Abstract:
The invention relates to an electron gun for generating a flat electron beam, comprising a cathode with an emission surface which is curved about a central axis and which is designed to emit electrons. The electron gun further comprises an accelerating device for accelerating the electrons in a radial direction towards a target region on the central axis. Furthermore, the emission surface has a width in the azimuth direction and a height oriented perpendicularly to the width, said width being at least ten times greater than the height.
Abstract:
An emitter device (10) including a focusing array (20) with plural focusing columns (24) to focus emissions from one or more emitters (28) onto a target medium. Relative movement between the target medium and the focused emissions allows each focusing column to focus emissions over an area of the target medium encompassing the movement range. In a preferred embodiment, separate emitter, focusing array and target medium chips are used. The focusing array may be moveable, or in a particularly preferred embodiment, is affixed to the emitter chip, in which case the target medium chip is movable or the focusing array includes beam direction control.
Abstract:
An electron source comprises cathode means and a permanent magnet perforated by a plurality of channels extending between opposite poles of the magnet. Each channel forms electrons received from the cathode means into an electron beam for guidance towards a target. The electrons sources has applications in a wide range of technologies, including display technology and printer technology.
Abstract:
An electron gun (10) that suppresses the non-linear space charge forces and phase-dependant focusing forces that are chiefly responsible for the high emittance of conventional electron guns. The gun comprises a resonant microwave cavity (15), a cathode (12) mounted in the cavity wall, and a momentum analyzer system (17). The resonant microwave cavity, when supplied with microwave power, supports an electromagnetic field having a high-gradient electric component directed along an acceleration axis. The cavity is formed with an exit aperture (32) at a location relative to the cathode such that emitted electrons are accelerated along the axis and pass through the exit aperture. The cavity length is chosen to allow the microwave field within the cavity volume to accelerate the electrons to an energy of about 0.5-1.0 MeV prior to the electrons' passing through the aperture. Bunching is provided by the momentum analyzer. An electron emerging from the cavity has an energy determined by the phase of the microwave field at the time of that electron's emission. Those electrons having energies corresponding to the desired inital phase value are permitted to pass through the momentum analyzer, thereby forming a prebunched electron beam for injection into a linear accelerator.
Abstract:
There is disclosed a method of controlling an electron gun without causing decreases in brightness of the electron beam if a current-limiting aperture cannot be used. The electron gun (10) has a cathode (11), a Wehnelt electrode (12), a control electrode (13), an anode (14), and a controller (22). The Wehnelt electrode (12) has a first opening in which the tip of the cathode is inserted, and focuses thermal electrons emitted from the tip of the cathode (11). The thermal electrons emitted from the tip of the cathode (11) are caused to pass into a second opening by the control electrode (13). The anode (14) accelerates the thermal electrons emitted from the cathode (11) such that the thermal electrons passed through the second opening pass through a third opening and impinge as an electron beam (B1) on a powdered sample (8). The controller (22) sets the bias voltage and the control voltage based on combination conditions of the bias voltage and control voltage to maintain the brightness of the beam constant.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a maskless lithography system for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target. The system comprises a beamlet generator for generating a plurality of electron beamlets, a modulation array comprising a beamlet stop area and a beamlet blanker array comprising a beamlet blanking means for switching electron beamlets on and off, and, a focusing electron optical system, comprising at least one array of electrostatic lenses for focusing electron beamlets on said surface. The focusing optical system is adapted for maintaining the beamlets separate between the modulation array and the focusing electron optical system.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an electron beam generator for generating an electron beam, comprising an electron source and an extractor. The combination of electron source and extractor in use forms a negative lens, wherein said extractor has a positive voltage with respect to the source. The extractor and the electron source are positioned such that, in use, a space charge limited region is present between them. In an embodiment, the extractor is a planar extractor. In another embodiment, the source is a thermionic source.. The generator may comprise an illumination system for collimating the electron beam.
Abstract:
The charged-particle beam system includes a non-axisymmetric diode forms a non-axisymmetric beam having an elliptic cross-section. A focusing element utilizes a magnetic field for focusing and transporting the non-axisymmetric beam, wherein the non-axisymmetric beam is approximately matched with the channel of the focusing element.