Charged Particle Source With Optical Trapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charged particle sources struggle to generate high charged particle beam currents, which are essential for effective imaging and processing in particle beam devices, as they often result in low ionization rates of neutral gas particles.
Innovation Solution
A charged particle source is designed with a gas inlet, a tip apex for creating an electrical field, an ionization area, and a light emitting device that focuses a light beam to trap or cool neutral gas particles, increasing their concentration and ionization rate, thereby enhancing the charged particle beam current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional charged particle sources are used, then the device structure is simple, but the charged particle beam current is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a light emitting device (laser) with the traditional charged particle source structure. The light emitting device is integrated into the ionization region to optically trap and cool neutral gas particles, merging optical trapping technology with electrical field-based ionization to enhance charged particle generation while maintaining a unified device architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a light emitting device as an intermediary component between the neutral gas supply and the ionization region. This intermediary optically traps and cools neutral gas particles before they reach the ionization zone, increasing their concentration and subsequent ionization efficiency, thereby boosting charged particle beam current without fundamentally redesigning the core ionization mechanism
2Productivity
If the ionization rate of neutral gas particles is increased, then the charged particle beam current is improved, but the concentration of neutral gas particles in the ionization area is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using the light emitting device to optically trap and cool neutral gas particles before they enter the ionization region. This pre-concentration and cooling of neutral gas particles in the ionization area ensures that when ionization occurs, there is a sufficient density of particles to convert, thereby increasing both the ionization rate and the resulting charged particle beam current
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of neutral gas particles by using optical trapping and cooling to reduce their temperature and increase their concentration in the ionization area. This parameter change (temperature and density) creates optimal conditions for subsequent ionization, directly addressing the insufficiency of neutral gas particle concentration
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
The system achieves a higher concentration of neutral gas particles, leading to a significantly increased ionization rate and charged particle beam current, supporting better imaging and processing conditions with improved signal-to-noise ratios.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light emitting device is provided which emits a light beam which is focused to a focus point in the ionization area... the light beam is focused to a focus volume in a manner that the ionization area is at least partly positioned in the focus volume
Implementation Method 2
the tip is biased positively with respect to the extractor electrode... an electric field is strong in the vicinity of the tip apex... Neutral gas particles supplied by the gas source are ionized due to the electrical field and become positively charged ions
Data Source
AI summary
A charged particle source comprises at least one gas inlet configured to supply gas particles, at least one tip having a tip apex being biased to provide an electrical field for generating charged particles, and at least one ionization area to which gas particles are supplied. The gas particles are ionized in the ionization area due to the electrical field. Additionally, the charged particle source comprises at least one first electrode configured to accelerate charged particles and at least one light emitting device providing a light beam. The light beam is focused to a focus point in the ionization area, specifically, to a focus volume such that the ionization area is at least partly positioned in the focus volume. The ionization area is arranged between the tip apex and the first electrode. The distance between the ionization area and the tip apex may be from 0.1 nm to 1 nm.