Abstract:
An electron beam system is based on a plasma generator in a plasma ion source with an accelerator column. The electrons are extracted from a plasma cathode in a plasma ion source, e.g. a multicusp plasma ion source. The beam can be scanned in both the x and y directions, and the system can be operated with multiple beamlets. A compact focused ion or electron beam system has a plasma ion source and an all-electrostatic beam acceleration and focusing column. The ion source is a small chamber with the plasma produced by radio-frequency (RF) induction discharge. The RF antenna is wound outside the chamber and connected to an RF supply. Ions or electrons can be extracted from the source. A multi-beam system has several sources of different species and an electron beam source.
Abstract:
An electron beam excited plasma system in which an electron beam is extracted from a discharge plasma and accelerated, the accelerated electrons are applied to a etching gas to convert the etching gas into plasma, and the resulting gas plasma is caused to act on a wafer. The system comprises first gas source for supplying a gas for the generation of the discharge plasma to the region between a cathode and an anode, a first solenoid for forming a magnetic field substantially parallel to the direction of the electron beam such that the electron beam is guided along a center line connecting an axis of the cathode and a central axis of the wafer, an accelerating electrode surrounded by the first solenoid and adapted to accelerate the electron beam when a voltage is applied between the accelerating electrode and the anode, a second solenoid opposed to the wafer and scattering the magnetic field, formed by the first solenoid, outward from the center line, a double third solenoid for drawing in the magnetic field, scattered by the second solenoid, to a periphery of the wafer, a second gas source for supplying the etching gas to be converted into plasma by means of the electron beam to a region around the wafer, and a vacuum pump for evacuating the region around the wafer.
Abstract:
A large-area electron source which can operate continuously, stably, and indefinitely in a poor vacuum environment. The source includes a glow discharge cathode, appropriately positioned with respect to a target anode, and a fine-mesh grid spaced from the cathode by a distance less than the mean free path length of electrons leaving the cathode, the grid being electrically biased to control the electron beam current over a wide range with only small grid voltage changes. An accelerating voltage applied to the cathode can be varied continuously from as low as a few hundred volts to 30 KeV or greater and the source will continue to operate satisfactorily. Further, the grid is made of a fine mesh wire of sufficiently small dimensions as to not be resolvable in the target plane. A further refinement of the device utilizes scanning coils to achieve additional uniformity of the incident beam at the target plane. The basic apparatus of the invention can be combined with other features, for use in shadow mask lithography, resist sensitivity measurement, lift off processing, and resist curing.
Abstract:
Apparatus and method for producing a plurienergetic electron beam source. The apparatus includes a housing which functions as an anode, the same having an electron emission window covered by an electron-transparent grid, a cathode body mounted within the housing and electrically isolated therefrom, the spacing between the cathode body and grid being sufficient to permit a gas discharge to be maintained between them having a plasma region substantially thinner than the cathode sheath region. The method involves the simultaneous feeding of gas between a cathode body and an anode grid, applying voltages of about 10 kV to 20 kV and regulating the gas feed rate and the voltage to maintain a discharge condition of the character described above.