1. A mixing system, comprising:
a vessel having a lower vessel wall;
a rotating drive member disposed outside of the lower vessel wall and having at least one drive magnet;
a rotatable driven coupling member disposed inside of the lower vessel wall and having at least one driven magnet;
a shaft extending inward into the vessel and attached to the driven coupling member;
a plurality of impellers extending radially from the shaft;
a support frame comprising: at least three legs, with each leg having a lower end affixed to the lower wall of the vessel, and extending upwardly into the vessel, with the three legs each having an upper end; an upper bearing ring that supports the shaft for rotation, wherein each leg upper end supports the upper bearing ring; a lower bearing ring that supports the shaft for rotation; and
a plurality of struts, each strut extending radially inward from a respective leg to support the lower bearing ring, wherein the shaft is supported by the upper and lower bearing rings, and the upper and lower bearing rings are supported axially and radially by the legs and the struts, so that the shaft and the driven coupling member are suspended and the driven coupling member is held at an axial location spaced above the lower vessel wall.
2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a ring attached to the shaft to facilitate removal of the shaft from the vessel.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the legs form a tripod arrangement.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the driven coupling member comprises a flat plate affixed to the lower end of the shaft.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the driven coupling member comprises a disc affixed to the lower end of the shaft.
6. The system according to claim 1, wherein each bearing ring comprises a ball bearing.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein each bearing ring comprises a journal bearing.
8. A mixing system, comprising:
a vessel having a lower vessel wall;
a rotating drive means disposed outside of the lower vessel wall and having at least one drive magnet;
a rotatable driven coupling means disposed inside of the lower vessel wall and having at least one driven magnet;
a shaft extending inward into the vessel and attached to the driven coupling means;
a plurality of impellers extending radially from the shaft;
a support frame comprising: at least three legs, with each leg having a lower end affixed to the lower wall of the vessel, and extending upwardly into the vessel, with the three legs each having an upper end; an upper bearing means that supports the shaft for rotation, wherein each leg upper end supports the upper bearing means; a lower bearing means that supports the shaft for rotation; and
a plurality of struts, each strut extending radially inward from a respective leg to support the lower bearing means, wherein the shaft is supported by the upper and lower bearing means, and the upper and lower bearing means are supported axially and radially by the legs and the struts, so that the shaft and the driven coupling means are suspended and the driven coupling means is held at an axial location spaced above the lower vessel wall.
9. A system according to claim 8, further comprising a ring attached to the shaft to facilitate removal of the shaft from the vessel.
10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the legs form a tripod arrangement.
11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the driven coupling means comprises a flat plate affixed to the lower end of the shaft.
12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the driven coupling means comprises a disc affixed to the lower end of the shaft.
13. The system according to claim 8, wherein each bearing means comprises a ball bearing.
14. The system according to claim 8, wherein each bearing means comprises a journal bearing.
15. A mixing method for use with a vessel having a lower vessel wall, a rotating drive member disposed outside of the lower vessel wall and having at least one drive magnet, a rotatable driven coupling member disposed inside of the lower vessel wall and having at least one driven magnet, a shaft extending inward into the vessel and attached to the coupling member, and a plurality of impellers extending radially from the shaft comprising:
supporting the shaft using a support frame comprising: at least three legs, with each leg having a lower end affixed to the lower wall of the vessel, and extending upwardly into the vessel, with the three legs each having an upper end; an upper bearing ring that supports the shaft for rotation, wherein each leg upper end supports the upper bearing ring; a lower bearing ring that supports the shaft for rotation; and
a plurality of struts, each strut extending radially inward from a respective leg to support the lower bearing means, wherein the shaft is supported by the upper and lower bearing means, and the upper and lower bearing means are supported axially and radially by the legs and the struts, so that the shaft and the driven coupling member are suspended and the driven coupling member is held at an axial location spaced above the lower vessel wall.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A unitary apparatus for evaluating a sample comprising:
(a) a first measurement module including:
(i) means for inducing a periodic localized excitation at the surface of the sample;
(ii) means for directing a first probe beam of radiation within a portion of the area periodically excited in a manner such that the first probe beam reflects from the surface of the sample;
(iii) means for measuring the periodic variations of the reflected first probe beam induced by said periodic excitation to generate first output signals;
(b) a second measurement module including:
(i) means for generating a second probe beam, said second probe beam having X-ray wavelengths;
(ii) means for directing said second probe beam onto the surface of said sample;
(iii) a detector for measuring the intensity of X-rays reflected from said sample to generate second output signals; and
(c) a processor for evaluating the sample based on a combination of the first and second output signals.
2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for measuring the intensity of X-rays includes a photodiode detector.
3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said first probe beam is generated by a laser.
4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for measuring the first probe beam measures periodic changes in the magnitude or phase of the beam.
5. A method of evaluating a sample comprising the steps of:
(a) obtaining a first set of measurements by:
(i) inducing a periodic localized excitation on the surface of the sample;
(ii) directing a first probe beam of radiation within a portion of the area periodically excited in a manner such that the first probe beam reflects from the surface of the sample; and
(iii) measuring the intensity variations of the reflected first probe beam resulting from periodic changes of the sample induced by said periodic excitation to generate first output signals; and
(b) obtaining a second set of measurements by:
(i) generating a second probe beam of X-rays;
(ii) directing said second probe beam onto the surface of said sample;
(iii) measuring the intensity of X-rays as reflected from said sample to generate second output signals; and
(c) evaluating the sample based on a combination of the first and second output signals.
6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said step of evaluating the sample includes using either of the first or second output signals to characterize one parameter of the sample and wherein the other output signals are used to further characterize the sample with said one parameter being treated as a known parameter.
7. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said step of evaluating the sample includes using the second output signal to characterize the density of a sample layer and wherein the first output signals are used to further characterize the sample with said layer density being treated as a known parameter.
8. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said step of evaluating the sample includes using the second output signal to characterize the thickness of a sample layer and wherein the first output signals are used to further characterize the sample with said layer thickness being treated as a known parameter.
9. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said measuring of the intensity of X-rays includes using a photodiode detector.
10. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said first probe beam of radiation is generated by a laser.
11. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the periodic variations in the magnitude andor phase of the first probe beam are measured.
12. A method of evaluating characteristics of a sample comprising the steps of:
periodically exciting a region on the surface of the sample;
monitoring the modulated optical reflectivity induced by said periodic excitation and generating first output signals in response thereto;
directing a probe beam of X-ray radiation onto the same region on the sample surface;
monitoring the non-modulated reflected power of the X-ray probe beam and generating second output signals in response thereto; and
evaluating the characteristics of the sample based on a combination of the first and second output signals.
13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said step of evaluating the characteristics of the sample includes using either of the first or second output signals to characterize one parameter of the sample and wherein the other output signals are used to further characterize the sample with said one parameter being treated as a known parameter.
14. A unitary apparatus for evaluating characteristics of a sample comprising:
an intensity modulated excitation source for periodically exciting a region on the surface of the sample;
means for monitoring the modulated optical reflectivity induced by said periodic excitation and generating first output signals in response thereto;
means for obtaining X-ray reflectivity information from the same region on the sample surface and generating second output signals in response thereto; and
a processor for evaluating the characteristics of the sample based on a combination of the first and second output signals.
15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein the processor uses either of the first or second output signals to characterize one parameter of the sample and wherein the other output signals are used to further characterize the sample with said one parameter being treated as a known parameter.
16. A unitary apparatus for evaluating characteristics of a sample comprising:
an intensity modulated pump beam directed to the sample for periodically exciting a region on the surface of the sample;
a first probe beam directed to reflect off the periodically excited region;
a first detection module having a photodetector for monitoring the modulated changes in the reflected first probe beam induced by said periodic excitation and generating first output signals in response thereto;
a second probe beam of X-rays directed to reflect off the same region on the sample surface;
a second detection module for monitoring the non-modulated reflected power of the second probe beam and generating second output signals in response thereto; and
a processor for evaluating the characteristics of the sample based on a combination of the first and second output signals.
17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein the first detection module monitors the modulated variations in the magnitude andor phase of the first probe beam.
18. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein the processor uses either of the first or second output signals to characterize one parameter of the sample and wherein the other output signals are used to further characterize the sample with said one parameter being treated as a known parameter.