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. 20, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 08, 1996
Michinobu Mizumura, Yokohama, JP;
Yuuichi Hamamura, Yokohama, JP;
Junzou Azuma, Yokohama, JP;
Akira Shimase, Yokosuka, JP;
Takashi Kamimura, Yokosuka, JP;
Fumikazu Itoh, Fujisawa, JP;
Kaoru Umemura, Musashino, JP;
Yoshimi Kawanami, Kokubunji, JP;
Yuuichi Madokoro, Kokubunji, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
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.