Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A shaper for shaping an ion beam, said shaper comprising:a plate that is placed between an ion beam grid and an ion beam source, said plate for covering holes in said grid, and wherein said plate is shaped and dimensioned such that said plate does not partially cover any holes in said grid that are directly adjacent to said plate;a hole that is configured to mount said shaper at a center of said grid and at least one other hole that is configured to secure said shaper to said grid to prevent said shaper from rotating relative to said grid; anda center mount portion, said center mount portion covering holes in said grid;wherein said shaper has two axes of reflection symmetry. 2. The shaper of claim 1 wherein the width of said plate increases with radius. 3. The shaper of claim 1 having a first arm extending radially in a first direction from said center mount portion and a second arm extending radially from said center mount portion in a second direction opposite said first direction, each of said first and second arms having a first portion that has a first width, a second portion that has a second width greater than said first width, a third portion that has a third width that is greater than said second width, and a fourth portion that has a fourth width that is greater than said third width. 4. The shaper of claim 3 wherein said first portion is rectilinear, wherein said second portion comprises a rectilinear first region and a second region that tapers from said second width, and wherein said third and fourth portions are each chevron-shaped. 5. The shaper of claim 3 wherein said first and second arms cover 53 holes each. 6. The shaper of claim 1 wherein said plate does not partially cover any of said holes. 7. The shaper of claim 1 wherein said plate is usable for both etching and deposition. 8. An ion beam deposition and etching apparatus, said apparatus comprising:an ion beam source for emitting an ion beam toward a specimen;an ion beam grid mounted between said ion beam source and said specimen; anda shaper comprising a plate that is placed between said grid and said ion beam source, said plate covering holes in said grid, a hole that is configured to mount said shaper at a center of said grid and at least one other hole that is configured to secure said shaper to said grid to prevent said shaper from rotating relative to said grid, and a center mount portion, said center mount portion covering holes in said grid, wherein said shaper has a first axis of reflection symmetry and a second axis of reflection symmetry that is perpendicular to said first axis, and wherein said plate is shaped and dimensioned such that said plate does not partially cover any holes in said grid that are directly adjacent to said plate. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the width of said plate increases with distance along said first axis. 10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said shaper comprises a first arm extending radially in a first direction from said center mount portion and a second arm extending radially from said center mount portion in a second direction opposite said first direction, each of said first and second arms having a first portion that has a first width, a second portion that has a second width greater than said first width, a third portion that has a third width that is greater than said second width, and a fourth portion that has a fourth width that is greater than said third width. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first portion is rectilinear, wherein said second portion comprises a rectilinear first region and a second region that tapers from said second width, and wherein said third and fourth portions are each V-shaped. 12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first and second arms cover 53 holes each. 13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said plate does not partially cover any of said holes. 14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said plate is affixed to said grid, and wherein said specimen is rotated relative to said plate and grid. 15. A deposition and etching apparatus, said apparatus comprising:means for emitting an ion beam toward a specimen;means for filtering said ion beam before said ion beam reaches said specimen; andmeans for blocking a portion of said ion beam before said ion beam reaches said specimen, a hole that is configured to mount said means for blocking at a center of said means for filtering and at least one other hole that is configured to secure said means for blocking to said means for filtering to prevent said means for blocking from rotating relative to said means for filtering, and a center mount portion, said center mount portion covering holes in said means for filtering, wherein said means for blocking has a shape that is bilaterally symmetrical along a first axis and bilaterally symmetrical about a second axis that is perpendicular to said first axis and is shaped and dimensioned such that said means for blocking does not partially cover any holes in said means for filtering that are directly adjacent to said means for blocking. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 said means for filtering includes a pattern of holes formed therein, wherein a portion of said holes is blocked by said means for blocking, wherein the number of blocked holes increases with distance along said first axis. 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said means for blocking does not partially cover any of said holes. 18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said shape comprises a first portion that has a first width, a second portion that has a second width greater than said first width, a third portion that has a third width that is greater than said second width, and a fourth portion that has a fourth width that is greater than said third width. 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said first portion is rectilinear, wherein said second portion comprises a rectilinear first region and a second region that tapers from said second width, and wherein said third and fourth portions are each chevron-shaped. 20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said specimen is rotated relative to said means for filtering and said means for blocking.