ionbeamassisted

Ion beam assisted refers to processing methods in which a beam of ions is applied to a material in parallel with another technique, such as deposition or etching, to influence the structure and properties of the material. The term encompasses processes like ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) and ion beam assisted etching, among others, and is used across coating technologies, electronics, and materials engineering.

In ion beam assisted deposition, a two-source arrangement provides material for growth and energetic ions that bombard the substrate during film formation. Ion energies typically range from a few tens to several thousand electron volts, with argon or other inert gases commonly used. The ion bombardment enhances adatom mobility, leads to subplantation, densifies films, reduces porosity, and helps control residual stresses and crystallographic texture.

Benefits include stronger adhesion, improved hardness and density, and smoother surfaces, as well as better step coverage for complex geometries. Limitations include the risk of ion-induced damage or implantation of undesired species, higher capital and operating costs, and the need for careful optimization of ion energy, fluence, and incidence angle to avoid adverse effects such as resputtering or film composition shifts.

Applications span hard coatings (for example TiN), diamond-like carbon, optical and protective coatings, magnetic and superconducting films, and advanced semiconductor devices. Ion beam assisted methods are often integrated with physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or plasma-assisted processes to tailor film properties.