A negative ion-based beam injector comprising a negative ion source and an accelerator. The ions produced by the ion source are pre-accelerated before injection into a high energy accelerator by an electrostatic multi-aperture grid pre-accelerator, which is used to extract ion beams from the plasma and accelerate to some fraction of the required beam energy. The beam from the ion source passes through a pair of deflecting magnets, which enable the beam to shift off axis before entering the high energy accelerator. The negative ion-based beam injector can be combined with a neutralizer to produce about a 5 MW neutral beam with energy of about 0.50 to 1.0 MeV. After acceleration to full energy, the beam enters the neutralizer where it is partially converted into a neutral beam. The remaining ion species are separated by a magnet and directed into electrostatic energy converters. The neutral beam passes through a gate valve and enters a plasma chamber.

Plasma processing systems and methods are provided. In one example, a system includes a processing chamber having a workpiece support. The workpiece is configured to support a workpiece. The system includes a plasma source configured to induce a plasma from a process gas in a plasma chamber to generate one or more species of negative ions. The system includes a grid structure configured to accelerate the one or more negative ions towards the workpiece. The grid structure can include a first grid plate, a second grid plate, and one or more magnetic elements positioned between the first grid plate and second grid plate to reduce electrons accelerated through the first grid plate. The system can include a neutralizer cell disposed. downstream of the grid structure configured to detach extra electrons from ions of the one or more species of negative ions to generate energetic neutral species for processing the workpiece.

An atom chip (Ach) for an ultra-cold atom sensor, the atom chip includes a first pair of waveguides, a second pair of waveguides, the projections of the guides along X and the guides along Y′ in the plane XY forming, at their intersection, a first parallelogram with a centre O and having a first surface, a first conductive strip and a second conductive strip arranged such that their respective projection in the plane XY forms, at their intersection, a second parallelogram also with a centre O and having a second surface, the strips being designed to be flowed through by DC currents, an intersection between the first and the second surface being greater than or equal to 40% of the first surface.

An atom chip (Ach) for an ultra-cold atom sensor, the atom chip includes a first pair of waveguides, a second pair of waveguides, the projections of the guides along X and the guides along Y′ in the plane XY forming, at their intersection, a first parallelogram with a centre O and having a first surface, a first conductive strip and a second conductive strip arranged such that their respective projection in the plane XY forms, at their intersection, a second parallelogram also with a centre O and having a second surface, the strips being designed to be flowed through by DC currents, an intersection between the first and the second surface being greater than or equal to 40% of the first surface.

Various disclosed embodiments include collimated beam atomic ovens, collimated atomic beam sources, methods of loading a source of atoms into an atomic oven, and methods of forming a collimated atomic beam. In some embodiments, an illustrative collimated beam atomic oven includes: a tube having a first portion and a second portion; a source of atoms disposed in the first portion of the tube; an aperture disposed in the second portion of the tube; a heater assembly disposable in thermal communication with the tube; and an openable seal disposed in the tube intermediate the source of atoms and the aperture.

Various disclosed embodiments include collimated beam atomic ovens, collimated atomic beam sources, methods of loading a source of atoms into an atomic oven, and methods of forming a collimated atomic beam. In some embodiments, an illustrative collimated beam atomic oven includes: a tube having a first portion and a second portion; a source of atoms disposed in the first portion of the tube; an aperture disposed in the second portion of the tube; a heater assembly disposable in thermal communication with the tube; and an openable seal disposed in the tube intermediate the source of atoms and the aperture.

Methods of forming structures using a neutral beam, structures formed using a neutral beam, and reactor systems for forming the structures are disclosed. The neutral beam can be used to provide activated species during deposition of a layer and/or to provide activated species to treat a deposited layer.

Methods of forming structures using a neutral beam, structures formed using a neutral beam, and reactor systems for forming the structures are disclosed. The neutral beam can be used to provide activated species during deposition of a layer and/or to provide activated species to treat a deposited layer.

A method determines a total velocity average cross-section parameter σ.sub.totν in a relationship of the form Γ.sub.loss(U)=n.sub.bσ.sub.totν.Math.ƒ(U, U.sub.d), where: Γ.sub.loss(U) is a rate of exponential loss of sensor atoms from a cold atom sensor trap of trap depth potential energy U in a vacuum environment due to collisions with residual particles in the vacuum environment; n.sub.b is a number density of residual particles in the vacuum environment; U.sub.d is a parameter given by $U_d=\sqrt{2k_{B}T/m_{\mathrm{bg}}}\frac{4\pi {\hslash }^2}{m_t.Math.{\sigma }_{\mathrm{tot}}v.Math.}$
which relates the masses of the sensor atoms m.sub.t and residual particles m.sub.bg to the total velocity average cross-section parameter

A method determines a total velocity average cross-section parameter σ.sub.totν in a relationship of the form Γ.sub.loss(U)=n.sub.bσ.sub.totν.Math.ƒ(U, U.sub.d), where: Γ.sub.loss(U) is a rate of exponential loss of sensor atoms from a cold atom sensor trap of trap depth potential energy U in a vacuum environment due to collisions with residual particles in the vacuum environment; n.sub.b is a number density of residual particles in the vacuum environment; U.sub.d is a parameter given by $U_d=\sqrt{2k_{B}T/m_{\mathrm{bg}}}\frac{4\pi {\hslash }^2}{m_t.Math.{\sigma }_{\mathrm{tot}}v.Math.}$
which relates the masses of the sensor atoms m.sub.t and residual particles m.sub.bg to the total velocity average cross-section parameter