Method of precisely modifying predetermined surface layers of a workpiece by cluster ion impact therewith
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsLewis Friedman, Robert J. Buehler, Michael W. Matthew, Myron Ledbetter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of precisely modifying a selected area of a workpiece by producing a beam of charged cluster ions that is narrowly mass selected to a predetermined mean size of cluster ions within a range of 25 to 10.sup.6 atoms per cluster ion, and accelerated in a beam to a critical velocity. The accelerated beam is used to impact a selected area of an outer surface of the workpiece at a preselected rate of impacts of cluster ions/cm.sup.2 /sec. in order to effect a precise modification in that selected area of the workpiece.
Claims33
A method of precisely modifying predetermined surface layers of a workpiece, comprising the steps of;
- a. producing a beam of charged cluster ions wherein a predetermined percentage of the cluster ions have a mean size within the range from 25 to 10.sup.6 atoms per cluster ion,
- b. accelerating said beam of cluster ions with an electric field having an accelerating field gradient, thereby to impart a critical velocity of at least 10.sup.6 centimeters per second to each of the cluster ions, and
- c. impacting a selected area of a first outer surface layer of a workpiece with said accelerated beam of cluster ions at a preselected rate of impacts of cluster ions/cm.sup.2 /sec., thereby to effect a precise modification in the outer surface layers of the workpiece in said selected area, said precise modification comprising a predetermined alteration of the configuration of said outer surface layers of the workpiece in said selected area thereof.
A method of precisely modifying predetermined surface layers of a workpiece, comprising the steps of;
- a. producing a beam of charged cluster ions wherein a predetermined percentage of the cluster ions have a mean size within the range from 25 to 10.sup.6 atoms per cluster ion, with essentially all of said predetermined percentage of cluster ions being less than 10.sup.6 atoms in size, and wherein the distribution of masses of the cluster ions is of the order of .+-.10% about said mean size,
- b. accelerating said beam of cluster ions with an electric field having an accelerating field gradient, thereby to impart a critical velocity of at least 10.sup.6 centimeters per second to each of the cluster ions, and
- c. impacting a selected area of a first outer surface layer of a workpiece with said accelerated beam of cluster ions at a preselected rate of impacts of in the range of about 10.sup.6 to about 10.sup.12 cluster ions/cm.sup.2 /sec., thereby to effect a precise modification in the outer surface layers of the workpiece in said selected area, said precise modification comprising an alteration of the grain size of the structure of said outer layer adjacent to the points of impact of said cluster ions with said workpiece.
A method of precisely modifying a workpiece sheet, that is in the range of about 50 to 200 Angstroms thick, by making generally circular holes of a predetermined diameter through said sheet, comprising the steps of;
- a. producing a beam of charged cluster ions wherein a predetermined percentage of the cluster ions have a mean size within the range from 25 to 10.sup.6 atoms per cluster ion,
- b. accelerating said beam of cluster ions with an electric field, thereby to impart a critical velocity of at least 10.sup.6 centimeters per second, and of less than 8.times.10.sup.7 centimeters per second, to each of the cluster ions, and
- c. impacting a selected area of the workpiece sheet with said accelerated beam of cluster ions at a preselected rate of impacts of cluster ions/cm.sup.2 /sec., thereby to precisely modify the workpiece sheet by forming holes of a predetermined diameter through it at the respective points of impact of said cluster ions, each of said holes having a predetermined diameter that is greater than the diameter of the impacting ion that made the respective holes.
A method of precisely modifying a workpiece by impacting it with cluster ions to firmly bond material to it, comprising the steps of;
- a. providing a beam of charged cluster ions wherein a predetermined percentage of the cluster ions have a mean size within the range from 25 to 10.sup.6 atoms per cluster ion,
- b. accelerating said beam of cluster ions to impart a critical velocity in the range of 10.sup.6 to 8.times.10.sup.7 cm/sec. to each of the cluster ions, and
- c. impacting a selected area of the workpiece with said accelerated cluster ions, at a preselected rate of impacts/cm.sup.2 /sec., thereby to firmly bond the cluster ions to predetermined outer layers of the workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.