Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Brian Terry

Joseph Ferrara

John F Baggett

Armin Huseinovic

Joe Ferrara

Billy Benoit

A workpiece alignment system is provided has a light emission apparatus that directs a light beam at a plurality of wavelengths along a path at a shallow angle toward a first side of a workpiece plane at a peripheral region. A light receiver apparatus, receives the light beam on a second side opposite the first side. A rotation device selectively rotates a workpiece support. According controller determines a position of the workpiece based on an amount of the light beam received through the workpiece when the workpiece intersects the path. A sensitivity of the light receiver apparatus is controlled based on a transmissivity of the workpiece. A position of the workpiece is determined when the workpiece is rotated based on the rotational position, an amount of the light beam received, the transmissivity of the workpiece, detection of a workpiece edge, and the controlled sensitivity of the light receiver apparatus.

Shallow angle, multi-wavelength, multi-receiver, adjustable sensitivity aligner sensor for semiconductor manufacturing equipment

A system and method is provided maintaining a temperature of a workpiece during an implantation of ions in an ion implantation system, where the ion implantation system is characterized with a predetermined set of parameters. A heated chuck is provided at a first temperature and heats the workpiece to the first temperature. Ions are implanted into the workpiece concurrent with the heating, and thermal energy is imparted into the workpiece by the ion implantation. A desired temperature of the workpiece is maintained within a desired accuracy during the implantation of ions by selectively heating the workpiece on the heated chuck to a second temperature. The desired temperature is maintained based, at least in part, on the characterization of the ion implantation system. Thermal energy imparted into the workpiece from the implantation is mitigated by the selective heating of the workpiece on the heated chuck at the second temperature.

Wafer temperature control with consideration to beam power input

An ion implantation system has a process chamber having a process environment, and an ion implantation apparatus configured to implant ions into a workpiece supported by a chuck within the process chamber. A load lock chamber isolates the process (vacuum) environment from an atmospheric environment, wherein a load lock workpiece support supports the workpiece therein. An isolation chamber is coupled to the process chamber with a pre-implant cooling environment defined therein. An isolation gate valve selectively isolates the pre-implant cooling environment from the process environment wherein the isolation chamber comprises a pre-implant cooling workpiece support for supporting and cooling the workpiece. The isolation gate valve is the only access path for the workpiece to enter and exit the isolation chamber. A pressurized gas selectively pressurizes the pre-implant cooling environment to a pre-implant cooling pressure that is greater than the process pressure for expeditious cooling of the workpiece. A workpiece transfer arm transfer the workpiece between the load lock chamber, isolation chamber, and chuck. A controller controls the workpiece transfer arm selectively cools the workpiece to a pre-implant cooling temperature in the isolation chamber at the pre-implant cooling pressure via a control of the isolation gate valve, pre-implant cooling workpiece support, and pressurized gas source.

High throughput cooled ion implantation system and method

An ion implantation system has an ion implantation apparatus coupled to first and second dual load lock assemblies, each having a respective first and second chamber separated by a common wall. Each first chamber has a pre-heat apparatus configured to heat a workpiece to a first temperature. Each second chamber has a post-cool apparatus configured to cool the workpiece to a second temperature. A thermal chuck retains the workpiece in a process chamber for ion implantation, and the thermal chuck is configured to heat the workpiece to a third temperature. A pump and vent are in selective fluid communication with the first and second chambers. A controller is configured to heat the workpiece to the first temperature in an atmospheric environment via the pre-heat apparatus, to heat the workpiece to the second temperature via the thermal chuck, to implant ions into the workpiece via the ion implantation apparatus, and to transfer the workpiece between atmospheric and vacuum environments via a control of the pre-heat apparatus, post-cool apparatus, pump, vent, and thermal chuck.

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Amesbury, MA, United States of America

Brian Terry