Multiple electron beam systems
First Claim
1. A multiple electron beam source comprising:
- (a) a photocathode comprising a photon receiving surface to receive a photon beam and an electron emitting surface to emit electrons; and
(b) an array of electron transmission gates spaced apart from the electron emitting surface of the photocathode by a distance dg, each electron transmission gate comprising;
(i) a membrane having opposing first and second surfaces;
(ii) an anode on the first surface of the membrane;
(iii) an insulator on the second surface of the membrane;
(iv) an aperture through the anode, insulator and membrane; and
(v) a gate electrode on the insulator, the gate electrode positioned about the aperture, the gate electrode capable of receiving a gate control voltage that controls the transmission of electrons emitted from the photocathode through that electron transmission gate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple electron beam source comprises a photon source to generate a photon beam, a lens to focus the photon beam, a photocathode having a photon receiving surface and an electron emitting surface, and an array of electron transmission gates spaced apart from the electron emitting surface of the photocathode by a distance dg. Each electron transmission gate comprises a membrane; an anode on a first surface of the membrane; an insulator on a second surface of the membrane; an aperture through the anode, insulator and membrane; and a gate electrode on the insulator. The gate electrode is positioned about the aperture and capable of receiving a gate control voltage that controls the transmission of electrons through that electron transmission gate. In one version, the multiple electron beam source comprises a photocathode stage assembly to move the photocathode relative to the array of electron transmission gates. In one version, the multiple electron beam source also comprises a plasmon-generating photon transmission plate comprising an array of photon transmission apertures and exterior surfaces capable of supporting plasmons.
97 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A multiple electron beam source comprising:
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(a) a photocathode comprising a photon receiving surface to receive a photon beam and an electron emitting surface to emit electrons; and
(b) an array of electron transmission gates spaced apart from the electron emitting surface of the photocathode by a distance dg, each electron transmission gate comprising;
(i) a membrane having opposing first and second surfaces;
(ii) an anode on the first surface of the membrane;
(iii) an insulator on the second surface of the membrane;
(iv) an aperture through the anode, insulator and membrane; and
(v) a gate electrode on the insulator, the gate electrode positioned about the aperture, the gate electrode capable of receiving a gate control voltage that controls the transmission of electrons emitted from the photocathode through that electron transmission gate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A multiple electron beam source comprising:
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(a) a plasmon-generating photon transmission plate capable of receiving a photon beam, the plasmon-generating photon transmission plate comprising an array of photon transmission apertures to transmit a plurality of photon beamlets and exterior surfaces capable of supporting plasmons;
(b) a photocathode comprising a photon receiving surface to receive the plurality of photon beamlets and an electron emitting surface to emit electrons; and
(c) an array of electron transmission gates separated from the electron emitting surface of the photocathode by a distance dg, each electron transmission gate capable of receiving a gate control voltage that controls the transmission of electrons emitted from the photocathode through that electron transmission gate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A multiple electron beam source comprising:
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(a) a plasmon-generating photon transmission plate capable of receiving a photon beam, the plasmon-generating photon transmission plate comprising an array of photon transmission apertures to transmit a plurality of photon beamlets and exterior surfaces capable of supporting plasmons;
(b) an photon beam modulator capable of individually blanking each photon beamlet in the plurality of photon beamlets;
(c) a photocathode comprising a photon receiving surface and an electron emitting surface;
the photon receiving surface capable of receiving the plurality of photon beamlets. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A multiple electron beam source comprising:
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(a) a photocathode comprising a photon receiving surface and an electron emitting surface, the photon receiving surface capable of receiving a photon beam;
(b) a plurality of arrays of electron transmission gates on the photocathode, each gate within each array having an associated gate in each of the other arrays, each electron transmission gate comprising;
(i) an insulator on the electron emitting surface of the photocathode;
(ii) an aperture through the insulator; and
(iii) a gate electrode on the insulator, the gate electrode positioned about the aperture, the gate electrode capable of receiving a gate control voltage that controls the transmission of electrons from the photocathode through that electron transmission gate; and
(c) conducting leads electrically connecting the gate electrodes of associated gates to allow simultaneous control, with a single gate control voltage, of the transmission of electrons through associated gates. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A gated photocathode comprising:
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(a) a substrate having opposing first and second surfaces;
(b) a photon transmission layer on the first substrate surface comprising a photon receiving surface to receive a photon beam and an array of photon transmission apertures;
(c) a conducting layer on the second substrate surface;
(d) an insulating layer on the conducting layer having an array of electron transmission apertures, each electron transmission aperture aligned with a photon transmission aperture;
(e) a gate layer on the insulating layer comprising an array of gate electrodes, each gate electrode positioned about an electron transmission aperture and capable of receiving an gate control voltage; and
(f) a photoemissive layer about the insulating layer and gate layer and at least partially extending into each electron transmission aperture, the photoemissive layer capable of emitting electrons and wherein emission of electrons from the photoemissive layer in each electron transmission gate is controlled by the gate control voltage. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A multiple electron beam source comprising:
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(a) prism capable of receiving and transmitting a photon beam;
(b) a photon beam modulator to modulate the photon beam transmitted by the prism and reflect a plurality of photon beamlets;
(c) a photocathode comprising a photon receiving surface to receive the plurality of photon beamlets and an electron emitting surface to emit electrons; and
(d) an array of electron transmission gates separated from the electron emitting surface of the photocathode by a distance dg, each electron transmission gate capable of receiving a gate control voltage that controls the transmission of electrons from the electron emitting surface through that electron transmission gate. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification