Ion beam materials processing system with neutralization means and method
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorGuenther Schmidt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ion beam processing system for etching or sputtering includes a voltage source for applying an extraction voltage between a beam neutralizing filament and a specimen mount target for improved ion beam neutralization efficiency and reduced contamination.
Claims17
In an improved ion beam material processing system having an acceleration system including an ion beam gun from which an ion beam emerges and a specimen mount toward which the ion beam is directed, the improvement comprising:
- an ion beam neutralization means for emitting electrons into said ion beam in the space between said ion beam gun and said specimen mount;
- means for applying an extraction voltage between said neutralization means and said specimen mount, said extraction voltage being of a polarity for conveying electrons from said neutralization means to said specimen mount.
An ion beam processing system, comprising:
- an ion beam gun having:
- a cathode and an anode for generating an ion plasma;
- and
- an accelerator screen grating for accelerating ions from said ion plasma to form an ion beam;
- a neutralizing means for generating electrons to neutralize the space charge of said ion beam;
- a specimen mount on which a specimen is mountable;
- and
- means for connecting a dc voltage between said specimen mount and said neutralizing means to extract electrons generated by said neutralizing means toward said specimen mount.
A method for neutralizing an ion beam for use in a materials processing system, having a specimen mount toward which the ion beam is directed and a neutralization means to emit electrons into the ion beam between an ion beam source and the specimen mount, comprising:
- applying an extraction voltage between the neutralization means and the specimen mount to move electrons emitted by the neutralization means toward the specimen mount.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.