According to one embodiment, a rotating-anode X-ray tube assembly includes a rotating-anode X-ray tube, a housing, a coolant, a first shell, an X-ray shielding member, a second shell and an air introduction unit. The first shell is provided apart from the housing and an envelope of the rotating-anode X-ray tube, and surrounds the envelope. The X-ray shielding member is provided between the first shell and the housing and apart from the housing. The second shell is provided apart from the housing to cause an airway to be formed between the second shell and the housing. The air introduction unit produces a flow of air in the airway.

A charged particle beam device, comprising a charged particle beam source situated in a first-pressure environment, a sample support operative to support a sample situated in a second-pressure environment, the second-pressure environment having a higher pressure than the first-pressure environment, and a membrane assembly separating the first-pressure environment from the second-pressure environment, the membrane assembly comprising a pressure-sealing membrane being substantially transparent to a charged particle beam from the charged particle beam source, a supporting membrane layer being formed with a cornerless aperture, the pressure-sealing membrane being bonded to the supporting membrane layer, and a holding frame being formed with a second aperture larger than and overlying the cornerless aperture. The charged particle beam device may further comprise an electron-detecting subassembly, the electron-detecting subassembly comprising at least one metal line defining a shape, for detection of electrons resulting from an interaction of the charged particle beam and the sample.

The invention relates to a microwave driven plasma ion source (1) for ionising a sample to be ionised to sample ions, the microwave driven plasma ion source (1) including a sample intake (6) for inserting the sample from an outside of the microwave driven plasma ion source (1) into an inside (3) of the microwave driven plasma ion source (1): a microwave generator (10) for generating microwaves for generating a plasma (101) from a plasma gas (100): a plasma torch (20) providing a plasma torch orientation direction (29) having an inside (21) for housing (2) a process of generation of the plasma (101) from the plasma gas (100) and for housing a process of ionising the sample to the sample ions by exposing the sample to the plasma (101), wherein the plasma torch (20) comprises a torch outlet (22) for letting out the plasma (101) and the sample ions from the inside (21) of the plasma torch (20) essentially in the plasma torch orientation direction (29) to an outside of the plasma torch (20), the torch outlet (22) having a torch aperture. Furthermore the microwave driven plasma ion source (1, 201) includes a shielding (4) for shielding off the microwaves from passing from the inside (3) of the microwave driven plasma ion source (1) to the outside of the microwave driven plasma ion source (1), wherein the shielding (4) comprises a shielding outlet (5) for letting out the plasma (101) and the sample ions from the inside (3) of the microwave driven plasma ion source (1) essentially in the plasma torch orientation direction (29) to the outside of the microwave driven plasma ion source (1), the shielding outlet (5) having a shielding aperture. Thereby, the shielding outlet (5) is fluidly coupled to the torch outlet (22) for letting out the plasma (101) and the sample ions from the inside (21) of the plasma torch (20) essentially in the plasma torch orientation direction (29) to the outside of the microwave driven plasma ion source (1), wherein a size of the shielding aperture is less than 150%, preferably less than 125%, particular preferably less than 110% of a size of the torch aperture, wherein both the size of the shielding aperture and the size of the torch aperture are measured in units of area.

A hydrocarbon gas, which is a precursor of contamination, is dissociated by electron irradiation of a cleaner using electrons, carbon is deposited on members in a sample chamber and on a surface of a sample, and components inside the sample chamber are contaminated. Therefore, a device is provided that includes a sample chamber 101 connected to a lens barrel 112 having a charged particle source 113, an electron source 102 disposed in a sample chamber 101, and a shield plate 105 disposed in front of the electron source 102. An inside of the sample chamber is cleaned by secondary electrons emitted when primary electrons emitted from the electron source collide with the shield plate.

A portable XRF analyzer includes a hand shield and a handle. In one embodiment, the XRF analyzer further comprises a power component spaced-apart from an engine component. The handle and the hand shield extend in parallel between the engine component and the power component, attaching the engine component to the power component. In another embodiment, the XRF analyzer further comprises two housing portions, each integrally formed in a single, monolithic body formed together at the same time. The two housing portions are joined together to form an XRF analyzer housing. In another embodiment, the hand shield is shorter than the handle.

Sterilization apparatus for sterilizing packaging containers, the sterilization apparatus comprising a first carousel for supporting a plurality of sterilization devices, the sterilization devices being adapted to sterilize an interior of the packaging containers by electron beam irradiation, and a transport system for transporting the packaging containers, the transport system comprising a second carousel coaxial with the first carousel, wherein the first carousel comprises a first rotatable shaft and the second carousel comprises a separate second rotatable shaft coaxial with the first rotatable shaft.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a plasma source for abating compounds produced in semiconductor processes. The plasma source has a first plate and a second plate parallel to the first plate. An electrode is disposed between the first and second plates and an outer wall is disposed between the first and second plates surrounding the cylindrical electrode. The plasma source has a first plurality of magnets disposed on the first plate and a second plurality of magnets disposed on the second plate. The magnetic field created by the first and second plurality of magnets is substantially perpendicular to the electric field created between the electrode and the outer wall. In this configuration, a dense plasma is created.

Embodiments of the disclosure include apparatus which includes a metal shield having a first end, a second end, and an inner bore disposed between the first end and the second end. The inner bore is defined by a wall of the metal shield extending from the first end to the second end. The first end includes an electrically grounded portion. A radio frequency (RF) antenna is disposed at least partially in the inner bore. One or more apertures are formed between the RF antenna and a plasma processing region of a plasma processing chamber. A dielectric material covers the one or more apertures. The RF antenna is configured to deliver RF power to the processing region of the plasma processing chamber through the dielectric material.

An ion implanter for implanting ions into a substrate includes a transfer chamber that receives the substrate from and delivers the substrate to an outside of the ion implanter, an X-ray irradiator disposed in the transfer chamber that irradiates the substrate with X-rays before ion implantation, and a controller that stops X-ray irradiation by the X-ray irradiator or disables activation of the X-ray irradiator in response to a predetermined situation being detected in the transfer chamber or outside the transfer chamber.

A radiation safety apparatus for a semiconductor processing system has a safety fence with a support frame and radiation shields defining containment regions associated with load ports of the semiconductor processing system. The containment regions are associated with radioactive sources that emit radioactive radiation, where radiation shields attenuate the radiation to a region external to the containment regions. The radiation shields have access doors movably coupled to the support frame to provide access to the containment regions. Interlocks are provided with the access doors to selectively lock the access doors in a closed position to control the access to the containment regions from the external region through the access doors. A controller controls the interlocks based on a radiation decay associated with each of the radioactive sources and a predetermined safe radiation exposure level.