Fabrication of a miniaturized electron lens system and laser micro-machining condition for silicon membrane

For a miniaturized electron beam system application, miniaturized electrostatic electron lenses and their assembly, called a microcolumn, have been fabricated using an active Q-switched 1.06 mum Nd:YAG pulsed laser beam. The laser micro-machining condition for 20 mum thick Si membrane has been investigated by varying the pulse width and the effect of power density will be discussed. The geometrical structures of laser micro-machined electron lenses such as diameter, the roundness of the aperture wall and the degree of the thermal distortion are thought to be dependent on the characteristics of the individual laser pulse. A successful alignment of electron lenses using a simple laser diffraction pattern will be reported, also. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.