Ion source method and apparatus

Patent 5034612 Issued on July 23, 1991. Estimated Expiration Date:

December 3, 2010. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Field-emission ion source and ion thruster apparatus comprising such sources
Patent #: 4328667
Issued on: 05/11/1982
Inventor: Valentian , et al.

Alloys for liquid metal ion sources
Patent #: 4367429
Issued on: 01/04/1983
Inventor: Wang , et al.

Synthetic plasma ion source
Patent #: 4549082
Issued on: 10/22/1985
Inventor: McMillan

Liquid metal ion source
Patent #: 4567398
Issued on: 01/28/1986
Inventor: Ishitani , et al.

Hybrid focused-flood ion beam system and method
Patent #: 4687940
Issued on: 08/18/1987
Inventor: Ward , et al.

Liquid metal ion source
Patent #: 4752692
Issued on: 06/21/1988
Inventor: Jergenson , et al.

Liquid metal ion source
Patent #: 4774414
Issued on: 09/27/1988
Inventor: Umemura , et al.

Metal ion source Patent #: 4846953
Issued on: 07/11/1989
Inventor: Yoshida

Inventors

Assignee

Micrion Corporation

Application

No. 622178 filed on 12/03/1990

US Classes:

250/423R, ION GENERATION250/423F, Field ionization type250/424, Methods313/230, DISCHARGE DEVICE WITH POSITIVE ION EMITTER313/336, Point source cathodes313/359.1, WITH POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE ION ACCELERATION313/361.1, Means for deflecting or focusing313/363.1Extraction or target electrode

Examiners

Primary: Berman, Jack I.
Assistant: Nguyen, Hiep T.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Lahive & Cockfield

Foreign Patent References

0037455 EP. 10/23/1981
58-137943 JP. 08/23/1983
58-142738 JP. 08/23/1983

International Class

H01J 027/00

Abstract

Ion source methods and apparatus include an ion generating element for providing a reservoir of flowing liquid source material, accelerating elements for providing an electric field around the ion generating element, and shielding elements. The shielding element is constructed from a material including atoms which, if backsputtered onto the ion generating element, do not substantially degrade ion source performance.