Some embodiments include a high voltage waveform generator comprising: a generator inductor; a high voltage nanosecond pulser having one or more solid state switches electrically and/or inductively coupled with the generator inductor, the high voltage nanosecond pulser configured to produce a pulse burst having a burst period, the pulse burst comprising a plurality of pulses having different pulse widths; and a load electrically and/or inductively coupled with the high voltage nanosecond pulser, the generator inductor, and the generator capacitor, the voltage across the load having an output pulse with a pulse width substantially equal to the burst period and the voltage across the load varying in a manner that is substantially proportional with the pulse widths of the plurality of pulses.

A charged particle apparatus includes: a specimen chamber which is maintained at vacuum and in which a specimen is disposed; a preliminary exhaust chamber that is connected to the specimen chamber via a vacuum gate valve; an exhaust device that exhausts the preliminary exhaust chamber; charged particle beam source an optical system; a detector; a transporting device that transports the specimen from the preliminary exhaust chamber to the specimen chamber; and a control unit. The control unit performs: adjustment processing in which at least one of the optical system and the detector is adjusted in a state where the specimen is housed in the preliminary exhaust chamber; and transporting processing which is performed after the adjustment processing and in which the vacuum gate valve is opened and the transporting device transports the specimen to the specimen chamber.

The invention provides a power supply device and a charged particle beam device capable of reducing noise generated between a plurality of voltages. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle gun configured to emit a charged particle beam, a stage on which a sample is to be placed, and a power supply circuit configured to generate a first voltage and a second voltage that determine energy of the charged particle beam and supply the first voltage to the charged particle gun. The power supply circuit includes a first booster circuit configured to generate the first voltage, a second booster circuit configured to generate the second voltage, and a switching control circuit configured to perform switching control of the first booster circuit and the second booster circuit using common switch signals.

A pulsed power system and a pulsed power sputtering system are disclosed. The pulsed power system includes a first power source that is configured to apply a first voltage at a first power lead that alternates between positive and negative relative to a second power lead during each of multiple cycles. A second power source is coupled to a third power lead and the second power lead, and the second power source is configured to apply a second voltage to the third power lead that alternates between positive and negative relative to the second power lead during each of the multiple cycles. A controller is configured to control the first power source and the second power source to phase-synchronize the first voltage with the second voltage, so both, the first voltage and the second voltage, are simultaneously negative during a portion of each cycle and simultaneously positive relative to the second power lead during another portion of each cycle.

A charged particle apparatus includes: a specimen chamber which is maintained at vacuum and in which a specimen is disposed; a preliminary exhaust chamber that is connected to the specimen chamber via a vacuum gate valve; an exhaust device that exhausts the preliminary exhaust chamber; charged particle beam source an optical system; a detector; a transporting device that transports the specimen from the preliminary exhaust chamber to the specimen chamber; and a control unit. The control unit performs: adjustment processing in which at least one of the optical system and the detector is adjusted in a state where the specimen is housed in the preliminary exhaust chamber; and transporting processing which is performed after the adjustment processing and in which the vacuum gate valve is opened and the transporting device transports the specimen to the specimen chamber.

A sputtering system and method are disclosed. The system includes a first power source that is configured to apply a first voltage at a first electrode that alternates between positive and negative relative to a second electrode during each of multiple cycles. A second power source is coupled to a third electrode and the second electrode, and the second power source is configured to apply a second voltage to the third electrode that alternates between positive and negative relative to the second electrode during each of the multiple cycles. A controller is configured to control the first power source and the second power source to phase-synchronize the first voltage with the second voltage, so both, the first voltage and the second voltage, are simultaneously negative during a portion of each cycle and simultaneously positive relative to the second electrode during another portion of each cycle.

A sputtering system and method are disclosed. The system includes first power source coupled between a first and second power leads, and the first power source provides a first voltage that alternates between positive and negative during each of multiple cycles. The system also includes a second power source coupled between the second power lead and a third power lead, and the second power source provides a second voltage that alternates between positive and negative during each of the multiple cycles. A controller of the system controls the first power source and the second power source to phase-synchronize the first voltage with the second voltage, so both, the first voltage and the second voltage, are simultaneously negative during a portion of each cycle and simultaneously positive during another portion of each cycle.

Some embodiments include a high voltage, high frequency switching circuit. The switching circuit may include a high voltage switching power supply that produces pulses having a voltage greater than 1 kV and with frequencies greater than 10 kHz and an output. The switching circuit may also include a resistive output stage electrically coupled in parallel with the output and between the output stage and the high voltage switching power supply, the resistive output stage comprising at least one resistor that discharges a load coupled with the output. In some embodiments, the resistive output stage may be configured to discharge over about 1 kilowatt of average power during each pulse cycle. In some embodiments, the output can produce a high voltage pulse having a voltage greater than 1 kV and with frequencies greater than 10 kHz with a pulse fall time less than about 400 ns.

A sputtering system and method are disclosed. The system includes first power source coupled to a first magnetron and an anode, and the first power source provides a first anode voltage that alternates between positive and negative during each of multiple cycles. The system also includes a second power source coupled to the second magnetron and the anode, and the second power source provides a second anode voltage that alternates between positive and negative during each of the multiple cycles. A controller of the system controls the first power source and the second power source to phase-synchronize the first anode voltage with the second anode voltage, so both, the first anode voltage and the second anode voltage, are simultaneously negative during a portion of each cycle and simultaneously positive relative to the first and second magnetrons during another portion of each cycle.

Some embodiments include a high voltage waveform generator comprising: a generator inductor; a high voltage nanosecond pulser having one or more solid state switches electrically and/or inductively coupled with the generator inductor, the high voltage nanosecond pulser configured to produce a pulse burst having a burst period, the pulse burst comprising a plurality of pulses having different pulse widths; and a load electrically and/or inductively coupled with the high voltage nanosecond pulser, the generator inductor, and the generator capacitor, the voltage across the load having an output pulse with a pulse width substantially equal to the burst period and the voltage across the load varying in a manner that is substantially proportional with the pulse widths of the plurality of pulses.