Ion flow forming method and apparatus

Abstract

An ion flow forming method and apparatus for attracting ions from a plasma generated in a plasma generation chamber and forming a flow of the ions are disclosed. This ion flow forming apparatus includes the plasma generation chamber having a plasma diffusion outlet port, a processing chamber accommodating a target object, for example, two electrodes arranged between the plasma generation chamber and the target object in the processing chamber, and a potential control unit. This potential control unit controls voltages to be applied to the plasma generation chamber, the two electrodes, and the processing chamber, so that the step of diffusing the plasma generated in the plasma generation chamber in a space between the two electrodes, the ion attraction step of repelling electrons in the diffused plasma toward the plasma generation chamber and attracting the ions in the plasma in an opposite direction, and the ion flow formation step of directing the ions toward the target object are sequentially performed. A method and apparatus including a process of turning on/off the plasma in this cycle are also proposed.