METHOD OF SMOOTHING SOLID SURFACE WITH GAS CLUSTER ION BEAM AND SOLID SURFACE SMOOTHING APPARATUS

摘要

A scratch or similar surface roughness in a solid surface is reduced by gas cluster ion beam irradiation. A gas-cluster-ion-beam solid surface smoothing method includes an irradiation step in which the solid surface is irradiated with a gas cluster ion beam. The irradiation step includes a process of causing clusters from a plurality of directions to collide with at least an area (spot) irradiated with the gas cluster ion beam in the solid surface. Collision of clusters from a plurality of directions with the spot can be brought about by emitting a divergent gas cluster ion beam which releases clusters in diverging directions with respect to the beam center, for example.

主权项

1. A method of smoothing a solid surface with a gas cluster ion beam, the method comprising:
irradiating the solid surface with said gas cluster ion beam; and irradiating the solid surface with one or more additional gas cluster ion beams simultaneously with irradiation of said gas cluster ion beam so as to expose substances in the solid surface transferred laterally by collisions with gas clusters to other gas clusters, each axis of said one or more additional gas cluster ion beams not being parallel to an axis of said gas cluster ion beam.