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 method and system for providing at least one of planarization, densification, and exfoliation of a porous material using ion beams. The method may use an ion beam generator to generate an ion beam, the ion beam having energy above 0.1 MeV. The ion beam generator may irradiate the surface of a porous material with the ion beam to produce at least one of planarization, densification, and exfoliation of the porous material.

A method of extracting and accelerating ions is provided. The method includes providing a ion source. The ion source includes a chamber. The ion source further includes a first hollow cathode having a first hollow cathode cavity and a first plasma exit orifice and a second hollow cathode having a second hollow cathode cavity and a second plasma exit orifice, the first and second hollow cathodes being disposed adjacently in the chamber. The ion source further includes a first ion accelerator between and in communication with the first plasma exit orifice and the chamber. The first ion accelerator forms a first ion acceleration cavity. The ion source further includes a second ion accelerator between and in communication with the second plasma orifice and the chamber. The second ion accelerator forms a second ion acceleration cavity. The method further includes generating a plasma using the first hollow cathode and the second hollow cathode. The first hollow cathode and the second hollow cathode are configured to alternatively function as electrode and counter-electrode. The method further includes extracting and accelerating ions. Each of the first ion acceleration cavity and the second ion acceleration cavity are sufficient to enable the extraction and acceleration of ions.

Process for treatment by an ion beam of a glass material where: the acceleration voltage of the ions is between 5 kV and 1000 kV; the temperature of the glass material is less than or equal to the glass transition temperature; the dose of nitrogen (N) or oxygen (O) ions per unit of surface area is chosen within a range of between 10.sup.12 ions/cm.sup.2 and 10.sup.18 ions/cm.sup.2 so as to reduce the contact angle of a drop of water below 20; a prior pretreatment is carried out with argon (Ar), krypton (Kr) or xenon (Xe) ions in order to strengthen the durability of the superhydrophilic treatment. Superhydrophilic glass materials of long duration are thus advantageously obtained.

It is difficult to perform surface modification by irradiating a side surface of a hole formed on an irradiated object with a low-energy-density electron beam. An irradiated object having an irradiation hole formed thereon is disposed in a vacuum chamber. A cathode electrode is arranged to face a side surface of the irradiation hole. The cathode electrode has a large number of metal projections over an entire surface of a base body, the base body facing at least the side surface of the irradiation hole. A conductive mesh is arranged between the cathode electrode and the side surface of the irradiation hole. The conductive mesh partially contacts the irradiated object and is set to have the same potential as the irradiated object.

A method for creating a first data set for modifying an irradiation plan parameter data set used for controlling an irradiation system for irradiating a target volume in an irradiation volume using an ion beam includes defining a sensitive volume within the biological material to be irradiated, determining a fluence distribution of the ion beam, determining a microscopic dose distribution of the ion beam, determining, from the microscopic dose distribution of the ion beam, a spatial microscopic damage distribution of the ion beam, determining an expected value for a number of correlated damage events in a sub-micrometer range in the sensitive volume from the spatial microscopic damage distribution of the ion beam in the sensitive volume, determining the effect of the ion beam on the biological material, and storing data that indicate the effect of the ion beam on the material.

An electrostatic particle beam combiner for creating a single source combining the properties of two particle beams which form a high brightness source of a selected mixture of ions of varying element types and energies. An electrostatic spherical lens is arranged to bend a low energy second particle beam along a circular path and thereafter to impinge on a surface of a sample, e.g., within a transmission electron microscope. A beam of high energy is injected into the electrostatic spherical lens through an aperture in the outer shell and steered by two spaced apart electrostatic deflectors so that the angle of entry and the point of entry can be independently adjusted so that the high energy beam leaves the spherical lens along a path which is coaxial and coincident with the second particle beam of low energy.

An electron beam source comprising a cathode, an anode, a means for deflecting an electron beam over a target surface and at least one vacuum pump, the electron beam source further comprising a contraction area arranged between the anode and the means for deflecting the electron beam where a hole in the contraction area is aligned with a hole in the anode with respect to the cathode, a first vacuum pump is arranged between the contraction area and the anode and a second vacuum pump is arranged above the anode, a gas inlet is provided between the contraction area and the means for deflecting the electron beam, wherein a first crossover of the electron beam is arranged between the cathode and the anode and a second crossover is arranged at or in close proximity to the contraction area.

Method for producing a sterilized foam web, wherein the method comprising the steps of preparing a wet foam (1), feeding the wet foam (1) to a head box (2, 11), distributing the wet foam by the head box (2, 11), treating the wet foam (1) with electron beam radiation (3a, 3b, 3c) to immobilize and sterilize the wet foam (1), receiving the electron beam treated foam on a moving wire (4) to form a foam web (6, 13), pressing and the foam web (6, 13), and drying the foam web (6, 13).

A method and system for providing at least one of planarization, densification, and exfoliation of a porous material using ion beams. The method may use an ion beam generator to generate an ion beam, the ion beam having energy above 0.1 MeV. The ion beam generator may irradiate the surface of a porous material with the ion beam to produce at least one of planarization, densification, and exfoliation of the porous material.