Method and device for manipulating particle beam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016343536-A1
Application number	US-201515112716-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2015
Priority date	Jan 21, 2014
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of manipulating an electron beam is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting the beam through a phase mask selected to spatially modulate a phase of the beam over a cross-section thereof.

First claim

1 . A method of manipulating a particle beam, comprising transmitting the beam through a phase mask selected to spatially modulate a phase of a wavefront of the beam over a cross-section thereof, wherein said phase mask is characterized by a thickness function that does not exceed a critical point in which the accumulated phase equals a predetermined threshold.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said phase modulation is selected to at least partially compensate for aberrations generated by a beam focusing system.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising applying a multipole electromagnetic field to the beam.

4 . A phase mask, comprising a solid material being transmissive to a particle beam and being patterned such to spatially modulate a phase of a wavefront of said particle beam over a cross-section of said particle beam, the phase mask being characterized by a thickness function that does not exceed a critical point in which the accumulated phase equals a predetermined threshold.

5 . A system for manipulating a particle beam, comprising the phase mask according to claim 4 .

6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising a beam focusing system, wherein said phase modulation is selected to at least partially compensate for aberrations generated by said beam focusing system.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein said beam focusing system is positioned in front or behind said phase mask.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein said beam focusing system is integrated with said phase mask.

9 . A particle beam system, comprising a particle beam source and a particle beam manipulation system, wherein said particle beam manipulation system comprises the system according to claim 5 .

10 . The system of claim 9 , being configured as one of a transmission electron microscope system, a scanning electron microscope system, an electron beam tomography (EBT) system, an electron beam lithography system, a spectroscopy system a mass spectroscopy system and a free electron laser system.

11 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . The system according to claim 6 , further comprising an electromagnetic or electrostatic lens.

18 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein said phase mask is selected to provide a predetermined pattern at an image plane of said beam focusing system.

19 . (canceled)

20 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein said phase mask is selected to provide a predetermined pattern at a diffraction plane of said beam focusing system.

21 - 22 . (canceled)

23 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein said aberrations comprise spherical aberrations.

24 . (canceled)

25 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein said aberrations comprise chromatic aberrations.

26 . (canceled)

27 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein said aberrations comprise at least one type of aberrations selected from the group consisting of astigmatism and trefoil.

28 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said phase mask is discrete.

29 . (canceled)

30 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said phase mask is continuous.

31 . (canceled)

32 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said phase mask is characterized by a rectangular lattice.

33 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said phase mask is characterized by a non-rectangular lattice.

36 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of said phase mask vary across a surface thereof.

37 - 40 . (canceled)

41 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said predetermined threshold is selected from the group consisting of about π and about 2π.

42 . (canceled)

43 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said phase mask is a binary thickness phase mask.

44 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the particle beam is a substantially coherent particle beam.

45 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Ramot At Tel-Aviv Univ Ltd

Inventors

• Shiloh Roy
• Lereah Yossi
• Arie Ady

Classifications

• H01J37/263

  Contrast, resolution or power of penetration · CPC title

• H01J37/26

  Electron or ion microscopes; Electron or ion diffraction tubes · CPC title

• H01J37/261

  Details · CPC title

• H01J2237/2614

  Holography or phase contrast, phase related imaging in general, e.g. phase plates · CPC title

• H01J2237/1534

  Aberrations · CPC title