An electron-beam microcolumn with improved resolution, beam current, and stability
- IBM Research Division, T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598 (United States)
We have built and tested a 1 keV electron-beam microcolumn that focuses 1 nA of beam current into a 10 nm full width half-maximum beam diameter at a working distance of 1 mm. The electron source is a miniaturized Zr/O/W Schottky field emitter with 150 {mu}A/sr angular emission current density operating at about 1800 K at a distance of only 100 {mu}m from a silicon membrane extractor electrode. The actual microcolumn is 3.5 mm long assembled mainly from silicon membrane electrodes. Improved einzel lens design and fabrication allowed the operation of this beam focusing element in the accelerating mode. Spherical and chromatic aberrations were reduced by factors of about 2--3, respectively, as compared to the retarding lens mode. Excellent beam current stability with less than 1% variation over several hours has been observed. {copyright} {ital 1995} {ital American} {ital Vacuum} {ital Society}
- OSTI ID:
- 165909
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena, Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 13; ISSN JVTBD9; ISSN 0734-211X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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