The cathode member for electron beam generation of the present disclosure includes: 95% by area or more of a single phase or two phases of a compound composed of iridium and cerium. A total content of one or more subcomponents of metallic iridium and an oxide of one or more elements of iridium and cerium is 5% by area or less of the cathode member.

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 present disclosure provides an electron beam device (500) for inspecting a sample (10) with an electron beam, comprising an electron beam source comprising a cold field emitter (100) for emitting an electron beam, electron beam optics for directing and focusing the electron beam onto the sample (10), and a detector device (540) for detecting secondary charged particles generated by impingement of the electron beam on the sample (10). The cold field emitter (100) includes an emitter tip (110), a base arrangement (120) configured for supporting the emitter tip (110) and comprising a first base element (122) and a second base element (124), and a filament (130) having at least a first filament portion (132) and a second filament portion (134) attaching the emitter tip (110) to the base arrangement (120), wherein the first filament portion (132) extends between the emitter tip (110) and the first base element (122) and the second filament portion (134) extends between the emitter tip (110) and the second base element (124), wherein a length (L) of each of the first filament portion (132) and the second filament portion (134) is 4 mm or less, and wherein a diameter of a cross-section of each of the first filament portion (132) and the second filament portion (134) is 0.13 mm or less.

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.

The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing an electron source. The method includes forming one or more fixed emission sites on at least one needle tip, the fixed emission sites including a reaction product formed by metal atoms on a surface of the needle tip and gas molecules.

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 present disclosure provides a method of regenerating an electron source, the electron source including at least one emission site fixed on a needle tip, and the emission site including a reaction product formed by metal atoms and gas molecules. The method includes regenerating the electron source in situ if an emission capability of the electron source satisfies a regeneration condition.

The present disclosure provides an electron source, including one or more tips, wherein at least one of the tips comprises one or more fixed emission sites, wherein at least one of the tips includes one or more fixed emission sites, wherein the emission sites includes a reaction product of metal atoms on a surface of the tip with gas molecules.

An emitter is configured to emit charged particles. The emitter comprises a body, a metal layer and a charged particle source layer. The body has a point. The metal layer is of a first metal on at least the point. The charged particle source layer is on the metal layer. The point comprises a second metal other than the first metal.

Methods of producing microrods for electron emitters and associated microrods and electron emitters. In one example, a method of producing a microrod for an electron emitter comprises providing a bulk crystal ingot, removing a first plate from the bulk crystal ingot, reducing a thickness of the first plate to produce a second plate, and milling the second plate to produce one or more microrods. In another example, a microrod for an electron emitter comprises a microrod tip region that comprises a nanoneedle that in turn comprises a nanorod and a nanoprotrusion tip. The microrod and the nanoneedle are integrally formed from a bulk crystal ingot by sequentially: (i) removing the microrod from the bulk crystal ingot; (ii) coarse processing the microrod tip region to produce the nanorod; and (iii) fine processing the nanorod to produce the nanoprotrusion tip.