Charged particle beam deflection device

Abstract

The invention relates to a charged particle beam deflection device. The charged particle beam deflection device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode is provided with a first through hole, and the second electrode is provided with a second through hole. The central axis of the first through hole is a first axis, the central axis of the second through hole is a second axis, and the first axis and the second axis are located on the same plane and form a certain included angle. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged at an interval, and an area therebetween forms a deflection area. Different voltages are applied to the first electrode and the second electrode respectively, a non-axisymmetric electric field can be formed in the deflection area, and therefore the deflection direction of the charged particle beam penetrating through the deflection area is regulated and controlled. Through an innovatively designed electrode structure and a non-axisymmetric electric field constructed by the electrode structure, integrated regulation and control of particle beam deflection and focusing are realized, neutral particle noise is remarkably inhibited, the signal-to-noise ratio is greatly improved, adhesion pollution of neutral particles on the surface of a downstream device is effectively reduced, and the device has a good application prospect. Therefore, the maintenance period of the equipment is obviously prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of charged particle beam manipulation technology, specifically a charged particle beam deflection device suitable for mass spectrometers, which can precisely control and deflect the flight path of charged particle beams such as electrons and ions. Background Technology

[0002] Deflection of charged particle beams is the core function for their directional transmission, scanning, imaging, and multiplexing. Currently, the mainstream technologies for deflection are mainly divided into two categories: magnetic deflection and electrostatic deflection. Among them, electrostatic deflection devices are widely used in many scenarios with strict requirements on real-time performance, power consumption, and space due to their advantages such as fast response speed, no need for excitation power, and immunity to residual magnetic field effects.

[0003] The most common electrostatic deflector is the parallel plate electrode structure, which consists of two parallel, insulated metal plates. When a voltage is applied between the plates, a uniform electrostatic field is generated. When a vertically incident charged particle beam passes through this region, it experiences an electrostatic force perpendicular to its initial velocity, resulting in a parabolic trajectory, similar to projectile motion. Despite its simple structure, the parallel plate deflector has several inherent and insurmountable drawbacks: First, it has a single function and a fixed deflection direction. The electric field generated by this deflector is approximately uniform between the plates, with a fixed direction, and the deflection direction is basically perpendicular to the electrode plane. To achieve deflection in different directions, the particle beam needs to be guided to another set of parallel plate deflectors with different orientations, or the entire set of deflectors needs to be physically rotated, resulting in extremely poor flexibility. Second, it can only achieve deflection and lacks focusing capability. The uniform electric field can only produce a general translational deflection effect on the particle beam and cannot focus or defocus the beam itself. However, in practical systems, charged particle beams naturally diverge due to space charge effects, necessitating the introduction of electrostatic or magnetic focusing lenses independently and in series within the transmission optical path. This separation of the deflection and focusing units directly leads to increased system complexity and length. Third, it cannot handle neutral particle noise. In many ion beam applications such as ion implantation and mass spectrometry, the beam is often contaminated with neutral particles generated by charge exchange. The uniform electric field of the parallel plate deflector has no effect on neutral particles; these particles act as noise directly to the target, causing background interference, sample contamination, or signal distortion, severely impacting the equipment's purity and accuracy.

[0004] Chinese patent document CN121075897A discloses an ion lens assembly, which includes a deflection lens assembly and a return-axis lens assembly arranged sequentially. The deflection lens assembly deflects the ion beam in a first direction; the return-axis lens assembly deflects the ion beam in a second direction opposite to the first direction, ultimately making the optical axis of the ion beam parallel to or coincident with the initial optical axis. Its key improvement lies in the spatial misalignment and non-overlapping of the projected contours of the ion extraction aperture and the subsequent collimation aperture in the deflection assembly. Through this optical path design, charged ions are deflected and return to their original axis under the action of an electric field, while neutral particles, unaffected by the electric field, move in a straight line and are physically blocked, thus achieving efficient neutral particle separation. Furthermore, the misalignment design of the extraction aperture further reduces the probability of noise transmission, improving the detection signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range. Although the ion lens assembly achieves the physical separation of ion deflection and neutral particles through a combination of deflection and return-axis lenses, it essentially separates the two functions of deflection and return-axis, which are accomplished by two independent lens assemblies connected in series. This design directly results in a significantly longer optical path and a more complex structure for the system.

[0005] Chinese patent document CN120015596A discloses a deflector composed of multiple flat coils. This deflector includes two pairs of flat coils, with two coils in each pair arranged around an axis on opposite sides. These flat coils have a simple structure, are easy to manufacture with precision, and can actively compensate for particle beam astigmatism by asymmetrically arranging the coils (e.g., by giving them a specific radial displacement). The disadvantages of this deflector mainly stem from the inherent properties of its technical principle. As an electromagnetic deflection scheme, it requires coil excitation to generate a magnetic field to achieve deflection, thus resulting in relatively slow response speed, potential hysteresis effects, and coil heating, which is particularly disadvantageous in scenarios requiring rapid deflection or extremely high thermal stability. Furthermore, the machining accuracy, winding accuracy, and thermal deformation control during operation of the flat coils all present additional engineering challenges. Compared to electrostatic deflection schemes, this electromagnetic deflection scheme has fundamental limitations in achieving rapid deflection, low-power operation, and flexible deflection without thermal disturbance.

[0006] Chinese patent document CN222281923U discloses a compact ion deflection device, the main body of which is a shell with a U-shaped channel. A first quadrupole in the shape of a U is disposed inside the U-shaped channel, and second quadrupoles are respectively disposed at the openings at both ends of the channel. By applying a specific voltage to each quadrupole, a desired composite electric field can be formed inside the U-shaped channel. The disadvantage of this device is its rigid structure and lack of flexibility. Its deflection path and deflection angle are mainly predetermined and strictly limited by the geometry of the physical U-shaped channel, making it difficult to flexibly and continuously change the deflection direction and angle by adjusting the angles or positions between components, as is possible with solutions based on simple electrodes.

[0007] Chinese patent document CN120809558A discloses a charged particle beam deflection electrostatic lens, the core of which lies in the electrode structure and electric field design. The lens mainly includes an on-axis electrode, at least one off-axis electrode, and a power distribution module. Each electrode can be designed as a simple rotationally symmetric structure with a through-hole. The power distribution module configures different potentials for the on-axis and off-axis electrodes, thereby generating a specific non-axisymmetric electric field within the lens. This non-axisymmetric electric field can simultaneously generate deflection and focusing forces on the passing charged particle beam, thus achieving simultaneous deflection and focusing. The lens's deflection function mainly relies on fixed electrode positions and voltage adjustments, making it difficult to achieve continuous and wide-range adjustment of the deflection angle through simple mechanical adjustments. Furthermore, this technical solution does not address how to eliminate or suppress neutral particle noise in the beam, failing to solve the interference problem caused by neutral particles.

[0008] US Patent document US8796620 B2 discloses a compact single-stage charged particle deflecting lens that generates a cylindrical symmetric electric field within a cylindrical lens body by applying an electric potential. This electric field guides the incident ion beam through the inlet aperture, through the central axis within the lens, bends and focuses, and then exits through the outlet aperture. However, the fundamental drawback of this deflecting lens lies in its fixed function and lack of flexibility. It uses a complex and precisely manufactured cylindrical electrode body to generate a fixed, cylindrical symmetric electric field, binding the deflection and focusing functions at a specific angle to a single device in a one-time, unadjustable manner. In contrast, this invention allows for flexible control of the deflection angle and focusing effect through dual-degree-of-freedom adjustment of both the angle and voltage.

[0009] In summary, existing charged particle beam deflection technologies either suffer from insufficient flexibility in adjusting deflection direction and angle, low functional integration, and complex system structure, or are unable to effectively handle neutral particle noise, or have fundamental limitations such as response speed and thermal stability. These limitations make it difficult to meet the comprehensive requirements of precision equipment such as mass spectrometers for deflection accuracy, structural compactness, signal-to-noise ratio, and system integration adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0010] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a charged particle beam deflection device.

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0012] A charged particle beam deflection device includes a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart; a first through hole is formed on the first electrode, and a second through hole is formed on the second electrode; the central axis of the first through hole is a first axis, and the central axis of the second through hole is a second axis; the first axis and the second axis are coplanar and intersect, forming an included angle between them;

[0013] The projection of the first through hole onto the second electrode partially overlaps with, but does not completely coincide with, the projection of the second through hole onto the first electrode partially overlaps with, but does not completely coincide with, the first through hole;

[0014] The first electrode and the second electrode are spaced apart, and the area between them constitutes a deflection region. By applying different voltages to the first electrode and the second electrode respectively, a non-axisymmetric electric field is formed in the deflection region to regulate the deflection direction of the charged particle beam passing through the deflection region. The deflection angle and deflection direction of the charged particle beam are jointly controlled by the angle between the first axis and the second axis and the voltage applied to the two electrodes.

[0015] Furthermore, the included angle between the first axis and the second axis ranges from 5° to 85°.

[0016] Furthermore, the device also includes a third electrode; the third electrode has a third through hole, and the central axis of the third through hole is a third axis;

[0017] The first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are located on the same plane, and the second axis intersects the first axis and the third axis respectively. The first axis and the third axis are parallel and not collinear.

[0018] The projection of the first through hole on the second electrode partially overlaps with the second through hole but not completely; the projection of the first through hole on the third electrode has no overlapping area with the third through hole; the projection of the second through hole on the first electrode partially overlaps with the first through hole but not completely; the projection of the second through hole on the third electrode partially overlaps with the third through hole but not completely; the projection of the third through hole on the first electrode has no overlapping area with the first through hole; the projection of the third through hole on the second electrode partially overlaps with the second through hole but not completely.

[0019] The first electrode and the second electrode, and the second electrode and the third electrode are all spaced apart, forming the first deflection region and the second deflection region, respectively. By applying different voltages to the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode, non-axisymmetric electric fields are formed in the first deflection region and the second deflection region, respectively, so as to control the deflection direction of the charged particle beam passing through the first deflection region and the second deflection region, and realize multi-level deflection.

[0020] Furthermore, the angle range between the first axis and the second axis, and the angle range between the second axis and the third axis are both 5° to 85°.

[0021] Furthermore, each electrode can be any one of a sheet electrode, a plate electrode, or a block electrode.

[0022] Furthermore, each electrode has a uniform thickness.

[0023] Furthermore, at least one of the first, second, and third electrodes adopts a non-uniform thickness structure; the adjacent surfaces of adjacent electrodes are parallel to each other and have a predetermined interval; each electrode has a through hole, and the through holes together form a channel for charged particles to pass through.

[0024] Furthermore, the charged particle beam deflection device includes an array structure consisting of at least two symmetrically placed deflection units; each deflection unit includes a first electrode and a second electrode, or includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode.

[0025] Furthermore, each electrode is made of metal or a non-metal with a conductive coating.

[0026] Furthermore, the through holes on each electrode can be any shape, such as circular, elliptical, or polygonal.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are:

[0028] (1) This invention, through the design of a novel electrode structure and a matching non-axisymmetric electric field, enables integrated control of deflection and focusing, significantly reducing neutral particle noise and expanding the controllable deflection angle and spatial range. Specifically, this invention uses simple electrodes (the through holes on the electrodes can be circular, square, or elliptical), defining the deflection mechanism by the angle (5-85 degrees) between the central axes of the through holes on the two electrodes, and achieving deflection of the charged particle beam by applying voltage to the electrodes. The charged particle beam deflection device of this invention has a relatively simple overall structure, lower requirements for manufacturing precision, and effectively reduces manufacturing costs. The charged particle beam deflection device of this invention supports bidirectional control of the deflection angle from negative to positive. By adjusting the electrode angle or voltage difference, it can achieve a wider range of angle deflection and fine adjustment of the minute deflection of the charged particle beam.

[0029] (2) This invention creatively utilizes the non-uniform electric field generated by non-parallel electrodes to construct a highly integrated, functionally composite charged particle beam deflection unit, successfully solving several long-standing technical problems in compact charged particle beam devices. In the field of charged particle optics, for the functional requirements of beam deflection, focusing, and neutral particle filtering, there has long been a design convention: namely, using a combination of functionally discrete components. Specifically, the industry commonly uses parallel plate capacitors to achieve pure deflection, electrostatic lenses to achieve focusing, and separators or deflectors to remove neutral particles. This modular stacking design leads to a complex system structure, large size, and high cost. Furthermore, the electric fields between the discrete components interfere with each other, requiring complex matching and compensation to ensure system stability, significantly reducing the integration and reliability of the equipment. This invention breaks through the above design convention by directly constructing a composite electric field with deflection, focusing, and neutral particle separation functions through a pair of electrodes with a preset angle and independently adjustable voltage, without the need for additional discrete functional modules, fundamentally solving the technical problems in the prior art. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the charged ion beam deflection device in this invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a simulation diagram of the charged ion beam deflection device in this invention;

[0032] Figure 3 Simulation diagrams of charged particle beam deflection devices with different deflection directions;

[0033] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a charged particle beam deflection device consisting of three electrodes;

[0034] Figure 5 A simulation diagram of a charged particle beam deflection device consisting of three electrodes;

[0035] Figure 6 A simulation diagram of a charged particle beam deflection device composed of electrodes of non-uniform thickness;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a simulation diagram of an array-structured charged particle beam deflection device.

[0037] in:

[0038] 101. First electrode; 102. First through hole; 103. First axis; 104. Second electrode; 105. Second through hole; 106. Second axis; 107. Angle between the first axis and the second axis; 108. Third through hole; 109. Third axis; 110. Angle between the second axis and the third axis; 111. Third electrode; 201. Source chamber; 202. Charged particle beam deflection trajectory one; 203. First deflection region; 204. Second deflection region; 205. Charged particle beam deflection trajectory two; 206. Charged particle beam deflection trajectory three; 207. Charged particle beam deflection trajectory four; 208. Charged particle beam deflection trajectory five; 209. Axis. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To provide a better understanding of the structural features and effects achieved by the present invention, a detailed description is provided below, accompanied by preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings:

[0040] The charged particle beam deflection device described in this invention is used in conjunction with a source chamber. The source chamber generates charged particles and outputs them to the charged particle beam deflection device, which is located at the particle output end of the source chamber. This invention, through an innovatively designed novel electrode structure and its matching non-axisymmetric electric field, achieves integrated control of particle beam deflection and focusing. This not only significantly reduces and suppresses neutral particle noise and greatly improves the signal-to-noise ratio, but also effectively expands the controllable deflection angle and spatial range, reducing the adhesion and contamination of neutral particles on the downstream device surface, thereby significantly extending the equipment's maintenance cycle. This invention achieves flexible control of the charged particle beam deflection angle and focusing effect through dual-degree-of-freedom adjustment of the angle and voltage.

[0041] Example 1

[0042] like Figure 1The charged particle beam deflection device shown includes a first electrode 101 and a second electrode 104 spaced apart. A first through-hole 102 is formed on the first electrode 101, and a second through-hole 105 is formed on the second electrode 104. The central axis of the first through-hole 102 is a first axis 103, and the central axis of the second through-hole 105 is a second axis 106. The first axis 103 and the second axis 106 are coplanar and intersect, forming an angle 107 between them. This structure constructs a non-axisymmetric gradient electric field through an innovative configuration between the electrodes. Relying on the dual-degree-of-freedom control of the electrode angle and voltage, it efficiently achieves the integrated function of charged particle beam deflection and focusing. Simultaneously, it cleverly utilizes the inherent characteristic of neutral particle beams moving in a straight line to complete noise filtering of neutral particles. This effectively solves the problems of functional separation, complex structure, and insufficient deflection flexibility existing in the prior art. It has advantages such as simple structure, low manufacturing cost, and wide applicability, and is particularly suitable for precision equipment such as mass spectrometers that have stringent requirements for accuracy and integration, significantly improving the operational stability and detection accuracy of such equipment.

[0043] Specifically, the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104 are spaced apart without any contact points, and the area between them constitutes a deflection region. By applying different voltages to the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104 respectively, the deflection direction of the charged particle beam passing through the deflection region can be controlled.

[0044] Furthermore, the projection of the first through-hole 102 onto the second electrode 104 partially overlaps with, but does not completely coincide with, the projection of the second through-hole 105 onto the first electrode 101 partially overlaps with, but does not completely coincide with, the first through-hole 102. This design effectively suppresses the direct passage of neutral particles and reduces noise interference. On the other hand, it avoids the functional separation of the focusing electric field and the deflection electric field, enabling the device to simultaneously deflect the particle beam and focus it, while ensuring that the deflection process does not adversely affect the focusing performance of the ion beam, thus guaranteeing stable beam quality.

[0045] The central axis (first axis 103) of the first through hole 102 on the first electrode 101 and the central axis (second axis 106) of the second through hole 105 on the second electrode 104 are coplanar and intersecting. This feature directly defines the geometric relationship that the first axis 103 and the second axis 106 are on the same plane, but are not parallel or coincident. When different voltages are applied to the two electrodes, a non-axisymmetric electric field with gradient nonlinear variation in both direction and intensity is formed in the deflection region between the two electrodes. This electric field can not only provide deflection force for the charged particle beam, driving the trajectory of the charged particle beam to deviate; it also has an electrostatic lens effect, which can achieve focusing constraint on the charged particle beam, thereby realizing the integration of deflection and focusing functions. In addition, the two electrodes are separated by a gap without any contact points, which can ensure that the two electrodes are completely independent and avoid the risk of short circuit, while the gap between the two electrodes forms the deflection region. This invention utilizes a geometric structure with non-parallel coplanar axes, combined with electrical control of the independent voltage difference between two electrodes, to actively construct a complex but controllable electric field environment. When a charged particle beam passes through this deflection region, its trajectory is subjected to the combined effect of the nonlinear electric field, ultimately achieving a change and control over the transmission direction.

[0046] The deflection angle and direction of the charged particle beam are jointly controlled by the angle between the first axis 103 and the second axis 106 and the voltage applied to the two electrodes. Specifically, the deflection angle and direction of the charged particle beam can be adjusted in two ways: first, mechanical adjustment, which adjusts the relative positions of the first and second electrodes (such as the angle between the axes and the relative positions of the through holes) to initially determine the electric field distribution and adjust the deflection direction of the particle beam; second, electrical adjustment, which adjusts the voltage parameters of the two electrodes to quickly and accurately switch the deflection direction of the particle beam while keeping the mechanical structure fixed. The above mechanical and electrical adjustment methods complement each other: mechanical adjustment is suitable for basic direction presets, which helps ensure the structural reliability of the device during long-term operation; while electrical adjustment supports dynamic, high-speed, and precise direction switching, significantly improving the control flexibility and application adaptability of the system. The combination of the two makes the device both highly stable and highly responsive, meeting diverse operational needs.

[0047] This invention innovatively proposes a principle based on the coordinated control of angle and voltage dual degrees of freedom to achieve flexible regulation of the deflection behavior of charged particle beams. The angle between the central axes of the through-holes on the two electrodes is a key parameter for balancing deflection and focusing performance: increasing this angle increases the spatial rate of change of the electric field gradient, thereby enhancing the deflection capability of the particle beam and facilitating large-angle deflection; however, an excessively large angle may lead to a decrease or even loss of focusing capability, negatively impacting beam quality. Conversely, decreasing the angle, while reducing deflection capability and suitable for small-scale, fine-tuning scenarios, typically yields better focusing results, helping to maintain beam quality. Therefore, setting the angle essentially involves finding a balance between deflection capability and focusing performance to meet specific application requirements. Once the angle is determined, the deflection angle and direction can be precisely fine-tuned under this electric field configuration by adjusting the voltage applied to the two electrodes: increasing the voltage difference further amplifies the deflection angle, while reversing the voltage polarity enables rapid switching of the deflection direction.

[0048] In summary, this invention sets the deflection-focusing working range by mechanically adjusting the included angle and achieves high-precision dynamic control within this range by electrically adjusting the voltage, thereby achieving a good synergy between wide-range adjustment capability and beam quality assurance.

[0049] Furthermore, each electrode can be any one of a sheet electrode, a plate electrode, or a block electrode, and each electrode has a uniform thickness. Preferably, the shape of the electrode is any one of a circle, an ellipse, a quadrilateral, or other polygons. This design can be adapted to different scenario requirements through different mechanical structures.

[0050] Furthermore, the included angle 107 between the first axis 103 and the second axis 106 ranges from 5° to 85°. This angle range is a key parameter determined through system optimization. Within this range, the deflection device can generate a sufficient lateral electric field to achieve effective deflection, while maintaining a moderate focusing electric field to form a beneficial focusing effect.

[0051] Furthermore, the first through hole 102 and the second through hole 105 can be any shape selected from circles, ellipses, squares, or other polygons. This design demonstrates the flexibility and adaptability of the invention's structure, indicating that the invention is applicable to various hole types, thus broadening the scope of protection and application scenarios.

[0052] Furthermore, the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104 are made of metal or non-metal with a conductive coating.

[0053] The charged particle beam deflection device described in this embodiment is used in conjunction with the source chamber 201. The source chamber 201 generates charged particles and outputs them to the charged particle beam deflection device, which is located at the particle output end of the source chamber 201. The simulation results of the charged particle beam trajectory of the charged particle beam deflection device in this embodiment are as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown. From Figure 2 and Figure 3 It can be seen that the charged particles generated by the source chamber 201 pass through the region under the action of the electric field formed between the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104, forming a corresponding charged particle beam trajectory 202. Applying different voltages to the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104, the region between the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104 constitutes a first deflection region 203. The electric field formed in the deflection region 203 is a non-axisymmetric electric field with nonlinear direction and intensity exhibiting a gradient change. This electric field not only provides a deflection force to the charged particle beam, causing its trajectory to shift, but also has an electrostatic lens effect, enabling focusing of the charged particle beam, thus achieving integrated deflection and focusing functions. By adjusting the voltage applied to the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104, the deflection angle of the charged particle beam trajectory can be adjusted, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The comparison of the deflection trajectories of charged particle beams is shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The deflection devices have the same structure. By changing the voltage applied to the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104, charged particle beam deflection trajectories 1-202 and 2-205 with different deflection angles can be obtained.

[0054] Example 2

[0055] Based on the charged particle beam deflection device described in Embodiment 1, this device further includes a third electrode. For example... Figure 4As shown, the charged particle beam deflection device in this embodiment includes a first electrode 101, a second electrode 104, and a third electrode 111. The first electrode 101 has a first through-hole 102, the central axis of which is a first axis 103. The second electrode 104 has a second through-hole 105, the central axis of which is a second axis 106. The third electrode 111 has a third through-hole 108, the central axis of which is a third axis 109. The first axis 103, the second axis 106, and the third axis 109 are located on the same plane, and the second axis 106 intersects both the first axis 103 and the third axis 109. The first axis 106 and the third axis 109 are parallel but not collinear. The projection of the first through-hole 102 onto the second electrode 104 partially overlaps with, but does not completely coincide with, the projection of the second through-hole 105 onto the first electrode 101 partially overlaps with, but does not completely coincide with, the first through-hole 102 onto, the first through-hole 102. The projection of the second through hole 105 onto the third electrode 111 partially overlaps with, but does not completely coincide with, the projection of the third through hole 108 onto the second electrode 104 partially overlaps with, but does not completely coincide with, the second through hole 105. The projection of the first through hole 102 onto the third electrode 111 has no overlapping area with the third through hole 108, and the projection of the third through hole 108 onto the first electrode 101 has no overlapping area with the first through hole 102. The angle range between the first axis 103 and the second axis 106, and the angle range between the second axis 106 and the third axis 109, are both 5° to 85°. Preferably, the shapes of the first through hole 102, the second through hole 105, and the third through hole 108 are any one of a circle, an ellipse, a square, or other polygons.

[0056] This embodiment introduces a third electrode 111 based on the dual-electrode deflection structure, forming a three-electrode staggered through-hole configuration. Specifically, the first axis and the third axis are parallel but not collinear, the second axis intersects both the first and third axes, the through-hole projections on adjacent electrodes partially overlap, and the through-hole projections on the first and last electrodes (the first and third electrodes) are completely non-overlapping. This design achieves efficient physical blocking of neutral particles through the spatial stagger of the first and last through-holes. Neutral particles, being unaffected by the electric field, propagate in a straight line and cannot simultaneously pass through the third through-hole, which does not overlap with the first through-hole, thus being effectively filtered out. Charged particles, on the other hand, are deflected sequentially in the two-stage deflection electric field formed by the three electrodes, and ultimately, due to the parallelism of the first and last axes, the outgoing direction is basically consistent with the incident direction, achieving a deflected and aligned optical path. Therefore, this embodiment can significantly suppress neutral particle noise and greatly improve the signal-to-noise ratio without almost affecting the charged particle beam transmission direction and focusing performance, while maintaining the advantages of a compact structure and no need for complex adjustment mechanisms, combining high functionality and engineering feasibility.

[0057] Furthermore, each electrode can be any one of a sheet electrode, a plate electrode, or a block electrode, and each electrode has a uniform thickness. Preferably, the shape of the electrode is any one of a circle, an ellipse, a quadrilateral, or other polygons. This design can be adapted to different scenario requirements through different mechanical structures.

[0058] Specifically, the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104, and the second electrode 104 and the third electrode 111, are spaced apart and have no contact points, forming the first deflection region 203 and the second deflection region 204, respectively. By applying different voltages to the first electrode 101, the second electrode 104, and the third electrode 111, the deflection direction of the charged particle beam passing through the first deflection region 203 and the second deflection region 204 is controlled, achieving two-stage deflection. The simulated trajectory of the charged particle beam in the charged particle beam deflection device described in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 5 As shown. The region between the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104 forms a first deflection region 203, and the region between the second electrode 104 and the third electrode 111 forms a second deflection region 204. Charged particles are generated in the source chamber 201, enter the deflection device through the first through-hole 102, pass through the first deflection region 203 and the second deflection region 204 in sequence, and then enter the downstream device through the third through-hole 108. When charged particles pass through the first deflection region 203 and the second deflection region 204, they are subjected to the deflection force provided by the transverse nonlinear electric field, forming a charged particle beam deflection trajectory 206; while neutral particles always move in a straight line, thereby achieving the separation of charged particles and neutral particles. Preferably, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are made of metal or non-metal with a conductive coating.

[0059] Example 3

[0060] The present invention also provides a charged particle beam deflection device with electrodes having a non-uniform thickness structure, the structure of which is as follows: Figure 6 As shown. The device includes a source chamber 201 and an electrode unit.

[0061] The electrode unit includes a first electrode 101, a second electrode 104, and a third electrode 111. The first electrode 101 has a first through hole 102, the central axis of which is a first axis 103; the second electrode 104 has a second through hole 105, the central axis of which is a second axis 106; and the third electrode 111 has a third through hole 108, the central axis of which is a third axis 109. The first axis 103 intersects the second axis 106. The projection of the first through hole 102 on the second electrode 104 partially overlaps with the second through hole 102 but not completely coincides. The projection of the second through hole 102 on the first electrode 101 partially overlaps with the first through hole 102 but not completely coincides. The second axis 106 intersects the third axis 109. The projection of the second through hole 108 on the third electrode 111 partially overlaps with the third through hole 108 but not completely coincides. The projection of the third through hole 108 on the second electrode 104 partially overlaps with the second through hole 105 but not completely coincides. The first axis 103 and the third axis 109 are coplanar and parallel but not collinear. The projection of the first through hole 102 on the third electrode 111 has no overlapping area with the third through hole 108. The projection of the third through hole 108 on the first electrode 101 has no overlapping area with the first through hole 102. Preferably, the included angle between the first axis 103 and the second axis 106 is in the range of 5° to 85°, and the included angle between the second axis 106 and the third axis 109 is in the range of 5° to 85°.

[0062] At least one of the first electrode 102, the second electrode 104, and the third electrode 111 adopts a non-uniform thickness structure. Adjacent surfaces of adjacent electrodes are parallel to each other, and there is a predetermined interval between adjacent electrodes. Each electrode has through holes, which together form a channel for charged particles to pass through. This non-uniform thickness electrode design allows for the formation of an effective electrostatic shielding boundary around the deflection region through local thickening or contour optimization, thereby creating a more enclosed electric field space. This structure significantly reduces the interference of external stray electric fields on the working electric field within the deflection region, avoiding problems such as deflection trajectory drift or focusing instability caused by environmental potential fluctuations or coupling from nearby devices. Therefore, it not only improves the device's anti-interference capability in complex electromagnetic environments but also enhances the repeatability and long-term stability of deflection and focusing performance. It solves the technical problem of traditional uniform thickness flat electrodes, which are prone to external disturbances due to the open electric field in the working region, making it difficult to achieve high-precision and high-reliability beam control. Ultimately, it achieves a more stable and precise charged particle beam manipulation effect.

[0063] Specifically, the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 104, and the second electrode 104 and the third electrode 111, are spaced apart and have no contact points, forming a first deflection region 203 and a second deflection region 204, respectively. By applying different voltages to the first electrode 101, the second electrode 104, and the third electrode 111, the deflection direction of the charged particle beam passing through the first deflection region 203 and the second deflection region 204 is controlled, achieving two-stage deflection. Figure 6 As shown, charged particles are generated in source chamber 201 and pass through a charged particle beam deflection device composed of a first electrode 101, a second electrode 104, and a third electrode 111, forming a charged particle trajectory 207 that is deflected twice. After the two deflections, the direction of motion of the charged particle beam is basically the same as the initial direction of motion. This embodiment achieves two-stage deflection through a three-electrode staggered through-hole structure, and further enhances the electric field enclosure and focusing capability by combining a non-uniform thickness electrode design. This structure integrates deflection, focusing, neutral particle filtering, and optical axis alignment in a compact three-stage electrode system, significantly improving the system's signal-to-noise ratio, beam stability, and engineering practicality.

[0064] Example 4

[0065] Based on Embodiment 3, the present invention also provides a charged ion beam deflection device, which is an array structure composed of at least two deflection units; each deflection unit includes three electrodes, and at least one of the three electrodes adopts a non-uniform thickness structure. In this embodiment, the number of deflection units is two, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the charged particle beam deflection device includes a source chamber 201, a deflection unit one, and a deflection unit two arranged sequentially. Both deflection unit one and deflection unit two include a first electrode 101, a second electrode 104, and a third electrode 111. Deflection unit one and deflection unit two are symmetrically arranged, with their third electrodes in contact. The outlet direction of the source chamber 201 is defined as axis 209. The structures of deflection unit one and deflection unit two are the same as those of the electrode units in Embodiment 3, and deflection unit one and deflection unit two are placed symmetrically. At least one of the first, second, and third electrodes in deflection unit one and deflection unit two adopts a non-uniform thickness structure. In the array structure, the through-hole of the first electrode in deflection unit one is collinear with the central axis of the through-hole of the first electrode in deflection unit two and axis 209.

[0066] Specifically, in deflection unit one, there are no contacts between the first and second electrodes, between the second and third electrodes, and between the third and second electrodes, and between the second and first electrodes, in deflection unit two, forming corresponding deflection zones. By applying different voltages to each electrode of deflection unit one and deflection unit two, the deflection direction of the charged particle beam passing through each deflection zone is controlled, achieving multi-stage deflection. Charged particles are generated in source chamber 201, pass through the charged particle beam deflection device, and are deflected under the action of deflection force; such as Figure 7 As shown in Figure 5208, the deflection trajectory of the charged particle beam is such that after multiple deflections, the final exit direction and the initial incident direction can be basically consistent. During this process, neutral particles can also be filtered out. This invention integrates multiple three-electrode deflection units in an array to construct a multi-stage deflection structure: each deflection unit utilizes staggered through-holes to form a transverse nonlinear electric field, achieving single-stage deflection and focusing; adjacent deflection units are arranged in a specific manner, and by independently controlling the voltage of each electrode, the charged particle beam undergoes multiple controlled deflections sequentially. Thanks to the design that the central axis of the through-holes at the beginning and end of the unit is collinear with the system's optical axis, the particle beam can return to its original propagation direction after completing multiple deflections, achieving a deflection-back-to-center optical path; simultaneously, because the projections of the beginning and end through-holes do not overlap, neutral particles are physically blocked from propagating in a straight line, effectively suppressing noise. This array structure not only significantly improves the freedom and precision of deflection control, but also integrates neutral particle filtering, beam focusing and optical axis orientation keeping functions. Without increasing the system length, it greatly enhances the signal-to-noise ratio, beam stability and space utilization, making it suitable for applications with stringent requirements for beam purity and control performance, such as high-precision mass spectrometry and ion implantation.

[0067] In summary, the innovation of this invention lies in the fact that the central axes of the through holes of the first and second electrodes are located in the same plane and form an angle. Based on this mechanism, the deflection angle and direction of the charged particle beam are jointly controlled by the angle and the voltage applied to the electrodes. This invention uses electrodes with a simple structure, defines the deflection mechanism through the angle between the electrodes, and achieves the deflection of the charged particle beam in conjunction with the voltage applied to the electrodes; the overall structure is simple, requires low manufacturing precision, and is inexpensive. The device supports bidirectional deflection from negative to positive, and wide-range, high-precision deflection control can be achieved by adjusting the voltage difference between the electrodes. The electrode units in this invention can be used independently or in combination, and can achieve single-stage or multi-stage deflection according to different needs. Furthermore, this design can achieve spatial separation of neutral particles and focusing of the charged particle beam simultaneously during the deflection process without additional components.

[0068] This invention solves several technical problems in the field of charged particle beam manipulation through the above-mentioned innovative design, as follows:

[0069] (1) Unlike the complex schemes of separate deflection, focusing and neutral particle filtering functions and module stacking in the prior art, the present invention realizes the high integration of three functions of deflection, focusing and neutral particle removal of charged particle beams based on the nonlinear electric field formed by non-parallel electrode configuration. At the same time, it greatly reduces the size of the device, the number of parts and the manufacturing cost, and avoids the problem of electromagnetic interference between multiple components.

[0070] (2) This invention solves the problems of large-angle deflection and high-precision deflection angle fine adjustment. By adjusting the electrode angle and voltage, large-angle deflection adjustment and high-precision deflection angle adjustment are achieved. Angle adjustment is suitable for basic direction preset, which helps to ensure the structural reliability of the device during long-term operation; while electrical adjustment supports dynamic, high-speed, and precise direction switching, significantly improving the control flexibility and application adaptability of the system. The combination of the two makes the device have both high stability and high responsiveness, meeting diverse operational needs.

[0071] (3) In the field of charged particle beam manipulation, parallel plate structures are typically used to generate a uniform electric field to deflect charged particle beams. The conventional approach to optimizing deflectors is to approximate an ideal uniform field by optimizing the flatness, edge shape, or voltage stability of the parallel plates. This invention does not intentionally avoid non-uniform fields, but rather actively utilizes a carefully designed and controllable non-parallel configuration to generate a specific, controllable, and beneficial complex electric field. The configuration of this invention has a functional integration effect; a single simple unit can achieve the functions of charged particle beam deflection, charged particle beam focusing, and filtering of neutral particles.

[0072] (4) To address the problem of how charged particle beams can pass smoothly through the geometric channel of the second electrode after deflection, the present invention adopts a constraint method in which the projection of the first through hole on the plane of the second electrode and the second through hole partially overlap, thereby ensuring that the charged particle beams have a path to follow after deflection and guaranteeing the smoothness of particle transmission.

[0073] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed invention. The scope of protection claimed by the appended claims and their equivalents is defined.

Claims

1. A charged particle beam deflection device, characterized in that, The device includes a first electrode (101) and a second electrode (104) spaced apart; a first through hole (102) is provided on the first electrode (101), and a second through hole (105) is provided on the second electrode (104); the central axis of the first through hole (102) is a first axis (103), and the central axis of the second through hole (105) is a second axis (106); the first axis (103) and the second axis (106) are coplanar and intersect, forming an included angle between them; The projection of the first through hole (102) onto the second electrode (104) partially overlaps with the second through hole (105) but does not completely coincide; the projection of the second through hole (105) onto the first electrode (101) partially overlaps with the first through hole (102) but does not completely coincide. The first electrode (101) and the second electrode (104) are spaced apart, and the area between them constitutes a deflection region. By applying different voltages to the first electrode (101) and the second electrode (104) respectively, a non-axisymmetric electric field is formed in the deflection region to regulate the deflection direction of the charged particle beam passing through the deflection region. The deflection angle and deflection direction of the charged particle beam are jointly controlled by the angle (107) between the first axis and the second axis and the voltage applied to the two electrodes.

2. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The included angle (107) between the first axis and the second axis ranges from 5° to 85°.

3. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a third electrode (111); a third through hole (108) is provided on the third electrode (111), and the central axis of the third through hole (108) is a third axis (109); the first axis (103), the second axis (106) and the third axis (109) are located on the same plane, and the second axis (106) intersects with the first axis (103) and the third axis (109) respectively, and the first axis (103) and the third axis (109) are parallel and not collinear; The projection of the first through hole (102) on the second electrode (104) partially overlaps with the second through hole (105) but not completely; the projection of the first through hole (102) on the third electrode (111) has no overlapping area with the third through hole (108); the projection of the second through hole (105) on the first electrode (101) partially overlaps with the first through hole (102) but not completely; the projection of the second through hole (105) on the third electrode (111) partially overlaps with the third through hole (108) but not completely; the projection of the third through hole (108) on the first electrode (101) has no overlapping area with the first through hole (102); the projection of the third through hole (108) on the second electrode (104) partially overlaps with the second through hole (105) but not completely. The first electrode (101) and the second electrode (104), and the second electrode (104) and the third electrode (111) are all spaced apart to form the first deflection region (203) and the second deflection region (204), respectively. By applying different voltages to the first electrode (101), the second electrode (104), and the third electrode (111), non-axisymmetric electric fields are formed in the first deflection region (203) and the second deflection region (204), respectively, so as to control the deflection direction of the charged particle beam passing through the first deflection region (203) and the second deflection region (204) and realize multi-level deflection.

4. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The included angle (107) between the first axis and the second axis, and the included angle (110) between the second axis and the third axis, are both 5° to 85°.

5. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, Each electrode can be any one of sheet electrodes, plate electrodes, or block electrodes.

6. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, Each electrode has a uniform thickness.

7. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 3, characterized in that, At least one of the first electrode (101), the second electrode (104) and the third electrode (111) adopts a non-uniform thickness structure; the adjacent surfaces of adjacent electrodes are parallel to each other and have a preset interval; each electrode is provided with a through hole, and the through holes together form a channel for charged particles to pass through.

8. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The charged particle beam deflection device includes an array structure consisting of at least two symmetrically placed deflection units; each deflection unit includes a first electrode and a second electrode, or includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode.

9. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, Each electrode is made of metal or a non-metal with a conductive coating.

10. The charged particle beam deflection device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The through holes on each electrode can be any shape, such as circular, elliptical, or polygonal.

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