Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for investigating or modifying a surface with a beam of charged particles

US7232997B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by

11References

36Claims

0Family size

Assignee

NaWoTec GmbH · DE

Inventors

Klaus Edinger · Lorsch, DE
Josef Sellmair · Freising, DE
Thorsten Hofmann · Rodgau, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Apr 14, 2005
Grant date	Jun 19, 2007
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Apr 14, 2025

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH01J2237/026
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus for investigating and/or modifying a sample with charged particles, in particular a scanning electron microscope, is provided. The apparatus comprises a beam (1, 2) of charged particles, a shielding element (10) having an opening (30) for the beam of charged particles to pass through, wherein the opening (30) is sufficiently small and the shielding element (10) sufficiently closely positioned to the surface (20) of the sample to reduce the influence of charge accumulation effects at the surface on the beam of charged particles.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.