Appeal No. 2002-1148
Application 09/471,662
sheath, the ion source being capable of producing ions which
leave the ion source in the form of an ion efflux and have an
energy of 0 to about 2,000 eV, 2) a sputter target (34)
positioned such that an ion efflux from the ion source causes
particles to be sputtered from the target (figure 1), and 3) a
deposition substrate (40) positioned such that particles
sputtered from the target can be deposited thereon (figure 1),
wherein ionizable gas within the evacuated volume can be at a
pressure which is less by one or two orders of magnitude than the
pressure of ionizable gas within the ion source (col. 4,
lines 18-38; col. 5, lines 36-62; col. 6, lines 25-48).
Ceasar’s sputter target is not disclosed as being biased
negative relative to ground. However, King teaches that in the
disclosed ion beam sputtering apparatus, a Kaufman-type ion
source, which is the type used by Ceasar (col. 5, lines 42-43),
can be used as a source of ions “as long as the beam is
accelerated from the necessary potential relative to ground (or
other target potential) to give the ions the necessary energies,
and is properly controlled to be properly intercepted on the
target” (col. 5, lines 41-46). Because the ions which are
accelerated between the necessary potential and the target
potential to give them the desired energy are positively charged,
4
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007