RADIO-FREQUENCY, MICROWAVE, AND ELECTRON-CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE ION SOURCES FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS - A REVIEW

We recall the different classes of electromagnetic field excited ion s ources and their characteristic features in the scope of industrial ap plications. Emphasis is laid on various criteria and conditions: long source lifetimes, intense inert or reactive ion beams free from contam inants, low process pressures, severe environmental conditions, reliab ility, possibility of automatic control, simplicity in handling, and m aintenance. Examples of sources particularly suited to processes invol ving deposition or surface modification of materials are reviewed. Spe cific technological solutions and designs applied to these sources for industrial applications are examined. A few examples of applications using ion-beam processes in different fields (optics, microelectronics , and mechanics) are presented and further trends, especially for inli ne surface treatments, are examined. (C) 1996 American Institute of Ph ysics.