Method, apparatus and system for characterizing energetic neutral component of a particle beam

A method of characterizing a neutralization of a particle beam having both energetic ions and energetic neutrals, the method comprising:

• receiving the particle beam at a target electrode of a particle beam detector;
• measuring, at the target electrode, a total target electrode current (T1) that comprises a sum of an energetic ion beam current (I) and a first secondary electron current (C1), the first secondary electron current (C1) being generated at the target electrode by both the energetic ions and the energetic neutrals;
• receiving and measuring, at a collector electrode of the particle beam detector, the first secondary electron current (C1) emitted from the target electrode;
• selectively diverting the energetic ions of the particle beam such that only the energetic neutrals are received at the target electrode, and measuring a second secondary electron current (T2), the second secondary electron current (T2) being generated at the target electrode only by the energetic neutrals;
• and
• determining an energetic neutral beam current component (N) of the particle beam using the total target electrode current (T1), the first secondary electron current (C1), and the second secondary electron current (T2).

A particle beam detector apparatus, comprising:

• a target electrode configured to receive an incident particle beam, the incident particle beam having both energetic ions and energetic neutrals;
• a collector electrode configured to capture secondary electrons generated at the target electrode;
• and
• one or more deflection electrodes configured to selectively divert the energetic ions away from a beam axis that intersects the target electrode.

A particle beam current detection system, comprising:

• a particle beam detector, the particle beam detector further comprising:
• a target electrode configured to receive an incident particle beam, the incident particle beam having both energetic ions and energetic neutrals;
• a collector electrode configured to capture secondary electrons generated at the target electrode;
• and
• one or more deflection electrodes configured to selectively divert the energetic ions away from a beam axis toward the target electrode;
• a first current measuring device coupled to the target electrode;
• a second current measuring device coupled to the collector electrode;
• a first variable voltage supply coupled to the one or more deflection electrodes;
• and
• a second variable voltage supply coupled to the collector electrode.