Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of modifying an upper layer of a workpiece using a gas cluster ion beam, the method comprising:collecting parametric data relating to an upper layer of the workpiece;identifying non-uniformities in the parametric data;directing the gas cluster ion beam toward the upper layer of the workpiece; andspatially modulating an applied dose, based at least in part on a systematic error response and the parametric data, of the gas cluster ion beam as a function of position on the upper layer of the workpiece to correct the non-uniformities. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-uniformities are formed by a process performed on the upper layer of the substrate before the gas cluster ion beam is directed toward the upper layer of the substrate. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the parametric data further comprises:collecting the parametric data using an ex-situ metrology tool that is external to a vacuum enclosure of a gas cluster ion beam tool in which the gas cluster ion beam is directed toward the upper layer of the workpiece. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the ex-situ metrology tool is selected from the group consisting of a spectroscopic ellipsometer, scatterometer, interferometer, X-ray fluorescence tool, and a four point probe tool. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein spatially modulating the applied dose of the gas cluster ion beam further comprises:moving the second workpiece relative to the gas cluster ion beam with a dwell time at each position determined at least in part by the systematic error offset. 6. A method of correcting systematic non-uniformities using a gas cluster ion beam, the method comprising:generating a first data set for each of a plurality of workpieces;scanning the gas cluster ion beam without modulation across an upper layer;generating a second data set for each of the plurality of workpieces;identifying systematic non-uniformities in parametric data generated by comparing a parameter in the first and second data sets of each of the plurality of workpieces;scanning the gas cluster ion beam across an upper layer of another workpiece; andspatially modulating an applied dose of the gas cluster ion beam as a function of position on the upper layer of the another workpiece to correct for the systematic non-uniformities. 7. The method of claim 6, scanning the gas cluster ion beam without modulation further comprises:exposing the upper layer of the another workpiece to the gas cluster ion beam to induce the systematic non-uniformities. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first data set comprises pre-gas cluster ion beam processing data from the plurality of workpieces and the second data set post-gas cluster ion beam processing data from the plurality of workpieces. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first data set or the second data set is collected using an ex-situ metrology tool. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ex-situ metrology tool is selected from the group consisting of a spectroscopic ellipsometer, scatterometer, interferometer, X-ray fluorescence tool, and a four point probe tool. 11. The method of claim 6, wherein spatially modulating the applied dose of the gas cluster ion beam further comprises:moving the second workpiece relative to the gas cluster ion beam with a dwell time at each position determined at least in part by the systematic error offset. 12. A processing system for use with a metrology tool, the metrology tool configured to map a parameter of an upper layer on each of the processed workpieces and to generate parametric data representing the mapped parameter, the processing system comprising:a gas cluster ion beam apparatus; anda controller coupled in communication with the gas cluster ion beam apparatus and adapted to be coupled in communication with the metrology tool, the controller being configured to receive the parametric data from the metrology tool, to generate control signals for operation of the gas cluster ion beam apparatus that are based upon the parametric data received from the metrology tool, and to communicate the control signals to the gas cluster ion beam apparatus. 13. The processing system of claim 12, wherein a gas cluster ion beam apparatus including a vacuum enclosure, a source configured to produce a gas cluster ion beam inside the vacuum enclosure, and a workpiece support in the vacuum enclosure. 14. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the workpiece support includes an X-Y positioning table. 15. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to identify systematic non-uniformities in the parametric data and to generate the control signals based at least partially on the systematic non-uniformities for spatially modulating an applied dose of the gas cluster ion beam as a function of position on a workpiece supported by the workpiece support. 16. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the gas cluster ion beam apparatus further comprises:a plurality of scan plates; anda scan generator electrically coupled with the scan plates, the scan generator configured to apply voltages to the scan plates for varying a path of the gas cluster ion beam relative to the workpiece support. 17. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the source is a reactive source. 18. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the parametric data includes at least one of pre-gas cluster ion beam apparatus processing data or post-gas cluster ion beam apparatus processing data. 19. The processing system of claim 18, wherein the parametric data comprises film thickness data. 20. The processing system of claim 12 wherein the controller communicates with the gas cluster ion beam apparatus by a first wireless technology connection and is optionally adapted to communicate with the metrology tool by a second wireless technology connection.