Substrate surface treatment method

Abstract

Cluster particles including a plurality of molecules or atoms are prepared by a gas cluster method, are accelerated, and are then irradiated onto a diamond in a low pressure atmosphere, so that the unevenness surfaces of the diamond are smoothed with no damages in the diamond. The cluster particles are prepared by the steps of forming, ionizing, mass-separating, and accelerating cluster particles. The cluster particles with a certain energy are irradiated onto the surface of the diamond. Irradiated cluster particles collide with the surface of the diamond, and then break apart into each molecule or atom while changing momentum (direction and speed) or energy. Thus, the surface of the diamond is efficiently smoothed and etched.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.