Ion beam etching method and ion beam etching apparatus

Abstract

An ion beam etching method comprises an etching step of etching an object to be processed with an ion beam extracted by an extraction electrode, and a cooling step of cooling the extraction electrode with an inert gas.

1 . An ion beam etching method comprising: 
 an etching step of etching an object to be processed with an ion beam extracted by an extraction electrode; and    a cooling step of cooling the extraction electrode with an inert gas.    
     
     
         2 . An ion beam etching method according to  claim 1 , wherein the object is conveyed in the cooling step.  
     
     
         3 . An ion beam etching method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling step is performed prior to the etching step; 
 the ion beam etching method further comprising a warming-up step of extracting the ion beam by using the extraction electrode prior to the cooling step.    
     
     
         4 . An ion beam etching method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is identical to an ion-generating gas for generating an ion in the ion beam in the etching step.  
     
     
         5 . An ion beam etching method according to  claim 4 , wherein the inert gas has a flow rate greater than that of the ion-generating gas in the cooling step.  
     
     
         6 . An ion beam etching method according to  claim 1 , wherein the object is conveyed in the cooling step, and  
       wherein the cooling step is performed prior to the etching step; 
 the ion beam etching method further comprising a warming-up step of extracting the ion beam by using the extraction electrode prior to the cooling step.  
 
     
     
         7 . An ion beam etching apparatus comprising: 
 an ion source;    an extraction electrode for extracting an ion beam from the ion source; and    a cooling device for cooling the extraction electrode.