Method of testing the continuity of an electrical conductor by use of an electron beam converted from high to low energy

Claim 2

A non-contact method of testing the electrical continuity of a conductor line comprising the steps of directing a beam of high energy primary electrons toward at least one end of the conductor line, interposing an energy converter between the beam of primary electrons and the line for converting the primary electrons to secondary electron emission thereby converting said beam into a beam of electrons of low energy prior to impact at said one end, controlling the potential at said one end due to the impact of said low energy beam on it, so that current flows through the conductor line, and measuring the current flow through the line at the other end to determine the electrical continuity of the line.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein the converter has at least two conductive portions electrically isolated from one another and a difference of potential is applied between the portions with the portion closer to the line being more positive than the other, whereby the secondary electron emission is accelerated for impact at said one end.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, wherein the potential at said one end is controlled by secondary emission resulting from the impact of said low energy beam and the secondary emission is controlled by the more positivE conductive portion of th converter.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3, wherein the more positive conductive portion is divided into a number of parts electrically isolated from one another, the number corresponding to the number of conductor line ends, and the method comprises the step of applying a voltage between the parts of said conductive portion operatively associated with the respective ends of a conductor line.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4, wherein said low energy beam is highly accelerated by forming said energy converter into multiple stages each with two conductive portions having a difference of potential between them and with the portion most proximate to the conductor line being divided into said number of parts.

Claim 7

Apparatus for measuring the electrical continuity of an embedded conductor line having its ends exposed, comprising means for directing a beam of high energy primary electrons toward at least one end of said line, a target mask having apertures therethrough corresponding in number to the number of conductor ends, and including energy converting means for changing said high energy beam to a secondary electron emission low energy beam for impact at said one end to cause secondary emission therefrom, said mask comprising means for raising the potential at said one conductor line end by controlling the secondary emission from said end, so that current flows through the line, and means for measuring the current flow through the line at the other end, whereby an indication of the electrical continuity of the line is obtained.

Claim 8

Apparatus for measuring the electrical continuity of an embedded conductor line having its ends exposed, comprising means for directing a beam of high energy primary electrons toward at least one end of said line, a target mask having apertures therethrough corresponding in number to the number of conductor ends, and including energy converting means for changing said high energy beam to a secondary electron emission low energy beam for impact at said one end to cause secondary emission therefrom, said mask comprising means for raising the potential at said one conductor line end by controlling the secondary emission from said end, so that current flows through the line, and means for measuring the current flow through the line at the other end, whereby an indication of the electrical continuity of the line is obtained.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said target mask is formed of a plurality of stages, each stage including two conductive and electrically isolated portions with a difference of potential between them for successively accelerating the low energy beam for impact at said one end.