Abstract: A low energy ion gun for ion beam processing. The ion gun includes a plasma chamber having an open ended, conductive, non-magnetic body, a first end of which is closed by a flat or minimally dished dielectric member and with electrodes at a second end thereof opposite the first end. The ion gun also has primary magnets arranged around the body for trapping electrons adjacent the wall of the plasma chamber in use of the ion gun and an r.f. induction device. The electrodes include multi-aperture grids arranged for connection to respective positive potential sources and positioned to contact the plasma in the plasma chamber. The apertures of the grids are aligned so that particles emerging from an aperture of a first one of the grids are accelerated through corresponding apertures of the other grids in the form of a beamlet. A plurality of beamlets forms a beam.

Abstract: An electro-magnet array for use in a sputtering apparatus. The array has a magnetisable core member extending substantially horizontally and having magnetisable outward projections arranged as at least two pairs of symmetrically opposed projections projecting outwardly from the core member. A pole member is associated with each projection and vertically displaced with respect thereto. A magnetisable coupler is arranged to couple each pole piece magnetically to its respective projection. A magnetising coil around each projection is arranged for producing a magnetic field aligned substantially with a horizontal axis of symmetry of its respective projection in dependence upon the direction of flow of electric current through the magnetising coil.

Abstract: A vacuum sputtering apparatus (1) is described in which a target (7) having a target face (8) is mounted in a vacuum chamber (2) opposite a substrate (15). A magnetic pole plate (16) having a non-magnetic carrier plate (17) attached thereto is mounted behind the target (7) on a shaft (28) and can be rotated by means of a motor (29) about an axis substantially orthogonal to the target face (8). Carrier plate (17) has an array of holes (19) each of which can receive a corresponding first bar magnet (20, 21). There are fewer magnets (20, 21) than there are holes (19) and the magnets (20, 21) are removable from their holes (19). Carrier plate (17) also has a circumferential line of holes (22), in each of which may be mounted a corresponding second bar magnet (23). By varying the number and positions of the bar magnets (20, 21, 23) in the holes (19, 22) a variety of different high density plasma zone shapes (24; 25, 26; 27; 28) can be produced upon the target face (8).

Abstract: A filamentless (without a heated cathode) ion source for thin film processing and surface modification. The ion source comprises a plasma chamber which includes a wall defining an evacuable chamber having a first end and a second end, with a dielectric member extending across the first end of the evacuable chamber. A gas inlet admits a plasma forming gas into the chamber. An RF emitter is positioned adjacent to the dielectric member for inductively generating a plasma in the gas in the plasma chamber during use of the ion source. A control grid structure is provided for extracting ions from plasma in the plasma chamber, and include a first grid connected to a positive voltage source and a second grid connected to a negative voltage source, to produce an acceleration field for accelerating ions towards and through the second grid of the control grid structure. An ion beam processing apparatus and an ion beam neutralizer incorporating such an ion source are also described.

Abstract: An electrode assembly is described for use in plasma processes, such as reactive dry etching and plasma deposition. This includes a primary electrode which is electrically insulated from the vacuum chamber in which it is mounted in use. The primary electrode may be connected to an r.f. or d.c. power source and has a cylindrical hole with an insulated subsidiary electrode at the bottom of the hole which can be earthed or allowed to adopt a floating voltage in use. Magnets are used to trap electrons adjacent the walls of the hole. These may consist of a plurality of elongate magnets positioned around an annular pole plate with their largest dimension arranged longitudinally with respect to the pole plate and the hole, with their magnetic axes arranged radially, and with alternating polarity around the inner periphery of the pole plate. In use an r.f. frequency (e.g. 13.56 MHz) may be applied to the primary electrode while a reactant gas (e.g. C.sub.2 F.sub.6 or a C.sub.2 F.sub.6 /CHF.sub.