# US 7,745,801 B2 · Ion sources, systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,745,801 B2 - Document ID: US7745801B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/599,973 - Filed: 2006-11-15 - Published: 2007-07-12 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2003-10-16 - Assignees: ALIS Corporation - Inventors: Billy W. Ward; John A. Notte, IV; Louis S. Farkas, III; Randall G. Percival; Raymond Hill; Alexander Groholski; Richard Comunale - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745801B2 ## Abstract Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a gas field ion source having an electrically conductive tip with a terminal shelf comprising one or more atoms, wherein the system is configured so that, during use of the system, the one or more atoms interact with a gas to generate an ion beam, and 70% or more of the ions in the ion beam that reach a surface of a sample are generated via an interaction of the gas with only one atom of the one or more atoms. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, during use, 75% or more of the ions in the ion beam that reach a surface of a sample are generated via an interaction of the gas with only one atom of the one or more atoms. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, during use, 80% or more of the ions in the ion beam that reach a surface of a sample are generated via an interaction of the gas with only one atom of the one or more atoms. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, during use, 85% or more of the ions of the ions in the ion beam that reach a surface of a sample are generated via an interaction of the gas with only one atom of the one or more atoms. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising ion optics that include electrodes and an aperture. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the aperture is a disk. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the aperture has multiple openings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the terminal shelf comprises 20 atoms or less. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the terminal shelf is a trimer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive tip has an average radius of curvature of 200 nm or less. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive tip has an average full cone angle of from 15° to 45°. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the electrically conductive tip has average cone direction of 10° or less. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive tip includes an end that comprises a single crystal that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive to within 3° or less. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive tip comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, carbon, tantalum, iridium, rhenium, niobium, platinum and molybdenum. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a tungsten tip. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a W(111) tip. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the terminal shelf is a trimer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a helium ion microscope. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a scanning ion microscope. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a scanning helium ion microscope. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism, the gas field ion source including an electrically conductive tip, the mechanism being coupled to the gas field ion source so that the mechanism can translate the electrically conductive tip, tilt the electrically conductive tip or both. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the mechanism comprises a curved surface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the mechanism tilts the ion source relative to the aperture. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a W(111) tip, and the terminal shelf is a trimer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope having a damage test value is 25 nm or less. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope having a quality factor of 0.25 or more. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope that is capable of producing an image of a sample, the image of the sample having a resolution of 10 nm or less. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gas field ion source is capable of interacting with the gas to generate an ion beam for a time period of one week or more with a maximum interruption time of 10 hours or less. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein gas field ion source comprises an electrically conductive tip, the ion source being capable of interacting with the gas to generate the ion beam for a time period of one week or more without removing the electrically conductive tip from the system. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ion beam has a reduced etendue of 1×10−16 cm2srV or less. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ion beam has an etendue of 5×10−21 cm2sr or less. ### Claim 33 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ion beam has a reduced brightness at the surface of the sample of 5×108 A/m2srV or more. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ion beam has a brightness at the surface of the sample of 1×109 A/cm2sr or more. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ion beam has a spot size with a dimension of 10 nm or less at the surface of the sample. ### Claim 36 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ion beam has an ion beam current at the surface of the sample of one nA or less. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The system of claim 36, wherein the ion beam current at the surface of the sample is 0.1 fA or more. ### Claim 38 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ion beam has an energy spread at the surface of the sample of five eV or less. ### Claim 39 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the sample, wherein the gas field ion source including a tip, and the surface of the sample is five cm or more from the tip. ### Claim 40 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a coolant source thermally coupled to the gas field ion source so that during operation of the ion source the temperature of the ion source is 5K or more. ### Claim 41 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a cryogenic refrigerator source thermally coupled to the gas field ion source so that during operation of the ion source the temperature of the ion source is 5K or more. ### Claim 42 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ion beam having a convergence half angle of 5 mrad or less at a surface of the sample. ### Claim 43 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gas field ion source comprises an electrically conductive tip having a terminal shelf with 20 atoms or less. ### Claim 44 A system, comprising: a gas field ion source including an electrically conductive tip capable of interacting with a gas to generate an ion beam; ion optics configured so that during use at least a portion of the ion beam passes through the ion optics; and a moving mechanism coupled to the gas field ion source so that the moving mechanism can translate the electrically conductive tip, tilt the electrically conductive tip or both, wherein the electrically conductive tip has a terminal shelf comprising 20 atoms or less. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the moving mechanism includes a curved surface. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein the curved surface is spherical. ### Claim 47 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the moving mechanism tilts the electrically conductive tip. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47, wherein the moving mechanism can tilt the gas field ion source in two independent directions. ### Claim 49 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the moving mechanism translates the electrically conductive tip. ### Claim 50 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, further comprising a support, the moving mechanism being mounted in the support. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The system of claim 50, wherein the moving mechanism includes a curved surface, and the support is configured to move relative to the curved surface of the moving mechanism. ### Claim 52 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the electrically conductive tip has a terminal shelf comprising one or more atoms, and 70% or more of the ions in the ion beam that reach a surface of a sample are generated via an interaction between the gas and a single atom of the one or more atoms. ### Claim 53 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion optics include electrodes and an aperture. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) The system of claim 53, wherein the aperture is a disk. ### Claim 55 (depends on 53) The system of claim 53, wherein the aperture has multiple openings. ### Claim 56 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the electrically conductive tip has a terminal shelf that is a trimer. ### Claim 57 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the electrically conductive tip has an average radius of curvature of 200 nm or less. ### Claim 58 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the electrically conductive tip has an average full cone angle of from 15° to 45°. ### Claim 59 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, the electrically conductive tip has average cone direction of 10° or less. ### Claim 60 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the electrically conductive tip includes a single crystal terminal shelf that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive tip to within 3° or less. ### Claim 61 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the electrically conductive tip comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, carbon, tantalum, iridium, rhenium, niobium, platinum and molybdenum. ### Claim 62 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a tungsten tip. ### Claim 63 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a W(111) tip. ### Claim 64 (depends on 63) The system of claim 63, wherein the W(111) tip has a terminal shelf that is a trimer. ### Claim 65 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope. ### Claim 66 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the system is a helium ion microscope. ### Claim 67 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the system is a scanning ion microscope. ### Claim 68 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the system is a scanning helium ion microscope. ### Claim 69 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope having a damage test value is 25 nm or less. ### Claim 70 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope having a quality factor of 0.25 or more. ### Claim 71 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope that is capable of producing an image of a sample, the image of the sample having a resolution of 10 nm or less. ### Claim 72 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam can operate for a time period of one week or more with a maximum interruption time of 10 hours or less. ### Claim 73 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion microscope comprises an ion source that includes an electrically conductive tip, the ion source being capable of generating ions for a time period of one week or more without removing the electrically conductive tip from the system. ### Claim 74 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam has a reduced etendue of 1x10-16 cm 2srV or less. ### Claim 75 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam has an etendue of 5x10-21 cm2sr or less. ### Claim 76 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam has a reduced brightness at a surface of a sample of 5x108 A/m2srV or more. ### Claim 77 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam has a brightness at a surface of a sample of 1x 109 A/cm2 sr or more. ### Claim 78 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam has a spot size with a dimension of 10 nm or less at a surface of a sample. ### Claim 79 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam has an ion beam current at a surface of a sample of one nA or less. ### Claim 80 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam has an energy spread at a surface of a sample of five eV or less. ### Claim 81 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, further comprising a sample, wherein the gas field ion source including a tip, and the surface of the sample is five cm or more from the tip. ### Claim 82 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, further comprising a coolant source thermally coupled to the gas field ion source so that during operation of the ion source the temperature of the ion source is 5K or more. ### Claim 83 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, further comprising a cryogenic refrigerator source thermally coupled to the gas field ion source so that during operation of the ion source the temperature of the ion source is 5K or more. ### Claim 84 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the ion beam having a convergence half angle of 5 mrad or less at a surface of the sample. ### Claim 85 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein the gas field ion source comprises an electrically conductive tip having a terminal shelf with 20 atoms or less. ### Claim 86 A system, comprising: a gas field ion source including an electrically conductive tip with an average full cone angle of from 15° to 45°. ### Claim 87 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the average full cone angle is from 20° to 40°. ### Claim 88 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the average full cone angle is from 25° to 35°. ### Claim 89 (depends on 88) The system of claim 88, wherein the ion beam current at a surface of a sample is 0.1 fA or more. ### Claim 90 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the average full cone angle is from 28° to 32°. ### Claim 91 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a tip of a wire having a longitudinal axis, a dimension of the wire perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wire being three mm or less. ### Claim 92 (depends on 91) The system of claim 91, wherein the dimension of the wire perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wire is 0.2 mm or more. ### Claim 93 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein a standard deviation of the average full cone angle is 30% or less of the average full cone angle. ### Claim 94 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, the electrically conductive tip has average cone direction of 10% or less. ### Claim 95 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the tip includes a single crystal terminal shelf that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive tip to within 3° or less. ### Claim 96 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the electrically conductive tip comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, carbon, tantalum, iridium, rhenium, niobium, platinum and molybdenum. ### Claim 97 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a tungsten tip. ### Claim 98 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a W(111) tip. ### Claim 99 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, further comprising ion optics capable of focusing onto a sample an ion beam generated via an interaction of a gas with the electrically conductive. ### Claim 100 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope. ### Claim 101 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the system is a helium ion microscope. ### Claim 102 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the system is a scanning ion microscope. ### Claim 103 (depends on 86) The system of claim 86, wherein the system is a scanning helium ion microscope. ### Claim 104 A system, comprising: a gas field ion source including an electrically conductive tip with an average radius of curvature of 200 nm or less, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied; the electrically conductive tip has an average full cone angle of from 15° to 45°; the electrically conductive tip has average cone direction of 10° or less; and the electrically conductive tip includes a single crystal terminal shelf that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive tip to within 3° or less. ### Claim 105 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the electrically conductive tip has an average radius of curvature of 180 nm or less. ### Claim 106 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the electrically conductive tip has an average radius of curvature of 170 nm or less. ### Claim 107 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the electrically conductive tip has an average radius of curvature of 40 nm or more. ### Claim 108 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the electrically conductive tip has an average full cone angle of from 15° to 45°. ### Claim 109 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the electrically conductive wire is a tip of a wire having a longitudinal axis, a dimension of the wire perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wire being three mm or less. ### Claim 110 (depends on 109) The system of claim 109, wherein the dimension of the wire perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wire is 0.2 mm or more. ### Claim 111 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, the electrically conductive tip has average cone direction of 10° or less. ### Claim 112 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the tip includes a single crystal terminal shelf that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive tip to within 3° or less. ### Claim 113 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the electrically conductive tip comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, carbon, tantalum, iridium, rhenium, niobium, platinum and molybdenum. ### Claim 114 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a tungsten tip. ### Claim 115 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the electrically conductive tip is a W(111) tip. ### Claim 116 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, further comprising ion optics capable of focusing onto a sample an ion beam generated via an interaction of a gas with the electrically conductive. ### Claim 117 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the system is a gas field ion microscope. ### Claim 118 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the system is a helium ion microscope. ### Claim 119 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the system is a scanning ion microscope. ### Claim 120 (depends on 104) The system of claim 104, wherein the system is a scanning helium ion