Demonstration of a Multi‐Layer, Lithographically Manufactured Plasma Spectrometer

Abstract

AbstractDevelopment of new plasma instruments is needed to enable constellation‐ and small satellite‐based missions. Key steps in the development pathway of ultra‐compact plasma instruments employing lithographically patterned wafers are the implementation of layer‐to‐layer electrical interconnects and demonstration of massively parallel measurements, that is, simultaneous measurements through multiple identical plasma analyzer structures. Here we present energy resolved measurements of electron beams using a 5‐layer stack of wafer‐based, energy‐per‐charge, electrostatic analyzers. Each layer has eight distinct analyzer groups that are comprised of multiple micron scale energy‐per‐charge analyzers. The process of fabricating the electrical interconnects between the layers is described and the measured energy resolution and the angular resolution compared to theoretical predictions. The measurements demonstrate successful operation of 400 micron scale analyzers operating in parallel.