The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 1989
Filed:
Nov. 16, 1988
Yoshitomo Nakagawa, Tokyo, JP;
Takehiro Yamaoka, Tokyo, JP;
Seiko Instruments Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Apparatus for modifying a patterned film, composed of an ion source for producing an ion beam which is focused and caused to impinge upon a sample to microscopically machine a small region upon the surface of the sample; scanning electrodes and a scanning control cirucit for scanning the focused ion beam; a detector that detects the secondary charged particles emanating from the sample in response to the irradiation; and a display device for displaying the pattern formed upon the sample according to the output from the detector. The apparatus further includes a nozzle for spraying etching gas against only a certain portion of the pattern when the focused ion beam is caused to fall upon the certain portion of the pattern, the gas being activated by the ion beam and capable of etching the material of the film upon which the pattern is formed. The focused ion beam that irradiates and scans the sample is not permitted to move from one spot to a neighboring spot until a given period of time elapses. Thus, a desired portion of the patterned film is rapidly and cleanly removed while minimizing the amount of the etching gas admitted into the apparatus.