The present invention provides a driving system comprising two actuators for moving a stage through two elastic connectors; and a general apparatus/device comprising such a driving system, such as a machine tool, an analytical instrument, an optical microscope, and an apparatus of charged-particle beam such as electron microscope and an electron beam lithographical apparatus. When used in an electron microscope, the stage can be used as a specimen stage or a plate having apertures for electron beam to pass through. The novel stage driving system exhibits numerous technical merits such as simpler structure, better manufacturability, improved cost-effectiveness, and higher reliability, among others.

The present invention provides an apparatus of charged-particle beam such as an electron microscope with co-condensers. A source of charged particles is configured to emit a beam of charged particles, and the co-condensers including two or more magnetic condensers are configured to coherently focus the beam to a single crossover spot. The invention exhibits numerous technical merits such as continuous image resolution tuning, and automatic switching between multiple resolutions, among others.

The present invention provides a digital high-resolution detector for detecting X-ray, UV light or charged particles. In various embodiments, the digital detector comprises an array of CMOS or CCD pixels and a layer of conversion material on top of the array designed for converting incident X-ray, UV light or charged particles into photons for CMOS or CCD sensors to capture. The thin and high-resolution detector of the invention is particularly useful for monitoring and aligning beams in, and optimizing system performance of, an apparatus of charged-particle beam e.g. an electron microscope.

The present invention provides a driving system comprising two actuators for moving a stage through two elastic connectors; and a general apparatus/device comprising such a driving system, such as a machine tool, an analytical instrument, an optical microscope, and an apparatus of charged-particle beam such as electron microscope and an electron beam lithographical apparatus. When used in an electron microscope, the stage can be used as a specimen stage or a plate having apertures for electron beam to pass through. The novel stage driving system exhibits numerous technical merits such as simpler structure, better manufacturability, improved cost-effectiveness, and higher reliability, among others.

The present invention provides an apparatus of charged-particle beam such as an electron microscope with co-condensers. A source of charged particles is configured to emit a beam of charged particles, and the co-condensers including two or more magnetic condensers are configured to coherently focus the beam to a single crossover spot. The invention exhibits numerous technical merits such as continuous image resolution tuning, and automatic switching between multiple resolutions, among others.

A system and method that allows higher energy implants to be performed, wherein the peak concentration depth is shallower than would otherwise occur is disclosed. The system comprises an ion source, an accelerator, a platen and a platen orientation motor that allows large tilt angles. The system may be capable of performing implants of hydrogen ions at an implant energy of up to 5 MeV. By tilting the workpiece during an implant, the system can be used to perform implants that are typically performed at implant energies that are less than the minimum implant energy allowed by the system. Additionally, the resistivity profile of the workpiece after thermal treatment is similar to that achieved using a lower energy implant. In certain embodiments, the peak concentration depth may be reduced by 3 μm or more using larger tilt angles.

A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber dimensioned to accommodate a plurality of strip magazines, each strip magazine configured to receive a plurality of substrates therein, a plasma generator coupled to the chamber and configured to generate plasma used to remove foreign substances on the substrates in the chamber, and a rotation support mechanism configured to rotate the plurality of strip magazines within the chamber. Each of the strip magazines includes first and second side wall plates, an upper plate and a lower plate, and a plurality of guides on inner sides of the first and second side wall plates to support the substrates. The rotation support mechanism includes: a shaft, a motor configured to rotate the shaft, and a plurality of support frames fixed to side surfaces of the shaft and configured to fixedly support the strip magazines.

An ion source for an ion implantation system has a plurality of arc chambers. The ion source forms an ion beam from a respective one of the plurality of arc chambers based on a position of the respective one of the plurality of arc chambers with respect to a beamline. The arc chambers are coupled to a carrousel that translates or rotates the respective one of the plurality of arc chambers to a beamline position associated with the beamline. One or more of the plurality of arc chambers can have at least one unique feature, or two or more of the plurality of arc chambers can be generally identical to one another.

Methods for depositing films by atomic layer deposition using cyclic siloxane precursors are provided. Methods involve exposing the substrate to a cyclic siloxane precursor during operation of an atomic layer deposition cycle to form silicon oxide.

The present invention refers to an apparatus (100) and a method for detecting characteristics of a probe. In an embodiment, the apparatus (100) comprises a vacuum chamber (104) and a beam generator (102) adapted to generate a beam of charged particles within the vacuum chamber (104). When the beam of charged particles falls onto the probe, interaction particles and/or interaction radiation are generated. The apparatus (100) further comprises an electromechanical unit (114) within the vacuum chamber (104) and a detector (110) comprising a plurality of detection units and being arranged on the electromechanical unit (114) allowing for the detector (110) to move from a first position (302) with respect to the beam generator (102) to a second position (304) with respect to the beam generator (102) and vice versa, upon a corresponding actuation of the electromechanical unit (114) performable from outside of the vacuum chamber (104).