An ion beam extraction apparatus (100), being configured for creating an ion beam (1), in particular adapted for a neutral beam injection apparatus of a fusion plasma plant, comprises an ion source device (10) being arranged for creating ions, and a grid device (20) comprising at least two grids (21, 22) being arranged adjacent to the ion source device (10) and having a mutual grid distance d along a beam axis z, wherein the grids (21, 22) are electrically insulated relative to each other, the grids (21, 22) are arranged for applying different electrical potentials for creating an ion extraction and acceleration field (3) along the beam axis z, and he ion source device (10) and the grid device (20) are arranged in an evacuable ion beam space (30) extending along the beam axis z, wherein at least one of the grids is a movable grid (21), which can be shifted along the beam axis z, and the grid device (20) is coupled with a grid drive device (40) having a drive motor (41), which is arranged for moving the movable grid (21) along the beam axis z and setting the grid distance d between the movable grid (21) and another one of the grids (21, 22). Furthermore, applications of the ion beam extraction apparatus and a method of creating an ion beam along a beam axis z are disclosed.

An aperture diaphragm capable of varying the size of an aperture in two dimensions is disclosed. The aperture diaphragm may be utilized in an ion implantation system, such as between the mass analyzer and the acceleration column. In this way, the aperture diaphragm may be used to control at least one parameter of the ion beam. These parameters may include angular spread in the height direction, angular spread in the width direction, beam current or cross-sectional area. Various embodiments of the aperture diaphragm are shown. In certain embodiments, the size of the aperture in the height and width directions may be independently controlled, while in other embodiments, the ratio between height and width is constant.

A method of producing a compensation signal to compensate for misalignment of a drive unit clamp element can include applying a clamp element drive signal to a drive unit clamp element to engage a mover element. A first displacement of the mover element can be determined. A first compensation signal to be applied to one or more drive unit shear elements can be determined based at least in part on the first displacement. The first compensation signal can be applied to the one or more drive unit shear elements and the clamp element drive signal can be applied to the drive unit clamp element. A second displacement can be determined in response to the application of the first compensation signal and the clamp element drive signal. The second displacement can then be compared to a preselected threshold. For a second displacement less than the preselected threshold, combining the first compensation signal with an initial shear element drive signal to produce a modified shear element drive signal, and for a second displacement greater than the preselected threshold, determining a second compensation signal to be applied to the one or more drive unit shear elements.

To compensate for hysteresis in an actuator, a path between a first position and a second position can be selected, and a drive signal can be applied to an actuator element that includes a hysteresis-compensated portion to move an object along the selected path.

Disclosed herein are techniques directed toward a protective shutter for a charged particle microscope. An example apparatus at least includes a charged particle column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column, a gas injection nozzle coupled to a translation device, the translation device configured to insert the gas injection nozzle in close proximity to a stage, and a shutter coupled to the gas injection nozzle and arranged to be disposed between the sample and the SEM column when the gas injection nozzle is inserted in close proximity to the stage.

A positioning system can include a drive unit having an actuator element and a control system. The actuator element can include a piezoelectric material. The control system can be configured to select a path between a first position and a second position, identify at least one change of direction of the actuator element along the selected path, generate a hysteresis-compensated drive signal based at least in part on the change in direction, and apply the hysteresis-compensated drive signal to the actuator element to move an object along the path.

An aperture diaphragm capable of varying the size of an aperture in two dimensions is disclosed. The aperture diaphragm may be utilized in an ion implantation system, such as between the mass analyzer and the acceleration column. In this way, the aperture diaphragm may be used to control at least one parameter of the ion beam. These parameters may include angular spread in the height direction, angular spread in the width direction, beam current or cross-sectional area. Various embodiments of the aperture diaphragm are shown. In certain embodiments, the size of the aperture in the height and width directions may be independently controlled, while in other embodiments, the ratio between height and width is constant.

Disclosed herein are specimen imaging systems, comprising: a sample stage in a vacuum environment, the sample stage configured to support a specimen; an electron beam generator configured to focus an electron beam on a first predetermined location on the specimen; a nanospray dispenser configured to dispense a nanospray onto a second predetermined location on the specimen; a mass spectrometer; and an extraction conduit configured to extract a plume of charged particles generated as a result of contact between the nanospray and the specimen and deliver the charged particles to the mass spectrometer. The system can create a topological and chemical map of the specimen by analyzing at least a portion of the specimen with a mass spectrometer to determine a chemical composition of the specimen at the second predetermined location and analyzing at least a portion of the specimen with the electron beam to determine a surface topology.

A method of producing a compensation signal to compensate for misalignment of a drive unit clamp element can include applying a clamp element drive signal to a drive unit clamp element to engage a mover element, determining a first displacement of the mover element, and determining a first compensation signal based at least in part on the first displacement. The method can further comprise applying the first compensation signal to the drive unit shear elements and the clamp element drive signal to the drive unit clamp element and determining a second displacement of the mover element. If the second displacement is less than a preselected threshold, the first compensation signal can be combined with an initial shear element drive signal to produce a modified shear element drive signal. If the second displacement is greater than the preselected threshold, a second compensation signal can be determined.

A vibration damping system for a charged particle beam apparatus according to the present invention includes a column through which a charged particle beam passes, a vibration detection unit that detects vibration of the column, a damping mechanism that applies vibration to the column to suppress the vibration of the column, and a control device that controls the damping mechanism. The control device includes a damping gain control unit that amplifies a detection signal of the vibration detection unit with a set amplification factor and outputs an amplified detection signal as a control signal to the damping mechanism, and a saturation suppression unit that adjusts a feedback gain value of the damping gain control unit according to a detection signal of the vibration detection unit, a signal of the damping mechanism, and a maximum output value and a minimum output value of the damping mechanism.