A Device for Transforming a Charged Particle Beam Between a Vortex Beam Condition and a Plane Wave Beam Condition

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This patent relates to a device that can transform a charged particle beam—such as an electron beam—between a 'vortex' (carrying orbital angular momentum) and a 'plane wave' state. The device uses specifically designed magnetic phase changing elements (comprised of conductors with electric current or permanent magnets) arranged along the beam's path. One element performs a conformal mapping of the beam (turning angular momentum to spatial separation), while the second element corrects phase defects. The device improves efficiency and precision over previous electrostatic or material-absorptive methods.

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• Measuring the orbital angular momentum (OAM) spectrum of electron beams in electron microscopes and other particle beam systems.
• Generating vortex beams (beams with tailored angular momentum) for advanced materials characterization.
• Quantum information processing using particle beams with specific OAM states.
• Non-invasive or lossless measurement and manipulation of charged particle beam properties.
• Temporarily transforming beams for interaction or manipulation before returning them to their original state.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• High efficiency and minimal absorption, allowing almost all particles in the beam to be utilized and enabling single-particle experiments.
• Energy-independent phase transformation, suitable for a wide energy range including high-energy and ultrarelativistic particles.
• Less sensitive to charging and stray electric fields compared to electrostatic devices, improving stability and accuracy.
• Ability to tune and configure the sorting/generation properties via current or magnet arrangements.
• Enables quantitative and high-fidelity analysis of particle beam OAM, advancing research in materials science, quantum mechanics, and related fields.

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Patent Abstract

A device for transforming a charged particle beam (10) between a vortex beam and a plane wave beam, the device comprising a first and second phase changing elements (20, 40) introducing respective phases on the beam (10). The first phase changing element (20) is a magnetostatic element comprising: a first conductor (25; 25') oriented such that flow direction of an electric current has a component parallel to the beam axis (z, 60), or a first permanent magnet (27) shaped such that flow direction of an equivalent surface current flowing along a peripheral surface portion (27a) has a component parallel to the beam axis (z, 60). The second phase changing element (40) is a magnetostatic element comprising: a periodic array of second conductors (45) configured to be flown by respective electric currents in an alternating manner with respect to each other, or a periodic array of second permanent magnets (47) with alternating, uniform magnetizations orthogonal to the beam axis (z, 60).