Patent US2714011A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3767925A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for determining the spatial distribution of constituents and contaminants of solids
Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1972-03-08
•
Granted: 1973-10-23
•
Expires: 1992-03-08
Abstract
Abstract The spatial distribution of constituents and contaminants in a solid is determined either by (1) scanning the surface of the solid with a focused ion or neutral particle beam to sputter excited particles from the surface, resulting in photon emissions characteristic of the sputtered particles, and detecting the photon emissions over the scan period, or by (2) flooding the surface with a diffuse beam, and photographically recording the distribution of photon emissions. Continued sputtering results in removal of surface material and detection of the photon count rate or a sequence of photographs taken during each successive scan period indicates the distribution of constituents and contaminants in the bulk of the solid as a function of distance from the surface.
Inventors
- 👤 E Foley
- 👤 Rae A Mac
- 👤 C White
- 👤 D Simms
- 👤 N Tolk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:29
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/20; G01N23/207; G01N23/2073; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/252
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
375 words
Apparatus for determining the spatial distribution of one or more constituents in a solid mass comprising: means for generating an ion beam of sufficient energy to sputter excited-state particles from the mass, means for maintaining at least a partial vacuum around the beam and mass, said means including an enclosure containing first and second partitions, the partitions dividing the enclosure into first, second and third vacuum chambers, the first partition defining an ion collecting aperture and the second partition defining a beam entrance aperture, the beam generating means positioned within the first chamber in spaced relation to the ion collecting aperture, the beam generating means and ion collecting aperture defining a beam path, and the mass positioned within the third vacuum chamber in spaced relation to the beam entrance aperture and within the beam path, means for focusing and accelerating the beam, said means located within the second vacuum chamber in spaced relation to the ion collecting aperture and within the beam path, means for changing the relative positions of the ion beam and the mass comprising first means for deflecting the beam so that a surface area of the mass is scanned by the beam, the first deflecting means positioned within the second vacuum chamber between the focusing and accelerating means and the second partition and within the beam path, charge exchange means for converting a significant proportion of the ions in the ion beam, after deflection, into neutral particles, the charge exchange means comprising a chamber within the second vacuum chamber between the first deflecting means and the second partition, the charge exchange chamber defining a beam entrance aperture and a beam exit aperture within the beam path and having a gas port extending through the enclosure, second means for deflecting ions, unconverted by the charge exchange means, from the beam of neutral particles so that the deflected ions do not impinge on the mass, the second deflecting means positioned within the second vacuum chamber between the charge exchange chamber and the second partition, means for successively measuring the intensity of photon emissions from the excited-state particles as the surface is scanned, and means for discriminating between photon emissions of different energies, said means positioned between the mass and the intensity measuring means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
375 words
Apparatus for determining the spatial distribution of one or more constituents in a solid mass comprising: means for generating an ion beam of sufficient energy to sputter excited-state particles from the mass, means for maintaining at least a partial vacuum around the beam and mass, said means including an enclosure containing first and second partitions, the partitions dividing the enclosure into first, second and third vacuum chambers, the first partition defining an ion collecting aperture and the second partition defining a beam entrance aperture, the beam generating means positioned within the first chamber in spaced relation to the ion collecting aperture, the beam generating means and ion collecting aperture defining a beam path, and the mass positioned within the third vacuum chamber in spaced relation to the beam entrance aperture and within the beam path, means for focusing and accelerating the beam, said means located within the second vacuum chamber in spaced relation to the ion collecting aperture and within the beam path, means for changing the relative positions of the ion beam and the mass comprising first means for deflecting the beam so that a surface area of the mass is scanned by the beam, the first deflecting means positioned within the second vacuum chamber between the focusing and accelerating means and the second partition and within the beam path, charge exchange means for converting a significant proportion of the ions in the ion beam, after deflection, into neutral particles, the charge exchange means comprising a chamber within the second vacuum chamber between the first deflecting means and the second partition, the charge exchange chamber defining a beam entrance aperture and a beam exit aperture within the beam path and having a gas port extending through the enclosure, second means for deflecting ions, unconverted by the charge exchange means, from the beam of neutral particles so that the deflected ions do not impinge on the mass, the second deflecting means positioned within the second vacuum chamber between the charge exchange chamber and the second partition, means for successively measuring the intensity of photon emissions from the excited-state particles as the surface is scanned, and means for discriminating between photon emissions of different energies, said means positioned between the mass and the intensity measuring means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus of claim 1 in which means are provided for rotating the mass about an axis so as to adjust the angular relation of the normal to a surface portion of the mass with the beam path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus of claim 1 in which means are provided for measuring the intensity of the ion beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus of claim 1 in which: second focusing and accelerating means are positioned in spaced relation to the second beam deflection means so as to form a second beam, the mass is positioned in spaced relation to the second focusing and accelerating means and within the second beam path, and a substrate is positioned within the third vacuum chamber within the first beam path.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
44 words
A method for determining the spatial distribution of one or more constituents in a solid mass containing more than one component substance comprising successively sputtering excited-state particles from different exposed surface regions of the solid mass and successively measuring photon emissions from said particles.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
44 words
A method for determining the spatial distribution of one or more constituents in a solid mass containing more than one component substance comprising successively sputtering excited-state particles from different exposed surface regions of the solid mass and successively measuring photon emissions from said particles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5 in which successive sputtering of different regions is accomplished by scanning a surface area of the mass with a particle beam of sufficient energy to cause sputtering of excited-state particles from the surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 6 in which the successive sputtering of different regions and successive measuring of photon emissions is repeated at least once to obtain spatial distributions from successively deepeR surfaces exposed by said sputtering.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the particle beam is generated as an ion beam, the scanning is accomplished by deflection of the ion beam, and a significant proportion of the ions in the deflected beam are converted by charge transfer to neutral particles before they contact the solid mass.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8 in which the beam energies are at least 4,000 electron volts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2772363A
Cited
US3206598A
Cited
US3096437A
Cited
US3217162A
Cited
US3415985A
Cited
US3644044A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |