Vacuumed device and a scanning electron microscope
AssigneeB-Nano Ltd.
InventorsDov Shachal, Rafi De picciotto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuumed device that includes: a sealed housing, an electron beam source, an electron optic component, a thin membrane, and a detector. The thin membrane seals an aperture of the sealed housing. The sealed housing defines a vacuumed space in which vacuum is maintained. The electron beam source is configured to generate an electron beam that propagates within the vacuumed space, interacts with the electron optic component and passes through the thin membrane. A first portion of the sealed housing is shaped to fit a space defined by non-vacuumed scanning electron microscope components that are maintained in a non-vacuum environment.
Claims46
A vacuumed device comprising:
- a sealed housing,
- an electron beam source,
- an electron optic component,
- a thin membrane, and
- a detector;
- wherein the thin membrane seals an aperture of the sealed housing;
- wherein the sealed housing defines a vacuumed space in which vacuum is maintained;
- wherein the electron beam source is configured to generate an electron beam that propagates within the vacuumed space, interacts with the electron optic component and passes through the thin membrane;
- wherein a first portion of the sealed housing is shaped to fit a space defined by non-vacuumed scanning electron microscope components that are maintained in a non-vacuum environment.
A scanning electron microscope comprising:
- non-vacuumed scanning electron microscope components that are maintained in a non-vacuum environment;
- wherein the non-vacuumed scanning electron microscope components define a space;
- and
- a vacuumed device comprising:
- a sealed housing,
- an electron beam source,
- an electron optic component,
- a thin membrane, and
- a detector;
- wherein the thin membrane seals an aperture of the sealed housing;
- wherein the sealed housing defines a vacuumed space in which vacuum is maintained;
- wherein the electron beam source is configured to generate an electron beam that propagates within the vacuumed space, interacts with the electron optic component and passes through the thin membrane;
- and
- wherein a first portion of the sealed housing is shaped to fit the space.
A method for maintaining a scanning electron microscope, the method comprising:
- replacing a first vacuumed device by a second vacuumed device, wherein the replacing comprises connecting the second vacuumed device to a non-vacuumed component of the scanning electron microscope in a releasable manner.
A method for imaging an object, the method comprising:
- generating an electron beam by an electron beam source of a replaceable vacuumed device;
- directing the electron beam to propagate through a vacuumed space and towards an aperture of a sealed housing of the replaceable vacuumed device;
- wherein the aperture is sealed by a membrane that withstands a pressure difference between the vacuumed space and a non-vacuumed environment in which the object is positioned;
- detecting particles by a detector of the vacuumed device, wherein the detected particles are generated in response to an interaction of the electron beam and the object;
- and
- outputting detection signals from the detector;
- wherein the detection signals once processed contribute to a generation of an image of at least a portion of the object;
- wherein during the stages of generating and detecting a first portion of the vacuumed device is placed within a space defined by at least one non-vacuumed component of a scanning electron microscope, and
- wherein the first portion of the vacuumed device is shaped to fit the space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.