Abstract: An improved electron bombardment induced conductivity apparatus and method is described for charge collection imaging of semiconductor materials and devices with unprecedented resolution. This is accomplished by bombarding a very small area of the surface of a specimen with low-energy electrons rather than high-energy electrons and by physically scanning (i.e. moving) the electron source itself (rather than only the beam of electrons) with respect to the specimen. A very small area of the specimen surface is bombarded with low-energy electrons without any need to do focussing by emitting the low-energy electrons from a sharply pointed electrode positioned very close to the surface being bombarded with the low-energy electrons. Hole-electron pairs created by the electron bombardment are sensed (preferably collected by an electric field) and a measurement of the sensed number of such pairs is displayed in synchronism with the electrode scanning to produce a charge collection image of the specimen.

Abstract: An ion source having a sintered metal head for ionizing various substances is disclosed. This ion source comprises a container made of a material which has a higher fusing point than that of the substance which is to be ionized, and a tip formed of a molded sintered metal of a higher fusing point than that of the substance which is to be ionized. The head is formed into a nearly conical shape and has a porosity capable of allowing the substance which is to be ionized to infiltrate therethrough in the molten state and the tip of the head is positioned at the opening of one end of the container for the ionizable material and arranged in such a manner that it protrudes beyond the end of the container.

Abstract: A field emission chemical sensor for specific detection of a chemical entity in a sample includes a closed chamber enclosing two field emission electrode sets, each field emission electrode set comprising (a) an electron emitter electrode from which field emission electrons can be emitted when an effective voltage is connected to the electrode set; and (b) a collector electrode which will capture said electrons emitted from said emitter electrode. One of the electrode sets is passive to the chemical entity and the other is active thereto and has an active emitter electrode which will bind the chemical entity when contacted therewith.

Abstract: The invention consists of a mass spectrometer having a sample insertion probe on which a reference compound and an unknown sample can be simultaneously introduced without mixing into a field ionization or ion or neutral particle bombardment ion source. An insulated support is mounted by a parallel hinge on the end of the probe shaft. Two or more separated segments or emitter wires, one carrying the unknown sample, another carrying an appropriate reference compound, are mounted on a base member which is fitted to the support. A drive shaft, concentric with the outer probe shaft, has an eccentric peg on the end, which engages with a cam on the support, so that rotation of the drive shaft results in an oscillating motion of the segments or emitters, alternately positioning them in the optimum position for ionization. A spectrum of the sample or the reference compound can be obtained when required by selecting the appropriate position of the drive shaft.

Abstract: An ion source apparatus of surface ionization type comprises an emitter tip in the form of a round rod having a sharp-pointed end, an ion source material holder for holding the emitter tip coaxially within a crucible made of a material of a high melting point, the crucible having an opening formed in a bottom wall thereof through which the sharp-pointed end of the emitter tip extends outwardly, the ion source material is being filled in the crucible so as to enclose the outer periphery of the sharp-pointed end of the emitter tip, a filament for emitting electrons with which the emitter tip is bombarded from below, a heating power supply for the filament, an ion beam extracting electrode disposed between the emitter tip and the filament and maintained at a potential of a substantially the level as that of the filament, and an accelerating voltage power supply for applying a high voltage between the ion beam extracting electrode and the emitter tip to accelerate the electrons and ion beam.

Abstract: The formation of lines of the order of 8 Angstroms wide is achieved using a tunneling current through a gas that changes to provide a residue that is the basis of the line. The tunneling current energy is tuned to the energy required to dissociate the gas.

Abstract: An electron gun having a field emission cathode is provided with a focusing magnetic lens. In the vicinity of the cathode, a pole piece is defined by two parts. The orifice of the part closer to the cathode is smaller than that positioned downstream. The air gap between the two parts is small and the filament of the cathode extends up to a distance of from about 1.5 to 3 mm from the median plane of the air gap. The excitation of the coil of the focusing magnetic lens is provided such that the image of the electronic source is substantially positioned at the level of the orifice of an intermediate electrode surrounding at least the magnetic lens.

Abstract: A source of charged particles beam which can be used either as an electron source or an ion source and has a tip formed of carbide, nitride or di-boride of at least one of elements Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb and Ta or formed of hexa-boride of at least one of rare earth metal elements of atomic number 57 to 70.

Abstract: A microwave plasma ion source according to the present invention is designed such that a microwave electric field and a magnetic field are applied to a discharge gas introduced into a discharge region, to form plasma, from which ions are extracted. The above magnetic field is formed by means of an electromagnet provided on the low-voltage side of ion extraction electrodes and a high-permeability member provided in that section which is on the side of a waveguide and which permits the microwaves to be propagated freely.

Abstract: The vacuum tunnel effect is utilized to form a scanning tunneling microscope. In an ultra-high vacuum at cryogenic temperature, a fine tip is raster scanned across the surface of a conducting sample at a distance of a few Angstroms. The vertical separation between the tip and sample surface is automatically controlled so as to maintain constant a measured variable which is proportional to the tunnel resistance, such as tunneling current. The position of the tip with respect to the surface is controlled preferably by piezo electric drive means acting in three coordinate directions. The spatial coordinates of the scanning tip are graphically displayed. This is conveniently done by displaying the drive currents or voltages of piezo electric drives.