We show that etching of a dielectric (quartz) target by ions from the beam-plasma formed using a forevacuum-pressure, plasma-cathode electron source is substantially greater when the beam-plasma and the target are located within a dielectric cavity. The effect of the cavity manifests itself in impeding the negative charge to escape from the dielectric surface of the target irradiated by the electron beam, thereby forming higher negative target potentials which accelerate the ions coming from the plasma and intensify the ion etching. The beam-plasma parameters (plasma density and electron temperature) are greater with the cavity than without the cavity due to additional energy input from secondary electrons emitted from the target and accelerated by a high target potential. Efficient ion etching of dielectrics can be performed in this way.

我们表明，当束等离子体和目标位于介电腔内时，使用前真空压力形成的束等离子体中的离子对介电（石英）目标的蚀刻显着更大。空腔的作用表现在阻止负电荷从被电子束照射的靶材的介电表面逸出，从而形成更高的负靶材电位，加速来自等离子体的离子并加强离子蚀刻。由于从靶发射并被高靶电位加速的二次电子的额外能量输入，有腔的束等离子体参数（等离子体密度和电子温度）比没有腔的要大。可以以这种方式执行电介质的有效离子蚀刻。