# US 5,708,267 A · Processing method using fast atom beam

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- Number: US 5,708,267 A
- Document ID: US5708267A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/677,166
- Filed: 1996-07-09
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1993-07-05
- Assignees: Ebara Corporation
- Inventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5708267A

## CPC

- H01J 37/3056: {for microworking, e. g. etching of gratings or trimming of electrical components}
- G21K 5/00: Irradiation devices (discharge tubes for irradiating H01J37/00)
- H05H 3/00: Production or acceleration of neutral particle beams, e.g. molecular or atomic beams
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES
- H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS

## Abstract

A processing method using a fast atom beam wherein a surface of a substrate to be processed is covered with a masking member formed with patterned holes and the masking member is irradiated with the fast atom beam from a fast atom beam generator so that substrate is processed by the fast atom beam applied to the surface of the substrate through the patterned holes of the masking member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processing method comprising the step of:
covering a surface of an object to be processed with a non-fixed movable masking member formed with a hole with a pattern therein in contact with or with a predetermined gap closely spaced from said surface of said object, and
irradiating said masking member with a fast atom beam of neutrally charged atoms or molecules that have a kinetic energy above several eV so that said object is processed by said fast atom beam applied to the surface of said object through the hole in said masking member to create said pattern on said object.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processing method of claim 1, wherein said masking member is moved relative to said object for irradiating selected portions of said object with said fast atom beam.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The processing method of claim 1, wherein said object is moved relative to said masking member for irradiating selected portions of said object with said fast atom beam.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The processing method of claim 1, wherein a surface of the same object to be processed is sequentially covered with masking members having different patterned holes, and the surface of said object is irradiated with said fast atom beam for each masking member, thereby processing said object.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4)

The processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein light energy or laser beam is used in addition to said fast atom beam.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4)

The processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein X-rays or radiation (alpha rays, beta rays, or gamma rays) are used in addition to said fast atom beam.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4)

The processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein electron beam are used in addition to said fast atom beam.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4)

The processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an ion beam or radical particles is used in addition to said fast atom beam.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4)

The processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a combination of at least two selected from among light energy, laser beam, radiation, X-rays, electron beams, radical particles and an ion beam is used in addition to said fast atom beam.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4)

The processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said processing is performed on a plurality of surfaces of said object.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
covering a surface of a second object to be processed with said non-fixed movable mask member; and
irradiating said masking member with a fast atom beam of neutrally charged atoms or molecules that have a kinetic energy above several eV so that said second object is processed by said fast atom beam applied to the surface of said second object through the patterned hole in said masking member to create said pattern or said second object.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
first, forming the non-fixed movable masking member with the hole with the pattern; and
second, after the non-fixed movable masking member is formed, covering said object to be processed with the non-fixed movable masking member.