Fei Comapny

Portland State University

Zyvex Corporation

David William Tuggle

Mark Utlaut

N William Parker

Clive D Chandler

Noel S Smith

Paul P Tesch

James B McGinn

Mostafa Maazouz

Charles Otis

Rahul Saini

Jeremy Graham

Zoran Jandric

Jun Jiao

Lifeng Dong

Richard Swinford

William M Steinhardt

Sean Foxley

William Parker

James Mcginn

The present invention provides a method for optimizing a shaped working beam having a sharp edge for making sufficiently precise cuts and a high beam current for faster processing. An ion beam is directed along an optical column through a reference aperture to form a reference beam that has a preferred shape and an associated reference current. The reference beam is optimized using selected parameters of the optical components within the optical column. The ion beam is then directed through a working aperture to form a working beam for use in a processing application. The working beam has a different shape from the reference beam and an associated working current that is higher than the reference current. The reference aperture and working aperture have at least one corresponding dimension. The working beam is then optimized using the selected optical component parameters used to align and focus the reference beam.

Method for optimizing charged particle beams formed by shaped apertures

The present invention provides a plasma ion beam system that includes multiple gas sources and that can be used for performing multiple operations using different ion species to create or alter submicron features of a work piece. The system preferably uses an inductively coupled, magnetically enhanced ion beam source, suitable in conjunction with probe-forming optics sources to produce ion beams of a wide variety of ions without substantial kinetic energy oscillations induced by the source, thereby permitting formation of a high resolution beam.

Multi-source plasma focused ion beam system

An improved beam-defining aperture structure and method for fabrication is realized. An aperture opening is made in a thin conductive film positioned over a cavity in a support substrate, where the aperture size and shape is determined by the opening in the conductive film and not determined by the substrate.

Charged particle beam system aperture

A retarding field analyzer uses the existing components of a charged particle beam system eliminating the need for inserting a separate retarding field analyzer device. Using components of the existing column reduces the time required to analyze the beam. Using the imaging capabilities of the existing column facilitates alignment of the beam with the analyzer.

Retarding field analyzer integral with particle beam column

An E&#xd7;B Wien mass filter provides an independently-adjustable electric field combined with the dipole electric field required for mass separation. The independently adjustable electric field can be used provide a larger optical aperture, to correct astigmatism and to deflect the beam in direction parallel and/or perpendicular to the magnetic field.

Wide aperature wien ExB mass filter

A mass filter for an ion beam system includes at least two stages and reduces chromatic aberration. One embodiment includes two symmetrical mass filter stages, the combination of which reduces or eliminates chromatic aberration, and entrance and exit fringing field errors. Embodiments can also prevent neutral particles from reaching the sample surface and avoid crossovers in the beam path. In one embodiment, the filter can pass a single species of ion from a source that produces multiple species. In other embodiments, the filter can pass a single ion species with a range of energies and focus the multi-energetic ions at the same point on the substrate surface.

Aberration-corrected wien ExB mass filter with removal of neutrals from the Beam

A method is disclosed for directly synthesizing nanoscale structures, particularly in defined locations. The method overcomes problems in nanoscale manufacturing by enabling the direct fabrication of composites useful for constructing electronic devices. In one aspect of the method, nanotubes and arrays of nanotubes are synthesized directly at defined locations useful for constructing electronic devices.

Method for synthesizing nanoscale structures in defined locations

A microcolumn including a plurality of beam modification components coupled to an assembly substrate, wherein the plurality of beam modification components includes: (1) an extractor component; (2) a first focusing electrode component; (3) a first anode component; (4) a first deflector component; (5) a second focusing electrode component; (6) a second deflector component; (7) a third focusing electrode component; (8) a third deflector component; (9) a second anode component; (10) a fourth focusing electrode component; and (11) a third anode component. The beam modification components may be ordered on the substrate in this sequence or other sequences.

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

David William Tuggle