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ion beam

ion beam

1 7.7
A stream of charged atoms or molecules that moves fast in one direction
  • noun
  • /ˈaɪən biːm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : haz de iones
  • The positive ion beam presents a potential well to electrons.
  • ion beam deposition
  • ion beam etch
  • metal ion beam

Examples

  • The ion beam is accelerated in LBNL's 88-inch cyclotron to 4.5 MeV per nucleon.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Has developed a novel metal ion beam source.

    Academic text (1997)
  • We at Cornell were the first to observe and explain the ion beam neutralization process.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Due to the glancing incidence of the ion beam, argon is not implanted into the sample surface.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Finally, they transferred the curved geometry of the photoresist disk to the semiconductor by dry etching using an ion beam.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The researchers used a focused ion beam to etch precise patterns on the semiconductor surface.

  • In the laboratory, a high-speed ion beam was generated to study the properties of different materials.

  • The ion beam technology allowed scientists to create detailed microstructures in various metals.

Synonyms

ionic beam
vsion beam
  • Specialized
9.1

A narrow stream of tiny charged particles used to change material surfaces

emphasizes that the stream moves at very high speed rather than its production use

Surface Forms

ion beam singular
ion beams plural

Morphology

ion + beam

The noun–noun compound directly combines 'ion' (charged atom/molecule) with 'beam' (a directed shaft or stream), so a learner who knows both words can infer 'a directed stream of ions'. The formation is compositional and follows a common, cross-linguistic pattern for technical compounds, so the meaning is transparent despite being a technical term.

Etymology

The noun ion beam comes from the words ion, a charged atom, and beam, a narrow stream like light from a flashlight. Imagine many charged atoms moving together in a tight, fast line like a beam of light, so an ion beam is a focused stream of charged particles used in experiments and to change materials.