MEMS BASED CHARGED PARTICLE DEFLECTOR DESIGN

• US 20050199822A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zyvex Labs, Llc
• Original Assignee: Zyvex Corporation
• Inventors: Saini, Rahul, Tuggle, David, Jandric, Zoran
• Granted Patent: US 6,956,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/398
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/03 Mounting, supporting, spacing or insulating electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0492 Lens systems individual lenses H01J2237/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/1205 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/04 Arrangements of electrodes and associated parts for generating or controlling the discharge, e.g. electron-optical arrangement, ion-optical arrangement electron or ion-optical systems for localised treatment of materials H01J37/3007; discharge control means in gas filled discharge tubes H01J37/32009
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3177 Multi-beam, e.g. fly's eye, comb probe

Abstract

A microcolumn including a plurality of beam modification components coupled to an assembly substrate, wherein the plurality of beam modification components includes: (1) an extractor component; (2) a first focusing electrode component; (3) a first anode component; (4) a first deflector component; (5) a second focusing electrode component; (6) a second deflector component; (7) a third focusing electrode component; (8) a third deflector component; (9) a second anode component; (10) a fourth focusing electrode component; and (11) a third anode component. The beam modification components may be ordered on the substrate in this sequence or other sequences.

Claims

1. A microcolumn, comprising:

a plurality of beam modification components coupled to an assembly substrate, the plurality of beam modification components including;

an extractor component;

a first focusing electrode component;

a first anode component;

a first deflector component;

a second focusing electrode component;

a second deflector component;

a third focusing electrode component;

a third deflector component;

a second anode component;

a fourth focusing electrode component; and

a third anode component.

2. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein:

the first focusing electrode component and the fourth focusing electrode component interpose the extractor component and the third anode component;

the first anode component and the second anode component interpose the first focusing electrode component and the fourth focusing electrode component;

the first deflector component and the third deflector component interpose the first anode component and the fourth anode component;

the second focusing electrode component and the third focusing electrode component interpose the first deflector component and the third deflector component; and

the second deflector component interposes the second focusing electrode component and the third focusing electrode component.

3. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the assembly substrate includes a plurality of sockets, and wherein each of the plurality of beam modification components has a connector coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of sockets.

4. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the plurality of beam modification components each have substantially the same thickness.

5. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of beam modification components is an integrally formed, substantially planar component.

6. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third deflector components are substantially similar.

7. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third deflector components each comprise a substantially planar component having a conductive layer divided into a plurality of electrodes collectively surrounding an aperture.

8. The microcolumn of claim 7 wherein the plurality of electrodes includes eight electrodes.

9. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third deflector components have substantially similar operating voltage levels.

10. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the maximum operating voltage of each of the first, second, and third deflector components is about 25 V.

11. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the maximum operating voltage of each of the plurality of beam modification components is about 1 kV.

12. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the first and second anode components, the first, second, and third deflector components, and the second and third focusing electrode components are each arranged on the assembly substrate at a substantially constant pitch.

13. The microcolumn of claim 12 wherein the substantially constant pitch is about 500 μ

m.

14. The microcolumn of claim 1 wherein the first and second anode components, the first, second, and third deflector components, and the second and third focusing electrode components each have an aperture, wherein such apertures are substantially similar in diameter.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a first beam deflector configured to deflect a beam by a first angle and including a first number of substantially planar first components each independently able to deflect the beam by a second angle at a first maximum operating voltage, wherein the first number of substantially planar first components is not less than about a first quotient of the first and second angles;

a second beam deflector configured to deflect the beam by a third angle and including a second number of substantially planar second components each independently able to deflect the beam by a fourth angle at a second maximum operating voltage, wherein the second number of substantially planar second components is not less than about a second quotient of the third and fourth angles; and

a substrate to which the first and second components are each coupled, wherein the first and second components are each substantially perpendicular relative to the substrate.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first and second maximum operating voltages are substantially equal and the second and fourth angles are substantially equal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first and third angles are substantially different.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the third angle is about twice the first angle.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first and second numbers are different.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein and the second number is about twice the first number.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first number is “

one” and

the second number is “

two.”

22. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first and second components each comprise a substantially planar component having a conductive layer divided into a plurality of electrodes surrounding an aperture.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the plurality of electrodes includes eight electrodes.

24. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first and second maximum operating voltages are each equal to about 25 V.

25. A method, comprising:

coupling a first number of first beam deflector components to a substrate, the first number not less than a first quotient of a first desired beam deflection angle and a first maximum beam deflection angle of each first beam deflector component at a first maximum operating voltage;

coupling a second number of second beam deflector components to the substrate, the second number not less than a second quotient of a second desired beam deflection angle and a second maximum beam deflection angle of each second beam deflector component at a second maximum operating voltage;

wherein the second desired beam deflection angle is greater than the first desired beam deflection angle.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the first maximum beam deflection angle of each first beam deflector component at the first maximum operating voltage is about equal to the first desired beam deflection angle.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the first and second maximum operating voltages are each about 25 V.