
11Ion Beam Technology
collaborators were able to increase cluster generation, improve
efciency of cluster ionization, and optimize beam transport
without increasing gas consumption or pumping require-
ments. Cluster ion beam currents of several hundred micro-
amperes on target became possible with source gas ows that
could be handled by standard vacuum pumps. In 1997, Epion
Corporation, with the help of Minoru Nakajima of the import/
export company Techscience Ltd., Kosigaya city Saitama,
Japan, delivered the rst commercially built GCIB R&D sys-
tem to Kyoto University. Figure1.7 shows the historically rst
commercial GCIB equipment, Epion M ...