Method and apparatus for neutral beam processing based on gas cluster ion beam technology

摘要

An apparatus, method and products thereof provide an accelerated neutral beam derived from an accelerated gas cluster ion beam for processing materials.

主权项

1. A method of treating a surface of a workpiece comprising the steps of:
providing a reduced pressure chamber; forming a gas cluster ion beam comprising gas cluster ions within the reduced pressure chamber; accelerating the gas cluster ions to form an accelerated gas cluster ion beam along a beam path within the reduced pressure chamber; promoting fragmentation and/or dissociation of at least a portion of the accelerated gas cluster ions along the beam path by increasing the range of velocities of ions in the accelerated gas cluster ion beam; removing charged particles from the beam path to form an accelerated neutral beam along the beam path in the reduced pressure chamber; holding a workpiece in the beam path; and treating at least a portion of a surface of the workpiece by irradiating it with the accelerated neutral beam.