System and method for characterizing focused charged beams

1. An apparatus to characterize a focused charged beam, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels placed in a path of the focused charged beam; and

at least one current sensor unit configured to measure current across each conductive channel of the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a multiplexer configured to selectively couple each conductive channel of the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels to the at least one current sensor unit to measure the current across the conductive channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising at least one microcontroller configured to control the multiplexer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor unit configured to generate a profile of the focused charged beam based upon the measured current across each conductive channel of the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels are formed of copper, silver, gold, tin, or combinations thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a number and a size of the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels are selected based upon a size of the focused charged beam.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a spacing between an adjacent pair of conductive channels of the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels is selected based upon a particular measurement resolution.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to characterize focused charged beams having a diameter of less than about 10 nanometers.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels comprises a first conductive channel, which is adjacent to a second conductive channel;

the second conductive channel is adjacent to a third conductive channel; and

a first spacing between the first conductive channel and the second conductive channel is greater than a second spacing between the second conductive channel and the third conductive channel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels comprises a plurality of pairs of adjacent conductive channels, wherein each pair of the adjacent conductive channels has a spacing between the adjacent conductive channels; and

each spacing between the adjacent conductive channels is greater than a spacing to its left.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a spacing pattern of the non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels provides a gradient.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels are parallel.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one conductive channel of the plurality of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels has a curved profile.

14. A system to characterize a focused charged beam, the system comprising:

a beam generator configured to generate the focused charged beam along a beam path;

at least one detector placed in the beam path, wherein the at least one detector comprises an array of non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels configured to generate current as the focused charged beam contacts the at least one detector; and

at least one current sensor unit, electrically coupled to the at least one detector, to measure the current generated across each conductive channel of the non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising at least one multiplexer configured to selectively couple each conductive channel of the non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels to the at least one current sensor unit to measure the current across the conductive channel.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising at least one processor unit configured to generate a unidirectional beam profile of the focused charged beam based upon the measured current across each conductive channel of the non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising at least one display unit configured to display the measured current across each conductive channel of the non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels and to display the generated unidirectional beam profile.

18. A detector, comprising:

an array of non-uniformly spaced conductive channels configured to be placed in a path of a focused charged beam, wherein each conductive channel of the non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels is configured to generate current as the focused charged beam contacts the conductive channel.

19. The detector of claim 18 , further comprising at least one current sensor unit configured to measure the current across each conductive channel of the non-uniformly-spaced conductive channels.

20. The detector of claim 19 , further comprising at least one processor unit configured to generate a unidirectional beam profile of the focused charged beam based upon the measured current.