Abstract:
The invention relates to a collimator electrode stack (70), comprising: —at least three collimator electrodes (71-80) for collimating a charged particle beam along an optical axis (A), wherein each collimator electrode comprises an electrode body with an electrode aperture for allowing passage to the charged particle beam, wherein the electrode bodies are spaced along an axial direction (Z) which is substantially parallel with the optical axis, and wherein the electrode apertures are coaxially aligned along the optical axis; and —a plurality of spacing structures (89) provided between each pair of adjacent collimator electrodes and made of an electrically insulating material, for positioning the collimator electrodes at predetermined distances along the axial direction. Each of the collimator electrodes (71-80) is electrically connected to a separate voltage output (151-160).The invention further relates to a method of operating a charged particle beam generator.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein are a high-voltage generator for an x-ray source, an x-ray gun, an electron beam apparatus, a rotary vacuum seal, a target assembly for an x-ray source, a rotary x-ray emission target, and an x-ray source. These various aspects may separately and/or together enable the construction of an x-ray source which can operate at energies of up to 500 kV and beyond, which is suitable for use in commercial and research x-ray applications such as computerised tomography. In particular, the high-voltage generator includes a shield electrode electrically connected intermediate of a first voltage multiplier and a second voltage multiplier. The electron beam apparatus includes control photodetectors and photo emitters having a transparent conductive shield arranged therebetween. The rotary vacuum seal includes a pumpable chamber at a position intermediate between high-pressure and low-pressure ends of a bore for a rotating shaft. The rotary target assembly is configured such that when a torque between a bearing housing and a vacuum housing exceeds a predetermined torque, the bearing housing rotates relative to the vacuum housing. The rotary x-ray emission target has a plurality of target plates supported on a hub, the plates being arranged on the hub to provide an annular target region about an axis rotation of the hub. The x-ray gun is provided with a shield electrode maintained at a potential difference relative to the x-ray target different to the electron beam emission cathode.
Abstract:
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device that exhibits high performance due to the use of vanadium glass coatings, and to provide a method of manufacturing a component for a charged particle beam device. Specifically provided is a charged particle beam device using a vacuum component characterized by comprising a metal container, the interior space of which is evacuated to form a high vacuum, and coating layers formed on the surface on the interior space-side of the metal container, wherein the coating layers are vanadium-containing glass, which is to say an amorphous substance. Coating vanadium glass onto walls of a space where it is desirable to form a high vacuum, for example walls in the vicinity of an electron source, reduces gas discharge in the vicinity of the electron source, and the getter effect of the coating layer induces localized evacuation and enables the formation of an extremely high vacuum, even in spaces having a complex structure, without providing a large high-vacuum pump.
Abstract:
This invention provides a charged particle source, which comprises an emitter and means fo generating a magnetic field distribution. The magnetic field distribution is minimum, about zero, or preferred zero at the tip of the emitter, and along the optical axis is maximum away from the tip immediately. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic field distribution is provided by dual magnetic lens which provides an anti-symmetric magnetic field at the tip, such that magnetic field at the tip is zero.
Abstract:
An electron gun supporting member includes an insulating supporting member configured such that its one end is connected to a predetermined member having a ground potential and other end is connected to a high-voltage electrode to which a high potential being a negative high potential for emitting electrons from an electron source is applied, so as to support the high-voltage electrode, and a metal film formed in a partial region, which contacts neither the high-voltage electrode nor the predetermined member, on the outer surface of the insulating supporting member.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a micro-electron column including nanostructure tips each of which has a tubular, columnar, or blocky structure ranging in size from several nanometers to dozens of nanometers. In the micro-electron column, the nanostructure tips can easily emit electrons because a high electric field is generated at the end of the nanostructure tips when a voltage is applied to the nanostructure tips, and an induction electrode is disposed between the electron emitter and a source lens so as to help electrons emitted from the electron emitter to enter an aperture of a first lens electrode layer of the source lens, thereby realizing improved performance of the micro-electron column. In the micro-electron column, the size of the nanostructure tips may be larger than that of the aperture of a source lens.
Abstract:
An electron gun supporting member includes an insulating supporting member configured such that its one end is connected to a predetermined member having a ground potential and other end is connected to a high-voltage electrode to which a high potential being a negative high potential for emitting electrons from an electron source is applied, so as to support the high-voltage electrode, and a metal film formed in a partial region, which contacts neither the high-voltage electrode nor the predetermined member, on the outer surface of the insulating supporting member.
Abstract:
Provided is a Schottky emitter having the conical end with a radius of curvature of 2.0 μm on the emission side of an electron beam. Since a radius of curvature is 1 μm or more, a focal length of an electron gun can be longer than in a conventional practice wherein a radius of curvature is in the range of from 0.5 μm to not more than 0.6 μm. The focal length was found to be roughly proportional to the radius of the curvature. Since the angular current intensity (the beam current per unit solid angle) is proportional to square of the electron gun focal length, the former can be improved by an order of magnitude within a practicable increase in the emitter radius. A higher angular current intensity means a larger beam current available from the electron gun and the invention enables the Schottky emitters to be used in applications which require relatively high beam current of microampere regime such as microfocus X-ray tube, electron probe micro-analyzer, and electron beam lithography system.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein are a high-voltage generator (120) for an x-ray source, an x-ray gun, an electron beam apparatus, a rotary vacuum seal, a target assembly for an x-ray source, a rotary x-ray emission target (500), and an x-ray source. These various aspects may separately and/or together enable the construction of an x-ray source which can operate at energies of up to 500 kV and beyond, which is suitable for use in commercial and research x-ray applications such as computerised tomography. In particular, the high-voltage generator includes a shield electrode (123a, 123b) electrically connected intermediate of a first voltage multiplier (122a, 122b) and a second voltage multiplier (122b, 122c). The electron beam apparatus includes control photodetectors (202a, 202b—not shown) and photo emitters (201a, 202a) having a transparent conductive shield (203a and 203b, 203c—not shown) arranged therebetween. The rotary vacuum seal includes a pumpable chamber (302) at a position intermediate between high-pressure and low-pressure ends of a bore (301) for a rotating shaft (401). The rotary target assembly is configured such that when a torque between a bearing housing (403) and a vacuum housing exceeds a predetermined torque, the bearing housing rotates relative to the vacuum housing. The rotary x-ray emission target (500) has a plurality of target plates (560) supported on a hub, the plates being arranged on the hub to provide an annular target region about an axis rotation of the hub. The x-ray gun is provided with a shield electrode (123a) maintained at a potential difference relative to the x-ray target different to the electron beam emission cathode.
Abstract:
An electron beam apparatus is disclosed that includes a plurality of current source elements disposed in at least one field emitter array. Each current source element can be a gated vertical transistor, an ungated vertical transistor, or a current controlled channel that is proximate to an optically-modulated current source. The electron beam apparatus includes a plurality of field emitter tips, each field emitter tip of the plurality of field emitter tips being coupled to a current source element of the plurality of current source elements. The electron beam apparatus is configured to allow selective activation of one or more of the current source elements.