Varian Associates, Inc.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Carl J Russo

Richard S Muka

Roy Kaplow

Reuel B Liebert

A multipole electron-bombardment type ion source includes an ion chamber defined by chamber walls and magnetic elements of an electrically insulating, permanently magnetized material. The magnetic elements provide mechanical support for anode elements and electrically isolate the anode elements from the chamber walls. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic elements and the anode elements form a layered structure.

Ion chamber for electron-bombardment ion sources

A method for reducing contamination in a vacuum processing chamber includes introducing into the vacuum chamber a gas selected to react with the contaminant and form a compound more volatile than the contaminant. The volatile compound is then removed from the vacuum chamber, typically by vacuum pumping. In one embodiment, the vacuum chamber is an ion implantation chamber, the contaminant is phosphorous and the gas is water vapor, which reacts with the phosphorous to form phosphine gas or other high vapor pressure phosphorous-containing substances.

Method for reducing phosphorous contamination in a vacuum processing

A process for high temperature, rapid drive-in diffusion employs a planar blackbody source placed in parallel alignment with a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum processing chamber. The wafer is rapidly heated, preferably to a temperature in the range of 1100.degree. C. to 1300.degree. C. and primarily by radiation which promotes uniformity. Typical diffusions are completed in less than one minute. In order to control diffusion distance at elevated temperatures, the process time and source temperature are carefully controlled, and the peak wafer temperature is monitored.

Process for high temperature drive-in diffusion of dopants into

A processor apparatus is provided in which a blackbody radiator having a constant planar energy flux characteristic is placed in opposition to semiconductor material. The blackbody source produces a constant planar energy flux to uniformly heat the material. The source is heated to a sufficiently high temperature for a sufficient time to anneal or activate a semiconductor wafer or to epitaxially regrow a thin epitaxial film. The processor is operated by accomplishing the steps of presenting a blackbody radiator in opposition to semiconductor material to be thermally treated, radiatively heating the material to a sufficiently high temperature for a sufficient time to accomplish the desired process result, and cooling and removing the material. In the interval between presentation of successive samples of the material to the source, the source may be shuttered or idled to reduce energy consumption.

Blackbody radiation source with constant planar energy flux

Blackbody radiation source for producing constant planar energy flux

Process for treating a semiconductor material by blackbody radiation

Semiconductor processor incorporating blackbody radiation source with

Material surfaces are provided which maintain their characteristic properties over long periods and which resist degradation by the environment in which they are utilized. The surfaces are formed by exposing a surface of atomically clean material to a gas or liquid which interacts with the clean surface to form a composition having the properties desired and which is stable against degradation in the environment of use. The process is useful, for example, to render metals or metal alloys, such as iron or iron alloys, stable against oxidation by air by exposing the atomically clean surface to an ultrapure nitrogen environment, prior to exposure to a degrading environment, such as air. A new oxidation-resistant iron surface composition also is provided which comprises body-centered iron structures including nitrogen atoms interstitially. This surface composition is essentially free of face-centered cubic iron-nitrogen structures and martensite iron-nitrogen structures as well as morphologies derived from the thermal decomposition of those structures.

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Ipswich, MA, United States of America

Carl J Russo