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.

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.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for integration of image-based metrology into a milling workflow. A first ion beam milling operation is performed to an edge at a distance from a final target position on a sample. An SEM image of the sample is used to determine a distance between the milled edge and a reference structure on the sample. Based on the determined distance, the ion beam is adjusted to perform a second milling operation to shift the milled edge to the final target position. Extensions to iterative procedures are disclosed. Various geometric configurations and corrections are disclosed. Manufacturing and analytic applications are disclosed in a variety of fields, including read-write head manufacture and TEM sample preparation. Other combinations of imaging and milling tools can be used.

Provided is a sample milling apparatus capable of milling various samples efficiently. The sample milling apparatus includes an anode, a cathode for emitting electrons which are made to collide with gas molecules so that ions are generated, an extraction electrode for causing the generated ions to be extracted as an ion beam, and a focusing electrode disposed between the cathode and the extraction electrode and applied with a focusing voltage. The spatial profile of the ion beam is controlled by varying the focusing voltage applied to the focusing electrode.

Provided is a particle beam apparatus capable of performing appropriate switching selectively between charged particle beam and neutral particle beam. A particle beam column (19) includes an ion source (41), a condenser lens (52), a charge exchange grid (55), and an objective lens (56). The ion source (41) generates ions. The condenser lens (52) changes focusing of the ion beam so that switching is performed between ion beam and neutral beam as particle beam with which a sample (S) is irradiated. The charge exchange grid (55) converts at least a part of ion beam into neutral particle beam through neutralization. The objective lens (56) is placed downstream of the charge exchange grid (55). The objective lens (56) reduces the ion beam toward the sample (S) when the sample (S) is irradiated with the neutral particle beam as the particle beam.

A method for forming reliefs on the surface of a substrate, including a first implantation of ions in the substrate according to a first direction; a second implantation of ions in the substrate according to a second direction that is different from the first direction; at least one of the first and second implantations is carried out through at least one mask having at least one pattern; an etching of areas of the substrate having received by implantation a dose greater than or equal to a threshold, selectively to the areas of the substrate that have not received via implantation a dose greater than said threshold; the parameters of the first and second implantations being adjusted in such a way that only areas of the substrate that have been implanted both during the first implantation and during the second implantation receive a dose greater than or equal to said threshold.

The presently disclosed ion sources include one or more electromagnets for changing the distribution of plasma within a discharge space of an ion source. At least one of the electromagnets is oriented about an outer periphery of a tubular sidewall of the ion source and changes a distribution of the plasma in a peripheral region of the discharge space.

Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a chamber body. The chambers may include a showerhead. The chambers may include a substrate support. The substrate support may include a platen characterized by a first surface facing the showerhead. The substrate support may include a shaft coupled with the platen along a second surface of the platen opposite the first surface of the platen. The shaft may extend at least partially through the chamber body. A coating may extend conformally about the first surface of the platen, the second surface of the platen, and about the shaft.