The present application relates to an apparatus for processing a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one time-varying particle beam, which is embodied for a local deposition reaction and/or a local etching reaction on the photolithographic mask; (b) at least one first means for providing at least one precursor gas, wherein the precursor gas is embodied to interact with the particle beam during the local deposition reaction and/or the local etching reaction; and (c) at least one second means, which reduces a mean angle of incidence () between the time-varying particle beam and a surface of the photolithographic mask.

The present application relates to a method for permanently repairing defects of absent material of a photolithographic mask, comprising the following steps: (a) providing at least one carbon-containing precursor gas and at least one oxidizing agent at a location to be repaired of the photolithographic mask; (b) initiating a reaction of the at least one carbon-containing precursor gas with the aid of at least one energy source at the location of absent material in order to deposit material at the location of absent material, wherein the deposited material comprises at least one reaction product of the reacted at least one carbon-containing precursor gas; and (c) controlling a gas volumetric flow rate of the at least one oxidizing agent in order to minimize a carbon proportion of the deposited material.

Disclosed are embodiments of an ion beam sample preparation and coating apparatus and methods. A sample may be prepared in one or more ion beams and then a coating may be sputtered onto the prepared sample within the same apparatus. A vacuum transfer device may be used with the apparatus in order to transfer a sample into and out of the apparatus while in a controlled environment. Various methods to improve preparation and coating uniformity are disclosed including: rotating the sample retention stage; modulating the sample retention stage; variable tilt ion beam irradiating means, more than one ion beam irradiating means, coating thickness monitoring, selective shielding of the sample, and modulating the coating donor holder.

A vapor deposition system fixture comprises an arm, a rake, a crown gear bearing assembly, a workpiece holder, a thermocouple, and a contact ring assembly. The crown gear bearing assembly is attached to and rotatably engaged with the rake and includes stationary portion and rotating portions. The workpiece holder is configured to rotate with the rotating portion. The thermocouple is configured to rotate with the workpiece holder. The contact ring assembly comprises a housing, a cover, first and second rotating contact rings, and first and second stationary contact rings. The housing is attached to at least one of the arm and the rake. The first and second rotating contact rings are electrically connected to the thermocouple. The first and second stationary contact rings surround the rotating ring. The first and second stationary contact rings are configured to receive an electrical signal from the first and second rotating contact rings.

An image forming device is provided that is capable of forming a proper integrated signal even when an image or a signal waveform is acquired from a pattern having the possibility of preventing proper matching, such as a repetition pattern, a shrinking pattern, and the like. In particular, the image forming device forms an integrated image by integrating a plurality of image signals and is provided with: a matching processing section that performs a matching process between the plurality of image signals; an image integration section that integrates the plurality of image signals for which positioning has been performed by the matching processing section; and a periodicity determination section that determines a periodicity of a pattern contained in the image signals. The matching processing section varies a size of an image signal area for the matching in accordance with a determination by the periodicity determination section.

Methods and systems for direct lithographic pattern definition based upon electron beam induced alteration of the surface chemistry of a substrate are described. The methods involve an initial chemical treatment for global definition of a specified surface chemistry (SC). Electron beam induced surface reactions between a gaseous precursor and the surface are then used to locally alter the SC. High resolution patterning of stable, specified surface chemistries upon a substrate can thus be achieved. The defined patterns can then be utilized for selective material deposition via methods which exploit the specificity of certain SC combinations or by differences in surface energy. It is possible to perform all steps in-situ without breaking vacuum.

An optical device as described herein includes a host substrate fabricated from a dielectric material transparent in the Infrared range. Additionally, the optical device as discussed herein includes multiple elements disposed on the host substrate. The multiple elements are spaced apart from each other on the host substrate in accordance with a desired pattern. Each of the multiple elements disposed in the host substrate is fabricated from a second material having a refractive index of greater than 4.5. Such an optical device provides an improvement over conventional optical devices that operate in the Infrared range.

A system for measuring a temperature of a rotating workpiece comprises a deposition chamber, a crucible within the deposition chamber, an energy source, a drive system, a temperature sensor, first and second sensor wires, a dynamic electrical connection, and a control system. The crucible is configured to hold a deposition feedstock material. The energy source is configured to evaporate the deposition feedstock material. The drive system is configured to rotate the workpiece such that the evaporated deposition feedstock material can impinge the rotating workpiece. The temperature sensor is configured to sense the temperature of the rotating workpiece. The first and second sensor wires are electrically connected to the temperature sensor. The dynamic electrical connection is configured to electrically communicate the signal indicative of the sensed temperature from the rotatable workpiece holder to the stationary portion. The control system is configured to measure the temperature of the workpiece during rotation.

An image forming device is provided that is capable of forming a proper integrated signal even when an image or a signal waveform is acquired from a pattern having the possibility of preventing proper matching, such as a repetition pattern, a shrinking pattern, and the like. In particular, the image forming device forms an integrated image by integrating a plurality of image signals and is provided with: a matching processing section that performs a matching process between the plurality of image signals; an image integration section that integrates the plurality of image signals for which positioning has been performed by the matching processing section; and a periodicity determination section that determines a periodicity of a pattern contained in the image signals. The matching processing section varies a size of an image signal area for the matching in accordance with a determination by the periodicity determination section.

A system and method for manufacturing a lattice structure of ionized particles on a substrate, wherein the process may be improved by controlling the number of ionized particles that are ejected from an ionizer and directed to a substrate, and wherein the ionized particles are disposed on the substrate, thereby enabling the creation of a lattice structure that may be as thin as a single layer of ionized particles.