An additive manufacturing system and method is provided for fabricating 3D objects (16) from successive layers (14) of material. The additive manufacturing system (10) has an energy projection assembly (20) for inputting energy (22) into a specified area within the layer (18) to consolidate the material; a plurality of image sensors (30, 32, 34), each of the image sensors having a corresponding field of view (35, 40, 42) covering at least part of the layer (18) of material, such that each of the fields of view at least partially overlap with the field of view of at least one other of the image sensors; and an image processor (56) to capture image data from each of the image sensors (30, 32, 34). The image processor (56) controls exposure times for each of the image sensors (30, 32, 34) and combines the image data from the image sensors to provide a single, spatially resolved image of the energy being input throughout the specified area for each layer (14) of material respectively for comparison against threshold data values to locate potential consolidation defects in the specified area.

A Faraday shielding apparatus includes a Faraday shielding plate and a heating circuit; the Faraday shielding plate includes a conductive ring and a plurality of conductive petal-shaped members radially symmetrically connected to the outer periphery of the conductive ring; when the heating circuit is used in the etching process, the Faraday shielding plate is heated by electricity. During the etching process, the heating circuit is conductively connected to the Faraday shielding plate, increasing the temperature of the Faraday shielding plate when it is energized, heating a medium window and reducing the amount of product deposits. During the cleaning process, the heating circuit and the Faraday shield are turned off, and the Faraday shielding plate is connected to a shielding power supply to clean the dielectric window. The output terminal of the heating power supply is filtered by way of a filter circuit unit, then connected to the Faraday shielding plate.

A Faraday shielding apparatus includes a Faraday shielding plate and a resistance wire attached to the lower end of the Faraday shielding plate; the Faraday shielding plate includes a conductive ring and a plurality of conductive petal-shaped members radially symmetrically connected to the outer periphery of the conductive ring; and an insulating and thermally conductivity layer is on the outer surface of the resistance wire. During the etching process, the heating circuit and the resistance wire are conductively connected, increasing the temperature of the resistance wire when it is energized. The Faraday shielding plate is between a radio frequency coil and the resistance wire to form a shield. The output terminal of the heating power supply is filtered by way of a filter circuit unit, then is connected to the resistance wire, preventing coupling between the radio frequency coil and the resistance wire.

An ion source baffle includes a baffle body, wherein the baffle body is of a hollow structure; baffles are symmetrically fixedly arranged on an inner wall of the baffle body; the baffles extend towards the center of the baffle body; and in the direction from the inner wall of the baffle body towards the center of the baffle body, a shielding area formed by the baffles is reduced. The ion etching machine includes a discharge chamber, a reaction chamber and an ion source baffle, wherein the ion source baffle is clamped on an inner wall of the discharge chamber; and plasma sequentially passes through the ion source baffle and an ion source grid assembly. In the ion etching machine, the ion source baffle is additionally provided, such that after plasma is shielded by the ion source baffle.

An anti-breakdown ion source discharge apparatus includes a discharge chamber, a coil support, an upper insulation fixing block, a discharge component and an ion source chamber. The discharge component includes a radio-frequency coil, a lower conductive connector and an upper conductive connector. The radio-frequency coil is fixed on a coil support base; the coil support base is clamped on an inner wall of the bottom of the ion source base; the coil support is along the circumference of the coil support base; the radio-frequency coil passes through the coil support; the upper conductive connector passes by the radio-frequency coil and the coil support base from the outside of the radio-frequency coil and extends into the bottom of the discharge chamber; and the upper insulation fixing block is sleeved over the upper conductive connector and is fixed on the inner wall of the bottom of the ion source chamber.

An ion beam etching method includes applying a positive voltage for extracting ions into a vacuum container to a first electrode, under a first condition where irradiation of a substrate with an ion beam is blocked off by a shutter, generating plasma in an internal space under the first condition, forming the ion beam by forming, under the first condition, a second condition where a positive voltage is applied to the first electrode and a negative voltage is applied to a second electrode, and moving the shutter and processing the substrate by irradiating the substrate with the ion beam.

An ion beam etching method includes applying a positive voltage for extracting ions into a vacuum container to a first electrode, under a first condition where irradiation of a substrate with an ion beam is blocked off by a shutter, generating plasma in an internal space under the first condition, forming the ion beam by forming, under the first condition, a second condition where a positive voltage is applied to the first electrode and a negative voltage is applied to a second electrode, and moving the shutter and processing the substrate by irradiating the substrate with the ion beam.

A surface processing apparatus is an apparatus which performs surface processing on an inspection object 20 by irradiating the inspection object with an electron beam. A surface processing apparatus includes: an electron source 10 (including lens system that controls beam shape of electron beam) which generates an electron beam; a stage 30 on which an inspection object 20 to be irradiated with the electron beam is set; and an optical microscope 110 for checking a position to be irradiated with the electron beam. The current value of the electron beam which irradiates the inspection object 20 is set at 10 nA to 100 A.

A method of etching a substrate, on which a multilayered film is formed, is provided. The multilayered film includes a silicon-containing insulating layer, an undercoat layer provided under the silicon-containing insulating layer, and a mask layer provided above the silicon-containing insulating layer. When the substrate is loaded into a process chamber, a process gas containing a fluorocarbon gas and a noble gas is supplied into the process chamber, and the multilayered film is etched by the plasma formed from the process gas. The noble gas contains a first gas having higher ionization energy than Ar gas, and momentum of an ionized particle of the first gas is less than momentum of an ionized particle of Ar gas.

Pattern-multiplication via a multiple step ion beam etching process utilizing multiple etching steps. The ion beam is stationary, unidirectional or non-rotational in relation to the surface being etched during the etching steps, but sequential etching steps can utilize an opposite etching direction. Masking elements are used to create additional masking elements, resulting in decreased spacing between adjacent structures and increased structure density.