The present invention discloses an electrode material that eases electron injection and does not react with contact substances. The structure of the material includes a conductive substrate plane on the top of which an emissive material is coated. The emissive coating bonds strongly with the substrate plane. The emissive material is of low work function and high chemical stability.

An electron gun EG in which mixing of secondary electrons is suppressed is provided. The electron gun EG has an electron source 1, an extraction electrode 2 for extracting an electron beam E1 from the electron source 1, and an acceleration electrode for accelerating the extracted electron beam E1. The extraction electrode 2 includes a diaphragm 4 for allowing a part of the electron beam E1 to pass through, a shield 5 positioned above the diaphragm 4 apart from the diaphragm 4, and a shield 6 positioned below the diaphragm 4 apart from the diaphragm 4. The diaphragm 4 has an opening OP4 having an opening diameter D4, the shield 5 has an opening OP5 having an opening diameter D5 which is greater than the opening diameter D4, and the shield 6 has an opening OP6 having an opening diameter D6 which is greater than the opening diameter D4.

Electron emitters and method of fabricating the electron emitters are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, an electron emitter includes a tip with a planar region having a diameter in a range of approximately (0.05-10) micrometers. The electron emitter tip is configured to release field emission electrons. The electron emitter further includes a work-function-lowering material coated on the tip.

A large current electron beam is stably emitted from an electron gun of a charged particle beam device. The electron gun of the charged particle beam device includes: a SE tip 202; a suppressor 303 disposed rearward of a distal end of the SE tip; a cup-shaped extraction electrode 204 including a bottom surface and a cylindrical portion and enclosing the SE tip and the suppressor; and an insulator 208 holding the suppressor and the extraction electrode. A shield electrode 301 of a conductive metal having a cylindrical portion 302 is provided between the suppressor and the cylindrical portion of the extraction electrode. A voltage lower than a voltage of the SE tip is applied to the shield electrode.

Electron emitters and methods of fabricating the electron emitters are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, an electron emitter includes a tip with a planar region having a diameter in a range of approximately (0.05-10) micrometers. The electron emitter tip is configured to release field emission electrons. The electron emitter further includes a work-function-lowering material coated on the tip.

The invention provides an electron source including a columnar chip of a hexaboride single crystal, a metal pipe that holds the columnar chip of the hexaboride single crystal, and a filament connected to the metal pipe at a central portion. The columnar chip of the hexaboride single crystal is formed into a cone shape at a portion closer to a tip than a portion held in the metal pipe, and a tip end portion having the cone shape has a (310) crystal face. Schottky electrons are emitted from the (310) crystal face. According to the invention, it is possible to provide a novel electron source having monochromaticity, long-term stability of an emitter current, and high current density.

The present disclosure is related to a Schottky thermal field (TFE) source for emitting an electron beam. Electron optics can adjust a shape of the electron beam before the electron beam impacts a scintillator screen. Thereafter, the scintillator screen generates an emission image in the form of light. An emission image can be adjusted and captured by a camera sensor in a camera at a desired magnification to create a final image of the Schottky TFE source's tip. The final image can be displayed and analyzed to for defects.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an emitter capable of easily and highly efficiently emitting electrons, an electron gun using same, and an electronic device.

This emitter is provided with a cathode holder, and an acicular substance secured to the cathode holder. An end, to which the acicular substance is secured, of the cathode holder is bent at α(α(°) satisfies 5<α≤70) that is an angle formed with respect to a cathode axis being the longitudinal direction of the cathode holder, the acicular substance is a single crystal nanowire or nanotube, and a relation L/T between the thickness T ( μm) of the end of the cathode holder and a length L ( μm) by which the acicular substance protrudes from the end satisfies 0.3≤L/T≤2.5.

A Schottky thermal field emitter (TFE) source integrated with a beam splitter by a standoff, which supports the beam splitter above the Schottky TFE extractor faceplate by a distance of 0.05 mm to 2 mm. The beam splitter includes a microhole array integrated with the standoff and being disposed opposite the extractor faceplate, the microhole array having a plurality of microholes that split the electron beam generated by the Schottky TFE into a plurality of beamlets. The support and extractor may be fabricated from the same material or from different materials. The support may be formed from a high temperature resistive material, which causes a potential difference between the extractor and the microhole array. This potential difference creates positively charged electrostatic lenses at the microholes, which increases current in the individual beamlets. Voltage on the microarray plate may be varied to achieve a high beamlet current.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an emitter capable of easily and highly efficiently emitting electrons, an electron gun using same, and an electronic device. This emitter is provided with a cathode holder, and an acicular substance secured to the cathode holder. An end, to which the acicular substance is secured, of the cathode holder is bent at α (α(°) satisfies 5<α≤70) that is an angle formed with respect to a cathode axis being the longitudinal direction of the cathode holder, the acicular substance is a single crystal nanowire or nanotube, and a relation L/T between the thickness T (μm) of the end of the cathode holder and a length L (μm) by which the acicular substance protrudes from the end satisfies 0.3≤L/T≤2.5.