High-speed nano-processing with cluster ion beams

The gas cluster ion beam process has a high potential for material processing in nano-technology devices, such as photonic crystals, thin film transistors (TFTs) and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). In order to fabricate the devices, one needs to etch target materials with a high-speed, low-damage and ultra-smooth process. Extremely high rate sputtering was realized by high-energy cluster ion beam. We have been using this technique for poly-Si TFTs. There are many hillocks on poly-Si films formed by using a laser anneal technique, and they cause degradation of devices. When the laser crystallized poly-Si film was irradiated with cluster ion beam, the higher hillocks could be etched selectively and the surfaces of poly-Si films could be processed with low ion dose. High-speed nano-processing was realized by cluster ion beam. (author)