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AssigneeFEI Company
InventorsNiels de Jonge, Erik Petrus Antonius Maria Bakkers, Louis Felix Feiner, Antonio Maria Calvosa
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The invention provides an electron source suitable for use in a charged-particle apparatus, in which source a beam of electrons can be extracted from an electrode that is subjected to at least one of an electric potential, thermal excitation and photonic excitation, whereby at least part of the electrode comprises semiconductor material having a conduction band that is quantized into discrete energy levels. Such a source enjoys a relatively low energy spread, typically much smaller than that of a Cold Field Emission Gun (CFEG). Said semiconductor material may, for example, comprise a semiconductor nanowire. Examples of suitable semiconductor materials for such a nanowire include InAs and GaInAs.
An electron source suitable for use in a charged-particle apparatus, in which source a beam of electrons can be extracted from an electrode that is subjected to at least one of an electric potential, thermal excitation and photonic excitation, characterized in that at least part of the electrode comprises semiconductor material having a conduction band that is quantized into discrete energy levels.
An electron source suitable for use in a charged-particle apparatus, in which source a beam of electrons can be extracted from an electrode that is subjected to at least one of an electric potential, thermal excitation and photonic excitation, characterized in that the electrode comprises at least one nanowire that is comprised of semiconductor material and that is attached to a macroscopic support.
An electron source suitable for use in a charged-particle apparatus, in which source a beam of electrons can be extracted from an electrode that is subjected to at least one of an electric potential, thermal excitation and photonic excitation, characterized in that said source comprises a semiconductor material capable of emitting an electron beam in which the energy spread is at most 0.2 eV at a temperature of 300 K.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.