Simplified Aberration Corrector for Particle-Optical Appliances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing particle-optical appliances with aberration correctors require complex constructions and numerous components, leading to high construction costs and complicated alignment, due to stringent demands for octupole imaging in aberration correction.
Innovation Solution
A simplified aberration corrector design using six quadrupoles and three octupoles, where the first and second octupoles are not imaged upon each other in one plane, and the second and third octupoles are imaged upon each other, allowing for partial overlap of quadrupole and octupole fields, reducing the number of components and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If all octupoles are imaged upon one another in both x-z and y-z planes, then complete aberration correction is achieved, but the construction becomes overly complex with excessive components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial imaging action by requiring octupole imaging only in specific planes and configurations rather than all possible combinations. The first and second octuples are imaged upon each other in the x-z plane, and the second and third octuples are imaged upon each other in the y-z plane, but not all octuples need to be imaged in all planes, reducing component requirements while maintaining correction effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates redundant imaging requirements from the conventional design. By identifying that not all octupole imaging combinations are necessary for effective aberration correction, the design removes unnecessary components and imaging constraints, reducing the corrector to six quadrupoles and three octuples while maintaining correction capability
2Manufacturing precision
If eight quadrupoles and three octuples are used to correct all aberrations, then complete aberration correction is achieved, but construction costs and alignment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes two quadrupoles from the conventional eight-quadrupole design, reducing the total component count to six quadruples and three octuples. This extraction of redundant components maintains aberration correction capability while reducing construction costs and assembly complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The design uses partial component sets strategically positioned to achieve complete aberration correction. By carefully selecting which quadruples and octuples to include and how to configure their imaging relationships, the patent achieves full correction with fewer components than the conventional design
3Device complexity
If six quadrupoles and three octuples are used with relaxed imaging demands, then construction complexity is reduced, but aberration correction effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric imaging relationships among the octuples and quadruples rather than symmetric imaging of all components. The specific configuration where first and second octuples image upon each other in one plane and second and third octuples image upon each other in another plane creates an asymmetric but optimized arrangement that maintains correction effectiveness with reduced complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the imaging parameters and spatial relationships of the optical elements to achieve effective aberration correction with fewer components. By adjusting the imaging conditions and spatial configuration rather than simply reducing component count, the design maintains correction quality while reducing complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design achieves full correction of aberrations while reducing construction costs and complexity, allowing for a more compact and efficient particle-optical appliance with reduced excitation and alignment challenges.
Implementation Method 1
the quadrupole lenses determine the paths of electrically charged particles in the aberration-correcting means
Implementation Method 2
the quadrupole lenses determine the paths of electrically charged particles
Implementation Method 3
a first group of optical elements, consecutively consisting of a first, a second and a third quadrupole lens and a first octupole
Data Source
AI summary
Quadrupole-octupole aberration corrector for application in a TEM, STEM or SEM. A known corrector for correcting third-order and fifth-order aberrations of the objective is embodied with eight quadrupoles and three octupoles. The corrector according to the invention has at least the same aberration-correcting power, but, according to the invention, is embodied with six quadrupoles and three octupoles. By adding octupoles with a relatively weak excitation to a portion of the quadrupoles, correction of the anisotropic coma of the objective lens is also attained. By embodying all quadrupoles, or a portion thereof, to be electromagnetic, chromatic aberrations can also be corrected for.