Patent Number: 044619545
Section: abstract

An ion-processing method and apparatus utilizing a slender tubular member having an open end and communicating with an inlet conduit. The tubular member is positioned to bring the open end in spaced juxtaposition with a workpiece across a small gap of a size of 10 and 1000 .mu.m in an evacuated an ionizable material is supplied into the slender tubular member through the inlet conduit for feeding it into the small gap through the open end. A power supply is provided to energize the supplied gas to form ions thereof and to apply an accelerating potential to the formed ions to propel them in a beam across the small gap to impinge upon a limited area of the surface of the workpiece juxtaposed with the open end of the slender tubular member. The pressure within the small gap, ranging between 10.sup.-4 and 10.sup.-1 Torr, is maintained in excess of the pressure of the surrounding the gap, ranging between 10.sup.-6 and 10.sup.-4 Torr.