incidence on the surface of a workpiece without (i) increasing the electrode length, (ii) reducing the inside diameter of the electrode, or (iii) increasing the deflection voltage too much. The instrument has an electron source for producing an electron beam, a demagnifying lens for condensing the beam, an objective lens for focusing the condensed beam onto the surface of the workpiece, the first deflector located behind the demagnifying lens, and a second deflector located ahead of the demagnifying lens. The first deflector determines the beam position on the surface of the workpiece. The second deflector cancels out deflection aberrations arising from the first deflector.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage.

Abstract: An electron beam apparatus is provided for reliably measuring a potential contrast and the like at a high throughput in a simple structure. The electron beam apparatus for irradiating a sample, such as a wafer, formed with a pattern with an electron beam to evaluate the sample comprises an electron-optical column for accommodating an electron beam source, an objective lens, an E×B separator, and a secondary electron beam detector; a stage for holding the sample, and relatively moving the sample with respect to the electron-optical column; a working chamber for accommodating the stage and capable of controlling the interior thereof in a vacuum atmosphere; a loader for supplying a sample to the stage; a voltage applying mechanism for applying a voltage to the sample, and capable of applying at least two voltages to a lower electrode of the objective lens; and an alignment mechanism for measuring a direction in which dies are arranged on the sample.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a method for creating a sample for a TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope) observation comprising: forming an observation surface at a specific area of a semiconductor device; forming an amorphous protection film on the observation surface; and thinning a portion of the semiconductor device including at least the protection film.

Abstract: A scanning transmission electron microscope is provided including an electron beam source (1), convergent lenses (3), scan coils (10), a dark field image detector (16), a bright field image detector (17), an A/D converter (21), and an information processing device (24). In the scanning transmission electron microscope, a spherical aberration corrector (7) and deflection coils (9a, 9b) are disposed before a pre-magnetic field of objective lens (11). Fourier transform images are produced from scanning transmission images obtained by the dark field image detector (16) or the bright field image detector (17) to evaluate deviation in an aberration correction state due to an image shift caused by the deflection coils (9a, 9b) at a deflection ratio, so a suitable deflection ratio is fed back. As a result, an electron optics of the scanning transmission electron microscope including the corrector can be easily adjusted.

Abstract: In the type of scanning transmission electron microscopes carrying an aberration corrector, a method of assuring more simplified and manipulatable adjustment of the corrector and a scanning transmission electron microscope having that function are provided. A Ronchigram image is acquired using a spherical standard specimen and parameters necessary for the adjustment are acquired from the thus obtained Ronchigram.

Abstract: An imaging system illuminates an object with infrared light to enhance visibility of buried structure beneath the surface of the object, and projects a visible light image of the buried structure onto the surface of the object. The system may include an illumination source for generating the infrared light. The system further includes a video imaging device for receiving the infrared light reflected from the object and for generating a video image of the buried structure based on the reflected infrared light. The buried structure may be a subcutaneous blood vessel.

Abstract: An infrared detection element is configured to prevent decreases in detection precision when a beam bends. The infrared detection element basically has a substrate structure, a light receiver configured and arranged to receive infrared rays and at least one beam having one end fixed to the substrate and another end fixed to the light receiver to support the light receiver above the substrate. At least one protuberance is provided on at least one of the substrate, the light receiver and the beam with the at least one protuberance being configured and arranged to limit direct contact between any two of the beam, the light receiver and the substrate structure during bending of the beam, except at the at least one protuberance.

Abstract: A probe array (1) for an imaging system for examining an object (19) comprising at least one emitter (7) for emitting radiation, a plurality of detectors (9) for detecting radiation and means for directing radiation emitted by the at least one emitter (7) to the object (19) and for directing radiation reflected from the object (19) to at least two of the plurality of detectors (9) wherein in use the emitted radiation is scanned by means (21) across the object (19)

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector apparatus (10) with an array (12) of detector pixels. Each pixel (20) of the detector comprises a photogate electrode (21) under which electrical charges produced by incident radiation (v, X) are collected. The change of these charges gives rise to displacement currents in photogate lines (32) connected to the photogate electrodes (21) which may be monitored by current sensors (40). Thus the charges collected by all photogate electrodes (21) connected to a photogate line (32) can be measured during an ongoing exposure, allowing for advanced dose control methods of the illumination.

Abstract: A dual-energy x-ray detector includes a plurality of x-ray detector elements that detect x-rays that are generated by an x-ray source and that have passed through an object. Each of the x-ray detector elements includes a first scintillator layer adapted to convert x-rays from the x-ray source that have passed through the object into light of a first wavelength, and a second scintillator layer positioned behind the first scintillator layer and adapted to convert x-rays from the x-ray source that have passed through the object and through the first scintillator layer into light of a second wavelength. Each of the x-ray detector elements further includes a first optical sensor having a spectral sensitivity substantially matched to light of the first wavelength, and a second optical sensor having a spectral sensitivity substantially matched to light of the second wavelength.

Abstract: A radiation detector package includes a radiation-sensitive solid-state element (10) having a first electrode (12) and a pixelated second electrode (14) disposed on opposite principal surfaces of the solid-state element. An electronics board (20) receives an electrical signal from the solid-state element responsive to radiation incident upon the radiation-sensitive solid-state element. A light-tight shield (40, 40?) shields at least the radiation-sensitive solid-state element from light exposure and compresses an insulating elastomer and metal element connector (30, 32) between the pixilated electrode (14) and contact pads (24) on the electronics board.

Abstract: A circuit is disclosed, integrated in a semiconductor material, for measuring signals of a sensor assigned to the integrated circuit. In at least one embodiment, the circuit includes an active component; a temperature sensor; and a circuit to control the temperature of the semiconductor material. The active component is provided to treat the measuring signals produced by the sensor and the active component is drivable by the circuit to control the temperature in such a way that the temperature of the semiconductor material is variable. Further, the circuit includes at least one of a PI and PID controller to control the temperature. A method for controlling the temperature of a semiconductor material that has an integrated circuit is further disclosed.

Abstract: A method of calculating a deflection aberration correcting voltage includes writing predetermined patterns at a plurality of focus height positions measuring dimensional variations of width sizes of the predetermined patterns written at the plurality of focus height positions, calculating effective resolutions of the written predetermined patterns by using the dimensional variations, and on the basis of a focus height position at which a minimum effective resolution of the predetermined patterns is obtained, calculating a correcting voltage to correct deflection aberration and output the correcting voltage, wherein the correcting voltage is used when a charged particle beam is deflected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of delivering solid material at a position far enough from any surrounding solid with high enough target density without scattering debris to the environment. In the present invention, radiation is generated from plasma produced by laser irradiation on a material. This material is a cluster of particles that is composed of many fine particles bound together with a binder that vaporizes at temperature lower than melting point of fine particles. Density of particles in a particle-cluster 8 is increased by vaporizing a solvent 7 by heating a droplet 5 with the irradiation of laser 6. Solvent of a droplet occupies large fraction of the droplet in order to stabilize droplet generation. This solvent is vaporized prior to delivery to a vacuum chamber 9 for plasma generation. This vaporization helps to avoid degradation of vacuum of the chamber 9. The diameter of a particle-cluster thus condensed is several tens ?m.

Abstract: At least one orifice is added to an AC ionizer with nozzles and ionizing electrodes that are used to remove static charge. The orifice is placed in a location where electrostatic forces are weak and where gas ions can be easily extracted from the ionizer. Ionizer effectiveness is enhanced by recovering gas ions that are normally trapped between the nozzles and under a portion of the ionizer from which the nozzles project. Without the orifice properly positioned, the trapped gas ions are lost by recombination or grounding. With the orifice positioned in an area of weak electrostatic forces, more gas ions are available for discharging the charged object. The combined air consumption of nozzles plus at least one orifice is the same or less than nozzles alone would consume for a given discharge time.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes an illumination system configured to form a pulsed radiation beam, an optical element with a surface on which the radiation beam is incident in operation, and a gas source arranged to supply a mixture of a first type of gas and a second type of gas to a space adjacent the surface. Particles of the first and second types of gas are capable of reacting with the surface, when activated by the radiation beam. The gas source is configured to generate a combination of surface occupation numbers of molecules of the first and second types of gas on the surface under operating conditions, at least prior to pulses of the radiation beam, the combination of surface occupation numbers lying in a range in which reactions of particles with the surface during pulses of the radiation beam are in majority reversed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A disk assembly of an ion implanter includes a disk rotating in one direction, at least one wafer site on the disk for holding a wafer, at least one fence positioned outside an outer edge of the at least one wafer site and perpendicularly to the disk, a finger positioned outside the outer edge of the at least one wafer site and opposite the fence, at least one sensor having the capability of determining a position of the wafer relative to the fence, and a control unit electrically connected to the at least one sensor.

Abstract: A heat sink includes a base and a plurality of carbon nanotubes. The base has a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface. The carbon nanotubes each have a main portion and a distal portion. The distal portion is embedded in the base and extends from the first surface to the second surface of the base, the main portion extends from the second surface in a direction away from the first surface of the base. The heat sink with a small volume has a large heat dissipating area, and, accordingly, has better heat dissipation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining the depth and concentration of fluorophores in a turbid medium are disclosed. The method advantageously provides for a rapid estimation of the depth of the flurophore using characteristics of a temporal point spread function. The concentration of the flurophore can be determined using the method of the present invention by combining a calculated depth of the flurophore with a measurement of the intensity of the emitted fluorescence. The intensity can be accurately measured by the apparatus disclosed herein which combine back-reflection and trans-illumination geometries for the source of light injecting and detection.

Abstract: Said method and corresponding device operate on a rotor, on which a substance, emitting quanta of light, is arranged at least one point, a radiation source, by means of which radiation my be emitted onto the rotating vane and the substance arranged thereon, a sensor, by means of which the light quanta emitted by the substance may be detected and an analytical circuit, by means of which the signal from the sensor may be analyzed to determine the vibrational behavior of the vane.

Abstract: The present invention aims at realizing mass production of an oscillation data recorded in oscillation data recording water for supporting vitality of living bodies on the industrial basis. Using an oscillation data in-printer, the negative code, the positive code, and the intermediate code are respectively recorded in the oscillation data recording water, which are then mixed with each other by an equivalent volume. After further preparing the mixed water by a predetermined unit number, the prepared water units are further mixed together before completing the production process.

Abstract: A method for operating a charged particle beam emitting device and, in particular, an electron beam emitting device including a cold field emitter is provided. The method includes the steps of placing the cold field emitter in a vacuum of a given pressure, the emitter exhibiting a high initial emission current I0 and a lower stable mean emission current IS under a given electric extraction field; applying the given electric extraction field to the emitter for emitting electrons from the emitter surface; performing a cleaning process by applying at least one heating pulse to the cold field emitter for heating the emitter surface, whereby the cleaning process is performed before the emission current of the cold field emitter has declined to the lower stable mean emission value IS; and repeating the cleaning process to keep the emission current of the emitter continuously above the substantially stable emission value IS.

Abstract: A surface of an insulating substrate is charged to a target potential. In one embodiment, the surface is flooded with a higher-energy electron beam such that the electron yield is greater than one. Subsequently, the surface is flooded with a lower-energy electron beam such that the electron yield is less than one. In another embodiment, the substrate is provided with the surface in a state at an approximate initial potential above the target potential. The surface is then flooded with charged particle such that the charge yield of scattered particles is less than one, such that a steady state is reached at which the target potential is achieved. Another embodiment pertains to an apparatus for charging a surface of an insulating substrate to a target potential.

Abstract: There is provided a focused ion beam processing method in which damage to a workpiece is minimized when the surface of the workpiece is irradiated and processed with an ion beam. The method comprises the steps of: generating an acceleration voltage between an ion source and a workpiece; focusing an ion beam emitted from the ion source; and applying the ion beam to a predetermined process position to process the surface of the workpiece. In this process, the energy level of the ion beam produced by the acceleration voltage is set within a range from at least 1 keV to less than 20 keV.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage.

Abstract: The invention is intended to increase the number of patients treatable using one wheel having a thickness varied in the rotating direction to change energy of an ion beam passing the wheel. Ion beam delivery equipment for irradiating an ion beam to a patient for treatment comprises a beam generator for producing and accelerating the ion beam, an beam delivery nozzle including a range modulation wheel which has a predetermined thickness distribution in the rotating direction and is rotated on a travel passage of the ion beam generated from the beam generator to control a range of the ion beam, and an irradiation controller for controlling the beam producing and accelerating operation of the beam generator in accordance with the phase of rotation of the range modulation wheel.

Abstract: A method of covertly tagging an object for later tracking includes providing a material capable of at least one of being applied to the object and being included in the object, which material includes deuterium; and performing at least one of applying the material to the object and including the material in the object in a manner in which in the appearance of the object is not changed, to the naked eye.

Abstract: An EUV radiation source device with a chamber that is divided into a discharge space and a collector mirror space provided with EUV collector optics 3a. Between them an aperture component with an opening which is cooled is provided. First and second discharge electrodes are rotated. Sn or Li is irradiated with laser . Pulsed power is applied between the first and second discharge electrodes to form a high density and high temperature plasma between the two electrodes so that EUV radiation with a wavelength of 13.5 nm is emitted, is focused by the EUV collector optics and is guided into the irradiation optical system of an exposure tool. There are a first pumping device and a second pumping device for pumping the discharge space and the collector mirror space. The discharge space is kept at a few Pa, and the collector mirror space is kept at a few 100 Pa.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet source with wide-angle vapor containment and reflux is described. In the optical output directions radiating from the source plasma there is an array of tapered buffer gas heat pipes, with wick structures in the walls. In directions toward the insulators separating the discharge electrodes there are disc-shaped buffered gas heat pipes that prevent metal vapor from condensing on these insulators. A preferred electrode configuration has three electrode discs that operate in the star pinch mode. Another electrode configuration comprises two electrode discs and supports a pseudospark discharge. The star pinch variant of this source has efficiently generated 13.5 nm radiation with lithium vapor and helium buffer gas.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is described which may comprise a plasma produced extreme ultraviolet (“EUV”) light source multilayer collector which may comprise a plasma formation chamber; a shell within the plasma formation chamber in the form of a collector shape having a focus; the shell having a sufficient size and thermal mass to carry operating heat away from the multilayer reflector and to radiate the heat from the surface of the shell on a side of the shell opposite from the focus. The material of the shell may comprise a material selected from a group which may comprise silicon carbide, silicon, Zerodur or ULE glass, aluminum, beryllium, molybdenum, copper and nickel. The apparatus and method may comprise at least one radiative heater directed at the shell to maintain the steady state temperature of the shell within a selected range of operating temperatures.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for EUV light production is disclosed which may comprise a laser produced plasma (“LPP”) extreme ultraviolet (“EUV”) light source control system comprising a target delivery system adapted to deliver moving plasma initiation targets and an EUV light collection optic having a focus defining a desired plasma initiation site, comprising: a target tracking and feedback system comprising: at least one imaging device providing as an output an image of a target stream track, wherein the target stream track results from the imaging speed of the camera being too slow to image individual plasma formation targets forming the target stream imaged as the target stream track; a stream track error detector detecting an error in the position of the target stream track in at least one axis generally perpendicular to the target stream track from a desired stream track intersecting the desired plasma initiation site.

Abstract: The objectives of the present invention are to prevent or inhibit the deterioration of optical systems that determine the longevity of an optical apparatus which delivers effects such as light transmission, diffraction, reflection, spectrum generation, and interference, and these combinations, and by so doing, decrease the frequency of maintenance operations such as window replacement and to reduce the costs for such operations. This invention is characterized by steps of creating a near vacuum zone with a presence of active energy to excite an oxidation reaction of carbon wherein the near vacuum zone faces the lighting surfaces of the optical system; generating negative ions or radicals in the near vacuum zone such as unstable chemical seeds containing oxygen atoms, such as OH radicals, OH? ions, ozone, O2? ions, O-radicals; and removing or reducing the accumulated carbon which deposits on the lighting surface, by reacting the deposited carbon with the negative ions or radicals.

Abstract: The objectives of the present invention are to prevent or inhibit the deterioration of optical systems that determine the longevity of an optical apparatus which delivers effects such as light transmission, diffraction, reflection, spectrum generation, and interference, and these combinations, and by so doing, decrease the frequency of maintenance operations such as window replacement and to reduce the costs for such operations. This invention is characterized by steps of creating a near vacuum zone with a presence of active energy to excite an oxidation reaction of carbon wherein the near vacuum zone faces the lighting surfaces of the optical system; generating negative ions or radicals in the near vacuum zone such as unstable chemical seeds containing oxygen atoms, such as OH radicals, OH ions, ozone, O2-ions, O-radicals; and removing or reducing the accumulated carbon which deposits on the lighting surface, by reacting the deposited carbon with the negative ions or radicals.

Abstract: The objectives of the present invention are to prevent or inhibit the deterioration of optical systems that determine the longevity of an optical apparatus which delivers effects such as light transmission, diffraction, reflection, spectrum generation, and interference, and these combinations, and by so doing, decrease the frequency of maintenance operations such as window replacement and to reduce the costs for such operations. This invention is characterized by steps of creating a near vacuum zone with a presence of active energy to excite an oxidation reaction of carbon wherein the near vacuum zone faces the lighting surfaces of the optical system; generating negative ions or radicals in the near vacuum zone such as unstable chemical seeds containing oxygen atoms, such as OH radicals, OH.ions, ozone, O2.ions, O-radicals; and removing or reducing the accumulated carbon which deposits on the lighting surface, by reacting the deposited carbon with the negative ions or radicals.

Abstract: A rod and orifice mechanical fluid flow control valve for controlling fluid flow between two or more fluid pressure areas. In another aspect, a rod and orifice mechanical fluid flow control valve for controlling or restricting the motion of two fluid pressure areas or physical structures. A motion restricting embodiment is described in detail, namely an automotive shock absorber. In another aspect, the rod in a rod and orifice mechanical fluid flow control valve is adjustable and configurable for a given application. In yet another aspect, the cross section of the rod in a rod and orifice mechanical fluid flow control valve is of a rectangular shape.

Abstract: A valve disc for a faucet or a flusher includes a main body and a valve disc. The main body is provided with a water entering passage, a water exiting passage and an electromagnetic valve. The valve disc is fixed inside the main body to separate the main body into an upper water chamber and a lower water chamber. The electromagnetic valve is able to control the pressure of the upper water chamber so as to control the water entering passage and the water exiting passage to be opened or closed. Water rushing into the lower water chamber can be released from a water passage and a water exit of a guiding rod provided on a guiding plate of the valve disc until the valve disc is closed, so the valve disc can be closed quickly.