The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 23, 1991
Filed:
Nov. 17, 1989
Alan R Bayly, Haywards Heath, GB;
VG Instruments Group Limited, Crawley, GB;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the micro-analysis of a sample surface wherein a mass analyzer is used to analyze secondary ions emitted from the surface in response to the impact of primary radiation. The method comprises: extracting the secondary ions in an electric extraction field maintained by applying an extraction potential difference between the sample and an extraction means, and also maintaining an accelerating potential difference between the sample and the mass analyzer thereby increasing the kinetic energy of the secondary ions to be substantially equal to the energy required for analysis in the mass analyzer; the extraction potential difference being less than the accelerating potential difference. In this way the extraction field can be controlled independently of the accelerating potential between the sample and the mass analyzer.