Ion beam etching (IBE) is an advanced etching technique that utilizes an ion source to remove material from a substrate surface with exceptional uniformity and precision. IBE can be applied to a wide variety of materials, including metals, oxides, semiconductors, and organic compounds. This etching method involves using a high-energy beam of charged particles, typically argon ions, to physically remove material from the sample surface.

These ions are generated in an ion source, accelerated to high energies by electric fields, and then focused into a beam using magnetic or electrostatic lenses. When the ion beam is directed at the surface of a sample, it collides with the atoms in the material, causing them to be ejected from the surface. By adjusting the energy of the ion beam and the angle at which it is aimed, the etching process can be precisely controlled.