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US 11,114,272 B2Granted
Pulsed CFE electron source with fast blanker for ultrafast TEM applications
AssigneeFEI Company
InventorsKun Liu, Erik Kieft
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Charged particle beams (CPBs) are modulated using a beam blanker/deflector and an electrically pulsed extraction electrode in conjunction with a field emitter and a gun lens. With such modulation, CPBs can provide both pulsed and continuous mode operation as required for a particular application, while average CPB current is maintained within predetermined levels, such as levels that promote X-ray safe operation. Either the extraction electrode or the beam blanker/deflector can define CPB pulse width, CPB on/off ratio, or both.
Claims20
A charged-particle-beam (CPB) system, comprising:
- a CPB source adapted to produce a CPB having a pulsed CPB component or a continuous CPB component, or both a pulsed CPB component and a continuous CPB component;
- a CPB lens situated to receive the CPB from the CPB source;
- and
- a controller coupled to the CPB lens and configured to:
- select either a first CPB beam focus or a second CPB focus, wherein the first CPB focus is situated to substantially attenuate a CPB at a beam limiting aperture, and the second CPB focus is situated so that the CPB is substantially transmitted by the beam limiting aperture;
- with the first CPB focus selected, activate the CPB source to produce at least a continuous component of the CPB and direct the continuous component to a target;
- and
- with the second CPB focus selected, produce at least a pulsed component of the CPB and direct the pulsed component to the target.
5 more elements
A CPB method, comprising:
- selecting either a first CPB beam focus or a second CPB focus, wherein the first CPB focus is situated to substantially attenuate a CPB at the beam limiting aperture, and the second CPB focus is situated so that the CPB is substantially transmitted by the beam limiting aperture;
- with the first CPB focus selected, activating a CPB source to produce at least a continuous component of the CPB and directing the continuous component to a target;
- and
- with the second CPB focus selected, producing at least a pulsed component of the CPB and directing the pulsed component to the target.
1 more element
A CPB method, comprising:
- providing a CPB source that includes a field emitter and an extractor;
- situating a CPB lens to receive a CPB from the CPB source;
- situating a beam limiting aperture in an X-ray shielded region;
- and
- providing a controller coupled to the CPB lens to produce a CPB focus at the beam limiting aperture to produce a pulsed CPB or to produce an expanded beam at the beam limiting aperture to produce a continuous CPB.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.