Abstract: A sputter ion source includes an ionizer; a sputter cathode, including a cathode, a sputter insert, and a shielding cap; a forming electrode; cathode insulator; a hollow, cylindrical shielding cathode, surrounding the sputter cathode, and tapered rotationally symmetrically in the region of the sputter insert; and a vacuum-tight housing for enclosing all of the foregoing. The sputter ion source has a prolonged operating life, low maintenance costs, and prevents atomization of parts of the ion source, for generating negative ions, in the vicinity of the cathode insert.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to prolong the service life of a sputter ions source, to lower the maintenance costs and largely to prevent atomization of the parts of the ions source, which are in the vicinity of the cathode insert, necessary for generating the negative ions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of a self-supporting spacing mask for a particle radiation-projection system, especially for the selective structuring and/or doping when producing highly integrated circuits.According to the invention, layers of varying compositions are deposited onto a substrate, structured and then partially or completely removed, until the mask structure which is backed by a stable metal grid is produced on the substrate, whereby a special pattern, made like a nuclear filter with statistically distributed pores is used for grid formation.