A power supply circuit and a field emission electron source are provided. The power supply circuit includes: field effect transistors S.sub.i coupled in series via drains and sources in sequence, wherein 1in, n2, and wherein a source of S.sub.1 is coupled to a negative electrode of a voltage source, and a drain of S.sub.n is used as an output terminal of the power supply circuit to couple to a load; a first group of diodes D.sub.1i coupled in series; a first group of resistors R.sub.1j, 2jn; and a current feedback module configured to adjust an internal resistance of the field effect transistors S.sub.i, coupled in series in sequence, so as to cause a current passing through the load to be constant; wherein the field effect transistors S.sub.i, 1in, operate in a constant current region.

A chip mounted field emitter array method for their fabrication by applying sintering to bind a substrate die to other die layers. Metal powder is applied to the bonding surface of the die, covered with the chip carrier or chip and compressed between two heated plates. The bonding pads of the die may be conductively coupled to corresponding bonding pads of the other die layers.

An efficient source of EUV or SXR flux uses multiple e-beams from multiple cathodes to impact a wide anode target with a flux-generating surface to generate flux over a wide area. The conversion efficiency of e-beam power to flux power may be improved by the direction of the e-beams towards the anode target at shallow or grazing incidence angles or the use of mirrored anode surfaces which reflect EUV or SXR. The source is enclosed in a vacuum chamber and performs work such as the penetration of photoresist on a semiconductor wafer in vacuum.

The X-ray tube disclosed herein includes an electron emission part including an electron emission element using a cold cathode; an anode part having an anode surface with which an electron emitted from the electron emission part collides; and a focusing structure disposed between the electron emission part and a target part disposed on the anode surface. The focusing structure has a plurality of focal point areas that are applied with a voltage in a mutually independent manner. The electron emission part has first and second electron beam emission areas that are on/off controlled in a mutually independent manner. The X-ray tube is designed in such a way that a collision area of the electron beam emitted from each of the first and second electron beam emission areas on the anode surface moves in response to a voltage applied to the focusing structure.

The present disclosure is directed to an electron source and an X-ray source using the same. The electron source of the present invention comprises: at least two electron emission zones, each of which comprises a plurality of micro electron emission units, wherein the micro electron emission unit comprises: a base layer, an insulating layer on the base layer, a grid layer on the insulating layer, an opening in the grid layer, and an electron emitter that is fixed at the base layer and corresponds to a position of the opening, wherein the micro electron emission units in the same electron emission zone are electrically connected and simultaneously emit electrons or do not emit electrons at the same time, and wherein different electron emission zones are electrically partitioned.

An X-ray tube has a housing enclosing a vacuum chamber. There is a primary field-emission cathode within the vacuum chamber, a secondary cathode within the vacuum chamber, spaced apart from the primary cathode, and an anode target within the vacuum chamber.

A lithographic apparatus includes at least one image alignment sensor for receiving radiation projected from an alignment mark on a reticle. Processor processes signals from the sensor(s) to resolve spatial information in the projected alignment mark to establish a reference for measuring positional relationships between a substrate support and the patterning location. Examples of the sensor include line arrays of photodetectors. A single array can resolve spatial information in a plane of the sensor (X, Y direction) and in a perpendicular (Z) direction. At least a final step in establishing the reference position is performed while holding the substrate support stationary. Errors and delays induced by mechanical scanning of prior art sensors are avoided. Alternatively (not illustrated) the sensor is moved for mechanical scanning relative to the substrate support, independently of the main positioning systems.

A two dimensional array distributed x-ray apparatus of this disclosure includes: a vacuum box which is sealed at its periphery, where the interior thereof is high vacuum; a plurality of electron transmitting units arranged in one plane in a two dimensional array on the wall of the vacuum box; an anode having targets corresponding to the plurality electron transmitting unit arranged in parallel with the plane of the plurality of electron transmitting units in the vacuum box; a power supply and control system having a high voltage power supply connected to the anode, a filament power supply connected to each of the plurality of the electron transmitting units, and a grid-controlled apparatus connected to each of the plurality of electron transmitting units; and a control system for controlling each power supply.

Disclosed are a cartridge-type X-ray source apparatus and an X-ray emission apparatus using the same. The X-ray source includes: a cathode electrode provided with an electron emission source by using a nanostructure; an anode electrode having a target emitting X-rays by electron collision; and a housing forming an external appearance, and exposing a cathode electrode terminal connected to the cathode electrode and an anode electrode terminal connected to the anode electrode to an outside thereof, wherein the cathode electrode terminal and the anode electrode terminal differ from each other in at least one of exposure direction, height, size, and shape.

A sealed cold cathode X-ray tube for use in small X-ray source devices is provided. In one embodiment, a sealed cold cathode X-ray tube includes an elongate member, a cathode emitter, and an anode.