Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

[1] Process Principle

Ion beam machining (IBM) is closely associated with the phenomenon of 'sputtering', first reported by Grove in 1852 Ion beam machining takes place in a vacuum chamber, with charged atoms (ions) fired from an ion source towards a target by means of an accelerating voltage

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

[1] Process Principle (Contd)

The surface atoms are dislodged (sputtering) by incident bombarding ions Ions are formed by knocking of electrons from the atoms and are accelerated in an electric field which collide with the work surface Transfer of kinetic energy takes place on the work surface to finally dislodge its surface atoms

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

[2] IBM System

An ion beam machine has three main components: 1. Plasma Source which generates the ions 2. Extraction Grids for removing the ions from the plasma, and accelerating them towards the substrate (or the specimen) 3. Table for holding the specimen

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Fig.-1: Main features of ion beam machining (Melliar-Smith, 1976)

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM) Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

[2.1] Plasma source

A heated filament, usually tungsten, acts as the cathode, from which electrons are accelerated by means of a high voltage above 1 kV, towards the anode During the passage of the electrons from the cathode to the anode, they interact with argon atoms in the plasma source The following reaction then occurs:

Ar e Ar 2e

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

[2.2] Extraction Grids

The grids are normally made of two or three arrays of perforated sheets of carbon or molybdenum

The outer grid is usually kept at ground potential, which is a more negative level than that of the anode.
The second grid is held at a negative potential below the ground value A third grid, which is maintained at the anode potential, is sometimes placed between the plasma and the electron suppressor grid

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

[2.3] Substrate mounting

When the ions have been removed from the source, they drift in a field-free region to the component/ specimen/ substrate which is to be machined or milled The specimen is usually mounted on a watercooled table which can be tilted through an angle of 0 to 900

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

[3] Collision Mechanism

By Stuart (1983): when an ion strikes the surface of a material it usually collides with an atom there Primary Collision Secondary Collision If the incident ion strikes the surface obliquely, the ejection is very likely to result from the primary collision between the incident ion and the surface atom
Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM) Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Fig. 3: Ion (shaded) bombardment at normal incidence to surface (Stuart, 1983)

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM) Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Mechanism continued
Spencer and Schmidt (1972) explain material removal in terms of the transfer of momentum from the incident ions to atoms on the surface of the material The higher the energy of the incident ion, the more deeply this cascading effect occurs into the material Yield: Number of Atoms Removed per Incident Ion

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Fig. 4: Collision (mass of ion less than that of atom)

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM) Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Spencer and Schmidt (1972) and Somekh (1976) confirmed that the yield depends on: Material being treated Type of Atoms and their Energy Angle of Incidence Gas Pressure

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

The Current Associated with the Extraction of the Ion may be calculated from Childs law:

I ( 0 V

3/ 2

/ q)(2* q / m) (d / le )

1/ 2

To achieve the highest current, Lowest Spacing between the Grids Grids should have the Largest number of Holes of the Smallest Size
Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM) Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Fig.6: Effects of Low and High Energies on Atom Removal. (After Spencer and Schmidt, 1972) (a) Low Energy (b) High Energy
Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM) Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Fig.-7: Variation of yield with ion energy (Spencer and Schmidt, 1972)
Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM) Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Applications

Smoothing Ion Beam texturing Ion beam Cleaning Shaping, polishing and thinning by IBM Ion milling Material Applications Fair: Al, Steel, Super alloys, Titanium, Refractory, Plastics and Glass Good: Ceramics
4) Widely used for: Cleaning Polishing glass Etching Micromachining Sputter deposition
Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

-Removing surface contamination -Not to crystalline -Study of micro structure wire dies -Integrated circkt, bearings -Atomic deposition i.e. thin film deposition
Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

Advantages 1) Process is almost universal. 2) No chemical reagents etchants 3) No under cutting 4) Etching rates controllable Disadvantages

1) Relatively expensive 2) Slow etching rates 3) Little possibility of some thermal or reaction damage

Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain

[7] SUMMARY of PROCESS CAPABILITIES and OPERATIONAL Type Capability/Characteristics Finishing Surface Roughness [CLA in m] Capabilities Dimensional Tolerance or Accuracy [ m] Minimum Corner Radii (mm) Minimum Overcut (mm) Minimum Surface Damage Chemical Damage (m) Mechanical Damage Thermal Damage Drilling Hole Diameter (mm) Capabilities Aspect Ratio Hole Depth (mm) Minimum Taper (m /mm) Maximum No. of Holes that can be Drilled Simultaneously Minimum Angle of Inclination Hole Axis with Surface Cutting Width of Cut (mm) Capabilities Thickness of Cut (mm) Range of Cutting Rate (mm/min) Economic Initial Investment or Capital Cost Aspects Tooling and Fixtures Cost Power Consumption Cost Tool Consumption Cost Environmen Safety tal Aspects Toxicity Contamination of Machining Medium Thermal Type AMPs: Ion Beam Machining (IBM)

CHARACTERISTICS of IBM PROCESS Common Value/Range 0.2 0.8 50 125 2 m No No 0.005 m Fair for Micro-holes (d < 0.03 mm) and good for small holes (0.15 < d <0.3)

Good No Normal

Dr. Neelesh K. Jain