Electrostatic Multipole Device High-Resistance Layer Beam Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrostatic multipole devices face challenges in miniaturization while maintaining excellent beam influencing properties, leading to insufficient spatial resolution and increased spot size in charged particle beam systems, particularly when dealing with multiple charged particle beams.
Innovation Solution
The development of an electrostatic multipole device with a high-resistance layer that allows current flow between electrical contacts, providing a linearly varying potential around the optical axis, which prevents surface charge accumulation and enhances the quality of the electrostatic field, enabling precise control and shaping of charged particle beams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If electrostatic multipole devices are miniaturized to improve spatial resolution and probe current, then device size is reduced, but field quality deteriorates leading to increased spot size and reduced beam control precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameter of the insulating layer from conventional high-resistance insulation to a controlled high-resistance layer with specific resistance value (10^6 to 10^12 ohm·cm). This parameter change allows the layer to prevent charge accumulation while still permitting controlled current flow, thereby maintaining field quality in miniaturized devices. The specific resistance range is optimized to balance between preventing surface charge and allowing sufficient current for field generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different electrical properties to different regions of the insulating layer. The layer between electrodes maintains high resistance to prevent charge accumulation, while the layer in contact with electrodes has controlled resistance to allow current flow. This local differentiation of electrical properties enables the device to simultaneously prevent surface charge effects and maintain adequate current flow for field generation in miniaturized configurations.
2Reliability
If conventional insulating layers are used to prevent charge accumulation, then surface charge is prevented, but current flow between electrodes is blocked leading to insufficient field generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the insulating layer from a conventional low-current-blocking material to a high-resistance layer with specifically controlled resistance (10^6 to 10^12 ohm·cm). This parameter change enables the layer to simultaneously prevent charge accumulation (by maintaining high resistance) and allow sufficient current flow (by controlling resistance within the specified range). The resistance value is optimized to balance these two opposing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure where the high-resistance layer is integrated with electrode materials. The layer combines insulating properties (to prevent charge accumulation) with controlled conductive properties (to allow current flow). This composite approach creates a material system that exhibits both preventive and permissive electrical characteristics simultaneously.
3Ease of operation
If electrostatic multipole devices are miniaturized for multiple beam control, then beam individual control is improved, but field uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical resistance parameter of the insulating layer to a controlled high-resistance range (10^6 to 10^12 ohm·cm). This parameter change ensures that in miniaturized devices with multiple beams, each beam's electric field remains uniform and independent. The controlled resistance prevents charge accumulation that would distort fields, while allowing sufficient current for field generation, thereby maintaining field uniformity despite device miniaturization.
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 solution allows for improved spatial resolution and precise control of charged particle beams, addressing the limitations of miniaturization and beam quality in both single and multiple beam systems, while avoiding surface charge issues that degrade field quality.
Implementation Method 1
a high-resistance layer which extends at least partially around the optical axis and is configured to allow a current flow between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact
Implementation Method 2
an electrostatic multipole device for influencing a charged particle beam propagating along an optical axis
Implementation Method 3
Electrostatic multipole deflectors and stigmators such as electrostatic quadrupoles and octupoles may be used for this purpose
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic multipole device for influencing a charged particle beam propagating along an optical axis is described. The multipole device includes a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a high-resistance layer which extends at least partially around the optical axis and is configured to allow a current flow between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein the first electrical contact contacts the high-resistance layer at a first circumferential position and is configured to provide a first potential to the first circumferential position, and wherein the second electrical contact contacts the high-resistance layer at a second circumferential position at an angular distance from the first circumferential position and is configured to provide a second potential to the second circumferential position. Further, an electrostatic multipole arrangement including two or more such multipole devices and a charged particle beam device are described.