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:
Mar. 13, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 17, 2005
Yuichi Madokoro, Hitachinaka, JP;
Shigeru Izawa, Mito, JP;
Kaoru Umemura, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroyasu Kaga, Mito, JP;
Yuichi Madokoro, Hitachinaka, JP;
Shigeru Izawa, Mito, JP;
Kaoru Umemura, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroyasu Kaga, Mito, JP;
Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an aperture for use in an ion beam optical system having its surface coated with a liquid metal, instability of an ion source attributable to sputtering and re-deposition of an aperture base material is prevented. A focused ion beam apparatus using a liquid metal ion source has an aperture for limiting an ion beam diameter. The aperture has a vessel formed with a recess having, at its surface lowermost point, an aperture hole through which the ion beam passes and a liquid metal mounted on the recess, the liquid metal being used for the liquid metal ion source. Preferably, the aperture may be minimized in area of aperture entrance hole inner surface which exposes the base material by tapering an aperture hole portion, by which the ion beam passes, on the downstream side.