Programmable ion beam patterning system
First Claim
1. An ion beam system for producing a patterned ion beamwithout the need for masks, comprising:
- an ion source for producing ions,a programmable grid having a plurality of extraction apertures therein through which said ions can selectively be extracted from said ion source to produce said patterned beam,electrical bias means for electrically biasing individual ones of said extraction apertures for selectively extracting ions from said ion source or preventing the extraction of said ions, thereby producing said ion beam pattern,means for selectively changing the electrical bias on individual ones of said extraction apertures in order to change said selected ion beam pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This ion beam system provides an ion beam pattern which is produced without the need for a mask. A programmable grid is used in combination with an ion beam source, where the apertures of the programmable grid can have electrical potentials associated therewith which either extract ions or impede the movement of ions through the apertures. Depending upon the electrical biasing provided to each of the apertures of the grid, different patterns of ions can be extracted through the grid. By changing the electrical bias at different locations on the programmable grid, these different patterns are produced. The patterns can be used for many applications, including patterned deposition, patterned etching, and patterned treatment of surfaces.
68 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An ion beam system for producing a patterned ion beam
without the need for masks, comprising: -
an ion source for producing ions, a programmable grid having a plurality of extraction apertures therein through which said ions can selectively be extracted from said ion source to produce said patterned beam, electrical bias means for electrically biasing individual ones of said extraction apertures for selectively extracting ions from said ion source or preventing the extraction of said ions, thereby producing said ion beam pattern, means for selectively changing the electrical bias on individual ones of said extraction apertures in order to change said selected ion beam pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An ion beam system for producing a patterned ion beam without the need for masks, said system including:
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means for creating a plasma of ions in a vacuum chamber, a programmable grid located adjacent to said plasma of ions for extracting ions from said plasma at selected locations of said grid, said grid including a plurality of apertures through which an extracted ions pass into said vacuum chamber, and means for controlling the extraction of ions through selected apertures in said grid, said means for controlling including means for extracting ions through selected ones of said apertures and for preventing the extraction of ions from said plasma through other selected apertures of said grid. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An ion beam system for providing patterned ion beams without the use of masks, comprising in combination:
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an ion source, a programmable grid adjacent to said source, said grid having a plurality of apertures therein through which said ions can selectively pass under control of an electrical control means, electrical control means for controlling which of said apertures said ions will pass through, to produce a patterned ion beam, and addressing means connected to said electrical control means for changing the locations of the apertures through which said ions will pass to produce a different pattern of ions. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. In an ion beam system including a vacuum chamber,
an ion source for producing a plasma of ions, and a grid adjacent to said plasma having a plurality of apertures therein through which said ions can be extracted from said plasma, the improvement wherein said system includes electrical means for extracting ions through a selected pattern of said apertures while preventing the extraction of ions through others of said apertures and addressing means for changing the pattern of apertures through which said ions are extracted.
Specification