Scanning auger microprobe with variable axial aperture
AssigneePhysical Electronics Industries, Inc.
InventorsRobert L. Gerlach, Paul W. Palmberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A scanning Auger microprobe in a cylindrical mirror analyzer is provided wherein an aperture plate at the exit stage is controllably variable in aperture size and is positioned near the second order focus point and at the minimum trace of the analyzer. Control of the aperture size is provided in both an infinitely variable arrangement and in a three size exit aperture arrangement.
Claims14
In a single pass scanning Auger electron analyzer wherein Auger electrons emitted from an irradiated sample pass through a cylindrical mirror analyzer and are analyzed and focused at the axis of the cylindrical mirror analyzer to be detected, the improvement comprising a support member mounted transverse to and extending across the diameter of the inner cylinder of the cylindrical mirror analyzer adjacent to the focus point of said electrons, said support member defining a first opening therethrough along the axis of the cylindrical mirror analyzer for passage of analyzed electrons, a variably sizable exit aperture assembly mounted to said support member, said exit aperture assembly including plate means movable transversely with respect to said cylindrical mirror analyzer, said plate means by movement thereof relative to said support member defining a plurality of different size openigs therethrough in axial alignment with the openins in said support member, and control means external to said cylindrical mirror analyzer including linking means operatively joined to said plate means for moving said plate means relative to said support member.
In a single pass scanning Auger electron analyzer wherein Auger electrons emitted from an irradiated sample pass through a cylindrical mirror analyzer and are analyzed and focused at the axis of the cylindrical mirror analyzer to be detected, the improvement comprising variable size exit aperture means adjacent the focus point of said electrons, said aperture means including a first plate member mounted in transverse relationship to the inner tube member of said cylindrical mirror analyzer, said first plate member defining an opening therethrough of a first predetermined size in alignment with the axis of said cylindrical mirror analyzer, shutter means, said shutter means compising a second plate member mounted for pivotal movement to a face of said first plate member, said second plate member defining first, second, and third openings therethrough, said first opening being greater in diameter than the opening in said first plate member and said second and third openings being smaller than said first plate opening and of a different size from one another, control means external to said cylindrical mirror analyzer and linked to said shutter plate for pivoting and indexing same selectively to align the openings in said shutter plate with said opening in said first plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.