Ion-beam treatment of the surface defined as a certain effect resulting from applying ion beams (of a certain characteristic with defined energy and ion density) to the substrate.  
The ions of the operation gas are generated within crossed electrical and magnetic fields and their acceleration and energy are resulting from the difference of potentials within anode-cathode. Ions resulting from the working gas ionization together with drifting electrons within closed magnetic field create an anode layer. Devices based on these physical principles are called anode layer accelerators.

Application:
Anode layer accelerators are applied in a variety of vacuum systems (as batch and in-line types) within  different  substrate treatment processes for large substrates from 100 mm to 3250mm width. The applications are: cleaning, polishing and activation of the surface, selected and controlled ion-beam etching, film depositions on the substrate, ion-beam assist during deposition. Preliminary ion-beam surface cleaning is most effective when applied before the  deposition process  in one vacuum cycle.   

Main applications:

• Cleaning and activation of the surface;
• Controlled polishing;
• Deposition of functional thin films of high density: protective, dielectric, diamond-like, complex layer compositions from  a variety of materials;
• Precise etching (minimal elements sizes from 0.2 microns with 0.05 microns accuracy; width-to-height step ratio more than 30:1; adjusting of beam angle to the treated surface helps to control step profile and trench configuration).

Technical data: