Novel high brightness miniature electron gun for high current e-beam applications

Manufacturable MEMS miniSEMs

“…A number of miniature low-voltage electron beam guns, columns, and SEMs (including detector, vacuum pumping, and other system requirements) have been proposed over the years and implemented in various university and company laboratories [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. These microcolumns were fabricated using expensive microfabrication processes and assembly.…”

Assembled microelectromechanical system microcolumns for miniature scanning electron microscopies

“…A number of miniature low-voltage electron beam guns, columns, and scanning electron microscopies ͑SEMs͒ ͑includ-ing detector, vacuum pumping, and other system requirements͒ have been proposed over the years and implemented in various universities and company laboratories. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] These microcolumns were fabricated using expensive microfabrication processes and assemblies. To achieve a manufacturing process that eliminates high-voltage breakdown and arcing, provides reliable components, and has a high yield is still a challenge.…”

Assembled micro-electromechanical-systems microcolumn from a single layer silicon process

“…In light of these challenges, we present a manufacturing technique that takes advantage of high precision and low cost silicon processing to fabricate microcolumn components and uses our automated assembly technique [13][14][15] to assemble the microcolumn. Using automated assembly, we can also integrate components (such as emitters and detectors) that are better produced by other means.…”