Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for manipulating a workpiece, comprising:engaging a workpiece with a workpiece support in a process chamber under high vacuum;providing an air bearing between a spherical bearing portion connected to the workpiece support and a housing portion disposed in a wall of the process chamber; andscanning the workpiece through an ion beam by manipulating the spherical bearing portion;wherein the spherical bearing portion is configured to enable the workpiece support to be moved with four degrees of freedom, andwherein providing the air bearing comprises pumping gas into a space between the spherical bearing portion and the housing portion. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the workpiece comprises performing an isocentric scan of the workpiece. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the workpiece comprises translating the workpiece support with respect to the spherical bearing portion. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein translating the workpiece support comprises rotating the workpiece support with respect to the spherical bearing. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a seal between the process chamber on a first side of the spherical bearing portion and ambient pressure on a second side of the spherical bearing portion, wherein maintaining the seal comprises pumping gas through at least one pumping groove disposed in the housing portion. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing one or more spherical air pads between the spherical bearing portion and the housing portion, the one or more spherical air pads disposed on an atmospheric side of the housing. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing a second air bearing between the spherical bearing portion and a shaft portion, a distal end of the shaft portion disposed in the process chamber, the distal end coupled to the workpiece support, wherein maintaining the seal comprises pumping gas through at least one pumping groove disposed in the spherical bearing portion. 8. A method for manipulating a workpiece, comprising:engaging a workpiece with a workpiece support in a process chamber;providing an air bearing between a spherical bearing portion connected to the workpiece support and a housing portion disposed in a wall of the process chamber; andscanning the workpiece through an ion beam by manipulating the spherical bearing portion via a shaft portion;wherein scanning comprises translating the shaft portion with respect to the spherical bearing portion;wherein the spherical bearing portion and the shaft portion are configured to enable to the workpiece support to be moved with four degrees of freedom; andwherein providing the air bearing comprises pumping gas into a space between the spherical bearing portion and the housing portion. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein scanning the workpiece comprises performing an isocentric scan of the workpiece. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein scanning the workpiece comprises translating the workpiece support along a longitudinal axis of the shaft portion. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein translating the workpiece support comprises rotating the workpiece support with respect to the spherical bearing. 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising maintaining a seal between the process chamber on a first side of the spherical bearing portion and ambient pressure on a second side of the spherical bearing portion, wherein maintaining a seal comprising pumping gas through at least one pumping groove disposed in the housing portion. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing one or more spherical air pads between the spherical bearing portion and a housing portion, the one or more spherical air pads disposed on an atmospheric side of the housing portion. 14. A method for manipulating a workpiece, comprising:engaging a workpiece with a workpiece support in a process chamber;providing an air bearing between a spherical bearing portion connected to the workpiece support and a housing portion disposed in a wall of the process chamber; andscanning the workpiece through an ion beam by manipulating the spherical bearing portion received within a spherical recess in a housing portion, the housing portion connected to a wall of the process chamber;wherein the spherical bearing portion and a shaft portion are configured to enable to the workpiece support to be moved with four degrees of freedom, andwherein providing the air bearing comprises pumping gas into a space between the spherical bearing portion and the housing portion. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein scanning the workpiece comprises performing an isocentric scan of the workpiece. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein scanning the workpiece comprises translating the workpiece support along a longitudinal axis of the shaft portion coupled to the spherical bearing portion. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein translating the workpiece support comprises rotating the workpiece support with respect to the spherical bearing. 18. The method of claim 14, further comprising maintaining a seal between the process chamber on a first side of the spherical bearing portion and ambient pressure on a second side of the spherical bearing portion, wherein maintaining the a seal comprises pumping gas through at least one pumping groove disposed in the housing portion. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing one or more spherical air pads between the spherical bearing portion and the housing portion, the one or more spherical air pads disposed on an atmospheric side of the housing portion. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing a second air bearing between the spherical bearing portion and a shaft portion, a distal end of the shaft portion disposed in the process chamber, the distal end coupled to the workpiece support, wherein maintaining a seal comprises pumping gas through at least one pumping groove disposed in the spherical bearing portion.