SINGLE-CHANNEL OPTICAL PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR ENERGETIC-BEAM MICROSCOPES
First Claim
1. A single-channel optical processing system for an energetic-beam instrument;
- the system comprising;
a first optical path for processing radiation;
a second optical path for illumination radiation;
a combiner;
the combiner oriented so thatthe first optical path and the second optical path are incident on the combiner; and
,the illumination radiation and the processing radiation pass through the combiner and exit the combiner along a same optical path as combined incident radiation;
a polarizer positioned in the optical path of the combined incident radiation;
a beam splitter positioned in the optical path of the combined incident radiation following the polarizer;
the beam splitter oriented so that the combined incident radiation passes directly through it;
a quarter-wave plate located in the optical path of the combined incident radiation, following the beam splitter;
a self-focusing rod lens, the rod lens having first and second ends;
the self-focusing rod lens located in the optical path of the combined incident radiation following the quarter-wave plate,so that the combined incident radiation enters the first end of the self-focusing rod lens and exits from the second end thereof;
the second end of the self-focusing rod lens located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument,so as to allow a sample surface located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument to be illuminated by the combined incident radiation;
the self-focusing rod lens further located to receive at the second end thereof at least a portion of the combined incident radiation reflected from the sample surface;
the self-focusing rod lens further located so thatthe portion of the reflected combined radiation received by the self-focusing rod lens exits from the first end of the self-focusing rod lens, passes through the quarter-wave plate and enters the beam splitter; and
,the beam splitter further oriented so as to reflect the reflected combined radiation at an angle from the optical path of the reflected combined radiation exiting the self-focusing rod lens.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A single-channel optical processing system for an energetic-beam instrument has separate sources for processing radiation and illumination radiation. The processing radiation and the illumination radiation are combined in a single optical path and directed to a sample surface inside the energetic-beam instrument through a self-focusing rod lens. The self-focusing rod lens thus has a working distance from the sample surface that will not interfere with typical arrangements of ion beams and electron beams in such instruments. A combination of polarizers and beam splitters allows separation of the combined incident radiation and the combined radiation reflected from the sample surface and returned through the same optical channel, so that the reflected radiation may be directed to an optical detector, such as a camera or spectrometer. In other embodiments, additional illumination of the sample surface is provided at an angle to the central axis of the self-focusing rod lens.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A single-channel optical processing system for an energetic-beam instrument;
- the system comprising;
a first optical path for processing radiation; a second optical path for illumination radiation; a combiner;
the combiner oriented so thatthe first optical path and the second optical path are incident on the combiner; and
,the illumination radiation and the processing radiation pass through the combiner and exit the combiner along a same optical path as combined incident radiation; a polarizer positioned in the optical path of the combined incident radiation; a beam splitter positioned in the optical path of the combined incident radiation following the polarizer; the beam splitter oriented so that the combined incident radiation passes directly through it; a quarter-wave plate located in the optical path of the combined incident radiation, following the beam splitter; a self-focusing rod lens, the rod lens having first and second ends; the self-focusing rod lens located in the optical path of the combined incident radiation following the quarter-wave plate, so that the combined incident radiation enters the first end of the self-focusing rod lens and exits from the second end thereof; the second end of the self-focusing rod lens located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument, so as to allow a sample surface located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument to be illuminated by the combined incident radiation; the self-focusing rod lens further located to receive at the second end thereof at least a portion of the combined incident radiation reflected from the sample surface; the self-focusing rod lens further located so that the portion of the reflected combined radiation received by the self-focusing rod lens exits from the first end of the self-focusing rod lens, passes through the quarter-wave plate and enters the beam splitter; and
,the beam splitter further oriented so as to reflect the reflected combined radiation at an angle from the optical path of the reflected combined radiation exiting the self-focusing rod lens. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- the system comprising;
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13. A single-channel optical processing system for an energetic-beam instrument;
- the system comprising;
an optical path for illumination radiation; a polarizer positioned in the optical path for illumination radiation; a beam splitter positioned in the optical path for illumination radiation following the polarizer; the beam splitter oriented so that illumination radiation passes directly through it on the same optical path; a quarter-wave plate located in the optical path for illumination radiation, following the beam splitter; a self-focusing rod lens, the rod lens having first and second ends; the self-focusing rod lens located in the optical path for illumination radiation following the quarter-wave plate, so that the illumination radiation enters the first end of the self-focusing rod lens and exits from the second end thereof; the second end of the self-focusing rod lens located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument, so as to allow a sample surface located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument to be illuminated by the illumination radiation; the self-focusing rod lens further located to receive at the second end thereof at least a portion of the illumination radiation reflected from the sample surface; the self-focusing rod lens further located so that the portion of the reflected illumination radiation received by the self-focusing rod lens exits from the first end of the self-focusing rod lens, passes through the quarter-wave plate and enters the beam splitter; and
,the beam splitter further oriented so as to reflect the reflected illumination radiation at an angle from the optical path of the reflected illumination radiation exiting the self-focusing rod lens. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- the system comprising;
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21. A single-channel optical processing system for an energetic-beam instrument;
- the system comprising;
a first optical path for processing radiation; a second optical path for illumination radiation; a dichroic mirror;
the dichroic mirror oriented so thatthe illumination radiation and the processing radiation pass through the dichroic mirror and exit the dichroic mirror along the same optical path as combined incident radiation; a polarizer positioned in the optical path of the combined incident radiation; a beam splitter positioned in the optical path of the combined incident radiation following the polarizer; the beam splitter oriented so that the combined incident radiation passes directly through it; a quarter-wave plate located in the optical path of the combined incident radiation, following the beam splitter; a self-focusing rod lens, the rod lens having first and second ends; the self-focusing rod lens located in the optical path of the combined incident radiation following the quarter-wave plate, so that the combined incident radiation enters the first end of the self-focusing rod lens and exits from the second end thereof; the second end of the self-focusing rod lens located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument, so as to allow a sample surface located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument to be illuminated by the combined incident radiation; the self-focusing rod lens further located to receive at the second end thereof at least a portion of the combined incident radiation reflected from the sample surface; the self-focusing rod lens further located so that the portion of the reflected combined radiation received by the self-focusing rod lens exits from the first end of the self-focusing rod lens, passes through the quarter-wave plate and enters the beam splitter; and
,the beam splitter further oriented so as to reflect the reflected combined radiation at an angle from the optical path of the reflected combined radiation exiting the self-focusing rod lens. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
- the system comprising;
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31. A single-channel optical processing system for an energetic-beam instrument;
- the system comprising;
a first optical path for processing radiation; the first optical path comprising a first optical fiber; a second optical path for illumination radiation; the second optical path comprising a second optical fiber; a combiner; the first optical fiber located so that processing radiation exiting therefrom enters a first face of the combiner; the second optical fiber located so that processing radiation exiting therefrom enters a second face of the combiner; the combiner oriented so that the illumination radiation and the processing radiation pass through the combiner and exit the combiner along a same optical path as combined incident radiation; a polarizer positioned in the optical path of the combined incident radiation; a beam splitter positioned in the optical path of the combined incident radiation following the polarizer; the beam splitter oriented so that the combined incident radiation passes directly through it; a quarter-wave plate located in the optical path of the combined incident radiation, following the beam splitter; a self-focusing rod lens, the rod lens having first and second ends; the self-focusing rod lens located in the optical path of the combined incident radiation following the quarter-wave plate, so that the combined incident radiation enters the first end of the self-focusing rod lens and exits from the second end thereof; the second end of the self-focusing rod lens located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument, so as to allow a sample surface located in the vacuum chamber of the energetic-beam instrument to be illuminated by the combined incident radiation; the self-focusing rod lens further located to receive at the second end thereof at least a portion of the combined incident radiation reflected from the sample surface; the self-focusing rod lens further located so that the portion of the reflected combined radiation received by the self-focusing rod lens exits from the first end of the self-focusing rod lens, passes through the quarter-wave plate and enters the beam splitter; and
,the beam splitter further oriented so as to reflect the reflected combined radiation at an angle from the optical path of the reflected combined radiation exiting the self-focusing rod lens. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
- the system comprising;
Specification