High Resolution Electron Energy Analyzer

A system, comprising:

• an electron source configured to generate an electron beam;
• a magnetic lens configured to receive the electron beam;
• an electrostatic lens configured to:
• generate an energy-analyzing field region;
• decelerate electrons of the electron beam;
• and
• direct the decelerated electrons of the electron beam to the energy-analyzing field region;
• and
• an electron detector configured to receive one or more electrons passed through the energy-analyzing field region, wherein the electron detector is further configured to generate one or more signals based on the one or more received electrons.

A method of analyzing electron energies, comprising:

• generating an energy-analyzing field region with a unipotential electrostatic lens;
• decelerating electrons of an electron beam generated by an electron source;
• directing the electrons of the electron beam to the energy-analyzing field region of the unipotential electrostatic lens;
• receiving electrons which passed through the energy-analyzing field region with an electron detector;
• and
• generating, with the electron detector, one or more signals based on the received electrons.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, at a plurality of working voltages of an electrostatic lens and a first magnetic excitation level of a magnetic lens, electrons passed through an energy-analyzing field region with an electron detector;
• receiving, at a plurality of working voltages of the electrostatic lens and an additional magnetic excitation level of the magnetic lens, electrons passed through the energy-analyzing field region with the electron detector;
• calculating a first electron energy resolution of an energy analyzer at the first magnetic excitation level and an additional electron energy resolution at the additional magnetic excitation level;
• and
• analyzing electron-energy spread of an electron source with the electron analyzer operating at the magnetic excitation level with the highest electron-energy resolution.