← Back to Patent Explorer
US4263514A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electron beam system

Assignee: The AT&T MVPD Group LLC
•
Filing: 1979-09-13
•
Granted: 1981-04-21
•
Expires: 1999-09-13
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Electron beam lens 22 can be operated in a first mode to demagnify and focus the image of electron source 14 at image plane 32. Electron optical lens 34 and 46 further demagnify the image plate 32 through the focal point 60 on the face of target 58 to provide a scannable exposure spot. Electron optical lens 22 can be operated in the second mode which floods aperture 32 so that the image of the aperture is demagnified and focused on target 58 to provide a large exposure area.

Inventors

  • 👤 John W. Reeds, Jr.

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 17:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/02; H01J37/04; H01J37/09; H01J37/30; H01J37/3002; H01J37/3007

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 130 words
An electron beam system comprising an electron source; means for accelerating electrons from said source to form a beam moving along a beam path; first and second electron optical lenses positioned along said beam path; means for operating said first lens in a first mode to form an image of said electron source at a first focal plane; an aperture at said first focal plane larger than the image of said source at said first focal plane, said means for operating said first lens in a first mode being also for selectively operating said first lens in a second mode in which said aperture is flooded with electrons to form an image of said aperture; and means for focusing said image at said first focal plane onto a target plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 130 words
An electron beam system comprising an electron source; means for accelerating electrons from said source to form a beam moving along a beam path; first and second electron optical lenses positioned along said beam path; means for operating said first lens in a first mode to form an image of said electron source at a first focal plane; an aperture at said first focal plane larger than the image of said source at said first focal plane, said means for operating said first lens in a first mode being also for selectively operating said first lens in a second mode in which said aperture is flooded with electrons to form an image of said aperture; and means for focusing said image at said first focal plane onto a target plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 30 words
The electron beam system of claim 1 wherein said means for focusing the image at said first focal plane onto a target plane comprises at least one electron optical lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 51 words
The electron beam system of claim 2 wherein said means for focusing the image at said first focal plane onto said target plane comprises means for demagnifying the image at said first focal plane so that the electron beam at said target plane is smaller than at said first focal plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 48 words
The electron beam system of claim 3 wherein said means for focusing the image at said first focal plane onto said target plane comprises second and third electron optical lenses, both said second and third electron optical lenses being for demagnifying the image at said first focal plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
The electron beam system of claim 4 wherein said second and third electron optical lenses are electromagnetic lenses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 161 words
An electron beam system comprising an electron source; means for accelerating electrons from said source to form a beam moving along a beam path; first and second electron optical lenses positioned along said beam path; means for operating said first lens in a first mode to form an image of said electron source at a first focal plane; an aperture at said first focal plane larger than the image of said source at said first focal plane, said means for operating said first lens in a first mode being also for selectively operating said first lens in a second mode in which said aperture is flooded with electrons to form an image of said aperture; and means for focusing said image at said first focal plane onto a target plane, comprising means for demagnifying the image at said first focal plane so that the electron beam at said target plane is smaller than at said aperture at said first focal plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 161 words
An electron beam system comprising an electron source; means for accelerating electrons from said source to form a beam moving along a beam path; first and second electron optical lenses positioned along said beam path; means for operating said first lens in a first mode to form an image of said electron source at a first focal plane; an aperture at said first focal plane larger than the image of said source at said first focal plane, said means for operating said first lens in a first mode being also for selectively operating said first lens in a second mode in which said aperture is flooded with electrons to form an image of said aperture; and means for focusing said image at said first focal plane onto a target plane, comprising means for demagnifying the image at said first focal plane so that the electron beam at said target plane is smaller than at said aperture at said first focal plane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 48 words
The electron beam system of claim 6 wherein said means for focusing the image at said first focal plane onto said target plane comprises second and third electron optical lenses, both said second and third electron optical lenses being for demagnifying the image at said first focal plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The electron beam system of claim 7 wherein said second and third electron optical lenses are electromagnetic lenses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 55 words
The electron beam system of claim 8 wherein said aperture at said first focal plane is formed of a first pair of facing blades and a second pair of facing blades, said first pair of facing blades being upper blades and said second pair of facing blades being below said first pair of facing blades.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 28 words
The electron beam system of claim 9 wherein each of said blades has a beveled edge and said beveled edges of said pairs of blades face each other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 56 words
The electron beam system of claim 1 wherein said aperture at said first focal plane is formed of a first pair of facing blades and a second pair of facing blades, said first pair of facing blades being upper blades in said second pair of facing blades both being below said first pair of facing blades.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 28 words
The electron beam system of claim 11 wherein each of said blades has a beveled edged and said beveled edges of said pairs of blades face each other.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 170 words
The method of exposing a pattern comprising the steps of: coating a base with a electron sensitive material to receive the exposure pattern; exposing small areas of the electron sensitive material with a focused electron beam from an electron optical system having an electron source, followed by first and second electron optical lenses along the beam path with an aperture between the lenses, with the demagnified image of the source forming a small beam spot on the electron sensitive material which is scanned along the electron sensitive material for exposure in a first mode; and exposing the electron sensitive material in a second mode by flooding the aperature by defocusing the first electron optical lens and focusing and demagnifying the image of the aperture on the electron sensitive material with the second electron optical lens to provide a larger beam spot on the electron sensitive material and scanning the larger beam spot in the second mode over the electron sensitive material to expose larger areas of the electron sensitive material.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 170 words
The method of exposing a pattern comprising the steps of: coating a base with a electron sensitive material to receive the exposure pattern; exposing small areas of the electron sensitive material with a focused electron beam from an electron optical system having an electron source, followed by first and second electron optical lenses along the beam path with an aperture between the lenses, with the demagnified image of the source forming a small beam spot on the electron sensitive material which is scanned along the electron sensitive material for exposure in a first mode; and exposing the electron sensitive material in a second mode by flooding the aperature by defocusing the first electron optical lens and focusing and demagnifying the image of the aperture on the electron sensitive material with the second electron optical lens to provide a larger beam spot on the electron sensitive material and scanning the larger beam spot in the second mode over the electron sensitive material to expose larger areas of the electron sensitive material.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3978338A Cited
US3956635A Cited
US4112305A Cited
US4013891A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-04-20 1984-10-20 1985-04-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-04-20 1988-10-20 1989-04-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-04-20 1992-10-20 1993-04-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag