1. A sensor device comprising:
a substrate;
a flexure member, wherein a first end of the flexure member is attached to the substrate, and wherein a second end of the flexure member includes an edge surface;
a counter surface formed on the substrate such that the counter surface faces the edge surface of the flexure member, wherein a separation distance between the counter surface and the edge surface is configured to remain substantially constant for movement of the edge surface as a result of flexure of the flexure member;
a potential source configured to apply an electrical potential difference between the edge surface and the counter surface; and
a signal processing device configured to detect a quantum tunnelling current between the edge surface and the counter surface.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein a flexure direction of the flexure member is substantially perpendicular to the substrate.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein a flexure direction of the flexure member is substantially parallel to the substrate.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure member is formed across a recess formed in the substrate, and wherein the counter surface is formed as part of a wall structure of the recess.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the recess comprises an exposed longitudinal edge along at least one side of the substrate.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein one side of the flexure member is aligned with the exposed longitudinal edge of the recess.
7. The device of claim 4, wherein the recess is laterally enclosed along all sides of the recess.
8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a tip formed on a surface of the flexure member.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure member and the counter surface are built up on a surface of the substrate, and wherein a frame portion of the substrate extends around at least one longitudinal side of the flexure member.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the counter surface extends below, above, or both below and above a quiescent level of the flexure member along a flexure direction of the flexure member.
11. A method comprising:
applying an electrical potential difference to a sensor device, wherein the sensor device includes a flexure member, wherein a first end of the flexure member is attached to a substrate and a second end of the flexure member comprises an edge surface, wherein the sensor device further includes a counter surface formed on the substrate such that the counter surface faces the edge surface of the flexure member, wherein each of the edge surface and the counter surface comprise one or more conductor layers, and wherein the electrical potential difference is applied between the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface and the one or more conductor layers of the counter surface;
flexing the flexure member such that a separation distance between the counter surface and the edge surface remains substantially constant for movement of the edge surface as a result of flexure of the flexure member; and
detecting a tunnelling current for sensing a physical quantity, wherein movement of the flexure member or vibratory properties of the flexure member are coupled to the physical quantity.
12. A method comprising:
forming a flexure member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to a substrate and the second end includes an edge surface;
forming a counter surface on the substrate such that the counter surface faces the edge surface of the flexure member, wherein each of the edge surface and the counter surface include one or more conductor layers, and wherein a separation distance between the counter surface and the edge surface is configured to remain substantially constant for movement of the edge surface as a result of flexure of the flexure member; and
forming a potential source that is configured to apply an electrical potential difference between the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface and the one or more conductors of the counter surface for detecting a quantum tunnelling current between the edge surface and the counter surface.
13. The device of claim 1, wherein the edge surface comprises one or more conductor layers disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface extend through to respective edge portions of the substrate.
15. The device of claim 13, further comprising one or more insulating layers between the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein the counter surface comprises one or more conductor layers disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein the one or more conductor layers of the counter surface extend through to respective edge portions of the substrate.
18. The device of claim 16, further comprising one or more insulating layers between the one or more conductor layers of the counter surface.
19. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises a cantilever in an atomic force microscope.
20. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises an acceleration sensor or a high frequency vibration sensor.
21. The device of claim 1, further comprising a bimetallic strip formed on the flexure member.
22. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure member is reactive to or absorbent of a molecular species such that a mass of the flexure member changes in the presence of the molecular species.
23. The device of claim 22, wherein the change in the mass of the flexure member results in a variation of a position of the edge surface or in vibratory properties of the flexure member.
24. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface and the one or more conductors of the counter surface are disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member.
25. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more conductor layers of the edge surface and the one or more conductor layers of the counter surface are disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An ion implanter comprising:
an ion source configured to provide an ion beam;
a terminal structure defining a cavity, said ion source at least partially disposed within said cavity; and
an insulated conductor disposed proximate an exterior portion of said terminal structure to modify an electric field about said terminal structure, said insulated conductor having an insulator with a dielectric strength greater than 75 kilovolts (kV)inch disposed about a conductor.
2. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said conductor is configured to be energized to a first voltage and said terminal structure is configured to be energized to said first voltage.
3. The ion implanter of claim 2, wherein said first voltage is at least 400 kV.
4. The ion implanter of claim 1, further comprising a bracket coupled to said terminal structure and said insulated conductor, said bracket configured to support said insulated conductor proximate said exterior portion.
5. The ion implanter of claim 4, wherein said bracket has a length to enable said insulated conductor to be positioned a distance from said exterior portion.
6. The ion implanter of claim 5, wherein said distance is at least 1.5 inches.
7. The ion implanter of claim 4, wherein said bracket comprises a conductive material, and said bracket is coupled to said conductor of said insulated conductor.
8. The ion implanter of claim 4, wherein said bracket comprises a nonconductive material.
9. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said exterior portion of said terminal structure comprises a periphery of a top edge of said terminal structure and a periphery of a bottom edge of said terminal structure, and wherein said insulated conductor comprises a top insulated conductor disposed about said periphery of said top edge and a bottom insulated conductor disposed about said periphery of said bottom edge.
10. The ion implanter of claim 9, wherein said exterior portion further comprises a periphery of said terminal structure between said top edge and said bottom edge, and wherein said insulated conductor further comprises an intermediate insulated conductor disposed about said periphery of said terminal structure between said top edge and said bottom edge.
11. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said insulator comprises a solid insulator.
12. The ion implanter of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of grading conductors disposed within said insulator, each of said plurality of grading conductors radially disposed a different distance from said conductor away from said exterior portion of said terminal structure, each of said plurality of grading conductors having an arcuate shape.
13. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of grading conductors has a differing arcuate length.
14. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of grading conductors has a same arcuate length.
15. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of grading conductors has an arcuate length, and wherein radial lines from said conductor to a center of said arcuate length of each of said grading conductors are at different angles from each other.
16. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of grading conductors are electrically floating.
17. The ion implanter of claim 12, wherein said plurality of grading conductors comprises a first grading conductor radially disposed a first distance from said conductor, a second grading conductor radially disposed a second distance from said conductor, and a third grading conductor radially disposed a third distance from said conductor, wherein said first distance is less than said second distance, and said second distance is less than said third distance, wherein said first grading conductor is configured to receive a first grading voltage, said second grading conductor is configured to receive a second grading voltage, and said third grading conductor configured to receive a third grading voltage, wherein said first grading voltage is greater than said second grading voltage, and said second grading voltage is greater than said third grading voltage.
18. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said exterior portion comprises an edge of said terminal structure, and wherein said insulated conductor comprises at least a first, a second, and a third insulated conductor disposed about said edge.
19. The ion implanter of claim 18, wherein said first, second, and third insulated conductors are positioned in linear array extending outward from said edge of said terminal structure.
20. The ion implanter of claim 18, wherein said edge has an arcuate shape and said first, second, and third insulated conductors are positioned in an arc consistent with said arcuate shape of said edge.
21. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein said insulator comprises a first tubular member defining an interior portion, said conductor disposed within said interior portion.
22. The ion implanter of claim 21, wherein said first tubular member comprises chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or a polyimide.
23. The ion implanter of claim 21, wherein said insulator further comprises a filler insulator disposed within said interior portion of said first tubular member.
24. The ion implanter of claim 23, wherein said filler insulator comprises pressurized air.
25. The ion implanter of claim 21, wherein said insulator further comprises a second tubular member, wherein said second tubular member is disposed within said interior portion of said first tubular member.
26. The ion implanter of claim 25, wherein said insulator further comprises a third tubular member, wherein said third tubular member is disposed within said interior portion of said first tubular member, and said second tubular member is further disposed within an interior portion defined by said third tubular member.
27. An apparatus comprising:
a conductive structure; and
an insulated conductor disposed proximate an exterior portion of said conductive structure to modify an electric field about said conductive structure, said insulated conductor having an insulator with a dielectric strength greater than 75 kilovolts (kV)inch disposed about a conductor.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a bracket coupled to said conductive structure and said insulated conductor, said bracket configured to support said insulated conductor proximate said exterior portion.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said bracket has a length to enable said insulated conductor to be disposed a distance from said exterior portion, said distance being at least 1.5 inches.
30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said bracket comprises a conductive material, and said bracket is coupled to said conductor of said insulated conductor, wherein said conductor and said terminal structure are configured to be energized to a first voltage, said first voltage being at least 400 kV.
31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said insulator comprised a solid tubular member defining an interior portion, said conductor disposed within said interior portion, and said insulator further comprises a filler insulator disposed within said interior portion about said conductor.
32. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of grading conductors disposed within said insulator, each of said plurality of grading conductors radially disposed a different distance from said conductor away from said exterior portion of said conductive structure, each of said plurality of grading conductors having an arcuate shape.