Multi-Channel Ion Source for Rapid Species Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ion sources for focused ion beam systems are limited by their inability to quickly switch between multiple ion species, requiring time-consuming source replacements that can lead to processing errors and inefficiencies in applications like milling, etching, and imaging.
Innovation Solution
A high brightness ion source with a gas chamber featuring multiple channels, each containing a different gas, allows for rapid switching of ion species by directing an electron beam to the desired channel using deflection plates, enabling quick selection of ion species without changing the gas source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single gas source is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to switch between different ion species deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gas source is divided into multiple independent channels, each capable of holding a different gas species. The electron beam can be selectively directed to specific channels through deflection plates, enabling rapid switching between ion species without replacing the entire source. This segmentation allows each channel to function independently while maintaining overall system versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
A single gas source device is designed to perform multiple functions by incorporating several gas channels that can each provide different ion species. The deflection plate system enables the same electron beam to interact with different gases sequentially, making the device universally applicable for various ion beam applications without requiring multiple separate sources.
2Illumination intensity
If the electron beam is focused into a small ionization volume, then the brightness is improved, but the quantity of ions produced deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the electron beam parameters (energy, focus, and positioning) depending on which gas channel is active and what ion species is required. This dynamic control allows optimization of the ionization volume size and electron density to achieve the desired balance between brightness and ion current for each specific ion species application.
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
Enables fast switching between ion species in less than 0.05 seconds, reducing processing interruptions and errors, and allowing for tailored treatments without replacing the source, enhancing processing efficiency and versatility in focused ion beam applications.
Implementation Method 1
As a result of collisions between the electrons in the electron focus and the emerging gas atoms, gas ions are now formed in an ionization volume
Implementation Method 2
deflection plates are used to direct the electron beam into multiple chambers
Data Source
AI summary
A high brightness ion source with a gas chamber includes multiple channels, wherein the multiple channels each have a different gas. An electron beam is passed through one of the channels to provide ions of a certain species for processing a sample. The ion species can be rapidly changed by directing the electrons into another channel with a different gas species and processing a sample with ions of a second species. Deflection plates are used to align the electron beam into the gas chamber, thereby allowing the gas species in the focused ion beam to be switched quickly.