| Gas Cluster Ion Beam |
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PROCESS Using GCIB a surface is bombarded by a beam of high energy nanoscale Cluster Ion s. The clusters are formed when a high pressure gas (approximately 10 Atmospheres pressure) expands into a Vacuum (1e-5 atmospheres). The gas expands Adiabatically and cools then Condenses into clusters. The Cluster s are nano sized bits of crystalline matter with unique properties intermediate between the realms of atomic physics and those of solid state physics. The expansion takes place inside of a nozzle that shapes the gas flow and facilitates the formation of a jet of clusters. The jet of clusters passes through differential pumping apertures into a region of high vacuum (1e-8 atmospheres) where the clusters are ionized by collisions with energetic Electron s. The ionized clusters are accelerated electrostatically to very high velocities, and are focused into a tight beam. The GCIB beam is then used to treat a surface -- typically the treated substrate is mechanically scanned in the beam to allow uniform irradiation of the surface. , average cluster velocity 6.5 Km/s , with a total electrical current of 200 µA or more. When an Argon cluster with these parameters strikes a surface, a shallow crater is formed with a diameter of approximately 20 nm and a depth of 10 nm. When imaged using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) the craters have an appearance much like craters on planetary bodies. A typical GCIB surface treatment allows every point on the surface to be struck by many cluster ions, resulting in smoothing of surface irregularities. Lower energy GCIB treatments can be used to further smooth the surface, and GCIB can be used to produce an atomic level smoothness on both planar and nonplanar surfaces. Almost any gas can be used for GCIB, and there are many more uses for chemically reactive clusters such as for Doping Semiconductor s (using B2H6 gas), cleaning and etching (using NF3 gas), and for depositing chemical layers. INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS In industry, GCIB has been used for the manufacture of and for other uses. GCIB smoothing of high voltage electrodes has been shown to reduce the Field Emission of electrons, and GCIB treated RF cavities are being studied for use in future high energy Particle Accelerator s. REFERENCES
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