Ion Beam Trimming and Ion Beam Figuring: Precise Surface Modification for Next-Generation Applications

Ion beam trimming and ion beam figuring are advanced high vacuum techniques used for precision surface modification and correction in various fields, including optics, microelectronics, and nanotechnology

Unlike conventional mechanical polishing methods, both IBT and IBF processes operate without physical contact. A focused broad beam of positive charged ions, e.g. Argon, moves across the substrate surface. The collision of the ions with the atoms of the substrate starts a "collision cascade", causing individual particles to detach from the surface. The amount of removal is controlled by the duration of processing. The longer the ion beam stays at one spot, the more material is removed. Since both forms are physical processes, a wide range of materials can be processed.

Ion Beam Figuring is a special form of ion beam trimming for polishing error correction of optical substrates. It is also often referred to as ion beam polishing or ion beam finishing, as it is usually the last step in a series of processing steps.

Advantages of ion beam trimming & ion beam figuring:

• High precision: processing with extremely high surface accuracy and single nanometer figure correction.
• Non-contact process: Therefore, ion beam trimming does not introduce mechanical stress or damage to the surrounding areas, resulting in improved device reliability.
• High selectivity by the additional use of reactive gases (Reactive Ion Beam Trimming, RIBT), making it ideal for complex device structures.