METHOD OF WORKING SOLID SURFACE WITH GAS CLUSTER ION BEAM

摘要

A method of working a solid surface while avoiding any deformation of corner portion of nonflat structure. There is provided a method of working a solid surface with gas cluster ion beams, comprising the cluster protection layer forming step of forming on a solid surface a nonflat structure composed of a protrudent portion coated at its top with a cluster protection layer and a depressed portion not coated with a cluster protection layer; the irradiation step of irradiating the solid surface having the nonflat structure formed in the cluster protection layer forming step with gas cluster ion beams; and the removing step of removing the cluster protection layer. The thickness of the cluster protection layer, T, satisfies the relationship of the formula (I): wherein n is the dose of gas cluster ion beams and wherein the efficiency of etching of the cluster protection layer is referred to as etching volume, Y, per cluster (provided that a and b are constants).