Applied Materials, Inc.

Bernard F Harrison

Peter T Kindersley

Adrian John Murrell

Geoffrey Ryding

Marvin Farley

Takao Sakase

Shu Satoh

Paul A Burfield

Andrew S Devaney

John Pontefract

Nicholas Bright

David R Burgin

Peter Meares

Peter I Edwards

Peter Michael Banks

Frederick G Plumb

Craig J Lowrie

Peter Ivor Tudor Edwards

Derek Aitken

Nicholas J Bright

Christopher P Wright

Amir Hamed Al-Bayati

Theodore H Smick

David George Armour

Simon Herbert Povall

Andrew Holmes

Frank D Roberts

Drew Arnold

Erik Jan Hilda Collart

Chris James Burgess

An implanter provides two-dimensional scanning of a substrate relative to an implant beam so that the beam draws a raster of scan lines on the substrate. The beam current is measured at turnaround points off the substrate and the current value is used to control the subsequent fast scan speed so as to compensate for the effect of any variation in beam current on dose uniformity in the slow scan direction. The scanning may produce a raster of non-intersecting uniformly spaced parallel scan lines and the spacing between the lines is selected to ensure appropriate dose uniformity.

Method of implanting a substrate and an ion implanter for performing the method

Semiconductor processing apparatus is disclosed which provides for movement of a scanning armof a substrate or wafer holder, in at least two generally orthogonal directions (so-called X-Y scanning). Scanning in a first direction is longitudinally through an aperturein a vacuum chamber wall. The armis reciprocated by one or more linear motorsA,B. The armis supported relative to a slideusing gimballed air bearings so as to provide cantilever support for the arm relative to the slide. A compliant feedthroughinto the vacuum chamber for the armthen acts as a vacuum seal and guide but does not itself need to provide bearing support. A Faradayis attached to the armadjacent the substrate holderto allow beam profiling to be carried out both prior to and during implant. The Faradaycan instead or additionally be mounted adjacent the rear of the substrate holder or at 90&#xb0; to it to allow beam profiling to be carried out prior to implant, with the substrate support reversed or horizontal and out of the beam line.

Multi-directional scanning of movable member and ion beam monitoring arrangement therefor

Ion implantation beam monitor

An ion beam generation apparatus comprising an ion source ( ) for generating ions, and a tetrode extraction assembly ( ) comprising four electrodes for extracting and accelerating ions from the ion source. The extraction assembly comprises a source electrode ( ) at the potential of the ion source, an extraction electrode ( ) adjacent to the source electrode to extract ions from the ion source ( ), a ground electrode ( ), and a suppression electrode ( ) between the extraction electrode and the ground electrode. Each electrode has an aperture to allow the ion beam to pass therethrough. The gap between the extraction ( ) and suppression ( ) electrodes is variable in the direction of ion beam travel.

Ion beam generation apparatus

Ion implantation equipment is modified so as to provide filament reflectors to a filament inside of an arc chamber, and to remove the electrical insulators for the filament outside of the arc chamber and providing a means of shielding, thereby reducing the formation of a conductive layer on said insulators and greatly extending the lifetime and reducing downtime of the equipment. The efficiency of the equipment is further enhanced by means of an interchangeable liner for the arc chamber that increases the wall temperature of the arc chamber and thus the electron temperature. The use of tungsten parts inside the arc chamber, obtained either by making the arc chamber itself or portions thereof of tungsten, particularly the front plate having the exit aperture for the ion beam, or by inserting a removable tungsten liner therein, decreases contamination of the ion beam. Serviceability of the arc chamber is improved by means of a unitary clamp that separately grips both the filament and filament reflectors. This clamp can also advantageously be made of tungsten.

Ion implantation apparatus having increased source lifetime

A controlled deceleration potential is provided in an ion implanter between the target and the flight tube through the mass selector, by means of a variable resistance comprising a series of HEXFETs. The series of HEXFETs conduct current absorbed by the substrate back to the flight tube so that a desired decelertion potential can be formed.

Ion implantation apparatus with improved post mass selection deceleration

Ion implantation equipment is modified so as to provide filament reflectors to a filament inside of an arc chamber, and to remove the electrical insulators for the filament outside of the arc chamber and providing a shield, thereby reducing the formation of a conductive layer on said insulators and greatly extending the lifetime and reducing downtime of the equipment. The efficiency of the equipment is further enhanced by an interchangeable liner for the arc chamber that increases the wall temperature of the arc chamber and thus the electron temperature. The use of tungsten parts inside the arc chamber, obtained either by making the arc chamber itself or portions thereof of tungsten, particularly the front plate having the exit aperture for the ion beam, or by inserting a removable tungsten liner therein, decreases contamination of the ion beam. Serviceability of the arc chamber is improved by using a unitary clamp that separately grips both the filament and filament reflectors. This clamp can also advantageously be made of tungsten.

Ion implantation having increased source lifetime

A method for operating an ion source having a filament-cathode and an anode. The method includes supplying direct current electrical power between the anode and the filament-cathode characterized by substantially constant arc current there between and varying arc voltage on the filament-cathode. Direct current electrical power is also supplied across the filament-cathode. The value of the arc voltage is monitored and the magnitude of electrical power supplied to the filament-cathode is altered in response to detected changes in the arc voltage to return the arc voltage to substantially a preset reference value. The monitoring step and the altering step are carried out at regular preset intervals. The altering step includes deriving an filament power error signal as a prearranged function which includes the difference in values between the monitored arc voltage and the preset reference value multiplied by a predefined integral gain value. The altering step also includes altering the magnitude of electrical power supplied to the filament-cathode by the value of the filament power error signal.

Systems and methods for ion source control in ion implanters

An ion implantation system includes a beam generating arrangement for generating an ion beam characterized by good beam stability and for directing the ion beam along a prearranged path. A beam stopping arrangement is disposed in the path of the beam for stopping and collecting the ions in the beam. A workpiece scanning arrangement is positioned upstream of the beam stopping arrangement for scanning a workpiece through the beam in a prearranged combined fast scan directional motion and a slow scan directional motion with the slow scan directional motion being characterized by an end of scan position in which the ion beam falls completely on the beam stopping arrangement. A dose measuring arrangement is coupled to the beam stopping arrangement and includes arrangements for measuring the ion beam current on the beam stop at the end of scan position of the workpiece scanning arrangement, for calculating the average ion beam current striking the workpiece during each slow scan directional motion as the average of two successive ion beam current measurements before and after the motion, and for calculating the ion dose delivered to the workpiece based on the calculated average ion beam current and know geometrical factors associated with the fast and slow scan motions.

Systems and methods for ion implantation

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Cothorne, United Kingdom

Bernard F Harrison