Fei Comapny

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Petrus Hubertus Franciscus Trompenaars

Johannes Jacobus Lambertus Mulders

Bernardus Hendrikus Wilhelmus Hendriks

Alexander Henstra

Bart Buijsse

Nijs Cornelis Van Der Vaart

Yuchen Deng

Eric Gerardus Theodoor Bosch

Rudolf Johannes Peter Gerardus Schampers

Jarig Politiek

Stan Johan Pieter Konings

Remco Theodorus Johannes Petrus Geurts

Gerardus Gegorius Petrus Van Gorkom

Stephan Kujawa

Methods for using a dual beam microscope system to simultaneously process a sample and image the processed portions of the sample, according to the present disclosure include the initial steps of emitting a plurality of electrons toward the sample, splitting the plurality of electrons into two electron beams, and then modifying the focal properties of at least one of the electron beams such that the two electron beams have different focal planes. Once the two beams have different focal planes, the first electron beam is focused such that it acts as a STEM beam. The STEM beam is then used to process a region of the sample to induce a physical change (e.g., perform milling, deposition, charge adjustment, phase change, etc.). The second electron beam is focused to act as a TEM beam to perform imaging of the region of the sample being processed.

Dual beam microscope system for imaging during sample processing

A method and apparatus is provided for studying the reaction (chemical or physical) of a sample with a gas in the active atmosphere of an instrument such as an Environmental Transmission Electron Microscope (ETEM), optical microscope, X-ray microscope or scanning probe microscope. The sample is exposed to inert gas at a desired temperature before exchanging the inert gas to the active gas to reduce to avoid, or at least minimize, sample drift during image acquisition.

Method of studying a sample in an ETEM

The invention relates to a coated O-ring for forming a seal, in which the core of the O-ring comprises a polymer and/or synthetic rubber, and the coating comprises an inorganic coating with a thickness between 10 nm and 1 &#x3bc;m, resulting in an O-ring that shows a lower permeation than an uncoated O-ring and where the coating shows little or no cracking when the local curvature of the O-ring in any direction is changed by 20%. The coating is preferably applied by Atomic Layer Deposition, but also other deposition techniques such as (PE)CVD, E-beam evaporation, and reactive evaporation may be used. A further elastomer layer may cover the one or more coating layers for further mechanical and/or chemical protection.

Coated O-ring

Samples to be imaged in a Transmission Electron Microscope must be thinned to form a lamella with a thickness of, for example, 20 nm. This is commonly done by sputtering with ions in a charged particle apparatus equipped with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) column, a Focused Ion Beam (FIB) column, and one or more Gas Injection Systems (GISses). A problem that occurs is that a large part of the lamella becomes amorphous due to bombardment by ions, and that ions get implanted in the sample. The invention provides a solution by applying a voltage difference between the capillary of the GIS and the sample, and directing a beam of ions or electrons to the jet of gas. The beam ionizes gas that is accelerated to the sample, where (when using a low voltage between sample and GIS) low energy milling occurs, and thus little sample thickness becomes amorphous.

Low energy ion milling or deposition

The invention relates to a method of forming a vitrified sample on a sample holder for inspection in an electron microscope. It is known to spray a solution on a grid and then immerse the grid in a cryogenic liquid, such as ethane or liquid nitrogen. The invention proposes to spray small droplets of the liquid on a cryogenic surface, such as a grid or a sample holder in vacuum. The liquid forms vitrified sample material when hitting the surface due to the low temperature of the grid or sample holder. A lamella may be excavated from the thus formed sample material, to be studied in a TEM, or the vitrified sample material may be directly observed in a SEM. In an embodiment the material may be sprayed on a cryogenic liquid, to be scooped from the liquid and placed on a grid.

Forming a vitrified sample for electron microscopy

A method of depositing material onto a substrate at cryogenic temperatures using beam-induced deposition. A precursor gas is chosen from a group of compounds having a melting point that is lower than the cryogenic temperature of the substrate. Preferably the precursor gas is chosen from a group of compounds having a sticking coefficient that is between 0.5 and 0.8 at the desired cryogenic temperature. This will result in the precursor gas reaching equilibrium between precursor molecules adsorbed onto the substrate surface and precursor gas molecules desorbing from the substrate surface at the desired cryogenic temperature. Suitable precursor gases can comprise alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes. At a cryogenic temperature of between &#x2212;50&#xb0; C. and &#x2212;85&#xb0; C., hexane can be used as a precursor gas to deposit material; at a cryogenic temperature of between &#x2212;50&#xb0; C. and &#x2212;180&#xb0; C., propane can be used as a precursor gas.

Beam-induced deposition at cryogenic temperatures

A cathode ray tube comprising an electron source and an electron beam guidance cavity having an input aperture and an output aperture, wherein at least a part of the wall of the electron beam guidance cavity near the output aperture comprises an insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient &dgr; for cooperation with the cathode. Furthermore, the cathode ray tube comprises a first electrode which is connectable to a first power supply for applying, in operation, an electric field with a first field strength E between the cathode and the output aperture. &dgr; and E have values which allow electron transport through the electron beam guidance cavity. The cathode ray tube further comprises a conventional main lens to obtain a spot on a display screen. According to the invention, an electron lens is placed between the exit of the cavity and the main lens for directing the electron beam at a predetermined angle towards the entrance of the main lens.

Cathode ray tube

A particle optical apparatus, such as an ion implantation apparatus, an Auger electron spectrometer, an XPS analysis apparatus, and the like, is provided with a radiation source by means of which a wafer or substrate brought into the apparatus can be bombarded by radiation providing for at least a positively charged surface layer of the wafer or substrate. The apparatus further comprises a charge neutralization device with means for providing secondary electron emission and transport means for transporting secondary electrons. This transport means device is provided with a hollow insulating structure for controlled electron transport based on secondary electron emission, particularly in the form of an electron fibre with electrodes at the entrance and exit. The exit of the electron fibre forms a clean secondary electron source.

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Tilburg, Netherlands

Petrus Hubertus Franciscus Trompenaars