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US4945236A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Direct imaging type SIMS instrument having TOF mass spectrometric mode

Assignee: Jeol Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-04-28
•
Granted: 1990-07-31
•
Expires: 2009-04-28
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Abstract

Abstract There is disclosed a direct imaging type SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) instrument having a mass analyzer comprising superimposed fields. The superimposed fields consist of a toroidal electric field and a uniform magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the electric field. In an imaging mode, and ion image of the region of a sample which is irradiated with a primary beam is focused onto a two-dimensional ion detector by the mass analyzer having the superimposed fields. In TOF (time-of-flight) mass spectrometric mode, the intensity of the magnetic field of the superimposed fields is reduced down to zero to use only the electric field. Pulsed secondary ions from the surface of the sample are passed through the electric field and are separated according to mass with the lapse of time on the principle of TOF mass spectrometry.

Inventors

  • 👤 Akinori Mogami
  • 👤 Motohiro Naitoh

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 04:30
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J49/00; H01J49/26; H01J49/34; H01J49/40; H01J49/0004; H01J49/02; H01J49/022; H01J49/28; H01J49/284; H01J49/286; H01J49/288

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 181 words
A direct imaging type SIMS instrument comprising: a beam source for producing a primary beam directed to a sample position to cause emanation of secondary ions from a sample at said position; a mass analyzer into which are introduced the secondary ions emanating from the sample at the sample position, the mass analyzer comprising a magnetic field and a superimposed electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field; and a first ion detector disposed at the output of the mass analyzer for displaying a two-dimensional direct image, a second ion detector means for detecting a time-of-flight (TOF) spectrum, and means for switching the mode of operation of the SIMS instrument between a direct imaging mode in which an image of the sample region irradiated with the primary beam is focused onto the first ion detector and a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometric mode in which the TOF spectrum is recorded at the second ion detector and in which the intensity of the magnetic field of the superimposed fields in the mass analyzer is reduced down to zero to only use the electric field.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 181 words
A direct imaging type SIMS instrument comprising: a beam source for producing a primary beam directed to a sample position to cause emanation of secondary ions from a sample at said position; a mass analyzer into which are introduced the secondary ions emanating from the sample at the sample position, the mass analyzer comprising a magnetic field and a superimposed electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field; and a first ion detector disposed at the output of the mass analyzer for displaying a two-dimensional direct image, a second ion detector means for detecting a time-of-flight (TOF) spectrum, and means for switching the mode of operation of the SIMS instrument between a direct imaging mode in which an image of the sample region irradiated with the primary beam is focused onto the first ion detector and a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometric mode in which the TOF spectrum is recorded at the second ion detector and in which the intensity of the magnetic field of the superimposed fields in the mass analyzer is reduced down to zero to only use the electric field.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
The direct imaging type SIMS instrument of claim wherein the angle through which ions are deflected in the superimposed fields is set to 180°.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 59 words
The direct imaging type SIMS instrument of claims 1 or 2, further including a pulsed ion source for producing a pulsed primary beam to the sample in the TOF spectrometric mode and said first ion detector detecting the secondary ions which are produced in response to the pulsed irradiation of the primary beam and passed through the electric field.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 42 words
The direct imaging type SIMS instrument of claim 3, wherein the second ion detector used in the TOF mass spectrometric mode is placed in the ion path in a complementary relation to the first ion detector used in the direct imaging mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
The direct imaging type SIMS instrument of claim 4, wherein said primary beam is a laser beam.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4489237A Cited
US4435642A Cited
US4625112A Cited
US4645928A Cited
US4778993A Cited
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US4866267A Cited
US4810880A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-07-30 1994-01-29 1994-07-31 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-07-30 1998-01-29 1998-07-31 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-07-30 2002-01-29 2002-07-31 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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