Patent · US Expired

Processing method and apparatus using focused ion beam generating means

US5825035A · kind A · utility

78Cited by
4References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 8, 1996
Grant dateOct 20, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 8, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/31742
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A processing method using a plasma ion source for generating a focused ion beam, characterized by covering, with an insulator, an inner wall of a plasma holding vessel excluding a reference electrode for applying a voltage to a plasma and an ion extraction electrode for extracting ions from the plasma, and employing means of continuously controlling the absolute value of an ion beam current in a range of from 1 to 10 .mu.A by changing the absolute value of an ion extraction voltage applied between the reference electrode and the ion extraction electrode in a range of from 0 to 100 V; and an apparatus for carrying out the processing method. This is advantageous in stabilizing the ion beam current and in preventing the ion beam from being made dim even when the current value of the ion beam is changed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.