METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SURFACE TREATMENT BY COMBINED PARTICLE IRRADIATION

摘要

The invention relates to a method for surface treatment of a substrate surface by irradiation of particles onto the substrate constituting the substrate surface. The method comprises the steps of applying first particles onto the substrate surface, thereby causing a positive particle flux component on the substrate surface and emitting eroding particles as at least an eroding particle beam onto the substrate surface, the eroding particle beam causing a negative particle flux component on the substrate surface. The application is performed concurrently or alternately with the step of emitting. An area of the substrate surface onto which the first particles are applied is at least partly overlapping an area of the substrate surface irradiated by the eroding particle beam in an overlapping area of the substrate surface. The resulting cumulative flux of the combined positive and negative flux components in the overlapping area being non-positive, the resulting cumulative flux providing a decreasing or stable net amount of particles in the overlapping area of the substrate surface. The first particles and the eroding particle beam comprising atomic or molecular particles, wherein the first particles are provided by a source outside a plane coextending with at least a part of the substrate surface. Further, the invention relates to a device for surface treatment and a target device for carrying out the inventive surface treatment method.