A photoinjector system containing modularly-structured waveguide-mode launcher, which is reversibly connected to the RF gun (containing a tubular construction formed with disattachably-affixed to one another structurally-complementary halves); and a solenoid magnet in operation enclosing such tubular structure in a central hollow. The resulting quality, power, and frequency rate of operation as well as cost of manufacturing and operation of the system are superior as compared with those of a related art system.

Provided are an on-chip micro electron source and manufacturing method thereof. The on-chip micro electron source is provided with a heat conductive layer (10), and at least one electrode (122) in the same pair of electrodes is connected with the heat conductive layer (10) via a through hole (111) of an insulating layer, such that the heat generated by the on-chip micro electron source can be dissipated through the electrode (122) and the heat conductive layer (10), thereby significantly improving the heat dissipation ability of the on-chip electron source. Therefore, the on-chip micro electron source is capable of integrating multiple single electron sources on the same substrate to form an electron source integration array with a high integration level, enabling the on-chip electron source to have high overall emission current, further meeting more application requirements. The on-chip micro electron source can be widely applied to various electronic devices involving electron sources, for example, X-ray tubes, microwave tubes, flat-panel displays and the like.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a device with which it is possible to adjust the focal point of an electron beam both toward a shorter focal point and toward a longer focal point after an electronic gun was fitted on a counterpart device. The aforementioned problem can be solved by an electron gun including a photocathode, and an anode, the electron gun furthermore comprising an intermediate electrode disposed between the photocathode and the anode, the intermediate electrode comprising an electron-beam passage hole through which an electron beam released from the photocathode passes, and the electron-beam passage hole having formed therein a drift space in which, when an electrical field is formed between the photocathode and the anode due to application of a voltage, the effect of the electrical field can be disregarded.

Described is a method of determining whether repair or replacement of an electron gun of a radiotherapy device should be scheduled. The radiotherapy device comprises a linear accelerator and is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising the electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation. The radiotherapy device comprises also comprises a current sensor, the current sensor being configured to provide signals indicative of current supplied to the electron gun. The method comprises receiving a current value, processing the current value, and based on the processing of the current value, determining whether repair or replacement of the electron gun should be scheduled. Processing the current value comprises determining whether the current value meets at least one threshold criterion, and determining whether the current value has changed by at least a threshold amount in a particular time period.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a method for automatically adjusting an electron beam emitted from an electron gun equipped with a photocathode to the incident axis of an electron optical system.

[Solution] An incident axis alignment method for an electron gun equipped with a photocathode, the electron gun being capable of emitting an electron beam in a first state due to the photocathode being irradiated with excitation light, and the method including at least an excitation light radiation step, a first excitation light irradiation position adjustment step for changing the irradiation position of the excitation light on the photocathode and adjusting the irradiation position of the excitation light, and an electron beam center detection step for detecting whether a center line of the electron beam in the first state coincides with an incident axis of an electron optical system.

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.

Provided are an on-chip miniature electron source and a method for manufacturing the same. The on-chip miniature electron source includes: a thermal conductive layer; an insulating layer provided on the thermal conductive layer, where the insulating layer is made of a resistive-switching material, and at least one through hole is provided in the insulating layer; and at least one electrode pair provided on the insulating layer, where at least one electrode of the electrode pair is in contact with and connected to the thermal conductive layer via the through hole, where there is a gap between two electrodes of the electrode pair, and a tunnel junction is formed within a region of the insulating layer under the gap. Thus, heat generated by the on-chip micro electron source can be dissipated through the electrode and the thermal conductive layer, thereby significantly improving heat dissipation ability of the on-chip miniature electron source.

Methods and systems for realizing a high radiance x-ray source based on a high density electron emitter array are presented herein. The high radiance x-ray source is suitable for high throughput x-ray metrology and inspection in a semiconductor fabrication environment. The high radiance X-ray source includes an array of electron emitters that generate a large electron current focused over a small anode area to generate high radiance X-ray illumination light. In some embodiments, electron current density across the surface of the electron emitter array is at least 0.01 Amperes/mm.sup.2, the electron current is focused onto an anode area with a dimension of maximum extent less than 100 micrometers, and the spacing between emitters is less than 5 micrometers. In another aspect, emitted electrons are accelerated from the array to the anode with a landing energy less than four times the energy of a desired X-ray emission line.

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.

A charged particle gun for a charged particle beam device is described. The charged particle gun includes a gun housing; an emitter provided in the gun housing, the emitter being configured to emit a charged particle beam along an axis; an emitter power supply connected to the emitter; a trapping electrode provided in the gun housing, the trapping electrode at least partially surrounding the axis; a trapping power supply connected to the trapping electrode; and a shielding element shielding an electrostatic field of the trapping electrode from the axis during operation of the gun housing.