DOI: 10.1116/1.2907780. Probe current, probe size, and the practical brightness for probe forming systems

Probe current, probe size, and the practical brightness for probe forming systems

10.1116/1.2907780

Crossref journal-article

American Vacuum Society

Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena (20)

Abstract

Probe size, shape, and current are important parameters for the performance of all probe forming systems such as the scanning (transmission) electron microscope, the focused ion beam microscope, and the Gaussian electron beam lithography system. Currently, however, the relation between probe current and probe size is ill defined. The key lies in a lacking definition of “size.” This problem is solved with the introduction of the “practical brightness.” In literature, many different definitions of “brightness” can be found, but for systems in which the whole of the virtual source is imaged onto the target, it is the practical brightness of a source that determines how much current is in the probe. This means that only with the practical brightness the performance of a probe forming system can be calculated quantitatively. The beauty of the practical brightness is that this source property is unaffected by the quality of the column: without interactions between electrons in the beam, the practical brightness is conserved down to the target. This makes it the only relevant brightness for probe forming systems to be used to compare different sources. The practical brightness can be measured, but can also be calculated when the source intensity profile is known. The Gaussian source intensity profile of thermionic, Schottky, and cold field emitters yields a practical brightness of 1.44ej∕π⟨ε⟩, where j is the current density on the emitting surface and ⟨ε⟩ is the average tangential electron energy.

Bibliography

Bronsgeest, M. S., Barth, J. E., Swanson, L. W., & Kruit, P. (2008). Probe current, probe size, and the practical brightness for probe forming systems. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena, 26(3), 949â955.

Authors 4

M. S. Bronsgeest (first)
J. E. Barth (additional)
L. W. Swanson (additional)
P. Kruit (additional)

References 35 Referenced 67

{'key': '2023070922384277900_c1', 'first-page': '77', 'volume-title': 'Handbook of Charged Particle Optics', 'author': 'Orloff', 'year': '1997'} / Handbook of Charged Particle Optics by Orloff (1997)
10.1016/B978-012333340-7/50226-X / Principles of Electron Optics (1996)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c3', 'first-page': '7', 'volume': '13', 'year': '1999', 'journal-title': 'Scanning Microsc.'} / Scanning Microsc. (1999)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c4', 'first-page': '535', 'volume-title': 'Characterization and Metrology for ULSI Technology 2005, Richardson, TX, 15–18 March 2005', 'author': 'Seiler', 'year': '2005'} / Characterization and Metrology for ULSI Technology 2005, Richardson, TX, 15–18 March 2005 by Seiler (2005)
10.1063/1.2173712 / Appl. Phys. Lett. (2006)
10.1016/0029-554X(75)90035-X / Nucl. Instrum. Methods (1975)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c7', 'first-page': '406', 'volume-title': 'Handbook of Charged Particle Optics', 'author': 'Orloff', 'year': '1997'} / Handbook of Charged Particle Optics by Orloff (1997)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c8', 'first-page': '53', 'volume-title': 'Scanning Electron Microscopy: Physics of Image Formation and Microanalysis', 'year': '1998'} / Scanning Electron Microscopy: Physics of Image Formation and Microanalysis (1998)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c9', 'year': '1990'} (1990)
10.1016/S0168-9002(98)01531-9 / Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A (1999)
10.1016/j.ultramic.2007.07.004 / Ultramicroscopy (2008)
10.1116/1.1409390 / J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B (2001)
10.1063/1.1632551 / J. Appl. Phys. (2004)
10.1002/sca.4950280301 / Scanning (2006)
X. R. Jiang, Thesis Delft University, 1996.
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c16', 'first-page': '924', 'volume-title': 'Principles of Electron Optics', 'year': '1996'} / Principles of Electron Optics (1996)
10.1116/1.584117 / J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B (1988)
10.1088/0022-3735/17/4/011 / J. Phys. E (1984)
10.1116/1.584115 / J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B (1988)
10.1116/1.2387158 / J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B (2006)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c21', 'first-page': '107', 'volume': '94–95', 'year': '1996', 'journal-title': 'Appl. Surf. Sci.'} / Appl. Surf. Sci. (1996)
10.1046/j.1365-2818.2002.01062.x / J. Microsc. (2002)
10.1117/1.1499970 / Opt. Eng. (Bellingham) (2002)
10.1116/1.1821579 / J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B (2004)
10.1016/S0169-4332(99)00025-2 / Appl. Surf. Sci. (1999)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c26', 'first-page': '313', 'volume': '63', 'year': '1983', 'journal-title': 'Optik (Jena)'} / Optik (Jena) (1983)
10.1109/JRPROC.1937.228418 / Proc. IRE (1937)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c28', 'first-page': '889', 'volume': '2', 'year': '1969', 'journal-title': 'Br. J. Appl. Phys.'} / Br. J. Appl. Phys. (1969)
10.1063/1.1662526 / J. Appl. Phys. (1973)
10.1093/jmicro/dfi052 / J. Electron Microsc. (2005)
10.1093/jmicro/dfi063 / J. Electron Microsc. (2005)
10.1116/1.2218872 / J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B (2006)
10.1063/1.323489 / J. Appl. Phys. (1977)
{'key': '2023070922384277900_c34', 'first-page': '101', 'volume': '101', 'year': '1996', 'journal-title': 'Optik (Jena)'} / Optik (Jena) (1996)
10.1063/1.2162270 / J. Appl. Phys. (2006)

Dates

Type	When
Created	17 years, 2 months ago (June 13, 2008, 10:49 p.m.)
Deposited	2 years, 1 month ago (July 9, 2023, 6:38 p.m.)
Indexed	3 weeks, 2 days ago (July 30, 2025, 11:33 a.m.)
Issued	17 years, 3 months ago (April 29, 2008)
Published	17 years, 3 months ago (April 29, 2008)
Published Online	17 years, 3 months ago (April 29, 2008)
Published Print	17 years, 3 months ago (May 1, 2008)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Bronsgeest_2008, title={Probe current, probe size, and the practical brightness for probe forming systems}, volume={26}, ISSN={1520-8567}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.2907780}, DOI={10.1116/1.2907780}, number={3}, journal={Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena}, publisher={American Vacuum Society}, author={Bronsgeest, M. S. and Barth, J. E. and Swanson, L. W. and Kruit, P.}, year={2008}, month=apr, pages={949–955} }

JSON

{
  "indexed": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        7,
        30
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2025-07-30T15:33:41Z",
    "timestamp": 1753889621761
  },
  "reference-count": 35,
  "publisher": "American Vacuum Society",
  "issue": "3",
  "content-domain": {
    "domain": [
      "pubs.aip.org"
    ],
    "crossmark-restriction": true
  },
  "published-print": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2008,
        5,
        1
      ]
    ]
  },
  "abstract": "<jats:p>Probe size, shape, and current are important parameters for the performance of all probe forming systems such as the scanning (transmission) electron microscope, the focused ion beam microscope, and the Gaussian electron beam lithography system. Currently, however, the relation between probe current and probe size is ill defined. The key lies in a lacking definition of \u201csize.\u201d This problem is solved with the introduction of the \u201cpractical brightness.\u201d In literature, many different definitions of \u201cbrightness\u201d can be found, but for systems in which the whole of the virtual source is imaged onto the target, it is the practical brightness of a source that determines how much current is in the probe. This means that only with the practical brightness the performance of a probe forming system can be calculated quantitatively. The beauty of the practical brightness is that this source property is unaffected by the quality of the column: without interactions between electrons in the beam, the practical brightness is conserved down to the target. This makes it the only relevant brightness for probe forming systems to be used to compare different sources. The practical brightness can be measured, but can also be calculated when the source intensity profile is known. The Gaussian source intensity profile of thermionic, Schottky, and cold field emitters yields a practical brightness of 1.44ej\u2215\u03c0\u27e8\u03b5\u27e9, where j is the current density on the emitting surface and \u27e8\u03b5\u27e9 is the average tangential electron energy.</jats:p>",
  "DOI": "10.1116/1.2907780",
  "type": "journal-article",
  "created": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2008,
        6,
        14
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2008-06-14T02:49:13Z",
    "timestamp": 1213411753000
  },
  "page": "949-955",
  "update-policy": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/aip-crossmark-policy-page",
  "source": "Crossref",
  "is-referenced-by-count": 67,
  "title": "Probe current, probe size, and the practical brightness for probe forming systems",
  "prefix": "10.1116",
  "volume": "26",
  "author": [
    {
      "given": "M. S.",
      "family": "Bronsgeest",
      "sequence": "first",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Delft University of Technology 1 , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "J. E.",
      "family": "Barth",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Delft University of Technology 1 , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "L. W.",
      "family": "Swanson",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "FEI Company , Hillsboro, Oregon 97124"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "P.",
      "family": "Kruit",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "member": "20",
  "published-online": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2008,
        4,
        29
      ]
    ]
  },
  "reference": [
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c1",
      "first-page": "77",
      "volume-title": "Handbook of Charged Particle Optics",
      "author": "Orloff",
      "year": "1997"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "971",
      "DOI": "10.1016/B978-012333340-7/50226-X",
      "volume-title": "Principles of Electron Optics",
      "year": "1996"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c3",
      "first-page": "7",
      "volume": "13",
      "year": "1999",
      "journal-title": "Scanning Microsc."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c4",
      "first-page": "535",
      "volume-title": "Characterization and Metrology for ULSI Technology 2005, Richardson, TX, 15\u201318 March 2005",
      "author": "Seiler",
      "year": "2005"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c5",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "073511",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.2173712",
      "volume": "88",
      "year": "2006",
      "journal-title": "Appl. Phys. Lett."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c6",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "353",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0029-554X(75)90035-X",
      "volume": "130",
      "year": "1975",
      "journal-title": "Nucl. Instrum. Methods"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c7",
      "first-page": "406",
      "volume-title": "Handbook of Charged Particle Optics",
      "author": "Orloff",
      "year": "1997"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c8",
      "first-page": "53",
      "volume-title": "Scanning Electron Microscopy: Physics of Image Formation and Microanalysis",
      "year": "1998"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c9",
      "year": "1990"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c10",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "86",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0168-9002(98)01531-9",
      "volume": "427",
      "year": "1999",
      "journal-title": "Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c11",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "445",
      "DOI": "10.1016/j.ultramic.2007.07.004",
      "volume": "108",
      "year": "2008",
      "journal-title": "Ultramicroscopy"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c12",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "2038",
      "DOI": "10.1116/1.1409390",
      "volume": "19",
      "year": "2001",
      "journal-title": "J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c13",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "673",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.1632551",
      "volume": "95",
      "year": "2004",
      "journal-title": "J. Appl. Phys."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c14",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "133",
      "DOI": "10.1002/sca.4950280301",
      "volume": "28",
      "year": "2006",
      "journal-title": "Scanning"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c15",
      "unstructured": "X. R.\u2008Jiang, Thesis Delft University, 1996."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c16",
      "first-page": "924",
      "volume-title": "Principles of Electron Optics",
      "year": "1996"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c17",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "2090",
      "DOI": "10.1116/1.584117",
      "volume": "6",
      "year": "1988",
      "journal-title": "J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c18",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "296",
      "DOI": "10.1088/0022-3735/17/4/011",
      "volume": "17",
      "year": "1984",
      "journal-title": "J. Phys. E"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c19",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "2074",
      "DOI": "10.1116/1.584115",
      "volume": "6",
      "year": "1988",
      "journal-title": "J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c20",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "2956",
      "DOI": "10.1116/1.2387158",
      "volume": "24",
      "year": "2006",
      "journal-title": "J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c21",
      "first-page": "107",
      "volume": "94\u201395",
      "year": "1996",
      "journal-title": "Appl. Surf. Sci."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c22",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "24",
      "DOI": "10.1046/j.1365-2818.2002.01062.x",
      "volume": "208",
      "year": "2002",
      "journal-title": "J. Microsc."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c23",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "2499",
      "DOI": "10.1117/1.1499970",
      "volume": "41",
      "year": "2002",
      "journal-title": "Opt. Eng. (Bellingham)"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c24",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "2897",
      "DOI": "10.1116/1.1821579",
      "volume": "22",
      "year": "2004",
      "journal-title": "J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c25",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "357",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0169-4332(99)00025-2",
      "volume": "146",
      "year": "1999",
      "journal-title": "Appl. Surf. Sci."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c26",
      "first-page": "313",
      "volume": "63",
      "year": "1983",
      "journal-title": "Optik (Jena)"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c27",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "954",
      "DOI": "10.1109/JRPROC.1937.228418",
      "volume": "25",
      "year": "1937",
      "journal-title": "Proc. IRE"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c28",
      "first-page": "889",
      "volume": "2",
      "year": "1969",
      "journal-title": "Br. J. Appl. Phys."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c29",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "2140",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.1662526",
      "volume": "44",
      "year": "1973",
      "journal-title": "J. Appl. Phys."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c30",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "331",
      "DOI": "10.1093/jmicro/dfi052",
      "volume": "54",
      "year": "2005",
      "journal-title": "J. Electron Microsc."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c31",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "413",
      "DOI": "10.1093/jmicro/dfi063",
      "volume": "54",
      "year": "2005",
      "journal-title": "J. Electron Microsc."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c32",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "1891",
      "DOI": "10.1116/1.2218872",
      "volume": "24",
      "year": "2006",
      "journal-title": "J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c33",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "4749",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.323489",
      "volume": "48",
      "year": "1977",
      "journal-title": "J. Appl. Phys."
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c34",
      "first-page": "101",
      "volume": "101",
      "year": "1996",
      "journal-title": "Optik (Jena)"
    },
    {
      "key": "2023070922384277900_c35",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "first-page": "024315",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.2162270",
      "volume": "99",
      "year": "2006",
      "journal-title": "J. Appl. Phys."
    }
  ],
  "container-title": "Journal of Vacuum Science &amp; Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena",
  "original-title": [],
  "language": "en",
  "link": [
    {
      "URL": "https://pubs.aip.org/avs/jvb/article-pdf/26/3/949/14013941/949_1_online.pdf",
      "content-type": "application/pdf",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "syndication"
    },
    {
      "URL": "https://pubs.aip.org/avs/jvb/article-pdf/26/3/949/14013941/949_1_online.pdf",
      "content-type": "unspecified",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "similarity-checking"
    }
  ],
  "deposited": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2023,
        7,
        9
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2023-07-09T22:38:57Z",
    "timestamp": 1688942337000
  },
  "score": 1,
  "resource": {
    "primary": {
      "URL": "https://pubs.aip.org/jvb/article/26/3/949/468627/Probe-current-probe-size-and-the-practical"
    }
  },
  "subtitle": [],
  "short-title": [],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2008,
        4,
        29
      ]
    ]
  },
  "references-count": 35,
  "journal-issue": {
    "issue": "3",
    "published-print": {
      "date-parts": [
        [
          2008,
          5,
          1
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.2907780",
  "relation": {},
  "ISSN": [
    "1071-1023",
    "1520-8567"
  ],
  "subject": [],
  "published-other": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2008,
        5
      ]
    ]
  },
  "published": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2008,
        4,
        29
      ]
    ]
  }
}