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.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 06, 2015

Filed:

Jan. 31, 2007
Applicants:

Hendrik Nicolaas Slingerland, Venlo, NL;

William Ralph Knowles, Newbury, MA (US);

Inventors:

Hendrik Nicolaas Slingerland, Venlo, NL;

William Ralph Knowles, Newbury, MA (US);

Assignee:

FEI Company, Hillsboro, OR (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01F 23/00 (2006.01); H01J 37/18 (2006.01); H01J 37/301 (2006.01); H01J 37/305 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01J 37/18 (2013.01); H01J 37/301 (2013.01); H01J 37/3056 (2013.01); H01J 2237/182 (2013.01); H01J 2237/2608 (2013.01); H01J 2237/28 (2013.01);
Abstract

The invention relates to a particle-optical apparatus with a predetermined final vacuum pressure. To that end a vacuum chamber of said apparatus is via a first restriction connected to a volume where vapor or gas is present at a known pressure and via a second restriction to a vacuum pump. By making the ratio of the two conductances, associated with said restrictions, a calibrated ratio, the final pressure of the vacuum chamber is a predetermined final pressure. This eliminates the need for e.g. vacuum gauges and control systems, resulting in a more compact design of such apparatus.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…