Automatic focus correction for spot-scan imaging of tilted specimens.

The variation in defocus within an image of a highly tilted specimen can be a serious source of artifact. Spot-scan imaging can be combined with dynamic focusing to greatly reduce this range of defocus. A protocol is described for determining the parameters required for the automatic focus compensation during the recording of a spot-scan image. Images of a gold test specimen demonstrate the efficacy of this procedure in extending the area of the image that contains high-quality data. In case the tilt angle or resolution is high enough that the height difference of the specimen within each small illuminated area is larger than the depth of field, the image must be treated to compensate for the focus variation. The same principle is used as was developed for compensation of conventional images of tilted specimens.     

High-angle annular dark-field STEM imaging of immunogold labels

High-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) STEM imaging is a sensitive and efficient technique for detecting immunogold labels. Larger (5–15 nm) gold labels can be distinguished clearly from the heavy metal stain on tissue sections, but for smaller (<5 nm) labels the distinction is less clear. It is not possible to differentiate between ultra-small (<1–3 nm) labels and stain, but the HAADF image shows sufficient contrast so specimens can remain unstained. On a TEM/STEM equipped with a LaB₆ filament the smallest labels that are detectable are 1–2 nm. Efficient detection of ultra-small labels requires a field emission microscope.     

Adaptation of a high-voltage electron microscope for routine biological dark-field imaging

Relative merits of different objective aperture geometries for generating dark-field images in a high-voltage electron microscope (an AEI EM7) are considered. Using metal-bar beam stops in the objective lens diffraction plane, with large (500 micron diameter) limiting apertures, effective resolution in the 2-4 nm range can be demonstrated for biological specimens.     

High-Angle annular dark-field imaging on a tem/stem system

The technique of high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) imaging, which is highly sensitive to atomic-number contrast, can be performed on TEM/STEM systems using the standard annular dark-field detector. For optimum HAADF imaging, the TEM/STEM must have a high maximum diffraction angle, small minimum camera length, and a descanning facility. The sensitivity of the technique is demonstrated to be about 10⁵ to 10⁶ times higher than energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Examples are shown from semiconductor, catalysis, ceramics, and particle analysis applications.     

Computer simulation of three-dimensional heavy ion beam trajectory imaging techniques used for magnetic field estimation

A magnetic field mapping technique via heavy ion beam trajectory imaging is being developed on the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed field pinch. This paper describes the computational tools created to model camera images of the light emitted from a simulated ion beam, reconstruct a three-dimensional trajectory, and estimate the accuracy of the reconstruction. First, a computer model is used to create images of the torus interior from any candidate camera location. It is used to explore the visual field of the camera and thus to guide camera parameters and placement. Second, it is shown that a three-dimensional ion beam trajectory can be recovered from a pair of perspectively projected trajectory images. The reconstruction considers effects due to finite beam size, nonuniform beam current density, and image background noise. Third, it is demonstrated that the trajectory reconstructed from camera images can help compute magnetic field profiles, and might be used as an additional constraint to an equilibrium reconstruction code, such as MSTFit.     

Simple modification of a commercial scanning laser microscope to incorporate dark-field imaging

Dark-field imaging modes have attracted less interest in biological confocal microscopy than the extensive applications of immunofluorescence imaging. There are, however, certain biological and materials science applications where it is necessary to use a confocal imaging mode that is capable of partial or full rejection of light specularly reflected from coverslips, microscope slides or specimen surfaces. In this paper we present a simple modification of a commercial confocal microscope to incorporate dark-field imaging. We discuss theoretical aspects of the resulting dark-field imaging mode and also give experimental examples.     

Diagnostics for ion beam driven high energy density physics experiments

Intense beams of heavy ions are capable of heating volumetric samples of matter to high energy density. Experiments are performed on the resulting warm dense matter (WDM) at the NDCX-I ion beam accelerator. The 0.3 MeV, 30 mA K(+) beam from NDCX-I heats foil targets by combined longitudinal and transverse neutralized drift compression of the ion beam. Both the compressed and uncompressed parts of the NDCX-I beam heat targets. The exotic state of matter (WDM) in these experiments requires specialized diagnostic techniques. We have developed a target chamber and fielded target diagnostics including a fast multichannel optical pyrometer, optical streak camera, laser Doppler-shift interferometer (Velocity Interferometer System for Any Reflector), beam transmission diagnostics, and high-speed gated cameras. We also present plans and opportunities for diagnostic development and a new target chamber for NDCX-II.     

Computer programs for unit-cell determination in electron diffraction experiments

A set of computer programs for unit-cell determination from an electron diffraction tilt series and pattern indexing has been developed on the basis of several well-established algorithms. In this approach, a reduced direct primitive cell is first determined from experimental data, in the means time, the measurement errors of the tilt angles are checked and minimized. The derived primitive cell is then checked for possible higher lattice symmetry and transformed into a proper conventional cell. Finally a least-squares refinement procedure is adopted to generate optimum lattice parameters on the basis of the lengths of basic reflections in each diffraction pattern and the indices of these reflections. Examples are given to show the usage of the programs.     

H- beam transport experiments in a solenoid low energy beam transport

The Front End Test Stand (FETS) is located at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and aims for a high current, fast chopped 3 MeV H(-) ion beam suitable for future high power proton accelerators like ISIS upgrade. The main components of the front end are the Penning ion source, a low energy beam transport line, an radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) and a medium energy beam transport (MEBT) providing also a chopper section and rebuncher. FETS is in the stage of commissioning its low energy beam transport (LEBT) line consisting of three solenoids. The LEBT has to transport an H(-) high current beam (up to 60 mA) at 65 keV. This is the injection energy of the beam into the RFQ. The main diagnostics are slit-slit emittance scanners for each transversal plane. For optimizing the matching to the RFQ, experiments have been performed with a variety of solenoid settings to better understand the actual beam transport. Occasionally, source parameters such as extractor slit width and beam energy were varied as well. The paper also discusses simulations based on these measurements.     

Quasianamorphic optical imaging system with tomographic reconstruction for electron beam imaging

We have developed a quasianamorphic optical tomography system coupled to a streak camera to provide continuous recording of the electron beam profile of an intense, long-pulse induction accelerator. A tomographic reconstruction method based on a maximum-entropy algorithm is used to reconstruct the images. The system has simplified the calculation of beam moments, eliminated ambiguity due to beam motion, and contributed to accelerator tuning.     

钢轨踏面斜裂纹超声表面波B扫成像检测研究

由滚动接触疲劳引起的钢轨踏面斜裂纹已成为目前高速铁路在役钢轨无损检测中的重要问题,现有的铁路钢轨超声探伤车(仪)难以检测此类缺陷。采用低频超声表面波方法,沿钢轨长度方向对钢轨踏面斜裂纹进行B扫成像检测。由于钢轨轨头为带圆弧边的矩形截面,在钢轨表面激发和传播的低频表面波已不再是经典的Rayleigh波,而是一类导波,导波的多模式对表面波成像检测形成了干扰。为减小干扰,将空间平均技术应用于钢轨踏面斜裂纹的表面波B扫成像。对人工缺陷试块和钢轨试样的B扫成像实验结果表明,利用空间平均技术能有效的抑制此类干扰,提高信噪比,可对钢轨踏面斜裂纹作快速检测和定位。     

An imaging proton spectrometer for short-pulse laser plasma experiments

The ultraintense short pulse laser pulses incident on solid targets can generate energetic protons. In addition to their potentially important applications such as in cancer treatments and proton fast ignition, these protons are essential to understand the complex physics of intense laser plasma interaction. To better characterize these laser-produced protons, we designed and constructed a novel spectrometer that will not only measure proton energy distribution with high resolution but also provide its angular characteristics. The information obtained from this spectrometer compliments those from commonly used diagnostics including radiochromic film packs, CR39 nuclear track detectors, and nonimaging magnetic spectrometers. The basic characterizations and sample data from this instrument are presented.     

First neutral beam injection experiments on KSTAR tokamak

The first neutral beam (NB) injection system of the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) tokamak was partially completed in 2010 with only 1∕3 of its full design capability, and NB heating experiments were carried out during the 2010 KSTAR operation campaign. The ion source is composed of a JAEA bucket plasma generator and a KAERI large multi-aperture accelerator assembly, which is designed to deliver a 1.5 MW, NB power of deuterium at 95 keV. Before the beam injection experiments, discharge, and beam extraction characteristics of the ion source were investigated. The ion source has good beam optics in a broad range of beam perveance. The optimum perveance is 1.1-1.3 μP, and the minimum beam divergence angle measured by the Doppler shift spectroscopy is 0.8°. The ion species ratio is D(+):D(2)(+):D(3)(+) = 75:20:5 at beam current density of 85 mA/cm(2). The arc efficiency is more than 1.0 A∕kW. In the 2010 KSTAR campaign, a deuterium NB power of 0.7-1.5 MW was successfully injected into the KSTAR plasma with a beam energy of 70-90 keV. L-H transitions were observed within a wide range of beam powers relative to a threshold value. The edge pedestal formation in the T(i) and T(e) profiles was verified through CES and electron cyclotron emission diagnostics. In every deuterium NB injection, a burst of D-D neutrons was recorded, and increases in the ion temperature and plasma stored energy were found.     

闪耀全息光栅离子束刻蚀工艺模拟及实验验证

依据特征曲线法推导了非晶体表面的离子束刻蚀模拟方程,结合全息光栅的刻蚀特点开发出离子束刻蚀模拟程序,并通过实验数据分析并优化了非晶体材料刻蚀速率与离子束入射角的关系方程,最后利用离子束刻蚀实验对所开发的离子束刻蚀模拟程序进行了实验验证.调节掩模与基底材料的刻蚀速率比为2∶1至1∶2,制作了线密度为1 200 1/mm,闪耀角为～8.6°,非闪耀角为34°～98°的4种闪耀光栅,与刻蚀模拟程序的结果进行对比,模拟误差＜5％;控制离子束刻蚀时间为6～14 min,制作了线密度为1 200 1/mm,闪耀角为～8.6°,顶角平台横向尺寸为0～211 nm的6种光栅,与刻蚀模拟程序的模拟结果进行对比,模拟误差＜1％.比较实验及离子束刻蚀模拟结果表明,离子束刻蚀模拟程序获得的模拟刻蚀轮廓曲线与实际刻蚀轮廓曲线的误差＜5％;模拟刻蚀截止点与实际刻蚀截止点误差＜1％.实验表明,提出的模拟方程可以准确地描述不同工艺过程和工艺参数对最终刻蚀结果的影响,进而可预知和控制离子束刻蚀过程.     

High-angle annular dark-field imaging of self-assembled Ge islands on Si(0 0 1)

Low-resolution high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) imaging is applied to the study of coherent Ge islands on a Si(0 0 1) substrate. Experimental HAADF images reveal a complicated pattern for a coherent Ge island under (0 0 1) zone axis conditions due to strain-induced interband scattering between different Bloch-wave branches. This complicated pattern varies with objective aperture size and defocus because of the effect from the depth of field. This suggests that the strain field of a coherent Ge island can be mapped out in 3 dimensions using HAADF imaging. When samples are tilted away from dynamical conditions, image contrast agrees with the predictions from atomic number variation (Z contrast). Therefore, quantitatively compositional analysis is feasible under kinematical imaging conditions when strain contrast is suppressed. Simulations using multi-beam Bloch-wave theory agree well with the experimental images on the complicated strain-induced and through-focus images.     

The performance of a prototype precision drift chamber for colliding beam experiments

We review the characteristics of compact precise drift chambers and present the essential features of a vertex detector for an experiment at LEP. We discuss the initial performance of a prototype chamber and illustrate its good two-particle resolution.     

Transmissive dark-field illumination method for high-accuracy automatic lace scalloping

A vision system has been developed to facilitate the pulsed-laser cutting of decorative lace used in various forms of apparel. Existing vision systems for lace cutting utilise back-lighting or top-lighting techniques to create a near-binary image of the lace. This can lead to problems in identifying the lace cutting path accurately. A transmissive illumination system has been modelled and tested that can reveal density information from the lace, and so, provide a more suitable image for identifying cutting points on the lace web. Experimental results have demonstrated that the illumination method can be successfully modelled to ensure even illumination using light emitting diodes (LED).     

Filtered dark-field and pure Z-contrast: two novel imaging modes in a Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

For the investigation of biological objects with a Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) the dark-field imaging mode is the one used most often. We will show, regarding calculations that we have done which took into account the finite angle of the illumination and multiple scattering processes, that the collected amount of inelastically scattered electrons with an annular dark-field detector is higher then normally expected. According to the above calculations, we designed a new detection system to enable us to acquire three different images (inelastic, filtered dark-field and filtered bright-field) simultaneously.     

Compact electrostatic beam optics for multi-element focused ion beams: simulation and experiments

Electrostatic beam optics for a multi-element focused ion beam (MEFIB) system comprising of a microwave multicusp plasma (ion) source is designed with the help of two widely known and commercially available beam simulation codes: AXCEL-INP and SIMION. The input parameters to the simulations are obtained from experiments carried out in the system. A single and a double Einzel lens system (ELS) with and without beam limiting apertures (S) have been investigated. For a 1 mm beam at the plasma electrode aperture, the rms emittance of the focused ion beam is found to reduce from ～0.9 mm mrad for single ELS to ～0.5 mm mrad for a double ELS, when S of 0.5 mm aperture size is employed. The emittance can be further improved to ～0.1 mm mrad by maintaining S at ground potential, leading to reduction in beam spot size (～10 μm). The double ELS design is optimized for different electrode geometrical parameters with tolerances of ±1 mm in electrode thickness, electrode aperture, inter electrode distance, and ±1° in electrode angle, providing a robust design. Experimental results obtained with the double ELS for the focused beam current and spot size, agree reasonably well with the simulations.