| JEOL LTD. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120128484 | Turbomolecular Pump and Connector Device Therefor - A connector device for coupling a turbomolecular pump to an apparatus to be pumped. The connector device can suppress transmission of vibrations of relatively low frequencies. The pump has a rotor, a casing accommodating the rotor therein, and an intake port and an outlet port formed in the casing. The pump operates to suck gas from the intake port and to expel the gas from the outlet port by rotating the rotor within the casing at high speed. The connecting device has a connecting exhaust tube for connecting the intake port of the turbomolecular pump with the outlet port of the apparatus (such as a vacuum vessel) to be pumped. An annular weight is disposed around the outer periphery of the connecting exhaust tube. A viscoelastic member is interposed between the connecting exhaust tube and the weight to form a vibration absorber. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120119107 | Method for Axial Alignment of Charged Particle Beam and Charged Particle Beam System - A method for axial alignment of a charged particle beam relative to at least three stages of multipole elements and a charged particle beam system capable of making the axial alignment. Some parts of the orbit of the beam or the distributions of three astigmatic fields, or both, are simultaneously translated in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis such that astigmatisms of the same order and same type due to axial deviations between successive ones of the astigmatic fields cancel. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120085905 | Tandem Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer - A tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer having enhanced duty cycle is offered. The inventive mass spectrometer has an ion storage means and a time-calculating means, in addition to the components of a normal tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The time-calculating means finds the time between the instant at which precursor ions are ejected from the ion storage means and the instant at which the ions arrive at a position inside the orthogonal acceleration region where the ions pass into the following first TOF ion optical system at a maximum passage efficiency. The precursor ions are accelerated in a pulsed manner according to the instant at which the ions reach the position giving the maximum passage efficiency. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120068062 | Method and Apparatus for Tandem Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry - Tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry method and apparatus permits an ion gate to be time set optimally at all times if the instrumental conditions are modified. Delayed extraction conditions for the mass-to-charge ratios of plural reference substances and optimum values of the time for which the ion gate is opened are measured and stored in a data table. Delayed extraction conditions and opening time of the ion gate which optimize the mass resolution at the mass-to-charge ratio of the desired precursor ions are found based on values stored in the table. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120061593 | Charged-Particle Beam Lithographic Apparatus and Lithographic Method Therefor - A charged-particle beam lithographic method is implemented by irradiating resist applied on a material surface with successive shots of a variably shaped charged-particle beam. A table is drawn up which indicates the relations of the distances of each shot of interest to adjacent shots to corresponding amounts of correction applied to sides of the shot of interest taking account of the influence of forward scattering. Corrective shot data is found from the table by translating the sides of the shot of interest located opposite to the adjacent shots. Corrective values for a proximity effect produced under the influence of backward scattering are calculated based on the corrective shot data. The shots of the beam are carried out based on the corrective shot data and on the corrective values. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20110291003 | Mass Spectrometer - A spectrometer is offered which can reduce ion loss compared with the prior art even when ions selected by the mass analyzer are modified. The spectrometer includes an ion source for ionizing a sample, an ion storage portion for repeatedly performing a storing operation for storing ions created by the ion source and an expelling operation for expelling the stored ions as pulsed ions, the mass analyzer for passing pulsed ions expelled from the ion storage portion and selecting desired ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio, a detector for detecting pulsed ions passed through the mass analyzer and outputting an analog signal responsive to the intensity of the detection, and a controller for maintaining constant the mass-to-charge ratio of the desired ions selected by the mass analyzer while pulsed ions including the desired ions are passing through the mass analyzer. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110284758 | Spherical Aberration Corrector and Method of Spherical Aberration Correction - A spherical aberration corrector and method is offered, which is easy to design and which can correct spherical aberration and even six-fold astigmatism in a charged particle beam instrument. The corrector has a first pair of multipole elements for producing a first pair of three-fold symmetric fields in which three-fold astigmatisms produced mutually are canceled out and a second pair of multipole elements for producing a second pair of three-fold symmetric fields in which three-fold astigmatisms produced mutually are canceled out. The second pair of multipole elements produce six-fold astigmatisms angularly spaced by 30° about an optical axis from six-fold astigmatisms produced by the first pair of multipole elements. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110284745 | Sample Holder, Inspection Apparatus, and Inspection Method - A sample holder, inspection apparatus, and an inspection method using the sample holder having a film including a first surface and a second surface. A liquid sample may be held on the first surface. The film is made of two or more layers. A primary beam irradiation device is installed in a reduced-pressure space. Consequently, the sample can be observed or inspected while maintaining the sample at the atmospheric pressure. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110241674 | Sample Tube and Measurement Method for Solid-State NMR - A solid-state NMR sample tube and method of using same which can be spun stably and at high speed while suppressing its bending resonance. A solid sample to be investigated by solid-state NMR spectroscopy can be sealed in the sample tube. The sample tube includes a hollow cylinder having opposite ends. At least one of the ends is open. The sample tube has a length L, an outside diameter D, and an inside diameter d which satisfy a given relationship disclosed herein. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110220786 | Tandem Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer - A tandem time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer is offered whose first mass analyzer is a TOF mass spectrometer having a flight distance smaller than the flight distance sufficient to impart a desired mass resolution to the first mass analyzer. When a mass spectrum is measured with the first mass analyzer, a reflectron field is activated. When precursor ions are selected by the first mass analyzer, the reflectron field is deactivated to permit ions to pass through without being reflected. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110187371 | Transmit-Receive Switching Circuit for NMR Spectrometer and NMR Spectrometer Incorporating Same - A transmit-receive switching circuit is offered which is for use in an NMR spectrometer that employs a solid-state NMR probe using a cooled detection coil. The switching circuit is cryogenically cooled to reduce thermal noise in use. The switching circuit has a first terminal for applying high-power RF pulses sent in from the power amplifier of the NMR spectrometer, a second terminal for sending the RF pulses applied from the first terminal to the NMR detector via crossed-diodes and for receiving and entering a low-power NMR signal detected by the NMR detector, and a third terminal for sending the NMR signal entered from the second terminal toward a preamplifier. Plural stages of shunts are connected to the transmission line connecting the second and third terminals such that one stage of shunt corresponds to a 90° phase shift in the RF radiation. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110174967 | Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer - A time-of-flight mass spectrometer has an ion transport region and a time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzer. The ion transport region includes a collision cell (ion storage region), a steady potential region, and a variable potential region such that the difference in potential between the steady potential region and the variable potential region when ions passed through the steady potential region enter the steady potential region increases with increasing mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The mass analyzer causes the ions transported via the transport region to be accelerated along another optical axis at a given acceleration timing and guides the ions toward a detector. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110139986 | Electron Microscope - An electron microscope has an electron beam source generating an accelerated electron beam, electromagnetic lenses for converging the electron beam, alignment coils for adjusting the optical axis of the beam transmitted through the lenses, a control unit for controlling the ambient around a specimen, at least one vacuum pump mounted in a given location of the electron optical column, a gas inlet device mounted near the specimen, an imager for creating an image based on a signal arising from the region of the specimen illuminated with the beam, an image output device for recording and displaying the image, and a computer for controlling these components. The computer finds the orifices to be used and diameters of orifices at which the pressure is maintained without electrical discharge in an electron beam source from the selected gas species and the pressure around the specimen. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110133073 | Method and Apparatus for Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry - A method and apparatus for time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. The apparatus improves the ion focusing properties in an orthogonal direction and permits connection with an orthogonal-acceleration ion source for improvement of sensitivity. The apparatus comprises an ion source for emitting ions in a pulsed manner, an analyzer for realizing a helical trajectory, and a detector for detecting the ions. The analyzer is composed of plural laminated toroidal electric fields to realize the helical trajectory. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110080171 | Method and Apparatus for Accurately Adjusting Magic Angle in NMR - Method and apparatus for accurately adjusting the magic angle in NMR. The NMR probe has a uniform magnetic field coil assembly disposed to produce a uniform magnetic field H. The uniform magnetic field H is produced by controlling the currents flowing through the uniform magnetic field coil assembly. The vector sum of the external field B | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110062326 | Method and System for Acquisition of Confocal Stem Images - Method and system to obtain confocal STEM images. Arithmetic and control device extracts diffraction images respectively corresponding to successive pixel positions from the images stored in the memory, selects and corrects center positions of the extracted diffraction images, creates an image set having diffraction information in which the center positions of the diffraction images have been corrected and aligned, selects only innermost portions of the diffraction images of the created image set, and reproduces STEM images from the diffraction images, thus obtaining a confocal STEM image. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110006209 | Electron Beam Apparatus - An electron beam apparatus has the electron optical column for releasing an electron beam from the front-end portion after the beam is emitted from an electron beam source located on a rear-end portion of the column, a specimen chamber connected to a front-end portion of the column, and an aperture member withdrawably disposed in the front-end portion of the column within the specimen chamber. The apparatus further includes a rotating mechanism for rotating the aperture member along a given plane lying along the direction of a path of the beam. Thus, the aperture member can be attached and detached to and from the front-end portion of the column. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20100321018 | High-Resolution NMR Probe - A high-resolution NMR probe is offered which is simple in structure and can be fabricated at low cost. The inside of the probe is maintained in a vacuum to adiabatically isolate the inside from the outside. Liquid helium is sent into a first heat exchanger located immediately close to a measurement portion via the innermost region of a triple tube placed in the vacuum. The helium is evaporated in the exchanger to cool a transmit-receive coil and a variable capacitor. The evaporated helium gas is returned via the outermost region of the triple tube. At this time, a radiation shield placed in the vacuum is cooled by a second heat exchanger placed in the return path. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100294932 | Magnetic Domain Imaging System - A magnetic domain imaging system is offered which permits application of a strong magnetic field to a specimen. The imaging system includes a transmission electron microscope having an objective lens. The specimen that is magnetic in nature is placed in the upper polepiece of the objective lens. An electron beam transmitted through the specimen is imaged and displayed on a display device. A field application coil assembly for applying a magnetic field to the specimen and two deflection coil assemblies for bringing the beam deflected by the field applied to the specimen back to the optical axis are mounted in the upper polepiece. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100284513 | Wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometer - An X-ray spectrometer which uses at least one curved analyzing crystal and which provides improved wavelength resolution of characteristic X-rays used for analysis and improved ratio of characteristic X-rays to background intensity by using only effective diffractive regions of the analyzing crystal. X-ray blocking plates upstand from an end of a crystal support member supporting the analyzing crystal in the direction of angular dispersion of the crystal toward the inside of a Rowland circle. Incident X-rays going from the point X-ray source toward the crystal and X-rays diffracted by the crystal toward an X-ray detector are partially blocked by the X-ray blocking plates. The shielded regions vary according to the incident angle θ of the incident X-rays. Optimum or nearly optimum effective regions of the surface of the crystal can be used at all times. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100243888 | Apparatus and Method for Inspecting Samples - An inspection apparatus and method capable of well observing or inspecting a specimen contained in a liquid. The inspection apparatus has a film including first and second surfaces. Furthermore, the apparatus has a vacuum chamber for reducing the pressure in the ambient in contact with the second surface of the film, primary beam irradiation column connected with the vacuum chamber, and a shutter for partially partitioning the space between the film and the primary beam irradiation column within the vacuum chamber. A liquid sample is held on the first surface of the film. The primary beam irradiation column irradiates the sample. Backscattered electrons (a secondary beam) produced from the sample by the primary beam irradiation are directed at the shutter, producing secondary electrons (a tertiary signal). | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100224781 | Electron Microscope - An electron microscope is offered which facilitates aberration correction even during high-magnification imaging. The microscope has a spherical aberration corrector, a transfer lens system mounted between the corrector and an objective lens, an aperture stop mounted in a stage preceding the corrector so as to be movable relative to the optical axis, and an angular aperture stop mounted at or near the principal plane of the transfer lens system movably relative to the optical axis to adjust the angular aperture of the electron beam. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100175154 | Apparatus for Controlling Z-Position of Probe - Apparatus of easily controlling the Z-position of the probe used in a microprobe analyzer. The apparatus has: (A) a holder, (B) a reference body having a reference surface that is at the same height as a surface of a sample, the reference body being placed on or in the holder, (C) a probe-positioning device for bringing the probe into contact with the reference surface, (D) a controller for controlling motion of the probe-positioning device in the Z-direction, (E) position-measuring apparatus for measuring the Z-coordinate of the probe at which it is in contact with the reference surface, (F) a memory for storing a positional coordinate outputted by the position-measuring apparatus, and (G) probe contact detection apparatus for detecting that the probe is in contact with the reference surface. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100163742 | Silicon Drift X-Ray Detector - A silicon drift detector has an X-ray detection device, an electrode terminal subassembly for electrical connection, a Peltier device, and first and second shields formed between the electrode terminal subassembly and the Peltier device. The first shield is made of a material consisting chiefly of an element having an atomic number smaller than the average atomic numbers of the elements included in the material of the Peltier device. The second shield is made of a material consisting chiefly of an element having an atomic number greater than the atomic numbers of the elements included in the material of the Peltier device | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100140471 | Electron Beam Apparatus And Method of Operating The Same - An electron beam apparatus is offered which can well detect backscattered electrons or both backscattered electrons and secondary electrons if an electron detector is disposed above an objective lens in the apparatus. The electron beam apparatus has an electron beam source for emitting an electron beam accelerated by a given accelerating voltage, the objective lens for focusing the electron beam emitted from the beam source onto a specimen, scan coils for scanning the focused beam over the specimen, and the electron detector located above the objective lens and provided with a hole permitting passage of the beam. The detector has an electrode for producing an electric field that attracts the electrons produced from the specimen in response to the electron beam irradiation. Correction coils for correcting deflection of the beam caused by the electric field are located below the detector. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100133448 | Object-Positioning Device for Charged-Particle Beam System - An object-positioning device comprises a rod-like object holder inserted in the chamber of a charged-particle beam system for moving the object outside the chamber, a support for slideably supporting at least a part of the side surface of the object holder, thus making the rear end of the holder outside the chamber a free end, and a vibration-absorbing portion mounted on the rear end of the object holder. The vibration-absorbing portion has an operating range in which vibrational frequencies in a translational direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the object holder are absorbed. The natural vibrational frequency of the object holder in the bending mode is included within the operating range of the vibration-absorbing portion. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100096549 | Sample Inspection Apparatus, Sample Inspection Method and Sample Inspection System - Sample inspection apparatus, sample inspection method, and sample inspection system are offered which can give a stimulus to a sample held on a film when the sample is inspected by irradiating it with a primary beam (e.g., an electron beam or other charged-particle beam) via the film. The apparatus has the film, a vacuum chamber, primary beam irradiation column, signal detector, and a controller for controlling the operations of the beam irradiation column and signal detector. The sample is held on a first surface of the film opened to permit access to the film. The vacuum chamber reduces the pressure of the ambient in contact with a second surface of the film. The irradiation column irradiates the sample with the primary beam via the film from the second surface side. The detector detects a secondary signal produced from the sample in response to the irradiation. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100084567 | Chromatic Aberration Corrector for Charged-Particle Beam System and Correction Method Therefor - An aberration corrector has two stages of multipole elements each of which has a thickness along the optical axis. Each multipole element produces a static electric or magnetic field of 3-fold symmetry and a static electromagnetic field of 2- or 3-fold symmetry superimposed on the static electric or magnetic field. In each of the multipole elements, the static electromagnetic field is so set that magnetic and electric deflecting forces on an electron beam accelerated by a given accelerating voltage substantially cancel out each other. Thus, chromatic aberration is corrected. Also, spherical aberration is corrected by the static electric or magnetic fields of 3-fold symmetry produced by the multipole elements. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100072995 | NMR Measurement Method - An NMR measurement method adapted for measurements on solid mixture samples starts with irradiating a pulse sequence to the sample in order to measure the longitudinal magnetization relaxation times of nuclei possessing homogeneous longitudinal magnetization relaxation times (step 1). After a lapse of a given period of time t, a high-resolution NMR spectrum is acquired by nullifying spin diffusion across the nuclei (step 2). The steps 1 and 2 are repeated while varying the period of time t. The high-resolution NMR spectra are classified according to value of longitudinal magnetization relaxation time by inverse Laplace transform. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100072387 | Aberration Corrector and Charged-Particle Beam System Equipped Therewith - An aberration corrector has two stages of dodecapole (12-pole) elements each of which has first through twelfth poles arranged in this order. Exciting coils of the (4n+1)th poles and the exciting coils of the (4n+2)th poles are alternately connected in series (where n=0, 1, or 2) to produce magnetic fields which are identical in absolute value but mutually opposite in sense relative to the optical axis within a plane perpendicular to the axis. The exciting coils of the (4n+3)th poles and the exciting coils of the (4n+4)th poles are alternately connected in series to produce magnetic fields which are identical in absolute value but mutually opposite in sense relative to the optical axis within the plane perpendicular to the axis. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100051803 | Particle Beam System - A particle beam system is offered which can prevent contamination of the inside of the objective lens, the objective lens being located at the front end of the optical column. The particle beam system has an optical column equipped with a particle beam source for emitting a particle beam and a beam passage pipe through which the beam passes. The system further includes a vacuum chamber connected with the front end portion of the column. The beam passed through the pipe is released from the front end of the column. An inner pipe is detachably disposed inside the beam passage pipe located at the front-end side of the column. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100019146 | Specimen Holder, Specimen Inspection Apparatus, and Specimen Inspection Method - Specimen holder, specimen inspection apparatus, and specimen inspection method for observing or inspecting a specimen consisting of cultured cells. The specimen holder has a body portion and a film. The body portion has a specimen-holding surface opened to permit access from the outside. The film has a first surface forming the specimen-holding surface. The specimen disposed on the first surface of the film can be irradiated with a primary beam for observation or inspection of the specimen via the film. A region coated with an electrically conductive film is formed on the bottom surface of the body portion facing away from the specimen-holding surface. An optically transparent region not coated with the electrically conductive film is also formed on the bottom surface. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20090314955 | Specimen Holder, Specimen Inspection Apparatus, and Specimen Inspection Method - A specimen holder is offered which can reduce the amount of chemical sprayed over a specimen consisting of cultured cells. The specimen holder has an open specimen-holding surface. At least a part of the specimen-holding surface is formed by a film and a tapering portion formed around the film. The specimen can be cultured on the specimen-holding surface of the film. The presence of the tapering portion can reduce the amount of used reagent. The specimen can be irradiated via the film with a primary beam for observation or inspection of the specimen. Consequently, the specimen, such as cells, can be well observed or inspected in vivo while the specimen is being cultured. Especially, if an electron beam is used as the primary beam, the specimen can be well observed or inspected in vivo by SEM (scanning electron microscopy). | 12-24-2009 |
| 20090310748 | Method and Apparatus for Analysis Using X-Ray Spectra - A method for precisely measuring and displaying the whole profile of an X-ray spectral waveform, which rises from a background level and finally returns to the background level after passing across a peak. X-rays are counted for a time interval of to at a spectral position, resulting in X-ray N counts not containing statistical fluctuations. A standard deviation Eo representing a variation accompanying the N counts is given by Sqrt(N). Where the variation is greater than a given magnitude (tolerance error Er for display) at a spectral position where the X-ray intensity is high, X-rays are counted for a time interval of tm longer than the time interval to, producing increased counts Nm. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090261829 | NMR Probe - An NMR probe is offered which enables a | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090256074 | Apparatus and Method for Inspection - Method and apparatus capable of observing a liquid sample. An optical image of the sample and an image using a primary beam, such as an electron beam or charged-particle beam, can be obtained at the same time. The apparatus has a film including a first surface on which the liquid sample is held. The primary beam irradiation column and optical image acquisition viewer are located on opposite sides of the film that acts to block light. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090250609 | Inspection Method and Reagent Solution - An electron microscope method for inspecting a liquid specimen and a reagent solution therefor. A culture medium and biological cells are put in the sample holder. A plugging agent is mixed into the liquid sample. The cells can be irradiated with a primary beam via a film. An image of the cells or information about the cells is obtained by detecting a resulting secondary signal. If the film is destroyed, the plugging agent plugs up the damaged portion of the film. Consequently, liquid leakage can be minimized. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090242762 | Apparatus and Method for Inspecting Sample - Method and apparatus have a film including a first surface to hold the liquid sample thereon, a vacuum chamber for reducing the pressure of an ambient in contact with a second surface of the film, primary beam irradiation means connected with the vacuum chamber and irradiating the sample with a primary beam via the film, signal detection means for detecting a secondary signal produced from the sample in response to the beam irradiation, a partitioning plate for partially partitioning off the space between the film and the primary beam irradiation means in the vacuum chamber, and a vacuum gauge for detecting the pressure inside the vacuum chamber. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090230319 | Specimen Stage-Moving Device for Charged-Particle Beam System - A charged-particle beam system is offered which is equipped with a Z-motion mechanism to enable tomography. The Z-motion mechanism includes a rotary disk having three tapering surfaces on which balls are nested. The rotary disk is rotated via a worm gear to cause the balls to go upward along the tapering surfaces. This pushes an overlying elevatable disk upward, i.e., in the Z-direction. Consequently, the specimen stage is pushed up in the Z-direction. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090230316 | Method of Suppressing Beam Position Drift, Method of Suppressing Beam Dimension Drift, and Charged-Particle Beam Lithography System - A lithography method and system have means for determining a convergence value d | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090212208 | Method and Apparatus for Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry - A method and apparatus for time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. The apparatus improves the ion focusing properties in an orthogonal direction and permits connection with an orthogonal-acceleration ion source for improvement of sensitivity. The apparatus comprises an ion source for emitting ions in a pulsed manner, an analyzer for realizing a helical trajectory, and a detector for detecting the ions. The analyzer is composed of plural laminated toroidal electric fields to realize the helical trajectory. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090189062 | Method of Calibrating Beam Position in Charged-Particle Beam System - A method of calibrating the beam position in a charged-particle beam system starts with finding a focus deviation on the material surface for each point within a deflection field. A focus correction voltage V | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090166536 | Sample Holder, Method for Observation and Inspection, and Apparatus for Observation and Inspection - A sample holder used in SEM (scanning electron microscopy) or TEM (transmission electron microscopy) permitting observation and inspection at higher resolution. The holder has a frame-like member provided with an opening that is covered with a film. The film has a first surface on which a sample is held. The thickness D of the film and the length L of the portion of the film providing a cover over the opening in the frame-like member satisfy a relationship given by L/D <200,000. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090159797 | Transmission Electron Microscope - An apparatus which permits high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) imaging comprises an electron gun, a specimen chamber in which a specimen is set, a gas cylinder for supplying environmental gas around the surface of the specimen through both a gas flow rate controller and a gas nozzle, a vacuum pump for evacuating the inside of the specimen chamber, an objective lens including upper and lower polepieces, a detector for detecting electrons transmitted through the specimen, a display device for displaying a transmission image of the specimen, orifice plates having minute holes, holders supporting the orifice plates, a drive mechanism for driving the holders, and a motion controller. The orifice plates can be moved in a direction crossing the optical axis of the beam on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower polepieces of the objective lens. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090126051 | Method and System for Sample Preparation - Method and system for preparing samples for use in electron microscopy. The method and system use a focused ion beam (FIB) instrument and a scanning electron microscope to improve the time efficiency of the FIB instrument. The FIB instrument incorporates machining means for preparing thin-film samples by ion beam irradiation. The scanning electron microscope incorporates a gas supply means and a manipulator equipped with a probe. The gas supply means ejects gas at the sample after it has been shifted from the FIB instrument together with a sample holder. The sample is irradiated with an electron beam while the gas is injected at the sample from the gas supply means under the condition where the probe is contacted with the sample. Thus, the sample is bonded to the probe. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090121130 | Orthogonal Acceleration Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer - An orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometer has: an ion source for ionizing a sample; a conductive box into which the ions are introduced; ion acceleration device causing the ions to be accelerated in a pulsed manner in synchronism with a signal giving a starting point of measurement; and ion detector for detecting the ions in synchronism with the acceleration of the ions. The conductive box is provided with an ion injection port and an ion exit port. A lift voltage is applied to the conductive box. This voltage is switched in synchronism with the signal giving the starting point of the measurement. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090090619 | Thin-Film Deposition System - A thin-film deposition system has a vacuum chamber and a plasma generator. The plasma generator includes a case, a cathode disposed in the case, an anode assembly disposed at an end of the case, a discharge power supply for applying a discharge voltage between the cathode and the anode assembly, and a gas supply means for supplying a discharge gas into the case. Electrons within a first plasma produced in the case are extracted into the vacuum chamber according to the discharge voltage. An evaporated material in a gaseous state inside the vacuum chamber is irradiated with electrons emitted from the plasma generator to produce a second plasma. The potential at the anode assembly is controlled by anode potential-controlling means such that the electrons within the second plasma are directed at the plasma generator and the ions within the second plasma are directed at the substrate. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090057552 | Mass Spectrometer Equipped With MALDI Ion Source and Sample Plate for MALDI Ion Source - A mass spectrometer is equipped with a MAILDI ion source facilitating both individual management of sample plates and mass calibration based on information about distortion in the sample plates. Also, sample plates adapted to be used in the MALDI ion source are provided. Identification information about each sample plate and information about distortion, i.e., topography, in the surface of the sample plate are engraved on the surface of the sample plate. These sets of information are also registered as an electronic file. During measurement, these sets of information are read by observation means and used for individual management of sample plates and mass calibration of mass spectra. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090052620 | Apparatus and Method for X-Ray Analysis of Chemical State - A state analysis using characteristic X-rays of higher-order diffractions. The name of an element undergoing a state analysis, a species of characteristic X-rays, and a diffraction order are entered from an input device. A measurement control unit reads data about the wavelengths of first-order lines from a storage device in accordance with the specified species of the characteristic X-rays, and finds the actual spectral wavelength position and range of measured wavelengths based on the diffraction order. | 02-26-2009 |
| 20090045337 | Charged-Particle Beam Instrument - A charged-particle beam instrument (such as a transmission electron microscope) which facilitates modifying the diameters of aperture stops installed above and below (on the beam entrance and exit sides) the specimen chamber and exchanging the aperture stops. The instrument has bottom and bottom polepieces forming the specimen chamber, aperture stops each having plural holes, pushing mechanisms for pushing the aperture stops against the polepieces and supporting the stops, and stop drive mechanisms for sliding the aperture stops in a direction perpendicular to the path of the beam in response to a manipulation performed outside the electron optical column. The aperture stops are made of a metal foil or sheet and provide a cover over the opening of at least one beam passage hole in the polepieces that faces into the specimen chamber. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090032739 | Method and System for Charged-Particle Beam Lithography - Charged-particle beam lithography method and system. The lithography system has a map creation unit and a lithographic data creation unit. The map creation unit creates a proximity effect correction amount map from pattern data supplied from a pattern data file, pattern layout information, a foggy error correction amount map, loading effect correction amount maps, a process error correction amount map, a transfer error correction amount map, proximity effect correction parameters, and a proximity effect correction map. The lithographic data creation unit creates lithographic data based on the pattern data from the pattern data file, creates shot time data based on the proximity effect correction amount map from the map creation unit, and attaches the created shot time data to the lithographic data. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090032709 | Aberration Correction System - An aberration correction system for use in an electron microscope and which produces a negative spherical aberration and corrects a higher-order aberration. The aberration correction system has three stages of multipole elements which, respectively, produce fields of 3-fold symmetry with respect to the optical axis. Any two stages of multipole elements are disposed in directions not to cancel out the 3-fold fields. However, the three stages of multipole elements are so disposed as to cancel out 3-fold astigmatisms. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090026365 | Instrument and Method for Tandem Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry - A novel instrument and method for TOF/TOF mass spectrometry is offered. A spiral trajectory time-of-flight mass spectrometer satisfies the spatial focusing conditions for the direction of flight and a direction orthogonal to the direction of flight whenever ions make a turn in the spiral trajectory. An ion gate for selecting precursor ions is placed in the spiral trajectory of the spiral trajectory time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Electric sectors are placed downstream of the ion gate. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090014664 | Specimen Holder for Electron Microscope - The present invention provides a specimen holder for use with an electron microscope. The specimen holder has a retainer mounted at the front end of the body of the specimen holder. The retainer has a plate member provided with a hole around its front end. The hole provides a reference in securing the whole specimen for a desired field of view. A circular groove is formed in the plate member and used to place the specimen in position. Any members lying perpendicularly to the tilted axis at the position of the specimen are cut out. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20080308731 | Specimen Holder, Specimen Inspection Apparatus, Specimen Inspection Method, and Method of Fabricating Specimen Holder - A specimen holder, a specimen inspection apparatus, and a specimen inspection method permitting a specimen consisting of cultured cells to be observed or inspected. Also, a method of fabricating the holder is offered. The holder has an open specimen-holding surface. At least a part of this surface is formed by a film. A specimen cultured on the specimen-holding surface of the film can be irradiated via the film with a primary beam for observation or inspection of the specimen. Consequently, the cultured specimen (e.g., cells) can be observed or inspected in vitro. Especially, if an electron beam is used as the primary beam, the specimen in vitro can be observed or inspected by SEM. Because the specimen-holding surface is open, a manipulator can gain access to the specimen. A stimulus can be given to the specimen using the manipulator. The reaction can be observed or inspected. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080297156 | NMR Probe - An NMR probe permits measurements to be made with its inner coil without replacing the probe. The NMR probe has three coils disposed to surround a sample tube. An inner coil can resonate with the HF and LF. An intermediate coil can resonate with the HF and LF, and produces an RF magnetic field perpendicular to the RF field produced by the inner coil. An outermost coil can resonate at least at a lock frequency. The outermost coil produces an RF magnetic field which is perpendicular to the RF field produced by the intermediate coil but which is coincident in direction with the RF field produced by the inner coil. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080283766 | Autofocus Method for Scanning Charged-Particle Beam Instrument - An autofocus method for bringing an electron beam into focus on a specimen. Characteristics of the brightness at plural kinds of focus values are found for sets of data. The characteristics are accumulated creating a focus function. The focus function is approximated by a quadratic curve. The focus value at the peak point is found from the quadratic curve. Based on the focus value, the focal condition of the beam is set. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080229813 | Phase Feedback AFM and Control Method Therefor - A phase feedback AFM (atomic force microscope) and method for the phase feedback AFM. A cantilever is driven to oscillate at a constant frequency close to the resonance frequency of the cantilever by a driving signal. The distance between the probe and the sample is controlled such that the phase difference between the driving signal and a cantilever deflection signal indicating deflections of the cantilever is kept constant. The phase feedback AFM has an amplifier-controller for receiving the cantilever deflection signal, the output from an oscillator for driving the cantilever into oscillation, and a signal representing a reference amplitude of oscillation of the cantilever. The phase feedback AFM further includes a feedback circuit which receives the output from the amplifier-controller which controls the cantilever deflection signal to a preset amplitude. | 09-25-2008 |
